Page 22 of Meet Me In The Dark
Nothing.
Not a flicker.
Not a twitch.
Her eyes drop to the envelope. “Your office isn’t bugged.”
“That’s easy for you to say. I just got the world’s most cryptic invitation dropped directly onto my desk.”
“I left it there.”
Okay, what is happening?
My mouth opens, but nothing comes out.
Lilian just sits back and watches my brain reboot.
“You what?” I shriek.
“I got you on the guest list.”
My entire body locks.
“You—Lilian—What thehell?”
“Celeste. Breathe.”
I try. It’s not going well.
“You got me on the list?” My voice jumps a full octave. “You arranged this?”
“Yes.”
“For me?”
“Yes.”
“Without telling me?”
Her brow lifts. “Would you have agreed if I had?”
I clamp my mouth shut because the answer is obvious.
No. I wouldn’t have.
I would have smiled politely and declined. I would have overthought it to death, come up with a dozen reasons it was a bad idea, and let fear sit in the driver’s seat.
Slumping back in the chair, I force my brain to keep up.
“I know where you are right now. That place where everything technically looks right from the outside, but something still feels off.” A quiet pressure gathers in my chest as she rests her hands on the desk. “I won’t go into the details, but I’ve been where you are. The only difference is that I was already married when I hit that wall.”
Wait.
“No,” I gasp. “Not Jim?”
Her slender shoulders lift with a quiet laugh. “Yes. My Jim.”
I choke on nothing but pure shock and my own spit. “Your farmer Jim?”
