Scents, Lasers, and Mrs. Patrick's Investment
Amber and Dan finally climbed into bed at 2:00 AM. They could still hear their friends and family laughing at the teahouse across the lake, the sounds of celebration drifting over the water. Dan reached over and pulled her smoothly against him. She went willingly, nestling into him as if it were the one place she truly belonged.
He sighed into her hair before he spoke. "Amber, I know Jessica is your older sister, so she would've been in our lives regardless, but I made it something…"
"Let's not talk about that tonight." She interrupted him quickly, not wanting to hear any odd confesses on their night. Jessica would not ruin tonight for her, if she had anything to say about it.
"I want to apologize, Amber."
Amber sat up, turning to look at him in the dim light. "There is no need, Dan. She is my sister; I know her well." She reached out, her thumb grazing his cheek. "I loved you from the first time I literally ran into you." She leaned forward and kissed his smiling lips. "I chose this. There's no need to apologize for my sister's behavior, and I'm not going to apologize for bringing you into my family and exposing you to her. I want you here with me, in the thick of it."
She leaned back against his chest. "What we can do is plan a way to handle her. Mommy is enamored, and Jessica is hell-bent on having you. What do we do about that?"
Dan kissed the top of her head. What to do indeed? He didn't have the answer yet, but his mind was already turning. He made a silent vow right then: he would find the answer. He would stop the she-wolf hunting his family.
The next morning, Amber began her day at the new "Scent Emporium." It was a massive undertaking—a space dedicated to more than just perfumes and oils. It was a sensory laboratory for custom lotions, vibrant shampoos, and proprietary scents infused into everything from hand sanitizers to high-end candles. The building featured private creation rooms and a central lab surrounded by double-paned glass, allowing customers to witness the chemistry behind their favorite products.
It was destined to be the crown jewel of Carson City's newest upscale business center, and in true Amber Lance-Trace fashion, the world already knew it was coming.
This was her final walk-through before the owners arrived to set up. She moved through the building briskly, nodding with a confident smile, before heading toward the high-tech nail salon next door. As she stepped into the corridor separating the two businesses, her phone buzzed.
It was Gladys Patrick.
Amber cocked her head, fighting the impulse to tell her old friend everything about Jessica's scheming. She sighed and answered. "Gladie! How are you? It's been a while."
"It has. You are doing big things, Amber, and I'm sad that I haven't been involved. You cannot keep the Patricks out like this! I'm sorry, but I have to use our friendship as leverage."
Amber laughed, her shock melting away. She resumed her walk toward the salon. "I'm not sure…"
"Are you going to make me beg, Am? I know Cristina has been a better…"
"Don't you even say that," Amber interrupted. "The three of us will always be as close as sisters. Okay, I'll let you use our friendship as a bargaining chip. How would you like to invest? Convince me."
Gladys laughed, the sound bright over the line. "First, I'm interested in the laser tag endeavor and the high-tech nail salon. Secondly, I want you to work with me to start a mental health clinic network—one that helps individuals and families regardless of their insurance status."
Amber entered the nail salon, a genuine smile lighting up her face. "A very good use of our friendship, Gladie. Let's meet tomorrow for lunch and talk."
"Good. I'll write everything up and send the investment proposals to Julia, but I will send you the mental health clinic proposal to you directly. Be prepared to be wowed Am!"
They spoke for a few more minutes before hanging up. Gladys didn't mention her surrogate, and Amber held back the news of her own pregnancy. Cristina had always been their sounding board and secret-keeper; some things were better shared in person.
The call ended amicably, and Amber drove to the laser tag facility, her mind already calculating how to make the arenas even more exhilarating and safe. As she thought about her friend's investment she felt a surge of triumph. Her sister wanted to ruin lives, yet here they were, prospering.
All those Jessica worked to teardown still rose up from the burning ash of the schemes she laid at their feet.
She thought about Gladys—finally getting the family she wanted, ironicall, and unknowingly, by using her greatest enemy as a surrogate. Amber sighed. She hoped Dan's plan worked. She hoped they could finally force Jessica to leave others alone and live her own life. But in the back of her mind, the scientist in her knew that some toxins were too virulent to be wash away so easily.