“Joel is responsible for Francesca’s death.” Lydia’s jaw tightens visibly. “He broke up with her and then two weeks later, she killed herself. Tell me he’s not responsible.”
Cassie tugs at her shirt collar. “Is it hot in here?”
There’s a sensation of heat all over her body. God, what’s wrong with her? What kind of wine is this?
“She was pregnant—did you know that?” Lydia says.
It’s the first thing Lydia’s said in the last sixty seconds that got through. “She was?”
Lydia nods. “Do you know what that must have been like for her to get dumped by the man she loved when she was pregnant with his child? No wonder she took her own life!” She frowns. “So when he started dating you, I felt angry that he was moving on. I didn’t think he deserved to be happy.”
“Yes…” Cassie murmurs.
“And that’s why I started following you.”
Cassie’s eyelids feel heavy. She’s trying to focus on what Lydia is saying, but she can’t. She can’t focus on anything. She knows Lydia is trying to tell her something, but she hears each scrap of a phrase individually and is unable to piece it together.
You…
Joel…
Needed to pay…
Never forgive…
And that’s the last thing Cassie remembers before she loses consciousness.
Chapter 55: The Ex
It doesn’t surprise me at all to find Joel in Francesca’s restaurant.
He comes here all the time. Or at least, he used to in the year after Francesca died. A family member of hers bought it and kept the name in her honor. Angela was Francesca’s mother. She had the same name as my grandmother—yet another thing Francesca and I had in common.
But since he’s been with Cassie, Joel hasn’t been here as much. He’s getting over it. He’s been happy again for the first time in a long time.
I walk into the small restaurant that Francesca had once owned. The first time I came here, back when Francesca was still alive and kicking, I had been intensely jealous. She had the man I wanted, and she was living my dream of having her own restaurant. I had always imagined a small Italian bistro just like this one.
Sometimes Dean tells me I should go for it. Follow my dream—open my own restaurant. But I can’t now. Not while Andrew is so young. And once he doesn’t need me anymore, it will be too late. No, that dream has passed me by. But at least I can cook for my little family. Francesca will never cook for anyone ever again.
I enter the restaurant and walk to where Joel is sitting, drinking a glass of wine. He lifts his eyes when I approach his table, and he doesn’t say anything when I fall into the seat across from him.
Joel is still as handsome as he ever was. These days I prefer Dean’s looks though. I never get tired of staring into my husband’s face. But Joel hasn’t lost his old appeal. He looks like he’ll age well. I bet all the women in the ER still hit on him.
“I really like Cassie,” I say to break the silence.
Joel manages to lift his eyes. “So do I.”
I raise an eyebrow at him. “So what are you doing here?”
He sighs and rakes a hand through his hair. “I don’t know. The thing with Francesca… that was rough. I’m still not over it. Sometimes I think I am, but I’m not.”
“I think you are.”
“No.” He says it firmly, without room for argument. “That was… awful. My whole relationship with her was… well, tumultuous.”