AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Dacia Pelletier,” she answered, accepting his hand. “Temp’s friend.”
Carlos’ eyes went wide. “Did you sayPelletier?”
“Yes…”
“As in…Adam Pelletier?”
Instantly, Dacia tensed. “Yes.”
“Oh honey. Come with me,” he said, grabbing her by the hand before either of us could really react to it.
I sprang forward, ready to intervene, but Dacia didn’t snatch away. I didn’t know if she was too stunned or what, but I restrained myself, simply following as Carlos pulled her out of my storefront to take her next door, into Keem’s showroom where he was working with a customer.
Keem looked up, surprised, but went back to his client while Carlos led us to a rack of fur coats. “I’ve got Adam Pelletier’s kinfolk here with the vintage Pelletier furs – I gotta get a pic-flick-flick of this, where is my phone?”
“There arePelletierfurs?” Dacia asked, eyes wide as she reached out to skim the luxury pieces with her hands.
“Like these are pieces your dad made? From his brand?” I asked, and Dacia nodded, a big smile spreading over her face.
“It’s been really hard to find any of the original animal fur pieces. I mean, even the faux fur ones with this label are scarce, but theseminks… these are rare. Real treasures.”
“And they’re yours, my dear,” Keem declared in his deep baritone as he walked up. Apparently, he’d sent his client off, and was ready to join the conversation. “Carlos says you’re a relative?”
“I’m his daughter. One of his daughters,” she corrected, obviously thinking of her older sister, Alicia. “How much do you want for them?”
Carlos and Keembothshot her a look like she was crazy. “Not a dime,” Keem said. “ThecolonizerI got these from was very pleased to let me know these came from the family collection,pillagedafter the home invasion that took your father’s life, and subjected you girls to whatever you went through after that. He thought it would raise the price.”
“But afterIread his alabaster ass out from commencement to conclusion, he found himself some damn sense,” Carlos added.
“So what we’re saying is, we can’t accept your money – they aren’t even for sale, they’re on display. Until now, when we have the absolutehonorof returning what’s rightfully yours and your sister’s.” Keem took Dacia by the hands, squeezing them together. “Please.”
I wasn’t sure Daciacouldanswer.
Her eyes were glossy with unshed tears, and I could feel the heaviness coming off her, to the point that I thought I should probably get her out of there.
As harmlessly as they’d obviously meant this little reunion with her past… it had to be, still… triggering.
“Thank you,” she finally spoke, nodding as those tears started dripping down her face. “I wasn’t… I wasn’t expecting something like this, like…at all,” she laughed, turning to me. “Who knew?”
“Definitely not me,” I laughed, stepping up to put an arm around her.
We worked out some logistics for getting the coats, stoles, and whatever else, back to her place in Vegas, then I took her back next door. She had a hotel room, but I kept her in my apartment to regroup from the unexpected emotion of the encounter with Carlos and Keem. Well… I left her upstairs, and went down to the workshop to give her some privacy while she called Alicia to share the news.
When she was done, she came looking for me, grinning when she saw me pouring candles. “I can’t get over this – you have gone from one ofthemost formidable roses I’ve ever met to…candlemaker.What is even happening here?”
“We all need an outlet, don’t judge me,” I laughed.
“No judgement here,” she said, taking a seat. “Writing has been mine, at the advice of my therapist, who doesn’t even know quite how bad it all is.”
“Like journaling or something?”
She shook her head. “Like a book.Books. I’m going to get it all out. You know… a year or so ago, I wrote some of it out, and put it on the internet? The rose tattoos and all. I took it down, because that was dumb.”
“Bitch. You’re serious?”
She chuckled. “Yeah, I really did that.”
“Iknowyou did, because Tristan’skidread it,” I yelled. “I didn’t know it wasyouwho would do something so… so…”
