“Oh, Abigail!” She said my name with too much recognition. “Nice to meet you.”
“Nice to meet you too.” Had the great-uncle mentioned me? As the girl locked away with Noah during the party? How awkward.
“What are you two up to?”
“We’re just hanging out,” Noah said. “I thought you had tea at the yacht club?”
“It was boring. I left as soon as I could.” She smiled at me. “Are you staying for brunch? I’m making shakshuka.”
Noah and I exchanged startled glances. Brunch! With a mom! She seemed lovely, but hard pass. Also, it was one o’clock—was it still appropriate to call the meal brunch? “Thanks so much, but I actually have work.”
“Oh, where are you working?”
“The Prose Garden.”
“I love it there. Are you here for the summer, then?”
“Yeah.” Just here to dig into your family history, yup.
“Well, it’s very nice to meet you. Maybe you can stay and eat another time.”
“Okay, Mom.” Noah said. “We should get going.”
She gave a light laugh. “I’m always embarrassing him.”
“Thanks, Mom.”
“Nice to meet you, Mrs. Barbanel.”
Noah steered us outside. A bird twittered somewhere above us. “Your mom seems nice.”
“She is.”
“Was it weird we met?”
“What do you mean?”
“I felt like I was lying to her. Since I’m trying to dig into her family past, et cetera. Or her in-laws’ past, I guess.”
“You don’t feel bad makingmehelp you.”
“It’s different with adults. And I felt like I was talking to her under false pretenses.”
“Like what?”
“I don’t know. She thinks we’re friends.”
“Right. False pretenses, got it.” His voice was unexpectedly cold. “I’ll call you an Uber.”
Wait. Had I offended him? “I can call my own Uber. Are you mad?”
“About what?” He pulled out his phone and stared at it with the abject coolness of someone definitely not doing anything on their phone.
“I wouldn’t think you’dwantto be friends.”
He stopped swiping but didn’t look up. “Excuse me?”
“You know. You’re—” Rich and hot. “We’re only spending time together because you don’t feel like you have a choice. I’mforcingyou to talk to me.”
