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Chapter 14

“Birdie found something.”

Alessandra slipped her hand in the cream sundress she’d owned for years. Her mother had bought it for her one weekend a long time ago. The two of them had gone shopping together frequently, but that outing had been different. On their way home, her mother had made an unusual request, to stop at the cemetery to visit her father’s tombstone. Except he wasn’t actually buried there—you’d need a body for that. Six months after he left them, his kayak had been discovered in the ocean near Long Branch, New Jersey. Twice he’d disappeared, though this time, for good. He had been declared dead the following year.

Even though he’d abandoned them, leaving behind nothing more than a note addressed to all three of them—“I love you and always will”—still her mother visited his grave each season. And that day, the one when her mother had bought her this dress, her mom had asked Alessandra to come with her.

Unlike her mother, she’d never forgiven him. But she’d lacked the ability to deny the request, and so she had found herself staring at the gravestone of the man who had devastated her family.

She kept the dress as a reminder, though of what, Alessandra wasn’t quite sure. She also wasn’t quite sure why she’d chosen to wear it for her date with Kenton.

“Can you zip me?” Giving her back to Toni, Alessandra lifted her hair. “So what has she found?”

“She’s not sure yet, exactly. But an old acquaintance of hers believes she has heard the Cheld referenced before and has promised to look into it.”

Alessandra turned, admiring Toni’s outfit. Her friend could wear a potato sack and look sophisticated, but this was several steps up.

Kenton had dropped her off after their dinner at The Lakehouse, giving her a chaste peck that confused the hell out of her after the way their meal had ended. Although Alessandra had no patience for games, she hadn’t reached out to him afterward. He was the one who’d found her two days later and suggested they go out again. Alessandra still wanted answers—and hell, who was she kidding, she wanted him—and so she’d agreed, on the condition that they spend time with Tyler and Toni. She hadn’t wanted to cancel her plans with her friend, and maybe, in her heart of hearts, she’d feel a little less vulnerable if they were around.

“I’ll be curious to see what she comes up with,” Alessandra said. She was proud of the way she’d moderated her tone.

“You’re not fooling me, even for a second,” Toni said. “‘Sounds good. Let’s double-date. I’m off to The Witch’s Brew to get some work done,’” she mocked. “Pretending everything is normal will not make this go away.”

Alessandra picked up the tan purse her mom had slipped into her suitcase on her last visit home. She’d complimented the bag so her mom had sent it home with her.

“So what do you suggest?”

Toni pursed her lips together. “Oh, I don’t know, maybe you can start off by telling me a bit more about your mysterious dinner at The Lakehouse.”

Picking up Toni’s purse too, she began to walk toward the door.

“I told you. It was a pleasant evening. He answered some of my questions, but his answers weren’t all that reassuring or illuminating. And he kissed me. And some other stuff. Nothing more to tell.”

Toni’s unladylike snort made her smile. As they made their way downstairs, Alessandra wondered why she’d left out the mind-blowing orgasm. After all, they pretty much told each other everything.

Maybe the issue was that Alessandra couldn’t find the words for what had happened—and what he’d made her feel.

“Where are we going tonight, anyway? I told Kenton I’d text him in an hour. He’s not free to meet us until ten.”

When she didn’t hear Toni’s footsteps behind her, she turned back toward the house.

“What could he possibly be doing at nine o’clock on a Saturday night?” her friend asked, her brow furrowed with a suspicious look.

Alessandra shrugged. She’d wondered the same thing, but when he’d called earlier to ask if he could see her tonight, her foremost thought had been Yes! It hadn’t even occurred to her to interrogate him—which just went to show how much he affected her good judgment.

“Murphy’s?”

Toni took the lead, answering her question as she turned right instead of left onto Main Street. On Saturday nights, their favorite bar was filled with tourists. And since she had every other Saturday off, Toni didn’t usually like to go back to “work.” They often ended up there anyway, but apparently her friend had other plans tonight.

“It’s a surprise.”

Alessandra rolled her eyes. There were only a handful of bars within walking distance, but she would play along. Until Toni swung a quick right turn and she suddenly realized where they were headed.

“Um, this may not be the best idea.”

“Why? Tyler is meeting us there. I heard they have a new bartender. Do you think—”

“Toni—”