And you keep your mouth shut.”
He shook his dark head. “And how the fuck do I wrap up something like that to give to you at the party?”
Turning, I picked up a sheet of blank printer paper and a pen. Placing it on the counter, I instructed him what to write and then folded it up and handed it to him. “Now, you put that in a tiny gift box and bring it to the party. I don’t have to open it, and Aunt Jos won’t murder you for showing up empty-handed.”
He put the folded paper in his jeans pocket. “And by anything, you mean…” His brows bobbed up and down suggestively, and I snorted out a laugh.
“Shut up, Elias. If Mav hears you, you know you’ll be sucking your meals through a straw for the next six months.” Leaning forward, I lowered my voice. “I mean, if I call you and say I need you to move a dead body, your ass shows up and you don’t complain. And you sure as fuck don’t tell anyone.”
“Who are you planning on killing?” There was no concern, just pure curiosity in his eyes.
“You, if you don’t shut up,” I hissed. “That was just a hypothetical, dummy. I’m not saying I need you to bury a body. But one day, you might get a call that requires you to show up and keep your mouth shut. Understand?”
“Yeah, yeah, sure.” He pushed back from the counter. “I have to get home. Call me if you need anything. If not, I guess I’ll see you at your party.”
“Thanks for bringing my dinner,” I called after him with a wave.
While I was alone in the front of the shop, I texted my mom.
Me: Any news?
Mom: Raven and I went to some of the surrounding cities around Oakland today. One woman thought she saw D at a soup kitchen—three fucking weeks ago.
My heart clenched at the thought of my cousin having to go to a soup kitchen for food. Mom had been searching for Delaney ever since she found out about her niece, but Delaney had run away from her aunt and uncle’s house down in Oakland as soon as she’d turned eighteen.
Poor Delaney was out there somewhere, completely alone. Was she cold? Hungry? Scared?
Blinking back the sting of tears, I encouraged Mom to keep looking and not to give up. When I got a heart emoji in reply, I slid my phone into my back jeans pocket and stuffed another fry into my mouth. The rest of the evening flew by, but as I was locking up, Mom showed up at the shop looking exhausted.
“Drive me home,” she urged quietly, glancing over my shoulder to make sure Maverick was still in the back. “Raven dropped me off since your dad is home, and I don’t want him asking questions about where I was all day. If he thinks I was here with you all evening, he won’t question me.”
I pushed down my disappointment that I wouldn’t get to stay and give Maverick his anticipated dessert. But if I expected my mother to cooperate with me when I needed her to, I had to help her out a little, too. “Okay, but tomorrow, I have somewhere to be. Cover for me with—” I nodded toward the back “—and Dad.”
Her eyes narrowed on me. “Where do you have to be, little girl?”
Jaw clenched, I remained mute, just looking at her and daring her to question me further. If she wasn’t going to confide in Dad about what was going on with her and finding Delaney, I didn’t have to tell her what was going on with me just yet.
“Fine,” she muttered, blowing out a frustrated sigh. “I get it. And yes, I’ll cover for you.”
“Thank you,” I whispered. “Give me two minutes, and I’ll be ready to go.”
“Hurry.”
I walked into the back to grab my backpack and purse from Maverick’s room. He was cleaning the space, getting everything ready for his first appointment the next afternoon. When he saw me pick up my things, he grabbed my hips. “Where do you think you’re going?” he growled, lowering his head to kiss my neck.
I leaned into him, savoring his lips on me. “I have to go.” I stroked my hand over the scruff on his jaw, wishing I could stay and just let him hold me. “Mom is out front waiting on me. Something came up, and I need to take her home.”
Disappointment filled his gray eyes, but