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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?

“Well, yes. That ring is the last piece I have of the original stone. And yes, I know you don’t approve that I broke up the diamond. I admit, it wasn’t the most ethical thing to do. It was one of a kind. But the company was in a real financial bind and—”

Celeste pulled the ring from her finger and dropped it like it was on fire.

“I should have known nothing ever changes with you people. It’s always about money. Money, money, money! And don’t you see the price we’ve paid for that?”

Elodie stared at her, stunned. What on earth was she talking about?

Celeste stood, her wedding magazine falling to the ground.

“Take that cursed ring and get out of my house.”

65

It was late afternoon by the time the ferry docked at MacMillan Pier. Gemma sensed that Provincetown was more crowded than when she’d left. Even though Carnival, the annual theme week of costumes and parties, was still two weeks away, a few people were already showing off their creative interpretation of this year’s theme, “Enchanted Forest.”

The energy in town was so buoyant, she felt bad about returning with so much negativity. But Sanjay was right: The best thing she could do was return and get back to work. Work was always the answer. Still, she couldn’t stand the thought of sleeping under the same roof as Elodie. And Elodie would surely be back this week for the wedding.

The front door to Maud and Alvie’s house, like all front doors in Provincetown, was unlocked. If her request to stay for the night was an imposition, Maud didn’t show it.

“Stay as long as you’d like,” Maud had said the night before, jumping into Gemma’s FaceTime chat with Alvie.

It wasn’t just that she didn’t want to see Elodie. She also wondered how she’d spend time with Celeste and avoid mentioning what happened during her trip. But Elodie was right: It would be selfish to dump her problems at Celeste’s feet right before her wedding. The truth about the Electric Rose—and her questions about Elodie and her father—would have to wait.

“Welcome, welcome—I’m just on my way to the restaurant but make yourself at home,” Maud said, emerging from the back of the house to greet her.

“Thanks so much,” Gemma said. “Is Alvie here?”

“She’s at the restaurant already. Then we’re going to observe the blue moon later. You’re welcome to meet us at the beach. A blue moon is very powerful—ripe for channeling our intuition.”

Gemma’s gratitude for a place to stay disappeared with a flash of irritation at her hostess. She’d been skeptical the day that Celeste brought her to get her cards read, but she’d let herself be seduced by the fantasy that some cosmic power could show her the way.