Chapter 5 - The First Date That Wasn't Supposed to Matter
Roman wanted Lily removed from Providence immediately.
Lily refused.
For once, I agreed with Roman's fear but not his solution.
“You can't lock her away.”
“I can keep her safe.”
“Those aren't automatically the same thing.”
We contacted police.
That was my condition.
Roman's expression made it clear that police had historically not been his first phone call.
Too bad.
Detective Mara Ellis took the photographs and messages seriously.
Especially Lily's photograph.
She asked Roman whether he had enemies.
He gave her a look.
She sighed.
“Fine. I'll bring a larger notebook.”
Despite everything, our fake date schedule continued because suddenly canceling every public appearance would tell whoever was watching that they had succeeded.
Our next date was supposed to be dinner.
Instead, Roman showed up at my bakery in shirtsleeves.
“Where's the suit?”
“You complain about it.”
“I complain about you looking expensive while I'm covered in frosting.”
“So tonight I'm less expensive.”
He had planned nothing extravagant.
We walked.
We ate pizza from paper plates.
Nobody photographed us.
Nobody cared.
For the first time, I wasn't Clare Bennett, Roman Duca's mysterious girlfriend.
I was simply Clare.
And Roman was irritatingly easy to talk to.
He asked how I'd started baking.
“My grandmother.”
“Bennett?”
“My mother's mother. She left me three thousand dollars and a mixer.”
“You built the bakery from that?”
“And debt.”
He smiled.
“What?”
“You're proud.”
“Damn right.”
“You should be.”
There was no condescension.
No offer to fix anything.
Just respect.
That mattered.
On the walk back, rain began.
Roman looked upward.
“You didn't check the weather?”
“I have people for that.”
I laughed so hard I snorted.
He stared.
“Don't.”
“That was—”
“Roman.”
“I wasn't going to say anything.”
“You were.”
We ran beneath an awning.
He was wet.
I was wet.
His hair had fallen forward.
For once he didn't look controlled.
He looked human.
“Clare.”
The way he said my name changed something.
I whispered, “Rule seven.”
“I know.”
Then I kissed him.
One second.
Maybe two.
I pulled away.
His eyes opened slowly.
“You kissed me.”
“I noticed.”
“Does rule seven—”
“Don't lawyer me.”
His smile appeared fully this time.
It transformed his entire face.
Then my phone rang.
Lily.
I answered immediately.
Her breathing was frantic.
“Clare?”
“I'm here.”
“Someone's in the house.”
Roman heard.
His smile vanished.
“Where are you?”
“My room.”
“Lock the door.”
“I did.”
Roman was already calling security.
A crash sounded through Lily's phone.
Then footsteps.
“Lily?”
Silence.
“Lily!”
May you like
She whispered two words.
“It's Celeste.”
