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?

Her sister’s words from earlier that morning repeated in her head. It was as if an airplane flew a kite overhead with the words emblazoned on it: It was a gesture, something to show me he’s all in . . . You need to show Jack.

Of course. It was so obvious!

She rushed back toward Commercial as partygoers began arriving in bunches. She didn’t have time to say hi, so she kept her eyes ahead and moved quickly. But when she reached the alley she ran into Clifford and his husband, Santiago. There was no escaping a greeting from Clifford.

“Celeste!” he said, passing the large, extravagantly wrapped gift box he was holding to Santiago. “I’m so happy to see you here. Did you two patch things up?” His face was shiny from the heat, but he was dressed impeccably as always, in an eggshell-colored linen suit and lavender button-down with a matching pocket square.

“Um, no. We didn’t patch things up,” she said.

“Don’t tell us you’re leaving already,” said Santiago.

“I’ll be right back. I just forgot something.”

And she had: her wedding dress.

72

The Barros boatyard was strung with twinkling lights and filled with dozens of friendly faces. Jack and Manny stood in front of one buffet table, drinking bottles of Red Stripe.

Gemma felt awkward, considering what was going on between Jack and Celeste. But he’d been so kind to her since day one. Of course she would celebrate his birthday.

“Happy birthday,” Gemma said, giving him a hug.

They smiled at each other but fell into a silence that she was able to break only when she noticed Clifford Henry waving at her wildly, his arm linked with that of an attractive younger man. The younger man was talking to a familiar woman: She was in her sixties, extremely thin with silvery blond hair in a knot at the back of her neck. Gemma noticed she wore a yellow gold Pavlin tank watch.

“Clifford’s calling me over,” she said, excusing herself.

The music changed, switching decades from Spice Girls to Phil Collins, “In the Air Tonight.” She grabbed a glass of red sangria from the bar.

“Gemma,” Clifford said. “This is my husband, Santiago.”

Santiago smiled at her with beautiful big brown eyes that gave her a pang, reminding her of Sanjay.

Clifford leaned forward conspiratorially. “Such a shame about Celeste and Jack. But then, marriage isn’t for everyone.” He turned to the woman beside Santiago.

“And this lovely lady is Susan Harrison,” Clifford said. “She rented out Maud’s jewel of a house on the West End for the summer.”

Gemma blinked, suddenly feeling overheated. Connor’s place.

“Are you . . . related to Connor Harrison?” she said.

The woman gave a small laugh. “I’m his mother.” She narrowed her eyes. “Have we met?”

Gemma realized why she recognized her. “I saw you once in his gallery.”