Valerie shot out of her chair so fast that it scraped against the tiled floor with a harsh screech. The spoon she had been holding clattered to the ground, ice cream splattering across the table.Dominic froze mid-bite, watching her face drain of color.
"What happened?" he asked, already standing.
Valerie's phone trembled in her hand. Her lips parted, but it took her a second to find her voice. When she did, it was barely above a whisper.
"It was the police," she said, eyes wide and unfocused. "Elena's car… it was involved in an accident."
Dominic's world tilted. The hum of chatter, the clinking of spoons, even Anya's soft hummingit all faded under the heavy, ringing sound in his ears.
"What?" he breathed out, stepping closer. "What do you mean 'involved'? Is she"
