Page 18 of While You Were Trending

“Good. She better not tell me any different.”

“If she does, she’s lying.”

“So what was wrong with the offer? Shitty product? Bad company? Insulting payday?”

“Nah, this was a timing thing.”

“Because of your super-secret TV show?”

“Yep.”

“I’m so fucking proud of you, man.”

I rub my chest, glad my dog’s not here to see me getting sappy.

She doesn’t like it when I get sappy. “Proud of you too, my dude.”

“I’m still pissed you’re keeping details a secret.”

“You’ll forgive me.” Or not.

Not if he finds out I’ve been talking to Ginny.

Being protective of Ginny.

Wanting to be Ginny’s hero.

Something knocks on the other end of the phone.

“Shit. I gotta be on the bus in five,” Alex says.

“Kick ass today.”

“You got it.”

We hang up, and I push away from the wall and approach the caterers.

There’s something going on with Mabel Sinclair and this winery. The way she went overprotective mama bear the minute she saw Ginny—those two women are tight.

And those privacy and nondisclosure clauses in the contract? This is more than just a winery.

Mabel has a secret.

And despite the guilt stabbing me in the kidneys over feeling like I’m betraying my best friend by caring that Ginny might bein a bad spot, I’m fucking determined to find out what’s going on here.

4

FIFTY FIRST HATES

Declan

I smileas I approach the caterers. “Morning. Need an extra hand?”

People talk.

They might let something slip.

“Hell, yeah, they need a hand.” Ten grins at me, and then he does a slow clap that turns into him whooping and cheering.