I check and make sure Clementine does not have an appointment that day. “She won't be here.”
“Thank you, Ingrid.” Felicia gives me a tight smile before heading toward the exit.
Guilty. She feels guilty, and with all the context clues she was giving, I think I know why.
When she's outside, the back-room door squeaks open and Pierre power-walks over to me, the frilly red scarf around his neck trailing behind him.
“Felicia's pregnant with Archibald Allred's child,” we both say at the same time.
Pierre and I tilt our heads to the side and say at the same time again, “How do you know?”
“Stop saying what I'm saying, Ingrid.” Pierre swats at me.
“How doyouknow?” I narrow my eyes.
“She told me.” Pierre's dark eyes widen. “Did she tell you, too?”
“No.” I shake my head. “I used context clues and my superior intellect.”
“Shut up,” Pierre dramatically scoffs. “What are we going to do with this information?”
I shake my head. “Nothing. This is going to hurt Cash.”
“This is going to hurt Clem,” Pierre counters.
“I mean...” I trail off before saying, “Once a cheater, always a cheater, right?”
“But we like Clementine,” Pierre groans. “She's grown on us.”
“Correction,” I say, shooting him a long look. “She's grown onyou. I'm still on the fence about her. Fanny accused her of murdering her husband for his life insurance policy. Clementine never denied it.”
Last summer was a trip. I still can’t believe Fanny ended up in jail after everything she put us through.
“Fanny's always been unhinged.” Pierre snorts. “Can we really listen to her?”
“Archibald definitely has a type.”
Unhinged. Psychotic. Irrational.
“Which is why he needs to learn how to use a condom,” Pierre tuts as he crosses his arms over his chest and perches on the edge of my desk.
We both watch out the window as Felicia backs out of a parking space in a red Corvette.
“Maybe monogamy is hard for him,” I offer.
“More like being honest and faithful is hard for him,” Pierre mocks.
I sigh as I rest my chin on my hand. “This summer is going to be the death of me.”
Only seven more hours until I’m alone with Wilder.
Feels like a lifetime.
“Stop staring at my boobs,” I say to Wilder as he opens the door to Lulu's, the fanciest restaurant in town.
“I can't help it.” Wilder's eyes gleam with mischief.
“Try.” I hide a smile. “People will notice.”
