Page 10 of Still Missing You

“Did you see him?” Ugly hat lady asks.

Dylan’s hand falls back to his side, and he shakes his head. “It was dark.”

“You look exhausted,” Hannah says. “Why don’t you take the day? I can manage the café for you.”

Dylan shakes his head. “I’m fine, and I don’t want you closing alone.”

“I can handle myself.” She waves her hand as if swatting away Dylan’s concerns. “But if it makes you feel better, I’ll have Joe meet me before closing.”

Evan stands straighter and puffs out his chest. “And I can spend the day, until her husband finishes work, so that she won’t be alone. Honestly, son, you look done in.”

I don’t miss the smirk that twists Hannah’s mouth or the way she rolls her eyes, but Evan isn’t wrong, at least about Dylan. Purple half-moons stain the skin under Dylan’s eyes, and he looks pale and wiped out. I want to tell Dylan to listen to Hannah, but it’s not my place and hasn’t been for a long time.

“Your friend must think we’re incredibly rude,” the woman with the pink hat says, drawing everyone’s attention to me. She’s been staring through the entire exchange, a faint frown pulling at her thin brows. She holds out her hand to me. “I’m Phoebe Somerset.”

I shake Phoebe’s cold, slender hand. “Hunter Cade.”

She smiles, but her gaze remains shrewd. “How do you know Dylan?”

I open my mouth to tell her I’m doing some work for him—what kind of work is none of her business—but before I can say anything else, Dylan laces his fingers with mine and blurts out, “He’s my boyfriend.”

What the fuck? I whip my gaze to his, and he shoots me a pleading look, squeezing my hand tighter. Impatience tightens my spine, and it takes everything I have not to shake my hand loose from his grip.

“I didn’t know you were seeing anyone,” Phoebe gushes. I have no idea what kind of dynamic they have that she’d even know who Dylan is or isn’t dating, but I can’t help the panic bubbling inside me, bringing a cold sweat to my skin. What the hell was his game?

“It’s new,” he says, without meeting my gaze, red creeping into his face.

“Well, it’s very nice to meet you,” Phoebe says, turning back to me. “It’s good to know Dylan won’t be alone after what’s happened.”

“I’m fine,” he cuts in.

I touch my head, the same spot where it looked like it was bleeding, with my free hand. He’s still holding my other one. “Did you hit your head?”

He glances at me and frowns, probably trying to figure out why I’m asking about his injuries. But isn’t that something a fake boyfriend would ask? You started this, babe.

“It’s not bad,” he says.

“It looks like you were bleeding.”

He shrugs. “Maybe a little, but not for long.”

“You should take him home,” Hannah says. “Joe and I can drop his car off later tonight.”

“I can drive.” He turns to face me, still holding my hand. “You could just follow behind me, then we can talk.”

Oh, we were definitely going to do that. Dylan had some explaining to do, starting with why he was pretending to be my boyfriend in front of his friends.

What the hell is his game?

I don’t know, but I play along anyway.

“Oh no, dear,” I say. “What kind of boyfriend would I be otherwise?”

Chapter Five

Dylan

As soon as I pull the door closed on Hunter’s truck, I turn and find him staring expectantly at me from the driver’s seat. His dark eyes are hard, and his jaw is tight. He looks pissed, and I shrink back a little in my seat. His frown deepens.