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“Oh, a small town way south of here,” I reply, my words tasting like ash in my mouth.

“Another small town girl,” Logan says. “I came here from a small town on the west coast,” he adds, taking another pork chop. “Any family?” he asks.

“No. Just me. And the pets,” I say, trying for lighthearted.

The words come out as bile rises and my stomach churns. I’ve answered these questions, and others like them, on occasion, but never have they made my stomach turn. I chance a glance at Auggie, my stomach plummeting.

He studies me for a moment before smiling. Except it doesn’t reach his eyes. I turn my attention back to my dinner, which I suddenly have no appetite for.

I hate lying, but lying to him is a new kind of terrible.

Luckily, Ember sets her fork down and leans back in her chair before declaring, “I feel so much better now.”

“Because you were hangry,” Logan says.

Ember shoots him a death glare before pinching his side.

“Ow! That hurt, Em!” he yelps as she does it again.

“I do not get hangry.”

Before either can get in another word, I offer, “Can I help clear the dishes? It’s the least I can do.”

Auggie pauses his pursuit of more french fries and levels me with a serious look. “As long as you aren’t putting weight on that ankle.”

“Yes sir,” I say saucily.

I watch several expressions play across his face before he finds the french fries to be very interesting. Ember gathers the plates as I stand and hop over to the sink before Auggie can stand. He gives me a reproachful look before turning back to speak with Logan.

Standing at the sink, I look around at the space and the decor. When Ember joins me, I tell her, “You have great taste in decor.”

“Thanks,” she says, looking around before grabbing a dish towel.

I begin washing and continue, “You’ve got everything placed almost perfectly, from a design standpoint.”

She takes the bowl from me, studying me while drying.

“Design standpoint?”

I nod. “I was an interior designer,” I say before I can think better of it.

“Really! I don’t know if I mentioned this, but I’m a real estate agent.” She’s practically bouncing on the spot.

“Auggie told me when we got here.”

She nearly drops the plate I hand her. “Auggie, huh?” she says conspiratorially while looking over to where he sits with Logan. “Okay, then.” She has the most mischievous look on her face that somehow has me blushing. “So anyway, I’m a real estate agent, and Logan owns the local home construction business.”

I hand her the last dish and lean against the sink. “That must make for a great business partnership.”

“He builds them, I sell them,” she muses with a bright smile.

“What’d I do?” Logan mumbles around a mouthful of food.

Ember turns to Logan and Auggie, announcing, “Cordelya’s an interior designer.”

“Really?” Auggie asks, with great interest. “Interior design is a far cry from waitressing.”

My heart plummets as the magnitude of the can of worms I’ve just opened up hits me.