64
Elodie’s driver deposited her back in Provincetown a few hours after sunset. She needed to tell Celeste the truth about the Electric Rose—and the argument with their niece—before Gemma got to her. But by the time she reached the house, Celeste and Jack were already asleep.
The small bedroom seemed even smaller with all her emotional baggage. Oh, that encounter with Gemma was regrettable. She’d completely gone off the rails. What had she been thinking to lash out like that? And lying about the ring—she should have just told them both the truth at the beginning. She was too focused on getting Celeste to sign the auction paperwork, not anticipating how the lie could come back and hurt her later.
Restless, she slipped down the back stairs and headed for Commercial. Even at this late hour couples and families with young children strolled up and down the street. A lone saxophone played somewhere nearby, and a drag queen stood in the entrance to one of the bars beckoning people to a late-night show. And then, a familiar face: Tito walked out of the piano bar Tin Pan Alley.
“You’re back!” he said. “Why didn’t you text me?”
“Oh, I really just got here,” she said.
“I missed you,” he said, reaching forward to hug her. She leaned into him without enthusiasm.
“Just not enough to come with me to New York,” she said.
He stepped back, looking at her. “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks, I’m afraid.”
“A fitting metaphor since it was the dog walking that brought us together,” she said. “I’m wondering if we shouldn’t have left it at that.”
“What do you mean?”
Looking at his earnest face and his warm dark eyes, she almost caved. But no: She’d been a fool for love once. That was enough.
“I think your refusal to come to New York was just an excuse to slow things down between us.”
“What? No! In fact, while you’ve been away all I could think about was finding a way to spend more time together.”
She shook her head. “I don’t see how we can move forward, Tito.”
“This is how: My rental the last week of August canceled, so I’ll have my house back. And next summer, I’m not going to rent it out at all. I’m going to be working full-time with Marco on the oyster farm. He’s expanding. It will replace my summer rental income perfectly. Anyway, the point is, in a few weeks we can live at my place.”
“We?”
“Yes, Elodie. I want to know if you’ll move in with me.”
Elodie awoke tucked against Tito. He was still asleep, sunlight streaming through the bare window. The way the light fell across his face highlighted the white stubble on his jaw. She resisted the urge to reach out and touch it, not wanting to wake him.
She let herself luxuriate in that moment, to really take in the fact that after all these years, after having given up on love, she’d found it in the most unexpected place. In the most unexpected man. And yet, the issue of geography could not be ignored. There was no way she could move in with him. She had a home—in New York City. There could be compromises, there could be adjustments. But if he would never spend time there, it wouldn’t work.
She voiced none of this last night. She’d just kissed him and said, “That’s a lovely offer.” He didn’t press, and that was the end of it. Now, in the light of a new day, she’d have to deal with it. But first things first.
Elodie glanced at her nightstand, where she’d placed the gift box containing the pink diamond eternity band. She decided she’d give Celeste the gift first, then tell her that she’d lied to her about the fate of the Electric Rose. And confess that she’d told Gemma about her relationship with Liam.
Anticipating this talk made it impossible for her to lounge in bed. She dressed and crept out without waking Tito, walking to Celeste’s.
She found her in the yard with a cup of coffee sitting at the picnic table.
“Oh, hi there. I didn’t know you were back from the city,” Celeste said brightly.
“You were asleep when I got to the house,” Elodie said, sitting on the bench across from her. Celeste told her final preparations for the wedding were exhausting.
“I know Jack wants to get married on his birthday. But planning a wedding during our busiest month of the year probably wasn’t the best idea.”
Elodie cleared her throat. This was her opening. “Celeste, I want to give you your wedding present. I was thinking maybe you’d like to wear it on the big day. Something from the family.”
“Aha,” Celeste said. “Something old . . .”
“Exactly,” Elodie said, her hand shaking slightly as she pulled the ring box out of her handbag. “I know you don’t usually wear jewelry, but this is a piece of Pavlin history.”
No, she hadn’t intended on telling her sister the true origin of the diamonds. But now the secret was out.
“Elodie, this is thoughtful but really not necessary,” Celeste said, holding the box in one hand.
“I had this made for myself. I thought I’d wear it on my own wedding day, but that day never came. I’m happy to pass it on to you.”
“It seems like you could have a wedding in your future,” Celeste said with a wink.
“Who knows. But if I do, it’s because I came here to see you. And because you welcomed me into your home so I could stay here long enough to find out. So . . . thank you.”
Celeste opened the box and gingerly removed the ring, placing it on the ring finger of her left hand.
“It’s stunning, Elodie.” She looked up. “It’s so extravagant, though. I can’t accept this.”
“Please! I have enough jewelry for two lifetimes. I’d love to see you wear this on Thursday.”
Elodie could tell that even though Celeste considered herself immune to the charms of precious gems, the stones dazzled her. She wished she could just leave it at that, but she forced herself to press on. “I do have one more thing to tell you,” she said slowly. Celeste was busy holding up her hand and examining the ring at different angles. “I told you that I sold the Electric Rose years ago. But that’s not the entire story.”
That got her attention.
“But you did sell it, right?”
“Yes. Just . . . not all at once.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“I had it broken up into pieces and made a collection out of the smaller stones.”
Celeste’s expression turned blank, then her eyes widened. She looked almost . . . afraid.
“Don’t tell me . . .” she said, her voice low.
“Well, yes. That ring is the last piece I have of the original stone. And yes, I know you don’t approve that I broke up the diamond. I admit, it wasn’t the most ethical thing to do. It was one of a kind. But the company was in a real financial bind and—”
Celeste pulled the ring from her finger and dropped it like it was on fire.
“I should have known nothing ever changes with you people. It’s always about money. Money, money, money! And don’t you see the price we’ve paid for that?”
Elodie stared at her, stunned. What on earth was she talking about?
Celeste stood, her wedding magazine falling to the ground.
“Take that cursed ring and get out of my house.”