Maisie grimaced. "Oh, you're gonna love this. Apparently, Ryder was crashing there for the night."
If so, this was news to me. "You don't mean in that dumpy apartment?"
Maisie nodded. "That's exactly where I mean."
"But why would he do that?"
"You mean Ryder? Heck if I know." Maisie shrugged. "But he said something about whiskey, which I guess makes sense."
In hindsight, it made sense tome, but why would it make sense to Maisie? "What do you mean?"
She made a face. "You'd need to be drunk to staythere.And seriously, why would Griff be living there at all?"
By now, I felt nearly too muddled to think. With an awkward laugh, I said, "Probably because of the bet."
On the sofa, Maisie grew very still, like the ground had shifted beneath her.
I asked, "What's wrong?"
"I'm just wondering howyouknow about it – the bet, I mean."
I froze.Oh, crap. I'd promised Ryder that I'd keep those details just between us. And I surely would've, if only I hadn't been so muddled. Desperately, I tried to backpedal. "Didn't you just mention it?"
Her mouth tightened. "No. I didn't."
By now, I could hardly meet her eyes. "Are you sure?"
"Positive."
"Oh. Well…" I tried for a casual shrug. "I'm thinking…Ryder might've mentioned it?" I said it like I'd just happened to pass him on the street – and not like I'd been sleeping naked in his arms.
Maisie was still giving me that look. "So you talked to Ryder? When? And where?"
Damn it.I wassobusted. But like a cornered idiot, I gamely continued on. "I dunno…maybe at the coffee shop? Whenever?"
On Maisie's face, I saw suspicion morph into anger before she asked in a tight voice, "And where wereyouthat night?"
I blinked.Surely, she didn't mean the night Griff was missing?
Except she obviously did, which meant…What the hell?I sat back, feeling like I'd been slapped. "What are you implying? ThatIwas the one with Griff?"
"What?" She paused for a beat too long, before muttering, "I never said that."
Sure, she hadn't said it outright, but the gist was pretty clear. I said, "But you were thinking it."
She didn't even bother to deny it.
I stared in disbelief. "So that's what you think? That he was withme?"
"No. Of course not." But then she ruined it by mumbling, "Not really."
"Not really?" I was thunderstruck. "What doesthatmean?"
"I dunno…" Her chin lifted. "Maybe I'm sick of the secrets."
"Whose? Mine?"
With a sigh, she threw up her hands. "Everyone's. And yeah, including yours."
