Page 39 of While You Were Trending

“Yes, Ginny’s car,” Freida says. “The one she drives? You’re her friend, and you don’t know what she—wait. Cameras? What are the cameras for? Give me ten minutes. I need to touch up my makeup.”

“Oh, it’s not that kind of video,” Cricket says quickly. “We’re recording—” she shoots a glance at Heath and grimaces—“umm,how to…how to fix a tractor. Yes! How to fix the tractor. So that we’ll know how if it breaks again. So we won’t have to call the—the tractor fixer guy back again.”

Freida squints at her, then at Heath, then at me.

“You’re the tractor repairman?” She tilts her head. “But weren’t you at the wedding? Why would Caro invite a tractor repairman to her wedding?”

Nowshe asks questions.

“You know celebrities,” Cricket says. “They all have other things they do to make money while they’re waiting for their big break and friends from those, ah, before years.”

Freida sizes me up. “I remember you. You’re…very strong. You could do…other things…if you need a side gig.”

“He tried,” Shade volunteers. “Wasn’t very good at it.”

I slide a look at him.

He smirks back.

Cricket coughs, then smiles at Freida. “So anyway, this is a surprise. We didn’t realize you’d be back so soon.”

Shade shifts his camera.

“Put it down,” I mutter to him with more force.

Heath’s glare echoes my order.

Shade half rolls his eyes. “You two are so easy to play. I’m not recording it.”

“Where’s Ginny? Where’s my baby?” Freida asks. “I need to see her immediately.”

“Ginny wasn’t interested in helping fix the tractor.” Cricket swings down from the tractor. “Actually, I’m not sure she’s here at all today. I think she had to travel for work?”

Freida huffs. “You live here, and you don’t know where she is?”

Cricket drops her voice. “Don’t tell Mabel, but Heath and I…we feel pretty left out, since we don’t live in the main house witheveryone else. It’s really hard some days. I’m hoping that the more I do with the grapes, the more they’ll include us.”

Heath turns around and rubs a hand over his face.

Cricket’s lying and the dude’s amused by it.

Zero doubt.

“That’s so like Ginny,” Freida says. “Doesn’t think about other people at all. Not about helping fix your tractor or about telling people where she’ll be.”

“Oh, I’m sure it’s not intentional,” Cricket says.

“Butwhy is her car here?” Freida demands.

“What car?” Cricket asks.

“That god-awful used Range Rover she bought last year that I told her not to.”

For fuck’s sake. “Black Range Rover?” I ask.

“Yes, my daughter drives a black Range Rover. A used one.”

“That’s mine,” I say. “I bought it new.”