Page 209 - My FlipBook

T R A I L O F C R U M B S

In the end, Elgin didn’t want lamb but invited Alice anyway,
and Nate too. Greta hoped Nate wouldn’t mention anything
about her “nightmare.”
An hour later, Greta, Ash and Nate stood gaping as Elgin
emerged from his room wearing a baggy pair of black pants
and loose button-up shirt. In the silence Elgin said, “Alice has
instructed me to wear proper clothes. She’s bringing a friend.”
“Well”—Greta cleared her throat—“you look nice.”

Elgin smoothed the buttons on the front of his shirt before
stepping back into the kitchen. As they arranged food on the
table—the frittata, mixed-greens salad with balsamic dressing,
salmon, and mushroom risotto—Alice and her friend walked
through the door.
Ash started making some crack about her just showing up
for the food, but his words dropped off midsentence. Greta, her

back to the door, set down the napkins and followed his eyes.
Alice hadn’t just brought a friend. She’d brought a boyfriend, or
a friend who was a boy, with a black leather jacket and cheek-
bones. She’d brought Johnny Depp from thirty years ago.
“Everyone, this is Kai. He’s my roommate’s brother.” She
smiled at him as he rested his hand on the small of her back.
So a boyfriend.
Elgin stepped forward to shake his hand. Greta was glad
he’d put on pants. How many former boyfriends had dumped

Alice after that initial introduction? Then Elgin waved
everyone over to the table. Alice ended up between Ash and
Kai. Greta and Nate sat across from them, and Elgin took the
head of the table. A shrunken patriarch.

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