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“Aw, you invited Steph,” Lucy says.
I freeze. Steph? As in … Stephanie?
But no, surely there is more than one Steph, even in a small town. It’s a common enough name.
“Yeah,” Kelsey replies. “I was in today buying a new outfit and we hadn’t chatted in a while. She mentioned how much she was looking forward to stopping by and getting some of our wine at the festival so—”
“So you invited her here.” Elisse rolls her eyes. “Well, ladies. Hope you’ve said all you’re going to say, because no one else will get a chance to talk the rest of the night.”
“Be nice to my cousin,” Lucy warns.
Wait, Stephanie is Lucy’s cousin? Oh no. What if she reveals the truth to her about me before I get a chance? This is so not ideal.
Sure enough, the boutique shop employee I met just yesterday—i.e., the only one in town with the knowledge of my true identity—steps from the car, along with a woman with shoulder-length red hair wearing jeans and a baggy T-shirt. The sound of the shutting car doors might as well be the slamming of my heart against my chest.
Maybe even the slamming of the door to some true friendships made in Hallmark Beach.
“Hey, ladies!” Dressed in a black harem jumpsuit paired with a long red waistcoat (what others might call avest) that nearly reaches her ankles, along with chunky yellow wedges that I am tempted to steal right off her feet, Stephanie is carrying a platter of brownies as she comes up the steps to the wooden deck. This woman doesn’t let her petite stature dictate her personality, and she is loud and in charge.
I would take the time to admire her if her very presence didn’t scare me.
“Look what the cat dragged in.” She hooks a thumb at the redhead, who offers a bright smile and a wave. There’s definitely a family resemblance between them. Something in their eyes and noses.
“April!” Lucy exclaims as she rushes the new woman and pulls her into a hug. “I didn’t know you were coming into town! Is Scarlet with you?”
“It was a last-minute thing.” April laughs and pats Lucy’s back before pulling away. “And yeah, she’s at the house regaling her nana and papa with tales of first-grade girl drama.” Her eyes scan the group before she quirks an eyebrow at me. “Hi. I don’t think we’ve met. I’m April Reynolds, Lucy’s cousin and Stephanie’s sister.”
“Chloe. Nice to meet you.”
And that’s when Stephanie must first see me, because her jaw drops. “Chloe, hi.”
“Oh, you guys have met?” Lucy asks.
Stephanie’s eyes dart between me and Lucy, then to the fire. She laughs, but it comes out all staccato and raspy. “Uh, yeah, she …” Her eyes find mine and they widen—as if she’s asking me what’s okay to say and not say. Then she holds the brownies out to Elisse, who takes them.
“What, did you help her commit murder or something?” Elisse sets the brownies down along the table portion of the fire pit. “Not often we see you at a loss for words.”
“No, ha, that’s funny, Elisse.” Stephanie puts her large yellow bag down on the empty Adirondack chair. “She … um …”
Oh, for goodness’s sake. “I came in yesterday to find a dress for the wedding.”
Stephanie’s shoulders slump with relief. “Yes, that. She did that.” The woman sounds like a broken record about to jam up and never work again.
“Why are you acting so weird?” Lucy wrinkles her nose at Stephanie as she sinks back into her own chair.
“Um, I’m not …” Stephanie bites her lip, sits, then stands again. “Chloe, would you mind … can we talk for a minute? In private?”
Yeah, that’s not suspicious at all. But how can I say no now? “Of course.”
Just please don’t blow my cover.
fourteen
FREDERICK
This is exactly what I needed today.
Grunting, I squat and use my quads to lift yet another wine crate. My legs burn with the effort, but it’s a good burn. It’s the burn of muscles that need to be worked, if for no other reason than that they’ve become a conduit for pent-up emotion. And I will lift crate after crate after crate until my arms and legs fall off if that’s what it takes to dispel what’s raging inside of me.
