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Brooke scoffs. “You havegotto be joking. You’re making an ass of yourself, Electra. Nobody wants you here.”
Hollis is impressed by Brooke’s moxie but the last thing she wants is a scene here at the Galley after they’ve enjoyed such a lovely lunch.
“We were just leaving, Electra,” Hollis says as she reaches for her purse. She catches Brooke’s eye to indicate they should stand up. That’s the solution: Walk away. Brooke pushes back from the table, but the other three women sit tight, staring at Electra.
“I just stopped by because late last night, I realized why you look so familiar.” Electra moves her ginormous sunglasses to the top of her head; she’s staring at Gigi. “I met you with Matthew in Atlanta. You two were coming out of the Optimist when my husband, son, and I were going in.”
What?Hollis thinks.Did she just say “with Matthew”?
“Please stop, Electra,” Hollis says. “Gigi never knew Matthew. Gigi and I became friends after Matthew died.”
Electra’s gaze is locked on Gigi. “It was you. You were with Matthew. I remember your face and I certainly remember your accent.”
Hollis says, “What iswrongwith you, Electra? Why are you harassing us like this?” She scans the restaurant to see if there’s a manager who can intercede. But the restaurant is bustling, the staff is busy; Louis is across the room taking an order. No one is paying attention to them, and Hollis supposes she should be relieved.
“I just thought you should know,” Electra says to Hollis.
“Knowwhat?That you’re a sociopath?”
“Know that this woman, your friend, yourstar,was with Matthew in Atlanta,” Electra says. “They weretogether.”
Hollis shakes her head. It’s absurd, impossible, and Electra is the consummate unreliable narrator. Hollis turns to look at Gigi, but Gigi’s chair is empty. Hollis sees her weaving her way through the tables toward the door. She’s leaving.
Gigi!Hollis thinks, but she doesn’t call out because she is determined to maintain her composure.
“Thanks for the chat, ladies,” Electra says. “Enjoy your time on the ’Tuck!”
The ’Tuck?Tatum thinks, rolling her eyes. Only the most irritating tourists call it that.
What has Electradone?Brooke thinks.
Is Gigi going home? Dru-Ann wonders. Can Dru-Ann go with her?
Caroline cuts the camera and lets it drop to her side. She sees Gigi climb into a taxi out in the parking lot. “Mom?” she says.
Hollis is up on her feet. “You four go straight to theEndeavor,please,” she says. “Gigi and I will meet you there.”
44. The Friendship Sloop
Their sail on theEndeavoris scheduled to go from two to four, but at two fifteen, neither Hollis nor Gigi has arrived, and Caroline can tell that Captain Jim is getting antsy. The first mate is Captain Jim’s son, James, who asks Caroline how much longer she thinks it will be until they can get under way.
“They should be here any minute,” Caroline says. “They’re just parking.”
But a few minutes later, Caroline receives a text from Hollis that says:Go without us.
Srsly?Caroline texts back.Where are u?
Go,Hollis texts.Just please go.
“Actually my mom isn’t coming,” Caroline tells James. “So I guess we’re ready, then.”
Caroline, Brooke, Dru-Ann, and Tatum choose seats in the cockpit and they listen as James gives a briefing—lifejackets, no toilet paper in the head, et cetera—and a quick history of the boat. TheEndeavoris a thirty-one-foot Friendship sloop that Captain Jim built himself.
Very cool,Dru-Ann thinks, but as James is talking, Dru-Ann peeks at her phone. Hovland bogeyed seventeen; he’s out. Phineas and McIlroy are tied headed into eighteen.
She should have gone with Gigi and Hollis, she thinks.
Tatum sends a quick text to Kyle:You will not believe what happened at lunch! Some woman is stalking us!Tatum is actually grateful for all the drama, it’s keeping her mind off the other thing. She considers Electra’s accusation. Gigi waswithMatthew, as in hislover?Tatum doesn’t blame Gigi for walking away; Tatum would have slapped the woman,thenleft.
