Chapter 1: The Woman in the Hallway
The first thing I noticed about Colleen Parker was that she looked terrified to see me.
Not surprised.
Not embarrassed.
Terrified.
I was standing beside a six-foot arrangement of white roses and eucalyptus, holding a roll of floral tape between my teeth, when I saw her near the reception entrance.
For one impossible second, my mind refused to accept it.
Colleen.
Adrian's mother.
The woman who had held my hand at his funeral while the casket was lowered into the ground.
The woman who had cried against my shoulder and whispered, over and over, "He loved you.""
Three months ago, she'd kissed my cheek outside the funeral home and told me, "You're family now, Meredith. Don't disappear.""
Then she disappeared first.
I hadn't seen her since.
I pulled the tape from my mouth.
"Colleen?""
Her eyes met mine.
And then she turned around and walked quickly toward a side hallway.
I stood there, stunned.
"Seriously?""
A server passing with a tray of champagne glanced at me.
"You okay?""
"Yeah," I said automatically.
I wasn't.
I set the flowers down and followed her.
The hallway was narrow and cool, lined with framed black-and-white photographs of the venue's past weddings. My heels clicked against the polished floor.
"Colleen?""
She stopped near a closed service door.
Her shoulders rose with a slow breath.
Then she turned.
"Meredith?""
Her voice sounded wrong.
Thin.
Careful.
I folded my arms.
"What are you doing here?""
She gave a nervous little laugh that didn't reach her eyes.
"I could ask you the same thing.""
"I'm working," I said.
"I'm the florist.""
"Here?""
"Yes. Here.""
She stared at me as if I had just told her I'd been hired to burn the building down.
"Why?""
I frowned.
"Because someone has to put flowers on the tables.""
She looked past me toward the reception hall.
"Did they tell you whose wedding this is?""
"Not specifically.""
That wasn't entirely true. I knew the groom was named Julian Parker, because the coordinator had handed me the seating chart that morning.
I'd just never put the name together.
Julian.
Adrian's older brother.
I watched Colleen's face.
She knew I was figuring it out.
Before either of us could speak, quick footsteps sounded behind me.
A woman with a headset hurried down the hallway, clutching a clipboard.
"Mrs. Parker!"" she exclaimed.
"We've been looking everywhere for you.""
Colleen visibly flinched.
"The groom needs his mother in the bridal suite.""
I looked at Colleen.
Then at the coordinator.
Then back at Colleen.
"Julian," I whispered.
She nodded.
"He's getting married.""
I tried to smile.
"Well... congratulations.""
The words felt strange coming out of my mouth.
Julian and I had always gotten along.
When Adrian proposed, Julian had been the first person in his family to hug me.
He'd teased Adrian for taking nine months to plan a proposal that lasted less than a minute.
At Thanksgiving, he'd stolen the roasted potatoes off my plate.
At Christmas, we'd stood in the kitchen together making fun of Adrian because he'd burned the gravy.
Julian had once told me, "You're the best thing that ever happened to my brother.""
Now I was standing at his wedding carrying flowers.
And no one had invited me.
I swallowed.
"I didn't realize.""
Colleen's expression tightened.
"Meredith, I—"
"It's okay.""
"It's not what you think.""
A strange chill moved through me.
"I haven't said what I think.""
She looked down.
"You shouldn't be here.""
I laughed once because I honestly thought I'd misheard her.
"What?""
"I mean...""
She looked toward the reception hall.
"You shouldn't have taken this job.""
My stomach tightened.
"Why?""
She opened her mouth.
Nothing came out.
The coordinator looked between us.
"Mrs. Parker, we're already fifteen minutes behind.""
Colleen immediately straightened.
"I need to go.""
She brushed past me.
I caught her wrist.
"Wait.""
She stopped.
I lowered my voice.
"Why are you hiding from me?""
Her face went pale.
"I'm not.""
"You literally walked away when you saw me.""
"I was surprised.""
"That doesn't explain anything.""
