Page 79 of Deadly Misfortunes

“How were sales?” Gregory asked Sascha, holding her hand in the backseat. He figured they had lost lots of sales after the firework incident.

“They were surprisingly good,” Sascha said. “You’re not having money troubles, are you?”

Gregory laughed. “No. The money you make at your shows is all yours to play with.”

“Even the three thousand you paid for me entertaining your guests?”

“Especially that. So how did you get that amount out of Raymond?” He had never asked Raymond, and he was curious whether Sascha had held out until Raymond said that was all he had to offer her.

Sascha smiled. “I asked how high you would go.”

Smiling, Gregory shook his head. Not only had Sascha won him over, but she’d also won over his staff.

“Do you still want to do the show at the fairgrounds tomorrow?” he asked.

“Yes. They’re juried shows. If you miss one, you’ve lost out. You won’t be invited back. Everyone is trying to get space at the fair. I think we’re so popular that they let Lucy come to the fair at the last moment to set up next to my booth. We usually have more room between booths, and you can see we are squished together because we’re related and have similar services to offer.”

“Ahh, that makes sense. I saw you started packing for your trip on Monday. Are you excited about your bachelorette party?”

She rested her head on his shoulder. “I am. I will miss you for sure, especially in bed at night.”

He chuckled. “Yeah, I’ll miss you too.”

They finally arrived home, and Sascha said, “Let’s swim, shower, and then eat dinner.”

“I think you’re marrying me for my swimming pool.”

She laughed. “Did you read my mind?”

The time flew by. Thankfully, they had no incidents on the last day at the fairgrounds, finished packing that night, made love before they went to sleep, and got up the next morning, ready for their bachelor and bachelorette parties.

Sascha, the other women, and the bodyguards, Henry and Omar, rode in one of Mrs. Landry’s limos; the limo driver took them to the airport, then they got ready for their flight, bags in hand. They had rented an SUV from the Brownsville airport for their trip to South Padre Island. Once they arrived at the rental home, Sascha was excited to see the stunning oceanfront property, which featured five bedrooms and five baths, ensuring everyone had their own sleeping space.

Downstairs, the bodyguards could use the fold-out couches to sleep on, and there was a bathroom down there as well.

The ladies all chose their rooms and left their luggage there. Then Mrs. Landry escorted Sascha outside on the back deck to see the swimming pool, hot tub, and the beach beyond. She assumed the other ladies were busy decorating the house or doing something special for her since no one else joined them outside.

The salty breeze felt delightful. Seagulls landed on the beach and took off, calling out to each other. Farther out on the Gulf, she saw pelicans gliding across the blue sky, dotted with fluffy white clouds. They reminded her of flying dinosaurs, like pterodactyls or pteranodon.

The aqua pool looked inviting. So did the thought of relaxing in the hot tub later at night. They could even have a cookout at the outdoor kitchen and savor meals on the balcony while taking in the breathtaking view of the pristine Gulf.

She couldn’t wait to learn what Kat and the others had planned for the retreat. She would just enjoy swimming and walking along the beach the whole time they were there.

She loved it here and was glad they decided to come here for the party.

Aunt Meg opened the door and said, “Oh, my, this is beautiful.”

“I agree,” Sascha said.

“Well, come in, and we’ll have a bite to eat before we enjoy the beach.” Aunt Meg motioned for her to enter the house.

Kat and Lucy had hung up a colorful bachelorette banner with Sascha’s name, the date, and South Padre Island embroidered on it as a lovely keepsake. It had a champagne glass and bottle, plus a crystal ball, beach chair, and bikini hanging from a line.

They’d also hung up pink balloons and a bride balloon.

A seafood platter and fruit platter had been delivered, and the ladies had all changed into shirts that said Bride Crew, but Sascha's said Bride to Be. She changed, and they all sat down to drink watermelon daiquiris, except Kat’s was a mocktail. But she’d made the drinks from fresh watermelon.

Henry started taking photos of them.