Well…as far as Christmas dinners went, this one could have been worse. Jules ate Vivian’s leftover pudding while “Silent Night” played in the background.

Vivian didn’t look at her. Instead, she kept her gaze trained on the nearest window. She rested her chin on her folded hands, the glow of the candlelight touching her face gently as she watched the snow falling outside.

Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Jules’s alarm went off at seven the next morning. Vivian hadn’t given her a particular hour to rise and shine, but this seemed reasonable.

It probably wasn’t good form just to roll out of bed and wander out into the house. Jules ignored the grumbling of her stomach and showered in the spacious bathroom. Then she made her hair presentable, dressed, and decided not even Vivian could care that Jules wasn’t wearing makeup at seven thirty in the morning at home.

She sighed and headed downstairs to make breakfast. The farmhouse-style kitchen worked nicely for the cook she’d hired months ago on Vivian’s behalf but was way too overqualified to work for the two of them.

The enormous refrigerator’s capacity was more suited to a restaurant. The hood over the gas stove alone could house a family of four. Jules almost wanted to apologize to the place as she turned on the Keurig.

Vivian was nowhere to be seen, but about twenty minutes later, Jules heard the sounds of movement upstairs. Just in time—she’d finished her coffee and was starting to get hungry. She raided the pantry and popped two bread slices into the cavernous toaster oven before cutting up a piece of melon and dropping a decaf K-Cup into the Keurig to brew.

A few minutes later, she heard footsteps descending the stairs and glanced up to see Vivian entering the kitchen. She was fully dressed and made-up, appearing totally composed.

Looking closely, Jules could see that her skin looked too pale beneath the makeup, but otherwise she seemed pretty steady on her feet.

“I made you some breakfast, if you want it,” she said. At that moment, the toaster oven clicked off, and Jules whisked out the slices.

Vivian just stared at them.

She suddenly felt self-conscious. “It’s just toast and melon. Do you want something else?”

“This is fine,” Vivian said. “You’re making coffee?” She sat down at the table.

Jules set a plate with toast in front of her. “Decaf.” This was going okay so far. “Water too?”

Vivian nodded.

As Jules went to fetch it, she added over her shoulder, “Your facialist is opening her practice for you in an hour, so I’ll call to confirm she’s ready.”

When she turned back with a glass of water, Vivian was looking at her in obvious surprise. “You already have the number?”

Jules looked back at her, surprised as well. Since when did Vivian expect her or anyone else to be anything less than perfect?