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Chapters (82)
  1. Cover
  2. ALSO BY JAMIE BRENNER
  3. PART ONE
  4. 1
  5. 2
  6. 3
  7. 4
  8. 5
  9. 6
  10. 7
  11. 8
  12. 9
  13. 10
  14. 11
  15. 12
  16. 13
  17. 14
  18. 15
  19. 16
  20. 17
  21. 18
  22. 19
  23. 20
  24. 21
  25. 22
  26. 23
  27. 24
  28. 25
  29. 26
  30. 27
  31. 28
  32. 29
  33. 30
  34. 31
  35. 32
  36. 33
  37. 34
  38. 35
  39. 36
  40. 37
  41. 38
  42. 39
  43. 40
  44. 41
  45. 42
  46. 43
  47. PART TWO
  48. 44
  49. 45
  50. 46
  51. 47
  52. 48
  53. 49
  54. 50
  55. 51
  56. 52
  57. 53
  58. 54
  59. 55
  60. 56
  61. 57
  62. 58
  63. PART THREE
  64. 59
  65. 60
  66. 61
  67. 62
  68. 63
  69. 64
  70. 65
  71. 66
  72. 67
  73. 68
  74. 69
  75. 70
  76. 71
  77. 72
  78. 73
  79. 74
  80. Acknowledgments
  81. About the Author
  82. What’s next onyour reading list?

Gemma followed the instructions. Her hand felt shaky as she pulled the first card. When the three were set out before her, Maud turned them over one at a time. She contemplated them for a few moments before looking up at Gemma. “Well, I don’t see anything here about an object. Your first card here, the Sun, suggests good fortune. Your next card, the World, indicates a major change and the finding of a truth. Your final card is the Lovers. What I see clearly in this is that you have either found your true love or are about to very soon.”

“What?” That was the last thing she expected to hear.

“Oh! That young man who visited you in the shop,” Celeste said.

No way. She didn’t believe in any of this. But she couldn’t help but note that while Celeste tried to change the subject, Maud did not advise her to forget about the diamond.

And she wouldn’t.

41

After a busy weekend at the store, Celeste finally found time on a calm Monday morning to break away for a few hours. She and Jack left mid-morning for an estate sale right in town on Bangs Street. She had no qualms about leaving Gemma in charge. Their customers seemed to love her.

Jack held her hand as they strolled up Commercial. After all their years as a couple, Celeste still felt that antiquing was the most romantic thing she and Jack did together. More than a sunset sail, more than an early morning walk by the salt marshes. Maybe even more than having sex. The store was their baby and collecting pieces to “feed” it was a timeworn, beloved ritual.

“Wait—is that . . .” Celeste spotted Elodie a block away, hands on her hips in her usual imperial stance, looking up at the sign hanging above the empty storefront that had been a stationery shop for decades. She held a paint swatch against the doorway.

Celeste dropped Jack’s hand. “Look—Elodie’s up to something at the stationery shop.”

“So I see,” he said.

“What’s she doing?” Celeste said, her stomach tensing.

“There’s only one way to find out.”

When they were within earshot, she called out, “Hey there—what’s going on?”

Elodie turned and broke into a suspiciously big smile. “Oh, hello there, you two. You haven’t heard? I’m surprised. Good news usually travels so fast around here.”

Celeste crossed her arms, sweat trickling down the back of her neck.

“What news?”

“I’m looking into leasing this space. I think what this town needs is a high-end jewelry store, don’t you?”

She couldn’t be serious. “No. I don’t.”

“This is the perfect spot for a Pavlin & Co outpost. Or, what do the kids call it these days? A pop-up.”