Page 135 of The Rules of Dating

“Maybe we should say we usually do, but there’s been a few times where things got heated fast and we didn’t get a chance to. It sounds more believable since we’re supposed to be newlyweds.”

This entire conversation made me very uncomfortable. “Fine.”

Maya sipped her wine. “Do you remember the night we met? We couldn’t keep our hands off each other. We barely made it to your apartment before we had sex against the wall in the entryway. I would imagine if we were a real couple, our passion would still be that way. Don’t you think?”

My jaw tightened. “I don’t think about it. But if you want to say we missed locking the door a few times, I’ll say something similar if asked.” I aimed the remote at the TV and pressed the button to turn it off. “I’m going to bed. We have to leave here by eight thirty for our appointment. Will you be around or are you meeting me there?”

“I’ll be here. I wouldn’t put it past the investigator to be watching how we walk up again. So I think we should arrive together.”

I nodded and stood. “I’ll come back after I drop Saylor at school.”

“Or…we could take her together?”

I shook my head. “I’ll come back.”

In my room, I got changed and was about to walk into my bathroom to brush my teeth when there was a light knock on the door. I opened it to find Maya standing there. She thumbed behind her. “I was getting ready for bed, and I realized we don’t know each other’s bathroom routine.”

I held my hand on the top of the door, not budging to allow her to enter. “I brush my teeth and wash my face.”

Maya held up her cell phone. “Every night I read a different article about what questions people have been asked during a Stokes hearing. The one I read tonight said the investigator focused on the small details of their bedtime routine. He asked if they put the toothpaste away or just leave it on the counter, and if they used mouthwash and flossed and stuff.”

I glanced at her phone, which showed a website with a bunch of questions, and then looked back to her.

“I really want to pass this so I can get out of your hair,” she said. “I promise it won’t take long. I’ll just stand in the background quietly and watch you do your routine, in case we’re asked about it.”

I took a deep breath before stepping aside to let her in. “Fine.”

Maya leaned against the doorway of the bathroom as I went about brushing my teeth and then took out floss.

“Oh, you use the old-school string stuff?” she said. “I use those Pluckers, the plastic things with a piece of floss attached on the end.”

I looked at her reflection in the mirror as I threaded between my teeth. I’d already taken off my shirt for bed, and I watched as Maya’s eyes dropped down to check out my chest. It made me really fucking uncomfortable. So I did a half-assed job on my teeth and finished up as quickly as possible before turning to face her. “Happy?”

“Do you want to come watch me now?”

I shook my head. “How about you just say your routine is exactly like the one you saw me do, if we’re asked?”

“Oh. Okay. I guess I can do that.”

I motioned behind her, into my bedroom. “Think I can go to bed now?”

Maya stepped aside for me to exit the bathroom, then slowly walked toward the door. As she passed the bed, she ran her finger along the top of the comforter until she reached the end, then stopped and looked over her shoulder at me.

“Maybe we should spend the night together. You know, to pick up any last-minute details. I don’t even know if you’re a snuggler or if you sleep on your stomach.” She looked up at me from under her lashes and bit on her lower lip shyly. “It could be our little secret. I wouldn’t mention it to Billie or anything.”

I clenched my jaw so hard, I was surprised I didn’t crack a pearly white. “Get the fuck out of my room.”

Maya blinked a few times. I’m guessing not too many men declined an offer for her to join them in bed. She had the balls to pout. “You don’t have to be so rude about it.”

I pointed to the door. “Rude would be telling you to get the fuck out of my apartment and go sleep on the street. Which I’m about two seconds away from doing if you don’t get out of my bedroom right now.”

She huffed and stomped toward the door, slamming it shut behind her.

***

The following morning, Maya and I barely said two sentences to each other while we took the train downtown to the interview. I was a nervous wreck and had reached a point that I jumped if a car so much as honked its horn. The only thing that was going to settle my nerves was having today finally over with. My lawyer, Adam, met us out front of the federal building, and we talked for a few minutes before going inside together. He’d told us the questioning could last up to eight hours long and be conducted separately, or it could be less than an hour with us being interrogated together in one room. So I had no idea what to expect, until Officer Weber walked in.

“Mrs. Lennon can wait here,” he said with no preamble. “The video equipment is set up down the hall. I’d like to meet with Mr. Lennon first.”