The Heiress Who Refused the Family Key novel · Chapter 6 of 24

Chapter 6: Coffee

I picked the café.

It was a bright, loud place on Charles Street with glass walls, a line out the door and a barista who knew my order.

Danielle was already there when I arrived.

She had taken a table by the window and ordered for both of us.

She stood up when she saw me, and her eyes filled.

"Cece," she said. "Thank you for coming. I didn't think you would."

"I'm not alone."

I tipped my head toward the street.

Rafe was outside on the sidewalk, one shoulder against the lamppost, looking at nothing in particular.

Danielle glanced at him and then quickly away.

"That's good," she said. "You should have people."

We sat.

My coffee was waiting, exactly as I take it, and I didn't touch it.

"I want to say it right," Danielle said, pressing her fingers under her eyes. "What I did was unforgivable. I'm not going to ask you to forgive it."

"Good."

"But I want you to know it wasn't my idea. Preston planned it. He's been talking about Vegas for months, about how you'd never have to know. He said a certificate was just a piece of paper, and that we'd stay friends and nothing would change."

"On Saturday he said it was your idea."

"He was panicking." She leaned in. "He lies when he's scared. You've seen it."

I had.

For six years, I had watched Preston lie about small things, an hour late, a missed call, a bill.

I had always taken it for charm.

"If it was his plan," I said, "why did you put the certificate under my veil?"

The smallest pause.

"I didn't," Danielle said. "I swear. I dropped off the box and that was all. Someone must have put it there afterward."

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