Darkly (Follow Me 4)

Be there in fifteen.

I head back down and get in the car. “Looks like we’re going to Esteban’s,” I tell Christopher.

Once we arrive, I stroll in, excitement at seeing Skye making me feel a lot younger than I am. It’s wild, how she affects me. I mumble to the hostess that I’m meeting a friend who’s already here and whisk past without waiting for her reply, nearly bumping into Tessa Logan.

“Oh! Hi, Braden,” she says. “Skye said you’d be joining her.”

“Are you leaving?” I ask.

“Yeah, I just came in for a drink. I left Skye some money for the bill.”

“I’ll take care of it. She’ll return your money.”

“You don’t have—”

“I insist,” I say quickly. “Please excuse me.”

I don’t mean to be rude, but all I can think of is getting to Skye. I arrive at the table and find Skye counting bills and looking over the check.

I sit down at the table and take the check from her. “I’ve got it.”

“You don’t have to. They left money.”

“I saw Tessa on the way out,” I say. “I told her you’d be returning her money.”

“What about Betsy’s money?”

“Who’s Betsy?”

“Betsy… Huh. I don’t know her last name. Anyway, she owns the Bark Boutique where I got Sasha’s gift basket.”

Right. That Betsy. The one who has history with Addie. Was Skye pressing Betsy for information about Addie and me?

I don’t know how much Betsy knows, but I won’t worry about that at the moment.

“You can return her money, too,” I say.

“That’s generous of you, but you don’t have to—”

“I know I don’t have to, Skye. I want to. This is pennies to me.”

She smiles. “Okay, then. I’ll let you, because I’m now officially unemployed.”

Damn. Those comments from Addie on Skye’s post siren back into my mind. I’ll bet Addie fired Skye.

Good riddance.

I shake my head. “Why am I not surprised?”

“I don’t know. I still have no idea what went on between you and Addison.”

Yeah, she was definitely asking Betsy about us, and now I know Betsy knows little to nothing. I throw a credit card on top of the bill. “Nice try. Still not going there.”

The server arrives and grabs the bill and credit card. “Can I get you anything, Mr. Black?”

“Yes, a Wild Turkey, one ice cube, and a menu please. Ms. Manning and I will be dining.”

“You want to eat here?” she asks.