“Hey,” he says in the background. “I can too…when it matters.” His voice carries a hint of something I can’t quite place. Upper East Side, possibly? New York money I rubbed shoulders with occasionally when I dated Bree.
She shakes her head at me, rolling her eyes. “Love you, Tag, but I’m not risking it. Anyway, this isn’t about me. I’m thrilled for you both. Do you have plans yet? Location? Month? I wantto know how it all happened. You better have gotten down on one knee, Tag.”
“I did,” he says, sounding offended.
“Sort of. I’ll video chat you later, B.” Zoey shuffles, then there’s the sound of a car door closing. “We’re heading to dinner with the Bone Appetit board.”
“Ah, say no more. Are you having an engagement party? Anything I should be at…or stay away from? You probably only want good press.”
“You know that doesn’t matter to me. Mom has Patricia working on the party now. I’ll send you the details. I asked her to keep it to a small dinner, but you know Mom.”
“I do,” Bree says softly.
“We need to get in there,” Tag says.
“I’ll meet you inside.”
“Zo—”
“Just a second,” she says to him.
He makes a frustrated sound, but he must leave, because Zoey is still on the phone. She lowers her voice. “You okay, B?”
Bree’s eyes well up and she nods, despite the fact that her sister can’t see her. “I’m good. I found an Airbnb in the middle of nowhere, and I ran into an old friend, so we’ve been kind of hanging out. It’s been a real break.”
“Who?”
She looks at me. “Benny?—”
“BennyRhodes?Shut up. Are you serious?”
“Yes?” Bree says like a question, dragging out the word and avoiding my eyes.
“Are you planning to hook up?—”
“Oh-kay, that’s enough of that.”
There’s a beat of silence. “He’s there now, isn’t he?”
Bree scoffs. “No. Why would you?—”
“Benny?”
“Hi, Zoey.” There’s no point in pretending, right?
Zoey laughs, like a full belly laugh. “This is too good. Did you guys plan this?”
“Believe it or not, it was a total coincidence,” Bree says dryly. “The Airbnb I booked for the month is next door to his house.”
“In Montana?”
“No, I live in California now,” I tell her.
Bree gives me wide eyes, so I snap my mouth closed.
“I need to go before Tag loses it,” Zoey says. “I’ll tell Mom I got proof of life and you’re safe. Noah’s been stressed about your disappearance, but last I heard, Peanut is fine.”
Bree sighs. “Didn’t he get my note?”
