Chapter 177

Cecilia The second chime still rang in my ears as Mom crossed the room, muttering, "That must be Peggy." Peggy? My stomach did a small, suspicious somersault. Peggy Foster—my mother’s longtime coworker and our neighbor. Sweet woman. The door swung open, and Peggy walked in with her warm smile, but it wasn't her presence that made my heart skip a beat. It was the tall figure behind her. Simon Foster. Tall, lean, impeccably dressed in a white button-down with sleeves casually rolled to reveal tanned forearms. Wire-rimmed glasses framed intelligent eyes that held both gentleness and intensity. He looked like he'd walked straight out of an indie film about brooding academics—more mature than I remembered, with an understated confidence that commanded attention. The moment he stepped inside, those eyes found mine, and his lips curved into a familiar smile. "Cecilia," he said, his voice washing over me like an old melody. "It's been a while." I stood automatically, my face arranging itself i