"We'll keep an eye on things," Martinez assures me. "And Dawes already told me he's sticking close. You're not alone in this."
Kevin appears in the doorway, and I feel myself relax just at the sight of him.
"All set?" he asks.
I nod. "All set."
***
Back at my apartment, I expect Kevin to say goodbye. To tell me he'll check in later, that I should call if I need anything.
Instead, he follows me inside and closes the door behind him.
"We should talk," he says. "About the logistics."
I set my keys on the counter. "Logistics?"
"The fake relationship." He crosses his arms, leaning against the door. "If we're going to keep this going—and with Elliott outon bail, we probably should—people need to see us together. Outside the bar."
My heart does something complicated. "You want to... what? Go on fake dates?"
"I want people to believe we're together," he corrects. "Which means being seen around town. Holding hands. Acting like a couple." His gaze holds mine. "Is that something you can handle?"
The honest answer is, I don't know. The idea of pretending to be with Kevin—of touching him, being close to him, acting like we're together when my feelings are already so tangled—feels dangerous.
But the alternative is admitting that this isn't entirely fake for me. That somewhere between him showing up ten months ago and him sleeping on my couch last night, I started falling for him.
"I can handle it," I lie.
Kevin studies me for a long moment, as if he can see right through the words. But before he can respond, there's a sharp knock at my door.
We both freeze.
"Steph, honey!" Lottie's voice carries through the wood. "I know you're home!"
Oh God.
Kevin's mouth twitches with barely suppressed amusement. "She won’t go away."
"Town gossip," I hiss. "She's already heard you stayed over."
"Probably," he agrees, entirely too calm about this. "Want me to get it?"
"No—" But he's already moving, pulling open the door with an easy smile.
"Mrs. Carmichael," he says warmly. "Good to see you."
Lottie beams up at him, holding a casserole dish covered in foil. "Kevin! I heard you were here and thought I'd bring something for you two." Her eyes sparkle with delight as she peers past him to where I'm standing. "Can't have the happy couple living on bar food alone!"
I want the floor to open up and swallow me whole.
"That's very thoughtful," Kevin says, accepting the dish. "We appreciate it."
"Oh, it's nothing." Lottie waves a hand, but she's practically vibrating with excitement. "I just think it's wonderful that you two finally figured things out. The whole town's been waiting!"
My face is on fire. "Lottie—"
"And staying over already!" She winks at Kevin. "Moving fast, I see."
