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“Fiona. I can’t believe this. Does Remi know…?”
I hurried to stand up.
Honey jumped up too, nudging her nose at my left hand.
Mari pulled Honey back and told her to sit.
The dog listened.
“What are you doing here?” I asked.
A poor attempt to deflect.
“Well, I was out on a long walk,” Mari said. “And I realized I forgot to bring water. Only after passing about fifty food trucks. So I saw this place and they have a sign that pets are welcome. So I came in to get a bottle of water. When I saw you, I had to do a double take.”
I let out a loud laugh.
Too loud.
Mari’s eyes went wide.
“Sorry,” I said. “This is just a surprise.”
“Yes. It is.”
Then there was silence.
“Uh, yeah,” I said. “About Remi. Um, no. He doesn’t know I’m here. Yet. I’m just visiting. Kind of traveling around a little bit.”
“For work?”
“Not really,” I said.
Can you sound any more guilty?
“I’m helping someone,” I said. “Not that I want to point fingers or anything, but there’s a woman I know who needed help. She’s picking up medication.” I stepped closer to Mari. “Parkinson’s.”
“Oh, my,” Mari said.
“Yeah. She needed help. So…”
Mari was not buying that for a second.
Think, Fiona. Think!
“I was actually going to call Remi as soon as I left here,” I said. “Was hoping to catch up with him before I leave town. Maybe get dinner or something. I don’t know. This is all kind of spur of the moment.”
“Spur of the moment,” Mari said.
Then she made ahuhsound that suggested she was quietly calling bullshit on everything I just said.
“Well, I’m going to pay for my water and-”
“I’ll pay for it,” I said. “Seriously. I have to go get Demi anyway. Check on her. I’ll pay. My treat. No worries. And then I’m going to call Remi. It was great to bump into you. How random!”
I pointed and then hurried toward the registers.
I knew I totally blew my cover.
