My throat suddenly feels tight. “You’re the ones who gave him the makeover?”
Dottie angles her head slightly. “I wouldn’t call it a makeover, exactly. He wouldn’t use any of the foundation we gave him for under his eyes.”
I stifle a laugh. “But you helped him find new glasses and those collared shirts.”
“The sleeves,” Ann presses. “Those sleeves were the cherry on the sexy sundae.”
“Yes, he’s been rolling them up,” I confirm.
Hannah’s waving at me less patiently now, but I’m not ready to end this conversation. “Did heaskyou to give him a makeover?”
“Oh, goodness, no,” Dottie says with a chuckle. “We would never wait to be asked about that kind of thing. We saw a need, and we decided to fill it.” She lifts a finger. “Now, he’s always been a handsome young man. Anyone with eyes could see that. What he wanted was confidence and some window dressing. So we told a little white lie about wanting to be in touch with him regarding your parents’ wedding present, and eventually we got him to work with us.”
I smile at her distractedly, my mind full of Cormac. He went along with their plan. But why? Was it because…
Don’t go there, Nora.
“I’ve…I’d better get back there.” I gesture toward my friends’ table. “You know how impatient Hannah gets.”
Dottie smiles. “Of course, my dear. You want to tell them all about your secret relationship.”
“Fake relationship,” I correct, feeling a crease form in my brow.
“That’s what I said. But don’t run off when you’re done. I want to do another tea leaf reading for you.”
She’s only done it for me once before, on the day I officially met Hannah, Briar, and Sophie—but she has never told me what she saw. I’m tempted to ask her now, but it feels like I’d be giving too much away.
Sighing, I wave goodbye to Dottie and Ann as I head toward my friends.
“Oh my God,” Hannah groans as I come closer. “Finally. I was beginning to think I’d need to drag you back here myself.”
“As if you could.” I lower myself down next to Sophie, who taps her shoulder against mine in greeting.
Hannah picks up a pastry from a plate in the middle of the table, no doubt personally delivered by Dottie. She likes to spoil us every time we visit while she’s here. Wagging the pastry at me, Hannah says, “Explain yourself, young lady. You’ve been MIA for a week, and don’t think we haven’t noticed.”
I bury my head in my hands for approximately two seconds and then pull myself together. I’ve lied enough, and I already hate myself for it. It’s time to tell the truth.
“Sooo, I’ve spent all weekend with Cormac, and I fucked him on his kitchen counter. How are you doing?”
Hannah drops the pastry. “Holy shit.”
I bury my head in my hands again, while Sophie shakes my shoulder playfully.
“You’ve been holding out on us,” she says.
I suppose I have. “We’ve been spending a lot of time together because of the whole Scooby-Doo thing.”
“Scooby-Doo?” Briar asks skeptically.
“You know, unmasking Pansy. He’s been helping me.”
“Is that also why you fucked him on the kitchen table?” Hannah asks.
“She said it was the counter,” Sophie corrects.
I glance at her, and she gives me a soft smile. “I had a feeling. I could tell there was something between you from the way you two talk to each other.”
“Seriously? We always used to bicker. Westillbicker.”
