Chapter 39

Ari stopped outside Elodie’s house, a hopeful glint in his eyes. Elodie, catching the unspoken question, felt her cheeks warm. Coffee? she was about to ask, when a figure slumped on the porch steps caught her eye. ‘Looks like you got a guest.’ Ari’s voice was tinged with a hint of disappointment. ‘Yeah, apparently.’ Elodie bit back a sigh. Her evening couldn’t end with just one unexpected twist, it seemed. ‘Good night then.’ Ari’s gaze lingered on her for a beat longer than necessary. ‘Good night.’ Elodie watched him disappear into the night. Her gaze then fell on the figure on her steps. Vivienne sat with her eyes closed, shoulders hunched like a wilting flower, a suitcase and a giant tote bag sprawled beside her. A mix of amusement and annoyance bubbled up inside Elodie. Her cousin had a knack for showing up at the most inconvenient times. ‘What are you doing here?’ Elodie’s voice startled Vivienne awake. She jolted up, tears streaming down her face like a leaky faucet. ‘Win broke up