Page 27 of The Best Trick

“Good. Let her nose around. There’s nothing for her to see,” Zeus said. “Nothing in the place that's not one hundred percent Newsome. She can look all she wants, and she'll see that we are who we are.”

“And if she wants to talk about art, I'm ready with my research on Picasso,” Thor said, pretending to brush something from his sleeve.

We got out. I waved at her. “A little yardwork?” I asked her.

“Yes,” she said. “I'm sorry, I don't mean to intrude, but we meant to get to these before you came. I'll be out of your hair,” she said, seeming a little sheepish.

I took a small round of cheese from the gift basket that I was awarded for being a judge and handed it to her.

“What is this?” she asked.

“We spent the day at the artisanal cheese festival,” I said. “I was serving as guest judge, and they gave me all kinds of cheeses. That one was awarded best in show—it’s a pecorino that will be amazing on pasta.”

“Wow, are you sure?” she asked.

“I want you to have it. Thank you for letting us stay in your beautiful place.” I smiled over at Zeus. Judging at an artisanal cheese competition—that was some next-level Newsome shit right there.

She finally took off. We barbecued out that night, making delicious burgers topped with the fanciest cheese on the planet.

I acted bored of hot tubs all through dinner and soon found myself naked in the hot tub with three growling guys making me take back my assertions in exciting and fun ways.

The next morning I put in some very serious time on the hammock with my book and a glass of iced coffee, which fit perfectly into the handy hammock drink holder. Zeus came over and gave me a foot rub. “Are you sure you should be in a hammock with that vertigo?” he asked.

Riiiight, the vertigo.

“It's all better,” I said.

“But what if lying in the hammock makes it come back?” he asked, moving deft fingers over my pinky toe.

“I really don't think it's going to come back,” I said. The whole vertigo ruse wasn't necessary anymore, considering that Zeus’s surprise was the cheese festival and not the romantic balloon ride.

I read out there for hours, until I was drawn inside by the scent of fresh honey popovers. We sat around the ultra-California sunken living room feasting on warm, gooey pastries. There were also mimosas—one of my favorite drinks—and I had two giant ones. I will admit to feeling a bit tipsy.

We had really underestimated Zeus with the balloon ride stuff. Yes, he always got that crazy bee in his bonnet when it came to fighting for our foursome. And yes, there had been times when he freaked out when businesses offered romantic packages for two for things that he wished the four of us could do, but we all had our quirks.

“That was an amazing day yesterday,” I said. “The Sunny Sisters’ gouda is going to be getting so many orders now. And did you see how happy they looked?” I snuggled into Odin's lap.

It was only the third time I’d said that.

Odin brushed my hair from my forehead with gentle fingertips. “They looked happy, goddess.”

“Don't get me wrong—I'm happy that they’re finding success and all that,” I said. “It makes me happy, but weirdly, it also makes me sad. I guess because I'm not there.”

“I wish you could celebrate this win with them,” Odin said.

“I guess I'm celebrating now,” I said.

“Someday we'll clear our names, and you'll celebrate with them properly,” Zeus said. “Someday we’ll get the truth out, and the truth will crush ZOX into little smithereens, and Denko and all of his people will be in jail, and you'll be able to see your sisters again. And we’ll be granted total immunity, and we’ll live wild and free.”

“Well, that's a rosyfucking-gprediction,” Odin said.

“What's wrong with rosy? It's not impossible,” Zeus said. “Nothing is impossible if you work hard enough at it.”

“Technically, time travel is not impossible,” Odin said. “But I'm not holding my breath.”

Zeus glared at Odin. Thor frowned into his coffee like he was feeling really stung by this exchange. What was up with him?

“I might need another,” I said, holding out my glass to Thor, who filled it up.

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