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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?

Lidia laughed. “Most of their tea doesn’t have seaweed in it. We came up with this blend last summer. It was my son’s idea; seaweed is full of antioxidants, and farming it is great for the aquatic environment.”

Elodie nodded, impatient for Lidia to get to the point. If Lidia wasn’t going to get right to it, then she might as well. “For the record, I had no idea you knew my sister. I wasn’t trying to be deceptive with my last name. It’s standard practice to protect my privacy.”

Lidia moved the seaweed aside, put down the knife, and clasped her hands together.

“I understand. And you don’t owe me an explanation. I’m a professional, and we have a business arrangement for the room. But on a personal level, I need things to be harmonious around here. I don’t want you to be uncomfortable, and I don’t want Celeste to be uncomfortable. So . . . maybe you can make amends?”

“Me? Why should I make amends? I don’t know what my sister told you but—”

“Celeste never told me a thing. I have no idea what the problem is between you two, but around here, family is family. If you only knew all the issues we’ve had with Manny’s sister Bianca. Look up ‘troublemaker’ in the dictionary, it’s got her name there. But when she’s here, we keep the peace. For our own sanity. Maybe take a similar approach with Celeste? And I’ll tell her the same thing.” She smiled and went back to chopping the seaweed.

“Well, Lidia, I can certainly try,” she said. “By the way, is the ocean beach walkable from here? I could use some fresh air.”

“Technically, yes. But it’s far on foot. You’re better off biking,” Lidia said.

Elodie hadn’t been on a bike since she was twelve. She’d call a cab.

25

Paulina and Celeste, 1993

Paulina Pavlin stretched under the covers of her luxurious king-sized bed at the Four Seasons Hotel in Florence. The suite had frescoed ceilings and overlooked the Giardino della Gherardesca. It had been her home for the past two months.

She’d only intended to stay in Florence for a week before meeting up with friends skiing in Zurich, but she quickly realized the only thing more delicious than Italian food was Italian men.