Page 159 of When In Doubt

His face softens a fraction. “I love you too.” Then he’s moving past, ignoring my feeble attempts to stop him. “But I should really go.” He drops a quick kiss to my cheek as passes.

“Oscar.” It comes out on a whimper.

I watch the wall come up around him like a physical thing. He straightens his spine, shoulders squaring. He pastes on that careful expression that doesn’t give anything away. Tears start to prick at my eyes as all that emotion disappears, hidden behind the mask. When he finally looks at me again it’s like I’m staring at a stranger.

“Why don’t we get dinner tomorrow, okay?” He takes hold of a loose strand of my hair, rubbing it between his fingers. “Let’s go to that Italian place. Maybe I can make a better impression on Luci.”

“We don’t have to.”

“No, lets.” He nods, making up his mind. “Can’t believe I’ve never taken you for dinner,” he mutters.

“Oscar—”

“Is seven okay?”

“Oscar.” I say it louder, trying to cut through the daze he’s in. It’s like I’m not even here.

“I’ll see you at seven.”

Then he’s gone. Before I can move from my spot, I hear the front door open and the telltale clanging of heavy boots on the metal steps outside.

Chapter Fifty-Three

FREYA

ELSIE

How’s Luci’s visit going?

FREYA

Amazing.

Though she’s currently ransacking my store.

She’s ‘helping’.

Ireply between bites of my sandwich, where I’m propped behind the counter.

ELSIE

Yikes

That girl is a tornado

Elsie’s only met Luci in person once, when she came to Connecticut three years ago to see me and my mom, but they were quickly thick as thieves.

“Wait, did you want these in color order?” Luci calls, ducking her head from around the shelf she’s tucked behind.

“No, by brand,” I reply. “Just leave it, I’ll do it in a second.”

FREYA

She wants to organize the yarns by color.

ELSIE

I mean, it might be nice?