Erin jumped off the couch and ran to the kitchen with Nancy Drew belatedly skittering in her wake. She walked in to find Andy closing a white, heavily decorated, oversized photo album.
He shoved it back in the cabinet and quickly slammed the cabinet closed. “See? No big deal.”
“You saw it,” she said.
He stood up and fussed with the fruit on the cutting board. “Saw what?”
“For a demon, you’re a terrible liar.”
Andy loaded the food onto the tray and carried it into the living room without saying anything. He set the tray on the coffee table and sat on the couch without making eye contact.
She followed him and sat on the couch next to him. “It’s okay.” She caught his gaze with her own. “You can talk about it. It’s not like I haven’t seen it before.”
“That was your wedding photo album,” he said.
“It was,” said Erin.
“That woman. Next to you. In your wedding photos. She was at the church yesterday.”
“She was.”
“She was sitting with your ex-husband at church.”
Erin nodded.
“That was Genevieve? One of your bridesmaids?”
Erin nodded again.
“Your friend?”
“Not anymore.”
Andy picked up Nancy Drew, who had followed them into the living room, and held her close. “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be.”
“Was she your—best friend?” he asked.
“I thought so at the time,” said Erin.
“Oh, Hell,” said Andy. He gently patted Nancy Drew, his hands gliding over her furry back. “Would you like me to make all her hair fall out?”
Erin made a noise like a cross between a sob and a laugh.
“Sign her up on a hundred telemarketing lists?”
“No,” Erin said. She couldn’t help giggling.
“Come on, work with me. Even Nancy wants to help,” he said, holding Nancy Drew up.
Nancy looked about as helpful as a small elderly dog could look.
“I don’t know,” said Erin, sounding doubtful. “Mosquitoes? She hates mosquitoes.”
“See, I knew you could do it!”
Erin managed a half-smile. “It shouldn’t bother me so much. But sometimes it’s hard to stop thinking about it. I can’t even escape it in my sleep.”
