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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?

“Are you ready?” Maud said. Celeste nodded, and the cards were turned faceup in the order they had been pulled. The first card pulled represented the past, the second represented the present, and the third represented the future. Since life was a shimmering thread between the three, all were needed to tell the story of any given moment. She looked down at her cards: The Fool. The Wheel of Fortune. The Lovers.

“With the Fool, we are connected back to our childhoods—a former state of wonder. The Wheel of Fortune suggests change. And the Lovers suggests a new phase or compromise is coming in your relationship. Reading these, I would say prepare yourself for the past to revisit you in some way, and this will bring a transformation either to your life in general or your romantic life.” She looked up. “Either way, change is coming.”

Celeste shuddered. If there were two things she didn’t welcome, they were her past and change. She turned to such mystical comforts as tarot to keep things steady and rooted in the present.

Maybe she should have gone to the estate sale after all.

10

Gemma chose the meeting place: City Bakery on Eighteenth Street. The bi-level, open-space restaurant with a double-sided buffet in the center and a gourmet salad bar in the back was familiar territory for her. Besides, it would be nice to have someone else pick up the check for the pricey pretzel croissants.

She waited for Sloan Pierce at a table on the mezzanine, which afforded her a clear view of the entrance. Gemma had already looked up Sloan online and was able to recognize the pretty brunette the moment she walked in the door. She left her knapsack on the chair to reserve the table, and headed down the narrow stairs to meet her.

“Wow. You look just like your mother,” the woman said. Gemma blanched; few people knew about her parentage, never mind enough to comment on a family resemblance. “I’m sorry,” Sloan said, noting Gemma’s reaction. “I’m just a fan of your family’s work and legacy. I wrote my graduate thesis on how your great-grandfather essentially invented the modern-day engagement ring.”

“I’m going to get a hot chocolate,” Gemma said, suddenly losing her appetite for the croissant.

“Oh, yes—please get whatever you’d like.” The woman whipped out a gold corporate American Express card and they fell into line. It was crowded and noisy, and mercifully Sloan didn’t try to talk again until they were seated at the table, Sloan with her latte and Gemma with her hot chocolate and croissant, which she wrapped in a napkin and put in her bag for later.