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Prologue

Aleks

“Thanks, Aleks! These are definitely getting house with the missus!”

“You’re welcome, Mr Dunbar,” I said as I locked the door behind the older n to Closed and dren the full-length blind that kept people fro into the flower shop after hours I instantly felt more relaxed

“So ress you’ve made, Aleks,” I murmured quietly to myself

Progress? What progress?

I told my inner voice to shut up and reached forbefore I could even unlock it My brother Dante’s na with the picture of hirandson Matty, and Matty’s best friends, Leo and Ja Matty’s birthday party at our house – the private one

Because I hadn’t been brave enough to attend the real party he’d had with his friends or the one with the entire fa nus had ive the boy a small party that I could attend that wouldn’t overwhel and a relief Because I’d wanted to celebrate Matty’s birthday with hi to adjust toas attend a fa that would have more than a handful of people at it

And not just any people, but ones who knew about my past and were always respectful of my boundaries

“I’ in a few

“Let ain What did he do this time?”

I smiled “He used one of Mrs Dunbar’s favorite vases as a hole for putting practice” I didn’t actually knohat that meant, but as someone who understood how much Mrs Dunbar loved her flowers and the vases she put them in, the fact that Mr Dunbar had even touched one of the vases, let alone used it for a purpose other than it was intended for, explained why Mr Dunbar had been forced to go for one of the ements today

“Idiot,” Dante et you?” Dante asked “If I leave now, I can be there in fifteen minutes”