Page 77 of Spies Don’t Fall for Their Best Friend

“Did he do your face today?”

“Yes.”

She smooths the peeling edge of her mustache. “I assume he would find this professionally insulting.”

“Deeply.”

“I did my best without government funding.”

“I’m sure he’ll account for your resource limitations.”

A smile flashes across her face, then it disappears. “My mom knows.” It isn’t a question.

I brace myself. “Yes.”

“How long has she known?”

“Since she and Abraham became serious.”

Her pen lowers to the notebook, but she doesn’t write. “Zoe knows.”

I nod. “She’s CIA.”

“Mackenzie?”

“She knows.”

“Owen?”

“He does, too.”

The room seems to grow still around us, and Reese is looking at her notebook without seeming to see it. “My roommate,” she says slowly. “My mother. My friends. Nearly the entire Lancaster family.” She lets out one breath that almost becomes a laugh. “Everyone was chosen for Spy Club except me.”

Every instinct I have tells me to explain. Zoe knew because of the CIA. Mackenzie became involved in an operation. Charlie had authorization to tell Owen. Abraham had authorization to tell Annette. There are reasons. Rules. Classified boundaries that have nothing to do with Reese’s value.

Abraham’s voice returns to me. If you list why everyone else was entitled to know, all Reese will hear is that every person had a place in this world except her. So, I don’t explain.

“You weren’t kept outside because I didn’t trust you or because you mattered less,” I say. “I wasn’t allowed to open the door.”

She looks at me.

“But I know that doesn’t change the fact that everyone else seemed to be standing on the other side of it.”

She swallows. “I didn’t even know there was a door.”

“I know.”

“All those times someone got called away. Every time Charlie said something weird, and everyone else acted like it was normal.”

“I know.”

“I feel stupid.”

“You aren’t.”

“I should’ve figured it out.”

“You were surrounded by trained intelligence professionals actively trying to make sure you didn’t. It wasn’t a fair contest.”