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“See ya.” I write him down under the people who will work against Theo’s case, so I know I can have the option to call on them, ask questions that will sound like I’m poking for info, but will allow the opposing council to spin in their favor. Right now, there are three witnesses who’ll be good for the opposition. None good for Theo.

My pen taps along my notebook. There has to be more I can do. Right now it’s too shaky on both sides. I could involve Rachel, plant a fake witness, but it’d be cleaner to do the sabotage as close to facts as possible. Don’t want too many liabilities.

Okay, no fake witnesses.

My phone vibrates again. Set up your dad yet?

Before I can smother the feeling, my stomach does two quick flips when I read Theo’s name. I turn the phone over so I can’t read anything else.

I’m not sure what else to do to keep some distance between us. It’s not like we’re stuck in some kind of miscommunication. I have said, word for word, there is no reason we need to speak. He knows I’m smart enough to handle the case alone, it’s why he wanted me to take it, so there’s no reason for him to hover around me.

Outside of mock trials, aside from my dad and Lexie, I barely interact with people. I just have other priorities. But when I’m working a case, it’s my job to note every detail of a person’s reaction, try to find hidden meanings in the words they choose and the words they don’t. And I’m good at it. My record speaks for itself. My mother spent years teaching me, letting me watch trials with her, even letting me attend some too.

So why is Theo so freaking hard for me to figure out?

And why does it bother me so much that I can’t?

I groan, dropping my forehead on my desk. Maybe me working too hard on actively trying to keep him away from me is doing the opposite. The more I push him away, the more he just wants to keep poking at me. I could just let him hang around, and honestly, after realizing how truly boring I am, he’d probably get sick of me in a day.

I turn so half my face is squished against the table and grab my phone to reply.

Do you think the fall festival at Ruby’s Creek is a good setup?

My chest tightens in the few seconds it takes before he responds.

What made you choose that?

My dad loves gardening, and his favorite florist will be there. I thought it’d be an organic setup.

Bubbles appear, then disappear, then appear again. Then my phone lights up. Theo is calling me. My heartbeat speeds as I watch it vibrate on the table, then fades when the call ends.

It flashes again with a text.

Come on, Lopez. If you can type, you can talk.

This time when he calls, I answer.

Theo chuckles before he greets me, warm and rough like maybe he just woke up from a nap, makes my cheeks hot. “Lopez.”

“Hudson.” My throat feels inexplicably dry.

“Have you ever been to the festival?”

“No,” I say, sitting up. “But Lexie showed it to me, and it looks cute. Why? Do you hate the idea?”

“No, no,” he says quickly, “it’s good. There’s just so much to do. Maybe you can get them to meet up, but you should have them do something together. Some activity where they’ll be forced to spend more time together. There are crafts and lots of places to sit overlooking the water; boat rides too.”

“I take it you’ve had plenty of dates there before,” I say, spinning myself around in my chair. “If it works for you, I guess it’s not too bad a choice for my plan.”

The line is quiet for a moment, then he says, “The hospital my mom works at runs a sponsorship program that always sets up shop at the festival. I’ve never gone on a date there.” For some reason, he sounds a little annoyed.

“Okay.”

“And I haven’t gone on plenty of dates.”

I pause my spinning. “Really?”

“Why do you think that I have?”