Page 31 of Forbidden Vows

Blaze laughs. “That’s Charlie. She’s known for chasing down the Dior releases.”

“A woman after my own heart!” Seraphina cranes her neck, glancing from window to window, not wanting to miss a single outfit or accessory. “Father Christmas, this place isposher than the Hamptons! It’s like the city summer escape on steroids.”

Blaze is a Bronx kid who hasn't been in Manhattan long enough to understand what ‘the summer escape’ is. He gives her a funny look, asking, “Is that a good thing?”

I clarify, “Seraphina’s talking about July and August when the wealthy residents of New York vacate the city, running from the sweltering humidity and stifling scent of hot garbage baking in alleyway dumpsters.”

Seraphina explains, “This place is the Hamptons without the bicycles, underpaid hourly staff, and overpriced breweries and loud nightclubs we’re all too old to be dancing at.”

He eyes me. “What do you do in the summer, Cleo? You have off work, right?”

“I typically spend the school holidays hiding in the air conditioning of the public library, enjoying the tranquility of quiet and free fresh air,” I admit.

Seraphina beams a grin at me. “Not sure I’d call that fresh air, sweet girl. You need to get out more. This trip is going to be good for you.”

Blaze puts a warm hand on my upper thigh. “I agree.”

I swallow. Hard.

“Are you guys hungry?” Blaze asks. “We do have a quaint little eatery on site.”

“Good.” Seraphina licks her lips. “Lead the way. I’m starving!”

Blaze directs the driver, “Next stop, breakfast.”

We pull up to a white stone building with a green and white awning and cheerful red flowers in window boxes. Patrons are dining at outdoor black wrought-iron tables. Sharon and Dad choose to dive into full honeymoon mode and take their two-top table while Seraphina Blaze and I squeeze into stools at the crowded bar.

A woman dressed in those leggings I see women in the city wear breezes by. The kind with the high price tag and the little bumblebee on their hip, the ones that make their bums shaped like peaches.

I glance down at the dress I chose for this day—a cream-colored peasant number with an empire waist. When I picked it from my closet, it felt… fancy. I may as well be wearing an old burlap sack.

“Blaze, is that you?” The woman leans over the counter to speak to him. “I’d recognize the back of that gorgeous head anywhere. I didn’t realize you were already back from New York!

“Just touched down.” He presents her with that unfairly charming grin of his.

She looks like she wishes he were just down somewhere on her right now. Her fingers lightly drag over her shoulder, her perfect chrome pearl manicured fingernails catching my attention as she does. “Let’s get that coffee you promised me.”

“Sounds good.” He offers her a smooth nod and a wave. “But I’ve got out-of-town guests right now.”

She accepts his excuse. “Soon!”

I’m not expecting him to be a monk while I’m here, but coffee with another woman? And he didn’t introduce us. Is he embarrassed by me?

I try to hide the disappointment on my face. Then, he leans in and whispers to Seraphina and me, “I’m so sorry I didn’t introduce you both. I’m going to sound like a real shit here, but I can’t remember her name.”

Can’t remember the name of the woman he promised coffee to? Red flag alert.

At least that’s what I should be thinking.

Instead, I’m secretly thrilled he can’t remember the coffee woman's name.

He beams his smile at me, saying, “You living with me will be the perfect excuse to get out of a coffee date I don’t remember promising,” and his grin is a thousand times more genuine, natural, and morehimthan the charming stage smile he gave what’s-her-name.

I canfeelSeraphina staring at my face, trying to figure out what’s going on here. I can’t tell her. I don’t quite know myself. Even though my heart is pitter-pattering, and my nerves are melting, I correct him. “Staying with you. Temporarily. Just until things settle down in New York.”

“Right.” But he says it more like I’m never leaving.

So, we will be sharing a bed… for an indeterminate amount of time. A kaleidoscope of butterflies tickles my stomach. Can you blame a girl?

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