Now That I've Found You - Kristina Forest Page 0,14
Gigi.
She looks at me and sighs. Before she can reply, the phone rings. Milo stands up to answer it, but Gigi stills him, placing a hand on his arm. “Let the answering machine pick it up,” she says.
Milo sits back down, just as a woman’s upbeat voice leaves a message.
“Hi, Peg,” she says. “It’s Candice calling. I was hoping you might have changed your mind about coming to the gala tomorrow night. Give me a call back. Love you.”
Evelyn Conaway is just Gigi’s stage name. Her real name is Peggy Connor. So this woman must be a close friend if she calls Gigi “Peg.”
“Was that Candice, as in Candice Tevin?” I ask.
Candice Tevin is one of the most famous fashion photographers, like, ever. She and Gigi grew up together in Brooklyn, and she got her start in the ’70s, when she took a bunch of pictures of Gigi for a Vanity Fair article. Since then, she’s gone on to photograph anyone and everyone. She even took a few pictures of me once, when Gigi set up a photo shoot for my eleventh birthday. I’ve always wanted her to photograph me professionally, but who even knows if that will happen now.
“Yes,” Gigi answers. She points at my plate. “You haven’t eaten any of your food. Aren’t you hungry?”
“Candice Tevin invited you to a gala?” I ask, ignoring Gigi’s attempts to distract me. “What kind of gala?”
Gigi shrugs. “She thinks because I signed some photographs for her fundraiser tomorrow it means that I actually want to attend. That’s what everyone has been doing for the past month, inviting me here and there. Calling, sending things in the mail. It’s been ridiculous. I even think there was a paparazzi man outside of the house last week!” She turns to Milo. “I told you that, didn’t I? He was sitting in a black car.”
Milo nods, then glances at me. “I don’t know if it was paparazzi, though. I don’t think it’s something either of you should worry about.”
“Gigi, that’s perfect!” I say, waving away her paranoia. “You haven’t made a public appearance in so long. The gala can be like a warm-up for Sunday’s ceremony. You have to call her back.”
Suddenly, Gigi gets quiet, fidgeting with her pearl necklace. Then, “I’m not going to the ceremony. You’ll accept the award on my behalf.”
“What?” My empty stomach drops. “But, Gigi … you have to go. What are you talking about?”
“I don’t have to do anything, actually,” she says, finally putting her fork down. “And while I’m slightly flattered that they’ve chosen to honor me in this way, I’d rather not be bothered with any of it. You’ll do as I say and accept the award on my behalf, Evie Marie.”
No. No, no, no.
I stare at her with the sudden realization that my well-laid plans are unraveling in front of me. This is going to ruin everything.
“But you have to go to the ceremony,” I repeat. “Gigi, everyone is expecting you to be there. Are you afraid because of what happened between you and James last time? It was so long ago, no one is thinking about that anymore.”
She holds up her hand. “You know better than to mention that name in this house.”
The room goes deadly quiet. Then Milo drops his fork on the floor and Gigi and I both jump.
“Why are you still here?” I snap.
Gigi looks as if she wants to jump across the table and shake me.
“I actually have a band meeting,” Milo says carefully, sliding away from the table and excusing himself. “Thanks for dinner, Ms. C.” He leans down to hug her and nods at me. “It was nice to meet you.”
“Don’t forget to put your hamper outside your room,” she says to him. “I’m doing laundry tonight.”
“His room?” My head is spinning. I feel like Gigi has been fully taken over by a pod person. “Wait a minute, he lives here?”
“Not exactly,” Milo says. “You know, the grocery store is right around the corner, so—”
“I wasn’t talking to you!” I snap again. I turn to Gigi. “You can’t be serious! He’s living with you?”
Distantly, I wonder if I’m overreacting, but I can’t seem to calm myself down. After the worst summer of my life, I was looking forward to spending time alone with Gigi. By the end of my trip, she may very well hate me, and I can’t help but feel like every second counts—like Milo’s presence is ruining everything and pushing Gigi and me further apart.