I select a wine silk robe stitched with silver thread, roll my hair into a bun, and pin it tight. I descend the stairs on bare feet, silent as a cat.Father Romanus is waiting for me in the drawing room, seated in one of the plush armchairs. A plate of pasta rests on the table before him.“Good evening, Father,” I say softly.He looks up, unstartled, and nods. He hasn't touched a single bite of his meal. Perhaps he’s already full from church wafers and communion wine.“Mrs. Monroe,” he says, his voice low and soothing as he rises to offer a comforting hug.I step into his space, leaning into his embrace and breathing in the scent of his cologne. It smells strikingly like my late husband’s, only warmer, with the woody scent of church incense clinging to it.For one stupid second, grief twists through me.I hate that. I hate that the first thing I notice about another man is something that reminds me of the one I buried.Romanus pulls away first.Too quickly.“How are you?” he asks.I d
Last Updated : 2026-08-11 Read more