She gently pulled her wrist free.
"Meredith, please.""
"Please what?""
Her eyes filled with tears.
Not grief.
Fear.
"I can't do this here.""
Then she walked away with the coordinator.
I remained in the hallway, staring after her.
Something was wrong.
And for the rest of the afternoon, I couldn't shake the feeling.
I threw myself into work.
That was what I did when life became unbearable.
I worked.
I tied ribbons.
Trimmed stems.
Replaced bruised petals.
Adjusted centerpieces by half an inch until they looked exactly right.
Flowers didn't ask questions.
Flowers didn't lie.
People did.
The ballroom was beautiful.
Tall windows spilled late-afternoon sunlight across round tables covered in ivory linens. Candles flickered in glass cylinders. White roses floated in shallow bowls. Ivy curled around the archway where Julian and his bride would exchange vows.
I had spent nearly three hours making everything perfect.
And still, every time I looked toward the entrance, I saw Colleen.
Avoiding me.
Watching me.
Then looking away.
Around six, the wedding guests began filling the room.
I stayed in the service area, making small adjustments while the ceremony happened outside.
I heard applause through the doors.
Music.
Laughter.
A woman's voice crying happy tears.
Then the wedding party entered the reception.
I caught a glimpse of Julian.
He looked incredibly happy.
For a second, I felt something inside me soften.
Adrian would have been happy too.
That thought almost broke me.
I lowered my gaze and kept working.
A few minutes later, one of the servers approached.
"Excuse me, are you Meredith?""
"Yes.""
"Mrs. Parker asked me to give you this.""
She handed me a small cream-colored envelope.
My heart started pounding.
"She asked you to give me this?""
The server nodded.
"She said you would understand.""
I stared at the envelope.
There was no name on it.
No writing.
Nothing.
I opened it.
Inside was a single folded piece of paper.
I unfolded it.
Three words.
*Don't trust Julian.*
I stopped breathing.
I read it again.
Don't trust Julian.
The paper shook between my fingers.
Why?
Why would Colleen write that?
Julian was Adrian's brother.
My friend.
A man who had cried at his brother's funeral.
A man who had hugged me so tightly that day I'd struggled to breathe.
A man who had stood beside me while they lowered Adrian into the ground.
I looked across the ballroom.
Julian was laughing with his new wife.
He looked relaxed.
Happy.
Normal.
Then his eyes found mine.
His smile vanished.
Not faded.
Vanished.
He said something to the woman beside him and started walking toward me.
I quickly folded the note and shoved it into my pocket.
Julian reached me.
"Meredith.""
His voice was strangely quiet.
"Julian.""
He glanced toward the hallway.
"Did my mother talk to you?""
I hesitated.
"Yes.""
His jaw tightened.
"What did she say?""
"Why?""
"Because whatever she told you, you need to forget it.""
I stared at him.
"That's a strange thing to say at your wedding.""
His eyes hardened.
"This isn't a joke.""
"I know.""
"Then listen to me.""
He stepped closer.
"You should leave.""
I felt the blood drain from my face.
"Why?""
He glanced over my shoulder.
When I turned, Colleen was standing at the far end of the ballroom.
She wasn't looking at Julian.
She was looking directly at me.
And then she raised one trembling finger to her lips.
Silently telling me not to speak.
Julian leaned closer.
"Meredith, there is something about Adrian's death that you were never supposed to find out.""
I stared at him.
"What?""
He opened his mouth.
Then someone behind him called his name.
"Julian!""
He looked back.
When he turned toward me again, his face had changed.
He looked scared.
"Come to the parking lot with me.""
I shook my head.
"Why?""
"Because I can't tell you this in here.""
He glanced at Colleen.
Then back at me.
"And because my mother will stop me if she realizes what I'm about to say.""
He started walking.
I stayed frozen.
Then my phone buzzed in my pocket.
Unknown number.
One new message.
May you like
I opened it.
*If Julian tells you Adrian died in an accident, he's lying.*
