the options seemed unlikely since she’d have noticed someone emerging from all three places.
“Oh. My. Prada.” Skyler pressed a hand to his chest and gazed longingly at a garment rack that was on the other side of the room. “Do you see that, Gigi? The gorgeous white wool suit? It looks like the one Carly Preston wore in My Favorite December. The one she wore to the New Years’ Eve bash when she finally got together with Archer Riveria.” He let out a swoon-worthy sigh and floated over to the rack without waiting for her answer.
Smiling to herself, Gigi focused again on the tiny woman searching through the papers on a small writing desk. Her hair had been cut and styled into a cute 1950s pageboy style. The teal and black polka dot rockabilly dress she wore with her high heeled Mary Jane shoes was the perfect outfit to compliment her look.
“Found it,” she said and pulled a piece of paper out of a folder with a flourish. “Whew. I was afraid that I’d lost it for good this time.” She gave Gigi a sheepish smile. “You know how you put something away so you can find it easily next time?”
Gigi nodded, enjoying the bubbly energy wafting off the woman.
“Yeah, that’s what I did here, but it seems every time I put something away, finding it is dicey.” She laughed. “You’d think I’d learn and just leave the important things out where they’re impossible to miss.”
“Maybe you have a ghost who keeps hiding things,” Gigi said without thinking. “That’s what happens in my house.” Gigi cringed internally. She hadn’t meant to bring up her ghosts. It was something she usually kept to herself and her small circle of friends because so many people were still skeptical. But even though they’d barely spoken, Gigi felt a natural ease with the woman in front of her. It was almost as if she knew her, but that was impossible. Gigi would remember if they’d met before.
“Ghosts.” She nodded thoughtfully. “It’s entirely possible. This wouldn’t be the first time I’ve encountered one.” She held her hand out. “Hi, I’m Autumn.”
“Gigi.” Their hands touched, and a comforting warmth spread through her.
Autumn’s hand tightened around Gigi’s and she held on for a moment longer than normal as Autumn stared in wonder at her. Then she blinked, dropped Gigi’s hand, and took a step back as she cleared her throat. “Welcome to the Thorne estate sale. Are you looking for anything in particular or just treasure hunting?”
“Garments in particular,” Skyler called from his place over at the clothing rack. “But I want to see everything. You never know what you’re going to find.”
Autumn stared at Gigi for a moment longer before turning to Skyler and smiling. “Perfect. When you’re done there, let me take you upstairs so you can see the rest of Mrs. Thorne’s wardrobe.”
“There’s more?” Skyler breathed, his face alight with excitement.
She chuckled. “Yes. The garments you’re looking at are just a sampling.” Autumn walked over to him, introduced herself, and the two of them got lost in a conversation about all of Mrs. Thorne’s favorite designers.
Gigi watched them for a few minutes before slipping out of the room and following the arrows to a large sitting room in the back of the house. It had obviously been the formal living room with an attached dining room. The walls were covered in wood paneling, and there was a more modern white couch and two matching armchairs facing each other. But the end tables and china cabinet were the same Louis the XV style as the settee from the other room. It was clear the owner had gone for chic comfort while trying to keep the rest of the furnishings as original as possible.
“I knew you’d come,” an ethereal voice called from behind her.
Gooseflesh popped out over Gigi’s skin. She froze before carefully turning in the direction of the voice. At the head of the table in the adjacent dining room, there was a shimmering outline of a woman wearing an elegant beaded gown. Her curly hair was piled up on her head with tendrils framing her face and showing off teardrop diamond earrings. She held up a gloved hand and beckoned for Gigi to come closer.
As if in a trance, Gigi moved forward, both drawn to the woman but also terrified because she knew that face. She’d seen it before in a black and white photo in her mother’s things.