AFTER THEY’D CLEANED up from lunch, had gathered the plates together and called room service to get them, Jesse said he might have an idea of where they might find Celine if she’d bailed on the wedding. A Hail Mary plan he’d called it before asking if she wanted to go. She agreed, thinking it might at least be a good idea to leave the plantation for a bit. Jesse said he needed to change his clothes first, so he left to find the spare jeans and T-shirt he kept in his locker and they decided to meet up in the front parking lot.

After Jesse left, Mira picked up the phone to call Phillip. The afternoon had come and gone without any calls from Phillip and she wanted to know what news, if any, there was. She dialed for his room number first and listened as it rang and rang. When the phone eventually clicked off from no one answering, she tried Celine’s room. “He can’t possibly have been waiting there all this time,” Mira said as she glanced at the clock, but Phillip picked up at the first ring.

“Celine? Celine?”

“Phillip, no—it’s Mira,” she said, feeling the need to instantly apologize. She refrained and instead told him she was calling to check in.

“Oh, Mira. Yes. You still haven’t seen Celine?”

“No, that’s why I was calling. So she’s still gone?”

“Yes. I’ve been calling her cell phone but it always goes straight to voicemail.”

Phillip’s voice sounded strained, as if he was trying hard to keep it from cracking. He told her that the other bridesmaids had gotten a group together to search the property for Celine but that was hours ago. He’d called her father, thinking maybe she’d left with him somewhere, but her father also wasn’t answering the phone.

“I heard you called off the wedding.”

“I didn’t know what else to do. It’s been hours. I thought I could hold out a little longer but there’s been no sign of her. I’ve just been waiting in this room expecting her to open the door any minute now. Or even to call. I don’t understand why she couldn’t even call. If she didn’t want to get married after all—I could understand her leaving, not wanting to tell me, but to not even call? No note or anything? It doesn’t feel like her.”

“I don’t know, Phillip.”

“And she didn’t say anything to you? About the wedding or me? About having doubts or—”

“We weren’t as close as we used to be,” Mira explained. “I think Jesse would know better.”

“Jesse?” Phillip asked. “You mean that boy from last night? The one who got kicked out?”