Page 63 of Cruel Lies

There's also the patience. He's looking at me right now like the answer is entirely mine to give, and he'll wait as long as it takes for me to give it.

"Fine," I say. "But I'm trusting you not to ruin my life here."

He grins like a wolf. "Don't worry, Ms. Meadows. I wouldn't do that unless you begged for it."

17

CALI

The third date is when you stop being nervous about the wrong things.

I'm standing in my closet at five forty-five on Saturday, and I've picked a dress. On the first try, no less. It's a deep navy thing with a low back, a little bit bolder than I'd normally opt for.

But the dress itself is less shocking than when I freeze with the hanger in my hand and realize what I'm doing.

Or, more precisely, what I'mnotdoing.

Last time—Chapter Thirteen of the ongoing tragicomedy that is my life—I tried on four outfits and gave each one a thorough scrutinizing from all possible angles.

Does this say "hostile experiment" or does this say "please find me irresistible"?

Tonight, there's none of that. That irritating little internal auditor has been muzzled and shoved into an unlit box.

I don't like what that means. I don't like it one bit.

It means you're comfortable,explains the traitor in my chest, the same gleeful goblin who did cartwheels when a man made a stranger wet himself.

"Shut up," I tell her, and put the dress on.

My phone buzzes on the dresser while I'm busy dropping my earring backs until they roll under the vanity and I have to lie on the floor in a nice dress like a foraging raccoon.

It's Mom. I put her on speaker from the carpet.

"They're fed, they're watered, and Isabella has informed me that narwhals are 'the unicorns of the deep.' Hayden does not agree."

"Seems like all is well in the world then," I say with a laugh. "Thanks again for taking them on such short notice."

"Not a problem, darling." She pauses. "You sound different."

"I soundrested."

"No," she retorts. "Different."

Mom's radar has always been the best in the family, better than any predictive engine I could build, honed over sixty-one years and one bad marriage of her own she doesn't talk about. I've been dodging it my whole life.

With mixed results.

"I'm going out," I say to the underside of my dresser. "That's all. Adult beverages. A change of scenery."

"Mm." I can hear her deciding whether to press, but she evidently opts against it. "Well, have fun, Cali Bear. Call me if you need me. Don't call me if you don't."

"Will do. Thanks, Mom."

I locate the earring back and clip it on.

And then it's time to go.

It seems that Ronan has given tonight's driver explicit instructions not to tell me where we're going.