Page 56 of Midnight at the Magnolia

“Don’t let her get too close,”Lauren warns.“She’s most dangerous when she’s being vulnerable.”

“Ethan, please. You know me. You know I could never?—”

The door bursts open, cutting her off. The sudden noise makes us both jump. Her reaction is too quick, too practiced - another piece of evidence I can’t ignore. It’s Jimmy, the short-order cook, the smell of fryer oil clinging to his clothes. “Celeste, there’s some guy out front asking for you. Says his name is Alex?”

I see Celeste freeze, her eyes widening in panic. The color drains from her face, leaving her usually rosy cheeks ashen. Asshe speaks, I see her hand inch towards the drawer where I know she keeps a spare set of keys. Everything I’ve been trained to notice screams warning:

The immediate combat readiness in her stance.

How she positions herself between me and the door.

The calculated look in her eyes as she assesses options.

The slight shift of weight to her back foot, ready to move.

“Tell him I’m busy,” she says quickly, her voice tight with barely controlled fear.

“Your Lauren died because you were too slow to see the truth,”Lauren’s voice reminds me.“Don’t make the same mistake twice.”

But it’s too late. A man pushes past Jimmy, his green eyes locking onto Celeste with a predatory gleam. The temperature in the room seems to drop, goosebumps rising on my arms. I watch their silent exchange, cataloging every detail:

The immediate recognition in both their stances.

Their matching combat-ready poses.

The way they mirror each other’s movements.

How they both track the nearest weapons.

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