Page 3 of Dahlias, Sapphires, and Cool Autumn Dusk
Dina caught sight of us as she exited the building and we got out of our rideshare.
“Darlings!” She rushed over to hug us together tightly. “I love you. This is such a gift. What are you doing here? I have a meeting. We will get the East River cleaned up this year, even if we have to clean it ourselves.”
Was it very dirty?
If any person could handle this, it would be the glamorous, full of secrets, beautiful seventy-something year old Dina Lent, the matriarch of the family. I loved her. My summer project started with typing up her journals, something I intended to return to once she gave me permission again. In her words, she wanted me to enjoy the summer rather than working.
I did.
“I have to grab my Pullman uniform from upstairs.”
She smirked. “Tricia runs from me when we see each other. I think she’s afraid I might treat her like someone did Ted.” Her eyes twinkled. “Excellently handled with style, I heard.”
Kit.We were all but sure he set the cops on Ted after Ted and Aunt Amelia pulled a stunt at the Lents’ Hamptons house.
“Well, we are three ships crossing, so to speak. I love you.”
Jeremy kissed her cheek. “I love you. Any news we don’t have?”
Her smile dimmed. “Your mom is getting better. Kit and Daniel will be back this week. Stephen, the next. Eric is on leave until Mom is better. His partners aren’t happy with him—he is the biggest earner in their practice—but they know the deal if they want to work with the most sought-after plastic surgeon in Manhattan. He keeps his own schedule. He’ll stay at the lake with Mom and come back with her, but you know all this. You want to know about the other part. Phoenix’s kidnappers. Alatheia’s family secrets. Unfortunately, the answers remain no. What is hidden, for now, remains hidden.”
She waved her hand in the way she did when she was done with a topic. “I am going to go hold kittens tonight. Oh, Alatheia, I think it’s time. Our project? Start back up.”
I nodded. “I will.”
A taxi pulled up behind us as Jeremy shook his head. “The one that she won’t tell us about.”
“Yes, that.” Dina grinned. “Oh, look, it’s Barrett.”
As he got out of a stopped taxi, he kissed his granny then she rushed away.To clean the East River. I grinned. She ran more charities than I could count.
“I was going home, but I saw you guys on the app, so I diverted the taxi a block. Were you visiting Granny, or are we here for something less desirable?”
Jeremy frowned. “We have to get her Pullman uniforms from her aunt.”
Barrett winced. “Well, then, let’s do it. You okay, Sweetheart?”
I nodded and then shook my head. They would know if I tried to lie or pretend I was okay.
The doorman opened the door for us. He was new, which meant that Barrett didn’t know him. He stopped to introduce himself, letting him know Dina was their granny and that my aunt lived upstairs. By the end, Barrett knew just about everything about the guy, a skill I both admired and feared.
Barrett loved music and conversation and could play the piano like a professional. Even though he wanted to open music clubs, support musicians, and teach, he studied law instead. For the moment, anyway, because it was what his family wanted from him.
We entered the elevator, so I steeled my back. Gravity intensified, my every step heavier as we approached Aunt Tricia’s door.
“Got your key?” Barrett leaned over and quickly planted a sneaky kiss on my neck.
I breathed, eased by his touch. “I do.” I pulled it out of my bag.
“I hate that you’re going to Pullman without me.” Barrett frowned.
“Me too.” I also hated thinking about the beautiful coeds he might prefer over me at Columbia, but that could happen anywhere.
Jeremy sighed. “I’ll be there.”
“Yes, but you and Jules will be in the senior hallway, separate from the rest of the school. You’ll never see her.”
That means what?No one told me. The elevator dinged and opened.
