Chapter 3

For three days, Boyd didn't come back.

Building management pushed bread and water through the gap under the door each day.

I asked to borrow a phone.

The person on the other side of the door said only one thing.

"Mr. Donaldson won't allow it."

At noon on the third day, the lock rattled.

I gripped the stairs and started down.

My left eye could still make out shapes. On the right, there was only darkness.

My foot missed the step, and I tumbled down at the turn.

My forehead struck the edge.

Blood ran into my left eye and blotted out the sight in it.

Violet let out a scream.

"Davina, how did you fall like this?"

She reached out toward me.

Boyd caught her hand.

"Don't touch her."

"She'll do anything to force me back."

He was holding a flyer for the flower shop.

It was printed with a photo of Violet and him together.

I wiped the blood from my left eye with my sleeve.

"Take me to the hospital."

Boyd tilted my chin up.

"First explain why you sent Alberta to make a scene at the shop."

"She came to the hospital to find me."

"Liar."

Violet crouched two steps away.

She didn't touch me, just covered her mouth and cried.

"Boyd, Alberta smashed my vase yesterday, and called me a mistress."

"If Davina hates me, I can leave."

Boyd pulled her back up.

"Leave? Why would you leave?"

"The one who owes an apology hasn't said a word yet."

He looked down at me.

"Tomorrow is the grand opening of Violet's shop."

"You'll greet the guests at the door, then cut the ribbon for her."

"I do that, and you'll take me for the surgery?"

"Apologize first."

I braced on the railing and got to my feet.

"I didn't wreck her shop."

Violet jumped in at once.

"That's right, Alberta did all of it herself, it has nothing to do with Davina."

The more she made excuses for me, the darker Boyd's face grew.

"Without you egging her on, why would Alberta go after Violet?"

I wiped the blood off my forehead.

"How do you want me to admit it?"

"In front of every guest, bow to Violet."

"Then tell them she and I are completely innocent."

I looked at the photo on the flyer.

Boyd's arm was around Violet's waist.

"Innocent, the two of you?"

"Cut the snide remarks."

He slapped the flyer against my chest.

"Violet doesn't want outsiders getting the wrong idea, that's the only reason she's giving you this chance."

"Don't throw away kindness when it's offered."

The ache swelled in my right eye again.

I gripped the handrail and waited for it to pass.

Violet stepped half a pace closer.

"Davina, don't push yourself."

"If it's hard for you, I'll have someone help you stand."

I looked at her hand.

On her ring finger was the emerald ring Boyd's mother had left behind.

That ring had been kept in our safe.

"Where did the ring come from?"

She hid her hand behind her back at once.

Boyd moved to block her.

"I let her borrow it for one day."

"A worthless ring, and you're going to make an issue of it?"

It was the thing he'd promised, when he proposed, to leave to me.

I took the wedding ring off my hand and set it on the table.

"Fine. I'll go."

Boyd glanced at the wedding ring.

"Using divorce to scare me again?"

I didn't answer.

He snatched up the ring and forced it back onto my finger.

"Behave yourself tomorrow."

"When the ceremony's over, I'll take you to the hospital."

I looked down at the ring.

He'd wrenched it on hard enough to cut a line of blood into the base of my finger.

Violet took his arm.

"Boyd, Davina already agreed, don't be harsh with her."

She turned to me, the corner of her mouth lifting.

"There'll be a lot of people tomorrow."

"You be sure to keep your footing."