Page 60 of Crumbling Truth
Though I rolled my eyes, I threw one arm around him and pounded on his back. “Yeah, yeah, cut the sentimental shit before I embarrass myself. Thanks for dinner, both of you. This was really nice.”
Julian grinned over Ollie’s shoulder. “Next time, we’ll plan it so Esther will join us.”
“Definitely,” I replied, but an odd weight settled in my chest. Whether it was for enjoying myself without her or guilt over the fact that I was still planning to walk away from her, I wasn’t sure.
I bid them both goodnight, forcing myself not to jog to the truck when I knew they were watching me from the front door, then raised a hand in farewell when I slid behind the wheel. Knowing Oliver was happy with the love of his life was a balm to the current chaos inside me.
Big, fat snowflakes had started to fall during the evening, giving the impression that all of Spruce Hill was tucked inside a snow globe. I hadn’t missed any part of New York winters, but knowing how Esther liked the cold, I felt that same giddy, child-like excitement I remembered from my youth upon seeing the first snow of the season.
I parked in the driveway and studied the guest house for a long moment before getting out of the truck. With the snow drifting lazily from the sky, it looked like a gingerbread house, warm and inviting, with soft light glowing through the windows.
I bit back a grin as I wondered what I might find when I went inside—would she be bundled up in something cozy or enticingly sexy?
When I reached the door, though, I noticed a package sitting in front of it. The top of the box was covered in snow, hiding it from view until I got close. There were no footprints around it, so it must have been there for a while. I tucked it under my arm and rapped my knuckles on the door.
Esther threw it open quickly, but she ignored me to poke her head out past my shoulder and grin up at the sky. Her delight was contagious, and I was content to look over her attire as she expressed her appreciation.
Cozy was the verdict—fuzzy fleece pants and an oversized hoodie.
“It’s snowing!” she cried, dancing in place.
“That it is. Maybe we’ll get enough accumulation for a snowball fight tomorrow,” I teased. When her gaze landed on the box under my arm, I held it out to her. “This was outside the door.”
She frowned a little as she took it over to the table. “That’s weird,” she mused as she grabbed a pair of scissors to slice through the tape. “The mail came earlier and I wasn’t expecting any deliveries.”
“Christmas gift?” I suggested.
“Your mother is the only person who’s given me a Christmas gift in the past two years, and this doesn’t even have a return address—”
She broke off as she opened it, yanking her hands away from the package.
Adrenaline ripped through me like a tidal wave. I stepped between her and the box, expecting a decapitated animal or a hissing snake, but reality was even worse.
It was filled to the brim with peanuts and, bizarrely, a few scattered white lilies.
For a second, I could only stare, wondering who the hell would’ve left this on her doorstep.
“What the fuck?” I breathed as I slammed the cardboard flaps closed again.
Esther’s name and address were printed on the box as though for shipping, but there was no postage on it. Someone must have hand delivered it. She was still standing, frozen, a few feet awayfrom me, her normally golden complexion now an ashy shade of gray.
“Esther, look at me,” I said gently, waiting until she lifted her eyes to meet mine. “I’m going to get this out of here, then I’m going to call Rose. Do you need to wash your hands? I’ll scrub off the table when I come back in. Should I change my clothes? Shower? Tell me what we need to do to keep you safe.”
My ignorance broke her out of her trance. “Normally, washing our hands and the table would be enough.”
“But this isn’t normal,” I replied.
“No. I guess to be safe, yes, we should both change. I don’t know who did this, but if they went this far, the whole box could be coated in residue. If it got on our skin and then into my eyes or mouth, it could cause a reaction. It’s happened to me before.”
I nodded. “Okay. Go wash your hands and get changed. I’m going to take care of this and run into the house to change my clothes. Do you want me to have Rose meet us here or at my place?”
She blinked, still looking a little numb. “Here is fine, I guess.”
“Why lilies?” I wondered aloud, glancing back at the box.
“I got those flowers,” she whispered. “The day I brought you dessert. It was a bouquet of lilies.”
“Right. Okay. I’ll be back as quick as I can.”
