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“Who’s your boyfriend?” Cary asked again. It sounded like a threat.

“He’s not my boyfriend,” Laney said, schooling her voice into a casual tone, aloof and disinterested. “He’s just a boy.”

“That boy – ” Cary sneered “is looking at you like you’re a bitch in heat.”

She felt the temperature plummet as Shane cracked his knuckles, but she knew without even looking that he was trying to keep his anger in check. That he was worried about this – about her – and didn’t want to play it wrong.

“It’s nothing, Cary,” she said, waving a dismissive hand around. “He’s been helping Dustin at the bake shop, hanging around a bit…”

Cary’s face was mostly in shadow, but his eyes were locked on Shane. Trying to control her panic, Laney stepped forward and put her hand on his forearm. “It’s nothing, Cary. Just some Halloween fun, it’s nothing.”

She was screaming silently at Shane please understand – please understand as she tugged Cary towards the house, completely ignoring Shane as if he were a dead houseplant.

“Tell me what you’ve been up to. I’ll steal some of Dusty’s candy for you, ‘kay?”

She flinched as Cary raised his hand, but he just fingered the collar of her leather jacket.

“I missed you,” he said to her.

“I missed you too.”

She was a good liar.