BooksBarbecue
Back Gilt
Chapters (82)
  1. Cover
  2. ALSO BY JAMIE BRENNER
  3. PART ONE
  4. 1
  5. 2
  6. 3
  7. 4
  8. 5
  9. 6
  10. 7
  11. 8
  12. 9
  13. 10
  14. 11
  15. 12
  16. 13
  17. 14
  18. 15
  19. 16
  20. 17
  21. 18
  22. 19
  23. 20
  24. 21
  25. 22
  26. 23
  27. 24
  28. 25
  29. 26
  30. 27
  31. 28
  32. 29
  33. 30
  34. 31
  35. 32
  36. 33
  37. 34
  38. 35
  39. 36
  40. 37
  41. 38
  42. 39
  43. 40
  44. 41
  45. 42
  46. 43
  47. PART TWO
  48. 44
  49. 45
  50. 46
  51. 47
  52. 48
  53. 49
  54. 50
  55. 51
  56. 52
  57. 53
  58. 54
  59. 55
  60. 56
  61. 57
  62. 58
  63. PART THREE
  64. 59
  65. 60
  66. 61
  67. 62
  68. 63
  69. 64
  70. 65
  71. 66
  72. 67
  73. 68
  74. 69
  75. 70
  76. 71
  77. 72
  78. 73
  79. 74
  80. Acknowledgments
  81. About the Author
  82. What’s next onyour reading list?

When she’d gotten kicked out of her apartment building after graduation, she’d thought it would be months and months before she could sell in person again. Now there she was, up and running in July. She hoped if she could connect with one of Connor’s money people, they would come by in person to see the action. Instagram numbers were one thing, but a line out the door on a flawless beach day was something else.

“You tell me,” he said. “Is there some secret to your success?”

“My customers feel the pieces are made just for them. It’s personal.”

She handed one of the eggs to a customer about her age with a unibrow and blond undercut. The woman declared that her grandmother had one just like it. She also bought a gold-plated necklace chain.

“Are you the designer?” the woman said. Gemma nodded, and the woman asked for a selfie.

“Don’t forget to tag me,” she said, waving over the next person in line. And then Elodie breezed in carrying a tape measure.

“Good heavens, are you giving these things away?” she said, peering at the display.

“I’m giving people what they want. When you do that, they sell themselves,” Gemma said. Elodie checked the tag on a necklace chain.

“Your price point is very low.”

“It’s relative. For some people, it’s a huge extravagance. But worth it to them.”

She glanced at the charm tray, nearly empty. She’d hoped Celeste could take her antiquing tomorrow. Within the hour, she’d be cleaned out.

Elodie moved on, asking Jack to show her upstairs. Gemma found the request odd but didn’t have time to wonder when her phone vibrated with a text from Sloan Pierce. I hope you’ll be in the city soon to fulfill your end of our bargain. I have some information I think you’ll find very interesting.

Gemma looked up at her next customer. “Excuse me for one second.”

You located my diamond? she typed.

Not exactly. But I believe I know what happened to it. Need to discuss in person.

Her mind buzzed with logistics, like how soon she could go without leaving Jack and Celeste shorthanded, and where she could stay in the city.

She was one step closer to the Electric Rose. One step closer to her past. Her birthright. Yes, jewelry was personal. And for her, it didn’t get any more personal than her mother’s engagement ring.

54

It took less than a day for Celeste to find her an estate sale in Truro. The sales manager granted Gemma and Celeste a preview before the general public.

The first floor had low ceilings and table after table filled with boxes of jewelry, figurines, and vintage shoes.

“I have another sale lined up for next week,” Celeste said.