Yellow Ceramic Mug and Red Silk Scarf in a Red Buick

to me.

“I will call you at nine tomorrow to see if you have changed your mind,” she said.

By nine o’clock, the house had grown cold, and the wind outside had begun to pick up, rattling the loose pane in the parlor window. Nicole had gone out to her car to retrieve a folder she had forgotten, leaving Julian alone with me in the parlor.continue reading …