“It’s Reed.You need to duck so he doesn’t see you.”
“I’m not ducking.”There was now a firmness to his voice.
“You’re going to ruin everything.”
As Reed and Sadie turned in their direction, she realized he was right.It was too late for him to hide.Sadie was a couple steps behind Reed.She was mouthing, “Sorry.”
Abby felt like this was a deer-in-headlights moment.She didn’t know how to fix this moment.Did he know about the party?
When Reed stepped up to the car, it jarred her into motion.She put down the window.“Hi, guys.”
Reed bent over and looked past her to Brad.“What are you doing here?”
She glanced over at Reed.The longer Brad remained silent, the worse this moment became.Her mind was frantically bouncing around, trying to find a logical reason for Brad to be in her car on a random January evening.She was coming up with nothing.
And then at last an excuse came to her.She uttered it before she could weigh the pros and cons.“He’s here to see me.”
“You?”Reed’s eyes widened.“I, uh, I had no idea.”And then a smile appeared on his face.“I didn’t know that you two had hit it off so well.”
Her heart was racing.Why had she gone and told him that?Now she had to think of how to legitimize her fictitious relationship with Brad.
“We’ve been messaging each other,” she said.It was the actual truth.
Reed looked pleased.“That’s great.It gives Brad yet another reason to visit Bayberry more often.”
Abby’s gaze moved past Reed.Sadie stood there with a disapproving frown on her face.Her friend momentarily closed her eyes before shaking her head.
“What are you guys doing over here?”Brad asked.“Wait.Are you planning to have dinner at Wright’s Eatery?”
“Wright’s Eatery?”She hadn’t even thought about it.
“Yes.”Sadie stepped forward.“Reed has had a craving for their pastrami panini all day.”
“Why don’t you join us?”Reed glanced over at Brad.“What do you say?”
Brad casually shrugged.“Sounds good to me.”
Reed nodded.“We’ll get a table while you find a parking spot.”
After the window was up and Abby drove down the street, Brad turned to her.“Why did you tell him that?”
Thankfully, it was dark in the car so he couldn’t see her heated cheeks.“It was all I could think of to keep him from guessing about the party.”
This was such a mess.How was she going to fix it?Because there was no way she was going to play kissy-face with Brad all evening.
Chapter Ten
Whatwasshethinking?
He wasn’t romantically interested in her.Not in the least.
Brad sat next to Abby in the cozy booth.Their shoulders touched.A frown pulled at his lips.The food had been delivered to the table by the time he realized she was left-handed.With him being right-handed, they had dueling elbows.This whole thing was awkward at best.Still, he didn’t say anything.
Brad had just taken a bite of food when Reed said, “It’s so great that you two are dating.”With a big smile on his face, he looked over at Sadie.“Isn’t it great?”
Sadie’s eyes widened, and her face contorted as though she’d swallowed the wrong way.After a bit of coughing, she nodded as she patted her chest.“Uh… Yes.Yes, it is.”Then she leaned toward Reed and lowered her voice.“But it’s really none of our business.”
“But they’re our best friends.And I’m happy for them.”Reed practically beamed with happiness.
