Page 65 of Frosted Fakes

"Don't apologize. It's also..." She searched for the right word. "Nice. Annoyingly nice."

Julia laughed. "Annoyingly nice. Interesting turn of phrase."

"I told you. Distant and cold. I'm working on it. For me, that’s world class romance." She was going to kiss her. Right here in the shop, in full view of the windows, like someone who had feelings and wasn't afraid to show them. Who even was she anymore? Or, more importantly, what had Julia done to her? Maybe she was a witch. A very attractive witch.

The bell above the door chimed.

"Darling!"

Elliott jerked back so fast she nearly knocked over a display stand. Gabby Richardson stood in the doorway, resplendent in emerald silk. She looked irritatingly good in green. Elliott would have looked like a seasick mermaid in it.

"Mum!" Julia's voice went up approximately three octaves and her body stiffened, Elliot could feel it. "What are you doing here?"

"In the neighborhood. Remember?" Gabby's eyes flicked between them, cataloguing the minimal distance, Elliott's hand still hovering near Julia's face, the general atmosphere of interrupted intimacy. "Or am I interrupting something?"

"No," Julia said.

"Yes," Elliott said at the same time.

For once she actually was. Something real. Real enough that Elliott was still feeling very warm inside and somewhat… squishy. Not a word she’d ever used in reference to herself before.

Gabby's perfectly sculpted eyebrow rose. "How interesting."

She swept into the shop, her critical gaze moving across the empty display cases, the clean counters, the closed sign that Julia had just flipped.

"I thought we could have dinner," Gabby announced. "The four of us. You, Julia, Elliott, and that charming Jamie from next door." Her smile widened in a way that made Elliott deeply uncomfortable. "I've already texted him. He's expecting us."

"You texted Jamie?" Julia looked horrified. "Without asking us first?"

"Spontaneity is the spice of life, darling. You should try it sometime. And it’s good for young lovebirds to get out occasionally." Gabby was already heading for the door. "Come along. I've made reservations."

"At Jamie's restaurant?" Elliott asked. "You made reservations at the restaurant next door?"

"One should always make reservations. It shows respect for the establishment." Gabby paused at the threshold. "Five minutes. Don't dawdle."

The door closed behind her.

Julia turned to Elliott with an expression of pure panic. "What do we do?"

"Apparently, we go to dinner."

"But we're not prepared! We haven't rehearsed! What if she asks questions we haven't covered?"

Elliott reached out and took Julia's hand. It felt natural now, the way their fingers interlaced. "Then we tell the truth."

"The truth?"

"The version of it that won't get us both murdered, anyway." Elliott squeezed gently. "We've got this. We're practically professionals at this point. Because…" She took a breath. "Because this is a bit real now, isn’t it?"

Julia nodded, then grinned. "I suppose it is. I’d almost forgotten."

"Charming." Elliott sniffed, then smiled. "Anyway, your mother is currently far more interested in Jamie than she is in us."

Julia groaned.

Elliott tugged her toward the door. "Come on. How bad can it be?"

Famous last words, as it turned out.