ELENA
His townhouse was dark when I got there.
I knocked anyway. Stood on the step and listened to the silence of a space where no one was going to answer and understood he wasn't home. I called. Four rings and voicemail. I stood on the pavement between our two townhouses and looked at his dark windows.
Liam had not come to the gallery today to see me.
He had come to plant something in Nicholas and then watch it grow.
I went back inside.
**
Nicholas called at eight.
I was at the kitchen table with tea going cold beside me and the Chloe folder open in front of me.
I was not reading it, just keeping it close.
"Where are you?" I said when I answered.
"Carter Group." A pause. "I'm sorry I missed your call."
"Are you all right?"
"Yes," he said.
"Nicholas."
"Yes."
"Whatever you t
