“What the?” I push away the box and attempt to pick my jaw off the counter. “That’s … an iPhone! I can’t accept that!”
“You may as well,” he says. “I’ve already opened the box and turned the phone on, so I can’t return it. See the note?”
I look down. There’s indeed a tiny Post-it note on the iPhone box, and the outer wrapping has already been removed. The note says, “Look inside.”
“Is this some kind of joke?”
“You need a phone, right?” I see him looking at the flip phone on the counter, one brow raised.
“Yeah, but I can’t afford THIS phone.” I gesture at the box.
“Do me a favor and look inside? I said I’d leave afterward if you want me to, remember?”
“Fine.” I open the box and take out the phone. It’s gorgeous. Sleek and black, so much nicer than my old phone. Nicer than anything I was ever going to get off eBay to replace my old phone.
Damn him for putting this temptation in my path. Giving it back was going to hurt.
A tiny sticky note clinging to the screen offers up the passcode.
“My street address? Really?” I ask.
“You can change the passcode,” Hudson answers.
“Open the photo album,” another note says.
Hudson steps closer to the counter. For whatever reason, Cookie has glued herself to his side. Is she sitting on his foot? What the hell, Cookie! Hudson is absentmindedly stroking her.
“Okay, here goes,” I say, opening the phone and clicking into the album.
There’s only one thing there—a video with the screen title “Play Me.”
I look back up at Hudson, who meets my gaze and nods gravely. Then he takes a deep breath. I watch his Adam’s apple bob as he swallows.
“What the hell is this?” I hold up the phone. “You’re freaking me out a little here.”
“Oh, for God’s sake, Georgia!”
Exasperated, Hudson reaches across the counter and takes the phone out of my hand. He hits play and props the phone back on the counter between us.
I recognize the song immediately. It’s the theme fromToy Story—one of my favorite Pixar movie franchises ever.
“You’ve got a friend in me …”
I feel my breath catch. I look at Hudson for an explanation, but he merely points at the video that is now playing on the screen.
It begins with a montage of familiar photos. Not the Pixar characters though. These are photos of Oliver, my Petfluencer Challenge buddy. There are a few photos of Cookie too. Several of these are shots I’ve shared on Instagram. But there are also some that I haven’t posted. Not on Cookie’s account anyway.
The photos of Cookie alternate with pictures of Oliver.
“Where did you get these?” I pause the video. “This is seriously fucked up. It’s one thing to steal my designs. It’s another to hack me.” My palms are sweating now and my heart is racing.
“Georgia.” Hudson places his hands on the counter. His eyes meet mine imploringly. “I promise I didn’t hack you. Twenty-five more seconds. Just finish the video, please?” He taps the screen, hitting play, and stares down at it. I look down as well.
There’s a final short photo of Oliver that I don’t recognize immediately. He’s dressed up in a judge’s costume. The costume is familiar as well. It ought to be. I made it. And Hudson purchased it in my shop a week ago.
The music ends, and the next clip is a video one. Oliver is standing on a couch, kneading the cushion and blinking at the camera. The camera gets shaky, as whoever is holding it approaches him and scoops him up. For a moment, all I can see are shoes, floor, and couch cushion.
Then the camera flips around and it’s Oliver again, seated on Hudson’s lap. They’re both looking into the camera, selfie style.
