"Casey's out sick," Paige told me briskly, putting on her coat. "So you'll probably have to cover for her on the registers."
"It's no problem." I leaned against her office wall. "Keeps things interesting, you know?"
Pausing, she gave me a brief smile. "I really appreciate you coming in like this - on such short notice." She patted her stomach absentmindedly. "I'm sure it's nothing, but I've had this pain all day - "
"No, it's fine. Go. You have to take care of yourself. You have to take care of both of you."
She smiled at me again, picking up her purse and walking to the door. "Doug's skulking around here somewhere if you need help, so make him do it. Hmm... there was one other thing I needed to tell you... Oh yeah - there's something for you in your office. I left it on your chair."
Butterflies shot through my stomach at her words. "W-what is it?"
"You'll have to see. I've got to go."
I followed Paige out of her office and turned uncertainly into my own. The last thing left on my chair had been an envelope from Roman, one more piece in his twisted game of love and hate. Oh God, I thought. I knew it wouldn't be as easy as Carter had said. Roman's back, starting it all up again, waiting for me to -
I stared, swallowing a gasp. The Glasgow Pact sat on my chair.
Gingerly, I picked up the book, handling it like fine china. It was my copy, the one I had given Seth to sign over a month ago. I'd forgotten all about it. Opening up the inside cover, I saw lavender rose petals fall out. There were only a handful of them, but they were more precious to me than any of the bouquets I'd received this month. Trying to catch them, I read:
To Thetis,
Long overdue, I know, but very often the things we most desire come only after much patience and struggle. That is a human truth, I think. Even Peleus knew that. - Seth
"He's back, you know."
"Huh?" I looked up from the baffling inscription to see Doug leaning against the doorframe.
He nodded toward my book. "Mortensen. He's up in the cafe again, typing away as usual."
I closed the book, holding it tightly with both hands. "Doug... are you up on your Greek mythology?"
He snorted. "Don't insult me, Kincaid."