Page 129 of Trick or Tease

I leaned over and kissed Sabrina’s cheek. “I was thinking we could go up to the house and take down those, uh, decorations.”

Billy groaned. “Please don’t tell me you actually think we don’t know what you’re doing.”

“What?” I asked innocently. “We need to take down the decorations.”

“Yes!” Sabrina said. “We most definitely do.”

I couldn’t help but grin at the way Sabrina’s eyes lit up at the mention of going back to our old hideaway. Even Billy and Lucy’s teasing couldn’t dampen the surge of anticipation that shot through me at the thought of having her alone again, of being able to touch her without the weight of lies and secrets between us.

Lucy giggled into her champagne. “Just please, for the love of all that’s holy, make sure you actually take down the spooky stuff this time. I don’t want to accidentally walk in on you two surrounded by fake tombstones and skeleton hands.”

“We’ll be very thorough in our cleanup efforts,” I said solemnly.

“I did not need that mental image,” Billy groaned.

Sabrina stood up from the table, still holding her champagne glass. “Come on, partner,” she said. “Let’s go handle those decorations.”

I practically tripped over myself getting up from the table. I took her hand and nearly dragged her up the hill to the house.

49

SABRINA

Iwoke up the next morning feeling lighter than I had in weeks. The partnership papers were signed, Garrett and I had thoroughly inspected the old house for leftover decorations, and for the first time since this whole mess started, I felt like maybe everything was going to be okay.

I was brushing my teeth when my phone buzzed with a text from Garrett.

Garrett: First official date tonight? I’ll take you somewhere nice.

I grinned at my reflection in the bathroom mirror. He was still thinking like a city boy, probably planning some fancy restaurant an hour away. Time to show him what “nice” really meant around here.

Me: I’m picking the place. Trust me. It’s nice.

Garrett: Should I be worried?

Me: Absolutely. Pick me up at 6.

I spent the afternoon doing chores and trying not to overthink what to wear. It wasn’t like we hadn’t been intimate before, but this felt different. Official. Like we were starting over on the right foot this time.

I settled on my favorite jeans and a soft blue sweater that brought out my eyes. Nothing too fancy, but I wanted to look good for our first real date.

Garrett showed up at six on the dot, looking unfairly handsome in dark jeans and a button-down shirt. He clearly made an effort to dress down from his usual suits, but he still looked like he belonged in a magazine.

“So where are we going?” he asked as I climbed into his car.

“Carolina’s Diner,” I said, buckling my seatbelt.

He gave me a look that was pure skepticism. “Carolina’s? That’s what you consider nice?”

“Damn straight.” I couldn’t help but laugh at his expression.

“Sabrina, I’ve eaten at some of the finest restaurants in Manhattan⁠—”

“And I’m sure they were very fancy and very expensive,” I interrupted. “But have you ever had a burger that was made with love by a seventy-year-old woman who’s been perfecting her recipe for forty years?”

He was quiet for a moment, considering this. “Not since before I left.”

“Then you’re in for a treat.”