“I really wish I were going with you, darlin’. I didn’t like how that FBI boy spoke to you.”
I hide a smile. FBI boy. Luke Foster is in his twenties, hardly a boy.
“He apologized,” I remind her. “But don’t worry, if he’s a dick again, I can handle it.”
“Language,” she chides.
“If he’s a penis again?” I correct helpfully.
My aunt’s hoot of laughter echoes in my ear. “Well, that just soundswrong.”
I promise to call her the moment the appointment is over, then bid her goodbye and head for the bus lane in the lot.
I’m supposed to meet Foster outside the diner, but there’s a snag the moment I arrive downtown. Zed’s yellow Jeep is parkeddirectly in front of the diner door. The super-detective himself is sitting in the driver’s seat, scrolling on his phone.
Damn it.
My phone buzzes.
Foster:Be there in two minutes.
I contemplate whether I could sneak into Foster’s car without Zed noticing, but those hopes are dashed when I hear, “Ryan, hey.”
I’ve been spotted.
Stifling a groan, I type out a response to Foster.
Me:Change of plans. Can you grab me from the Starbucks?
Foster:No problem.
I give Zed a half-hearted wave, but it’s not enough to appease him. Before I can escape, he’s hopping out of the Jeep and striding toward me. He’s not wearing his glasses today, and his hair is actually styled rather than disheveled. I realize he’s kind of cute when he makes an effort.
“Hey, Zed. I can’t talk right now,” I tell him. “I’m meeting a friend.”
I start to walk off. He quickly falls into step with me.
“I’ll walk you,” he says. “We can talk while we walk.”
That irritated groan remains lodged in my throat. “I really don’t want to talk about this case anymore—”
“It’s not about the case.”
Wow. Who knew his brain had room for something other than my father?
“We had a yearbook meeting today,” Zed says, sliding his hands into his pockets. “Jazzy mentioned you’re a photographer and that you’re really good.”
I look over in surprise. “Oh.”
“Anyway, we were thinking maybe you could take some pictures for the winter video.”
“The winter video?”
“Yeah, it’s like our midyear recap. We play a highlight video at the Valentine’s Day dance every year, showing, like, fun or important moments that happened first semester, though it’s usually just football nonsense. And then at prom, we show a video recap of the whole year.”
“Okay. What kind of pictures do you need?”
“Just some candid shots around school.”
