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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?

Jack took his place back behind the steering column of the boat. When Celeste sat back down on the bench, her hands were shaking. Elodie had been right to be angry with her all these years, just not for the reasons she thought. Celeste hadn’t done wrong by her: She’d done wrong by Paulina. She told Paulina to leave because that was her personal method of dealing with their parents. But maybe Paulina could have stayed in New York and found another solution. At least she’d still be alive today.

“Jack?” Suddenly she felt that if she kept this inside for one moment longer she would burst.

“Yes, my dear?” he said, smiling at her.

“Nothing,” she said.

51

Elodie had long prided herself on her executive function. She not only had the ability to plan ahead, but to think two steps ahead of anyone else around her. Now, suddenly, she found herself two steps behind: The auction was not going as she had planned, and her room rental expired at the end of the week. She was surprised to find she didn’t want to leave.

Partly because of work, but mostly—if not all—because of Tito.

She didn’t want to admit this to anyone, not even to herself. Instead, she kept up the ruse that she wanted to open a Pavlin & Co summer outpost. Fortunately, the owner of the building was dragging her heels, so Elodie hadn’t been forced to actually do anything yet.

Inside the Barros house the electricity was restored from yesterday’s blackout; a fan whirred in the corner of the kitchen and the bright numbers on the stove clock blinked. But Lidia was nowhere to be found.

In the upstairs hallway, Tito stepped out from his bedroom with Pearl trotting behind him.

“She came running into my room,” Tito said, smiling. “I think she was looking for you.”

Elodie bent down and patted her stout little body and Pearl licked her hand.

“Shall we take them for a walk?” Elodie said.

He shook his head. “The mechanical sorter they use for the oysters is acting up, so I’m going to see what I can do. But how ’bout dinner tonight?”

Elodie looked up in surprise.

“Sure. That sounds lovely.”

“I’m thinking we can go somewhere dog-friendly so we don’t have to worry about a sitter,” he said with a wink. “I’ll pick you up at six.”

“You’re picking me up? We live in the same house.”

“Well, that makes things easy now, don’t it?”

Her heart beat fast watching him leave. And to think, just a month ago she thought that work would be the only thing getting her out of bed in the morning. Look at her now—excited as a high schooler invited to the prom. But her time at the house was coming to an end unless she hurried up and extended her room rental. She had to find Lidia.