Present Day
The dining hall was loud, filled with the clatter of forks against plates and the low rumble of conversation. Celia enjoyed the noise, letting it drown out all the thoughts tumbling through her head. After talking with her father and Lucas, she’d come over to get dinner going with Darcy, using work to take her mind off the strange day.
She carried a tray of steaming potatoes to the buffet, spooning them into the warming dish with practiced ease. She tried to ignore the sensation of being watched, the hair on the back of her neck standing on end.
The sharp scent of bergamot and sage reached her just before Lucas’s hand settled on the small of her back. She finished emptying the tray before turning to face him.
“Missed you,” he murmured, brushing a soft kiss against her cheek
