Page 134 of Best Served Cold

“I’m still coming,” Hannah says, pushing forward. “I need some fresh air.”

Sophie and I exchange a look, because a party like this—loud and fun and completely unconcerned about noise ordinances—is usually her scene.

“Sure,” I say. “Come with us.”

A few minutes later, we pile into my car. As I prepare to drive, Sophie puts her guitar pick pendant into my hand and urges me to squeeze it. “He’s okay, Rob. I know it.”

Hannah’s poring over her phone and not paying attention, but five minutes into the drive, she says, “So, let’s not make a big deal of this, but I quit my job today.”

Sophie gasps and turns to look at her. “Because of Liam?”

“Forget Liam. This is a good thing. It’s like you said. My brother has to take care of himself, and I have to take care of myself. I’m going to get a dumb, mindless job so I can figure out what I actually want to do with my life.”

“Do you want to work at Buchanan?” Sophie says. “I can definitely get you?—”

“No. Thank you, but no. I think I’m done with the brewery scene for now.”

I pull up to Travis’s house, my heart beating faster when I see his car in the driveway. It seems like good news—he obviously didn’t get into a car accident—but why would he be here but unresponsive?

Sophie squeezes my thigh, which would normally be giving me thoughts, but right now…

“Let’s go,” I say.

I get out of the car, my adrenaline spiking. Sophie falls in next to me as we make our way to the door.

I knock, steeling myself for?—

Christ, I don’t even know.

And then a little dark-haired boy answers the door. He’s six or seven maybe—I honestly don’t know what kids look like at that age, because by the time they reach us they’re preteens. His eyes look too big for his solemn face, and he has a pointed chin and dark, slanted eyebrows that look familiar.

“Who are you?” he asks, as if he belongs here.

“Uh, is Travis home?”

But even as I ask the question, Travis comes around the corner from the kitchen, to the right of the front door. He looks completely miserable, and when he sees me, he swears under his breath.

“I forgot. I totally?—”

Sophie turns and kisses me on the cheek. “Go talk to your friend. Hannah and I will sit withournew friend.”

I hadn’t even realized Hannah had followed us in, but sure enough, she’s next to Sophie, staring at the kid.

“That’s your kid,” Hannah says, looking from the boy to Travis.

“No,” I say, “he doesn’t…”

But I trail off, both because Travis looks even more miserable and because that’s obviously why the kid is familiar to me. He resembles his father.

“This is Ollie,” Travis says thickly. “He’s going to be staying here for a while.”

Sophie gives Hannah a pointed look, then asks the kid, “Will you show us where the fun stuff is?”

The little boy looks as unhappy as Travis. “There isn’t any. My mom just dropped me off an hour and a half ago, and the only thing to do is watch TV.”

“Are you serious, my man?” Hannah says, suddenly more animated. “You’ve got a TV, and you’re saying there’s nothing good to do? Let’s go find some cartoons. Maybe something your mom doesn’t like you watching. We won’t tell.”

He brightens. “Are you going to be my friend?”

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