Page 74 of Vow of Vengeance

My hair stands on end, and creepy-crawling tingles go down the back of my neck. My grandma, grandpa, and mom have never mentioned that my grandma worked for the police. My grandma, who can’t change a television channel without me, is a tech whiz.

Haze and I exchange a glance.

Freya opens the double doors, revealing a grand room that looks like it has been prepared for an upcoming wedding. “This is the ballroom!”

“Excuse us one moment.” I grab Haze’s hand, dragging him out to the hallway.

“Oh! Okay…” Freya gives us a curious look as we go.

Gian steps in, helping out. I hear him talking to Freya and Fredrick as I pull Haze out of hearing range. “Look at those arches!” he says. “Were those hand-carved?”

We come across an alcove built into the hallway wall decorated with dark pink and blue floral wallpaper and a dark wood table between two small chairs. An old-fashioned landline phone sits on the small circular top.

I pull him into the small space. “Thank God for Gian.”

“He’s smooth. I’ll give him that.” He stares at me. “What do you think about what Freya said about your grandma?”

“I don’t know what to think!” I bite my lower lip, wondering. “It seems crazy that she would be the one to set all that up and steal the money, but…” My eyes lock with his. “Who else possibly could have done it?”

“If she lied about her technical abilities, could your grandfather have too?”

I shrug. “No idea.”

We stand there together, thinking. Finally, he looks at me. “You know what?”

Has he figured it out? “What? Tell me.”

“You know what?” he says again before shaking his head. “It doesn’t even matter right now.”

“I guess you’re right.” I think of Freya’s confused look when I pulled Haze away for this chat. “Let’s go back to the ballroom. I don’t want to be rude.”

“Agreed.” Hand in hand, we walk back to the ballroom, sneaking a few kisses along the way.

Freya claps her hands to see us return. “You’re back! Let me show you the altar we have set up.”

I try to focus on the décor she’s showing me, but my mind wanders to my grandma’s police work and all the family secrets I’m hearing. My attention shifts back to Freya as she tells me her memory of her wedding, right here in this ballroom where I was a guest.

She leans her head on Fredrick’s shoulder. “When this man kissed me, the first kiss after saying our vows, I was so overwhelmed with joy I felt like I was floating. And I saw you in Morven’s arms, clapping your wee hands, and your giddy wee laugh—” She’s overwhelmed by emotion. She slips a hand in the pocket of her dress, pulling out a tissue. “See, Fredrick, I knew I’d need this! I came prepared.”

“Freya rarely cries,” he explains.

“I hate crying. It’s hard enough to be a strong woman in a man’s world without ruining my mascara. But happy tears are different.” She captures both my hands in hers. “You were at our wedding, and it was such a special day. And now, we’re going to be at yours!”

“My what?” I ask.

“Your wedding!” She looks from Gian to Haze, then back at me. Whatever she sees in the two men’s faces makes her drop my hands from hers so she can throw them on her hips, demanding answers from Haze and Gian. “You didn’t tell her!”

I turn to stare at Haze. “Tell me what…” He’s avoiding my gaze, raking a hand through his hair.

Gian is not much better, staring at the toes of his polished black boots.

“Okay, men.” I borrow a gaze from my strict math teacher, focusing it on Haze first, then Gian. “Spill it,” I demand. “What is going on here? What have you two planned?”

“You’ll have to excuse us again.” Haze steps in, wrapping an arm around my shoulders as he says, “We’ll be right back.”

I look at Gian again, but Mr. Smooth only offers a sheepish grin. Haze guides me down the hall until we’re out of the others' hearing range. He moves me so my back is against the wall. His hands are warm on my waist, calming my nerves.

But even he can’t stop my nervous chatter as I fire questions at him. “What’s going on? What is Freya saying about a wedding? And what did you want to ask me?”

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