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Thomas laughed and came to his fiancée’s rescue. “No more makeup digs. I learned my lesson. Proceed.”
A third person appeared at this point. Conor’s tawny head peered past the other two men’s. Bliss always thought of her older brother as if he was surrounded by a golden light. There was something so effortlessly charming about him, but also so kind. Whenever they’d been in Lake Bittersweet at the same time, he’d been sweet to her. But other than that, they followed each other on social media, sent the occasional text, and not much more.
More proof that the Gault family was not a close one.
After all, she’d only learned about Conor’s move to Lake Bittersweet, and his new love, when she’d arrived here.
“Is that Gault-on-Gault violence I’m witnessing, stabbing bobby pins where they don’t belong?”
Carly scoffed. “Don’t be ridiculous. No one says bobby pins any more.”
As so often in the presence of her revered older brother, Bliss couldn’t help giggling. “You may have a point about the pins, though. This is harder than it looks. I may have drawn blood.”
“I offered to do your hair the easy way.” Conor made a dramatic snipping motion with his fingers. “But noooo, you wanted to actually look good. Such a bridezilla.”
Thomas lightly thumped a fist on the top of Conor’s head. “You’re a brave man, insulting my bride right in front of me.”
“And me,” Danny said loyally. “Better watch yourself, that’s my future stepmom.”
Bliss felt a sudden stab of envy that almost took her breath away. Carly was marrying into an entire family. Arealfamily of people who knew each other and spent time together. Did she know how lucky she was?
Yes, she decided, catching the starry glow in Carly’s eyes. She knew.
Conor threw up his hands in defeat. “Don’t mess with the Coopers, is that it?”
“My uncles are around here somewhere too,” said Danny. “You really don’t want to mess with them. Galen can carve statues with his chainsaw, and Billy could knock you out with one pitch.”
Conor caught Bliss’ eye. “You know what that means. You’re the only sister left that I can tease.”
She giggled again. Shesowasn’t a giggler, but Conor always brought it out in her. “I dare you. Why do you think I hired Granger?”
“Oh shit,” Conor said amid a general outburst of laughter. “I’d better watch my back. That guy can lift a refrigerator with one pry bar. Hey, have you looked through that box yet, Bliss?”
“A little bit.” She explained to everyone about the Box o’ Bliss they’d found jammed behind the fridge. “I think it’s mostly songs.”
“I wonder if there’s anything in there about his diagnosis,” Conor said thoughtfully. “Let me know if you find something like that.”
“Diagnosis?” Bliss froze, her hands still full of Carly’s hair.
“Nothing serious,” he said quickly. “I just found out about it because I ran into his therapist. He’d been having panic attacks.”
“Really?” Carly spun around again on her stool. “Just when I thought I knew everything about Gault. Panic attacks? When? How bad?”
Bliss’ stomach was lurching up and down like a ship about to capsize. The message from Gault from the box flashed through her mind.“You’re the one most like me.”
Little did he know. Ordidhe know? He must have known. Her mother had put her on medication for anxiety after she’d experienced a panic attack in the middle of an editorial shoot. She still got panic attacks, but only rarely. Was that what Gault had wanted to talk to her about in New York?
She imagined Gault slouched on her couch, his purple hat tipped over his forehead.“So, about these panic attacks, B. I finally know how it feels. What’s it like for you? Got any tips for an old man?”
“Ow.” Carly reached up and moved Bliss’ hand away from her temple, and another hairpin fell into her palm.
Bliss gave a quick apology, barely conscious of her own words.
The bathroom, with its cheerful white and blue tiles and cast-iron claw foot tub, began a slow spin around her. She needed to get out of here. Get back to her own room. She needed to think about this in private.
“I’m going to go…look up some YouTube videos about French twists,” she said faintly. “Don’t worry, I’ll have it down by the wedding day.”
“You mean, tomorrow.”
