Page 105 of Ruthless Court

“You never said.”

“He thinks my name is Sandy.”

Noor lowers her glass.

“Why?”

“Because I told him it was.”

They stare.

I pick up another fry.

“It was funny at the time.”

“It’s funny now,” Lila says. “Potentially funnier.”

Across the room, Krista pulls away from Kane. Her mouth moves quickly. He answers without taking his eyes from the screen.

She slides off the stool.

Kane catches her wrist.

She yanks it free.

They argue for another thirty seconds before Krista grabs her purse and heads toward the front door.

Kane follows.

Noor looks at me.

“We should leave.”

“We just got food.”

“We can take it with us.”

“Why do we need to leave because two attractive people are having a public breakdown?”

Lila signals the server.

“Because the parking lot is about to become theater.”

“I am not watching strangers fight.”

“You watch six hours of ancient-burial documentaries.”

“The dead have consented through historical distance.”

Noor slides out of the booth.

“Bring your fries.”

The parking lot is wet from an earlier rain.

Streetlights shine against the pavement. Cars line the curb, and music pulses through the restaurant walls behind us.

Krista stands beside a silver SUV with her arms folded.