Chapter 6 - The Girl in the Red Dress
Celeste wasn't breaking into the house.
She had been invited.
By Sophia.
That should have made everything better.
It didn't.
Lily had seen Celeste moving through Roman's private office after telling Sophia she needed the restroom.
When confronted, Celeste claimed she'd become lost.
Nobody believed her.
Especially me.
The next morning Celeste entered Bennett's Bakery wearing cream instead of red.
“No Roman?” I asked.
“I came for you.”
“How touching.”
She placed her handbag on the counter.
“You don't belong with him.”
“We agree. I'm not property.”
“You think this is funny.”
“No. I think you're predictable.”
Her face hardened.
“You know nothing about Roman.”
“I know he hates cinnamon in coffee, pretends not to like dogs, and keeps every voicemail his sister ever left him.”
That landed.
“How do you know about Elena's messages?”
“He told me.”
Something flashed in her expression.
Not jealousy.
Shock.
Interesting.
“He never talks about Elena.”
“He does now.”
Celeste leaned closer.
“Roman destroys people.”
“So I've heard.”
“You think you're changing him?”
“No.”
“Then what are you doing?”
I thought about that.
“Expecting him to change himself.”
For once, she had no answer.
Before leaving, she said, “Ask him why your bakery matters.”
I frowned.
“What?”
But she walked out.
That evening I asked Roman.
He became still.
Bad sign.
“Why does my bakery matter?”
“Because it's yours.”
“Wrong answer.”
He sighed.
“My sister used to come here.”
Everything inside me paused.
“What?”
“Before you owned it. When it was Franklin Café.”
I remembered.
The bakery had been a café before I'd leased it.
“Elena came here?”
“Every Saturday.”
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“Because it didn't seem relevant.”
“Celeste thinks it is.”
His face hardened.
“She spoke to you?”
“She ordered nothing. I consider that her worst offense.”
“Clare.”
I told him everything.
Roman listened.
Then he opened his phone and found a photograph.
Elena.
Younger.
Smiling.
Standing outside the building that would someday become my bakery.
Beside her was Celeste.
And between them stood a man I recognized.
One of Roman's security guards.
The same man who had been standing outside my bakery the day Roman first called me his girlfriend.
Roman stared at the photograph.
May you like
Then toward the front window.
The guard was gone.
