Page 76 of The Taste of Deceit

He picks up my bag and follows me to the garage. He opens the back of the MINI Cooper he surprised me with two days ago.

“The second I saw it, I thought of you,” he had said.

When I asked where my old car went, he looked at me like the answer should’ve been obvious.

“It crossed the great interstate in the sky.”

I stared at him for a second before bursting into laughter. Then I grabbed his hand and dragged him back outside to take the new one for a test drive.

He shuts the door once I’m inside, and I roll down the window. He leans in for one more kiss before hitting the button to open the garage door.

“Be careful,” he says.

“Always, baby.”

He winks and stands in the garage, watching until I pull out onto the street and disappear from view.

When I reach the gates of Michael and Katie’s estate, one of Michael’s security guards steps out of the guardhouse.

“Ms. Travis,” he says. “Ms. Miller is expecting you.”

I smile and nod.

“Thank you.”

He disappears back inside, and a second later, the gates begin to slide open. I drive through, making my way up the long driveway toward the house. By the time I pull beneath the covered entrance, another guard is already waiting.

He opens my door before I can reach for the handle.

“Good evening, Ms. Travis.”

“Hi.”

He retrieves my overnight bag from the trunk while I step onto the driveway. A moment later, he slides behind the wheel of my car and heads toward the detached garage. I still haven’t gotten used to that.

The front doors open before I reach them, and Beatrice steps outside with her familiar warm smile.

“Miss Sarah,” she says. “It’s so good to see you.”

“It’s good to see you too, Beatrice.”

“Ms. Katie is waiting for you.”

I smile.

“Thank you.”

I step inside, and before I can even set my purse down, a familiar scream echoes from upstairs.

“Sarah!”

I look up as Katie comes hurrying down the wide staircase.

The second she reaches the bottom, she throws her arms around me.

“I missed you.”

I laugh and hug her back.