Page 81 of The Photograph

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The next day, I climb out of my car and stride to the Peterses’ home, a lovely hacienda-style house located west of the city. My heels click on the paved stone walkway while I admire the dark brown trim that accentuates the windows and the Spanish clay tiled roof.

Before I reach the doorbell, the massive white oak entry doors highlighted by Heath tile columns opens on Piotr, my color expert. His face is flushed and the lines around his mouth carve deep.

He sighs and yanks me inside the cream tiled floor hallway. “Thank goodness. I’m out of here.” He points at the ceiling. “Talk to her.”

“All right. I’ll talk to you later.”

The front door slams behind me as I climb the arched staircase to the nursery. I stop in between the doorjamb of the yellow-walled room where Lilian, the expectant mother of twins, kneels in the middle of the floor, sobbing hard while her husband paces the freshly installed wooden floor.

I kneel next to her. “Hey, Lilian. So, this isn’t the right yellow?”

The short haired brunette lifts her wet face and shakes her head.

Aww.

She sniffles. “You were right. We should divide the room by painting the walls a different color.”

“All right, let’s pick your new colors.”

When she nods, her husband sighs so loud, I cough to cover my chuckle. After he helps her up, we go downstairs in the dining room where we sit side by side at the long table. I pull out my laptop where I’ve uploaded a schematic of the nursery and apply the colors they pick.

Lilian nods enthusiastically and squeezes her smiling husband’s hand over the table. “This is it. It’s simply perfect.”

“Good, let’s work on that, then.”

A couple of hours later, as I make my way to my car, my cell vibrates, and I smile at the caller I.D..

“Hi, Ann, how are you?”

My new friend chuckles. “I’m well, Aelin. I’m just picking up the last of my things from the office…” Her voice lowers, and she speaks fast. “Aelin, your sister’s here.”

I stop while my heart races and hurry to climb in my car. “What?”

“I don’t know what happened between you and Gabe, but I thought you might want to know,” she whispers.

Cara had already left when I woke up this morning and she was so angry last night.

“Thank you, Ann. How long has she been here?”

“Five minutes. Michael’s in there with her.”

Oh, God.I start the car. “Thank you, Ann. I’m on my way.”

At this time, the traffic is minimal and eleven minutes after leaving the Peterses’ home, I walk out of the elevator where Ann greets me with a very tight smile. “I have to go but come over for dinner before we leave.”

That’s right, they’re moving to the Bahamas.

After I smile hello at Erica who’s returned to her desk, I whisper, “Who’s in there?”

“Gabe, Michael, your sister, and Gabe’s best friend.”

“All right.” I kiss Ann’s cheek and stride to Gabe’s office.

After a deep breath, I knock on the door.

Chapter Eighteen

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