Page 390 of The Sinner: James

“Yup,” I say quietly, looking at them.

Smiling, they approach our table.

“Perhaps things have gotten a little better,” I say, reading Rain’s expression.

They claim their seats.

“How’s Thea?” Rain asks, looking at Ed.

“She feels better now,” he says, glancing over his shoulder and searching for a waiter. “I promised her I'd send a picture of us.”

The hostess catches sight of him and dashes to our table.

He hands her his phone, asking her to take a few pictures.

She takes a couple of snapshots of us sitting around the table before returning his cell phone.

He gets busy with his phone, typing a message and sending the pictures to Thea. It takes a few seconds and his phone rings.

Rain’s hand is on her glass while Eve eats her chocolate mousse.

Ed shifts his eyes away from us, answering the call.

He looks at Eve.

“Yes. She is Rain’s best friend.”

Biting my lip, I push back a smile.

“No, she’s not here for me,” he says, grinning. “Yes, she is, baby. No. Yes. I do like her... Yes,” he says, flushed.

Eve’s cheeks turn red too.

“Give me the phone,” I say to him.

Without warning her, he hands me his cell phone.

“Thea?”

She stays quiet.

“Are you still there?”

“James?”

“Yeah, baby. How are you?”

A soft voice comes from the other end of the line.

“Good.”

“What are you doing?”

“Studying,” she says hesitantly.

“Do you trust me?”

It takes her a few moments.

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