Page 178 of Sing with Me

Then again, she could see the intention of the chef—or cook—to try to make a sushi roll outside the box. Skye tried to be benevolent in her rating, adding a few mercy points for thought.

When she stepped out of the booth into the hot sunshine, Jared was still on the phone with Diehl.

“Did you call me up to question my personal life?” Diehl asked for the entire Miami Beach to hear.

“Just checking on my business interests.” Jared didn’t seem to care that they were in public.

“Let me talk to Skye.”

“Sure.” Jared lifted the phone to Skye’s face.

“Hey,” Skye said softly, the spicy tamale stuck in her throat. She drank some water to wash it down. That was the end of the water in her bottle.

“Hey, babe.”

Babe? Sky had never heard Diehl call her that. He must be putting on a show for Jared.

“Are we still having dinner Thursday night?” Diehl asked.

Dinner? Skye didn’t recall being invited to dinner. The plan was to wrap up the food festival at noon, pack up, fly out of Miami at two-ish, arrive at the Atlanta airport at four-ish, and drive home to Athens with Sebastian to visit with him and his wife for the weekend.

“Yeah.” She played along. She’d unravel it later, whatever the game was that Diehl had in mind to push back Jared.

“I’ll pick you up at the airport,” Diehl said. “I’ll have my assistant, Jodie, call you to get it on my calendar or I’ll end up being late.”

“Okay.” Clever man. Diehl had no idea when Skye’s flight would be. By asking Jodie to call me to confirm the plans, he would actually be getting the information for the first time.

“Ask your brother if he wants to come to dinner too,” Diehl said.

“I will.”

“I’ll take you to Athens on Friday,” Diehl added.

Jared sighed.

What was that about? Was Diehl implying that Skye would be staying overnight in Atlanta on Thursday before going to Athens on Friday? Why, yes.

My reputation.

“I’ll stay at my usual hotel,” Skye said. Whatever that hotel was. She hadn’t made any reservation anywhere.

“I’ll show you my new vehicle.” That must have been thrown in for effects.

“What new vehicle?” Jared yanked the phone back from Skye and tapped off the speakerphone.

Skye rolled her eyes as she swiped her iPad and went to the next booth.

Bad news: Jared was still right behind her.

He came alongside her. “I apologize for not believing you.”

Skye barely nodded.

Forgive me, Lord, for the ruse.

“So what do you think?” Skye asked. “Buy my shares and run the restaurant yourself, or Diehl is your new business partner.”

“I do like the idea of an anchor investment.” Beads of sweat popped out on Jared’s forehead.

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