“Um, yeah, I guess,” Ronnie said shakily, dropping the card into a drawer. “Basically.” Really, Andrea had sent the flowers when Ronnie texted over the news that Esme was back with her . . . and Vanessa was gone.

It was astonishing, what Ronnie had narrowly avoided. She and Esme had come back from the donut shop like it had been a normal day. It hadn’t been, obviously—during dinner with his parents, Lane had heard the news about Ronnie breaking into Piper’s house and being held at gunpoint by Lauren’s husband, and naturally he’d wondered where Esme was, because hadn’t Ronnie said something about she and Esme getting away for a bit?

But Ronnie had glossed over that part. She’d felt sort of invincible. Her sister turning Esme back over to Ronnie’s care was the kindest, most motherly thing Vanessa had ever done. Ronnie had tried to call and thank her with the number Vanessa had given, but the call didn’t even go to voicemail. Maybe it wasn’t even Vanessa’s number.

She positioned the flowers next to the bouquet Lauren had sent, admiring how nicely they paired. “I guess you should send them flowers, too,” Lane said. “Since you all went through everything together.”

“True,” Ronnie said, lowering her eyes.

Lane wrapped his arm around her shoulders. “I don’t know what I’d do if something happened to you,” he said. “You know that, right? You or Esme.”

“I know,” Ronnie said, and she did.

She felt so . . . relieved. This was all over. Esme was safe. Vanessa wasn’t coming back—and though that gave her a specific sort of ache, maybe it was for the best. And Jerrod was gone. Well, hopefully. She looked at Vanessa’s note again and again—you killed him—as well as searched for Jerrod’s name online. Facebook. Google. Anything. He wasn’t there. He didn’t seem to be among the living. Maybe she could really believe that.

But that she’d killed him? Well, that unnerved her a little. But she was trying to bury it. That was her past, and it was gone. She’d put it in a box. Lost the key. Lane never needed to know about it. Maybe in time, the memory would fade for her, too. Sometimes she wondered if this was a big flaw in their relationship . . . but how could it be a flaw if one person didn’t even know the secret existed? And would never have to know?

“Anyway.” Lane bent down to kiss Ronnie’s cheek. “Wish me luck!”

“You’ll be amazing.”