Page 91 of Best Served Cold

He takes five photos, being fastidious about it, as if he’s secretly joined the photography club, then hands the phone back.

“She’s a total natural. You, not so much.”

“How kind of you,” I say, smiling, and scroll through the photos. There’s a funny feeling inside me as I study the third one. Sophie is glancing over her shoulder at me, I’m looking at her, and…

It looks real, is all.

“Yeah, definitely use that one,” Emil says.

It’s a shitty reminder that these are for other people, not for us, just like this lie we’ve told.

“Can you send it to me?” Sophie asks, inspecting the photo. There’s an unreadable look in her eyes, and I wonder if she’s thinking the same thing I am. Or if I just want her to be thinking it.

I send the photo to her, then say, “Are we going Facebook official?”

Emil laughs and murmurs something about old people.

“Let’s,” she says with a sparkle in her eyes. “He won’t like that.”

No, he won’t.

“Let me call my mom first to let her know the score. I won’t lie to her either.”

She nods, her expression serious, and I know there’s an apology on the tip of her tongue. I’d like to kiss it away, but it doesn’t feel like it would be in keeping with our arrangement. She wants to have some fun and put on a show, but that’s not the kind of kiss it would be, and I know it.

“I gotta split,” Emil says.

I nod at him. “Same time next Saturday?”

“Yeah.” He gives me another salute, then actually bows to Sophie.

“Smooth moves, Junior,” I say with a grin. “Don’t outshine me.”

“Don’t listen to him, Emil,” Sophie interjects, laughing. “Don’t you dim your shine for anyone.”

He gives me a smart-aleck grin. “You heard her. She’s smartandstupid-hot. Don’t screw this up.”

He’s talking about Sophie, not the situation with the caseworker, but uneasiness settles inside my chest. What if I’m screwing it up right now? What if I’ve made everything worse by lying about my relationship with Sophie?

If Nelly finds out it’s a lie…

Only, how would she?

Sure, Jonah could call in another anonymous tip, but his word won’t mean much if Sophie insists she’s with me. Besides, we’ve got a whole brewery full of people to back us up, plus Emil.

Emil hands over my guitar reverently, as if it’s his woman. The look on his face is so full of longing, it physically hurts.

I set the guitar aside as I watch him go, feeling helpless.

Sophie turns to me as he walks out of view with the mutt. “I like him. He’s really smart.”

“You just think that because he said you’re hot.”

She shakes her head, her eyes crinkling slightly at the corners from her smile.

“Okay, maybeIjust think that because he said you’re hot. Want to make out for twenty minutes like teenagers?”

She laughs. “Out here? Won’t we get arrested for public indecency?”

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