Chapter 2San Francisco, California
1955
Carol stalked through her tiny apartment, wiping away imaginary dust, lighting candles, and biting the inside of her cheek until it ached. Each minute crawled across her skin as she waited for the phone to ring. She regretted kicking her roommates out—she would have liked their company while she waited for Daniel.
“It’s been two years, you can wait two more minutes…or hours,” she assured herself, crossing to the door. She thought she might die before he finally arrived. Running one hand over her unruly hair, she pulled open the door, a part of her intent on tracking him down through the streets of San Francisco.
“Carol,” he breathed, his hand upraised, prepared to knock. “I—”
Her face flushed, her heart beating an erratic tattoo. She looked up t
