Fallen

Scarlett nodded. “Yeah. My friend, Kandace, was sent here not too long before the fire happened and the school closed.” Scarlett stared unseeing at the back of the massive structure, her mind’s eye full of Kandace’s laughing face. She felt her lips tip slightly and then just as quickly fall. “She got into some trouble and was sent here. She ended up running away though and there hasn’t been a sign of her since. It’s like she just disappeared into the ether.” She moved her eyes back to him and stilled at the look on his face. He looked almost . . . stunned. She frowned. “You okay?”

He drew back slightly, shaking his head. “Yeah. That’s . . . terrible. I’m sorry to hear it. I didn’t know you had a personal connection to the place.”

She shrugged. “Well, sort of, I guess. I spoke with her right before she left for Lilith House, but I never talked to her while she was here. Apparently, they had strict rules on cutting off all outside influences. But when I saw the property up for sale, it immediately caught my attention because of Kandace.”

He pulled his full lower lip between his teeth for a moment. “So,” he said haltingly, “what are your plans for it? It’s a pretty big place for just two people.”

As Scarlett watched him, noted the subtleties of his posture, the way he held his expression, she got the strange sense that this right here was the only reason he’d agreed to the lemonade and cookies. It was this question he’d wanted to ask. It was the only reason he’d stayed—he’d wanted to prod her for information. It made suspicion kick up inside her again, the feeling that this house meant something more to him than he was letting on. And a small piece of her felt—stupidly, she told herself—hurt. His agreeing to spend time with her was due to an agenda. What, she had no idea. And why do you care anyway?

She picked at a piece of chipped paint beside her thigh. Despite her mildly hurt feelings, there was no reason to keep her plans for Lilith House a secret. In fact, if her business was going to succeed, she needed the word to spread as far and wide as possible. She needed to make connections—however casual—with the townsfolk in Farrow. And one of its officials wasn’t a bad place to start. Her hesitation, though, was not only because she was suspicious of this handsome stranger with far too many secrets in his eyes, but because she’d only spoken of her dreams with her mother and Merrilee. She’d only said it out loud to the people she trusted deeply. Saying it now made it feel as though she was giving something sacred to someone she may or may not be stupid to trust. “I . . . uh, I’m a pastry chef. A baker. Before I found this place, I was hoping to someday open my own cake shop—wedding and event cakes mostly—in LA. I unexpectedly came across the sale of Lilith House and my dreams sort of”—she let out a small, nervous laugh—“started spiraling, I guess.” She felt the blush rise in her cheeks and hated that it did. Vulnerability made her nerve endings feel raw. “If I can make it work, it will be perfect for an event venue. It’s only a couple of hours from LA, but provides the feeling of being world’s away. Swept into an earlier era.” She smiled. “There’s a ballroom on the second floor at the back of the house with these wrought iron verandas that are just stunning. Or they will be, with some work. There’s already a communal restroom area for bridal parties to use, even if it does need to be completely re-tiled. The grounds, if brought back to what I imagine was their original splendor, will be perfect for outdoor ceremonies, or simply strolling under the moonlight. Even this gazebo . . . once the broken boards are fixed and it has a fresh coat of paint, I can just see the photographs that might be taken with this as a backdrop.” She picked another chip of paint from the bench. “It needs repairs and remodeling, and refreshing, of course. All the appliances have to be updated. I know I have a lot of work ahead of me. But with an industrial kitchen and—” She stopped, realizing she was starting to spiral again as she always did when she started dreaming of Lilith House’s potential. When she started envisioning the life she might carve out for Haddie and her. Scarlett let out a small laugh and brought her hand to her cheek. “Anyway, my goal is to start the work as soon as possible and wrap it up in a year with a spring opening.” She looked down—away—not wanting to see his reaction, telling herself it didn’t matter anyway. She didn’t even know him. Had no real idea what kind of person he was.