Page 40 of Best Served Cold

“You don’t even know what they’re doing. What if they’re getting hers-and-hers colonoscopies?” Hannah asks with a laugh.

“They’re not,” he says, rolling his eyes. Then he looks at me. “You’re not?”

“We’re not. I’m going back to the ginger beer brewery to ask some questions.”

“Like a private investigator?” he asks.

I consider it and then nod, deciding I like that thought. It feelsproactive. “Yes. We’re trying to identify GingerBeerBabe.”

Hannah has been all in on the idea of tracking her down from the beginning, but I decide it’s important to me too. Maybe GingerBeerBabe wants nothing to do with us. Maybe she’s not eager to be a friend the way Briar and Hannah have become, but it’s possible she feels as alone and broken as I did when I first saw those messages. Before I realized that even though it was the end of something, it could be the beginning of something too.

I think about Rob again, talking about accepting the past. He has a lovely way of speaking, is all. It’s probably why he’s so good at writing lyrics.

“You think she’s hot?” Otis asks through a mouthful of toast.

“Yes, Otis,” Hannah says dryly. “Maybe you’ll get lucky, and she’ll pretend to date you too.”

I roll my eyes, then text Briar while I’m finishing my coffee. Unfortunately, she can’t come unless we go tomorrow. I don’t want to leave the bill unpaid for so long, so I decide to go without her.

Otis loses interest when he finds out she’s not coming and leaves to do a Honey Do job, laundry for someone else, eventhough he has a mountain of dirty clothes in his room. Hannah finishes her coffee, groans a lot, and leaves to take a shower.

I take a shower and then prepare to leave. When I grab my phone to put it in my purse, I see a few notifications on the screen.

My heart beats hard when I see the first one, from an unknown number.

It’s me.

Jonah.

I need a chance to give you my side of the story, Soph.

It’s only fair, and I know you’re fair.

Do not, under any circumstances, ambush me at work.

I see my brother’s been spreading stories.

I’m blocking this number too, Jonah.

I’d say have a nice life, but we both know you don’t deserve it.

I love you, Sophie. I’m going to prove it to you.

This isn’t over.

I rub the bridge of my nose after blocking this number too. His last words sounded ominous. I could have pointed that out, but it would have prolonged the conversation, which I didn’t feel up to.

What if Jonah is camped outside of the ginger beer brewery, waiting for me? I checked last night, and it’s impossible for aperson you’ve blocked to use the Find My Friend app. So how did he know where to find me?

I take a couple of deep breaths and then head out the door. The moment I unlock the car with the key fob, Dottie’s front door flies open.

“Wait for me, dear,” she says, practically vaulting toward my driveway. I gasp, worried she’ll break a hip or trip. “Please. I’ll be right there.”

I frown. She’s acting as if we’d made plans to do something together.

“Did we make plans?” I ask as she comes to a stop on the other side of my Honda. She’s holding an oversized Tupperware filled with something.

“Oh, no,” she says. “You made an important vow yesterday, and I’m sure you spent a long night loving yourself, the way anyone should after a wedding. I didn’t expect to see you until nightfall.” My mouth drops open, but she continues, undaunted. “One of my granddaughters was at The Ginger Station last night, though, and she saw something most curious.” Eyes glimmering, she says, “Jonah. And you were there, too, my dear, weren’t you? With Rob and our other friends?”

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