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Oops, the movie is about to start. I’ll text you when we’re out!

Ok, enjoy

No response. Evie must’ve turned off her phone for the movie.

I finished my drink and drummed my fingers against the counter. I could not speed to the theater and check in on her, no matter how much I wanted to. One, she’d never forgive me. Two, I’d promised the Andersons they could take her to the movies without me tonight. They’d visited the house and talked to her on the phone several times since their introductory dinner, and it was time for me to loosen the reins a little.

Harry had backed my decision. He said that if they got to spend enough time with her under our current arrangement, they might hold off on filing for legal custody. It seemed like wishful thinking, but I was willing to give it a try. I just wanted a clear answer, one way or another. The longer this custody situation hung in the balance, the more anxiety ate away at me.

“Noah, Noah, Noah.” Adil sidled up to me. His presence was both a welcome distraction and a cause for concern, given the excited gleam in his eyes. “How are you, my fine friend?”

“No.”

He looked wounded. “I didn’t ask you anything.”

“Yet.” I lifted a sardonic brow. “What is it, Chakir? Spit it out.”

“Fine.” He hopped onto a neighboring stool and spun around to face me directly. “You know how I said I was in love?”

“Mmm-hmm.”

“Welllll, she really wants a double date. And I⁠—”

“No.”

“Let me finish.”

“No.”

Adil crossed his arms. “You’re being annoyingly stubborn and a bad friend.”

“As happy as I am that you’re in love, I don’t do dates, much less double dates. You’re on your own,” I said firmly. When he continued to pout, I sighed and suggested another option. “Ask Asher or Vincent. They’re more social.”

“They said no.”

“So you decided I would be the one who’d say yes?”

“A man can hope, can’t he?” His brow furrowed. “I guess I can buy Yasmin another diamond necklace. That should make her feel better.”

I paused. “What do you mean, another diamond necklace?”

“We went shopping at Bvlgari the other day. She liked the necklace, so I bought it for her.”

“How much was the necklace?”

“I dunno. Fifty thousand pounds or so?”

“And how long have you been dating this girl? Officially.”

“Three weeks and five days,” he said proudly.

Trepidation crept through me. His love life was none of my business. He could afford a fifty-thousand-pound necklace, and if it were any other player, I’d let them shower their new girlfriend with as many gifts as they wanted.

But Adil was different. He viewed the world through rose-colored glasses, and he truly believed he was in love. Maybe he was. But I had doubts about whether the same could be said for Yasmin.

“That’s a lot of money to spend on someone you’ve been dating for less than a month.” I tried my best to sound neutral instead of judgmental, but Adil’s smile dimmed anyway.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”