ing jewelry store. Half a million bucks' worth-dangling from her ears, chilli

. Stylists buzzed around her and Damian, fussing like nervous squirrels-straightening, pinning, blot

" Mara handed her a wa

tending to be Mrs. Manhattan while dressed

u're killing it.

Like a ghost that just

t faint if he so much as frowned. He hadn't said more than, like, three syllables to Ava all morning, bu

ase!" the photographer called. "Let'

a muttered. "S

othness of someone who definitely had practice faking affection. He was all s

er said. "Face toward him. Look at

Their eyes met, and for a heartbeat, the world just... stopped. No buzz, no

t weirdly real. His arm d

er. C

he photograp

ed away, reminding herself: **It's all fa

the

the car. Th

she could hypnotize herself. "Well. Gu

through the photos. "

"You mean, I'

bothering to look up,

o the window. City ligh

said finally. "Pretending. Smi

t used

brain caught up. "Is that

ng-tight, like he'd

ld her

t. "Or I thought I did. She loved

the re

at her then. Eyes

g. Should prob

er head. "T

k. "Dangerous words for a guy with a

ll t

enthouse

s on her fingers. Her art was coming back-finally. It was like be

his usual 'I own the roo

at her drawing.

a look. "Soun

"I don't im

neit

this time it didn

oday," he said,

little. "Wow. Was

ea

ting me draw. And for not treating me

try

"Trying's

half-smile. "G

ve. She caught hi

pau

broken

, didn't

e walked away just a lit