Reba walked in from outside.


    The moment Vespera heard the door open, her soul almost left her body.


    She instinctively grabbed Dominic''s hand, trying to drag him back into the bedroom.


    The way she was acting, it looked exactly like someone secretly "keeping" a young hottie and desperately trying to hide him from her best friend.


    Just as she caught his hand, Dominic turned it around and caught hers instead.


    Calm andposed, he leaned in and whispered with a soft, steady breath, "Rx, Vera. It''s toote."


    Vespera''s eye twitched.


    Stiffly, she turned her head.


    Standing in the living room, dressed in a sharp, stylish white suit, Reba was staring at them with wide eyes.


    Her expression shifted quickly, from shock to pure excitement.


    The second she stepped inside, her radar-like gaze locked straight onto the two of them by the dining table.


    Reba strolled over casually, like she had all the time in the world. She nced at the breakfast spread, then "identally" swept her eyes over their joined hands.


    A sly, teasing smile curled up on her face. "Are you two... having breakfast together?"


    Vespera yanked her hand back from Dominic like it was on fire.


    Her smile turned guilty.


    She scrambled to defend herself. "Ba, actually—"


    Reba lifted a hand, cutting her off. "Actually, there''s no need to hide it."


    Seriously, after seeing all that, what was the point in covering it up?


    Vespera thought desperately, "No! There''s still a point! I can still try to cover it up! I have to!"


    Since she couldn''t cover it up, she decided to change the subject. "Why are you here?"


    Reba grinned and ced a bag on the table.


    Normally, she wouldn''t have shown up at this hour, but Matilda had stopped by


    earlier that morning and insisted she deliver some pickled w.


    Reba definitely hadn''t expected to walk in on a scene like this.


    Life was full of surprises.


    "I brought you some pickled w," she said cheerfully.


    Vespera pulled out the jar, packed inside a reused peach can. "It''s from Mrs.


    Snyder, isn''t it? I love her pickled w."


    Grinning wickedly, Reba slung an arm around Vespera''s shoulders and leaned


    their heads together. "Is that so? I thought you liked eating..."


    Before she could finish, Vespera quickly mped a hand over her mouth.


    Dominic narrowed his eyes but stayed silent.


    Absolutelywless.


    "Mr. Reid, I''m just gonna have a


    quick word with Ba. You take et


    your time eating," Vespera saidas she grabbed Reba and dragged her toward the bedroom.


    Behind them, Dominic called outzily, "Don''t rush. You''re still hurt, remember?"


    Reba''s eyes instantly lit up. "Hurt? Where?"


    "My foot..." Vespera blurted.


    Reba thought, "Huh? Foot? What happened to her foot? Wait, is Dominic into feet or something?"


    Just a split second before pushing the door open, Vespera suddenly remembered the total disaster inside the room. She hadn''t cleaned it up yet.


    She froze, hand still gripping the doorknob, then quickly pulled it shut again.


    "What''s wrong?" Reba asked, confused.


    "There''s... a giant monster in there! Let''s go to the study instead!"


    "I wanna see the monster! I''ve never seen one before!"


    "No! It''s dangerous!" Vespera yanked Reba away just as she tried to wedge herself inside.


    Inside the study, Reba pouted. "Come on, I didn''t even get to see the monster. Let me see! Let me see!"


    She pulled out her best spoiled-little-girl act—not that it was hard for her.


    With all the undercover roles she yed for cases, she could switch into any character on a dime.


    Vespera kept a serious face. "I told you, if you see it, you''ll be scared."


    Reba pped her hands over her mouth, pretending to be horrified "The monster didn''t tear up the sheets, did it? Oh my god, was it a dragon? Did it destroy the bed or something?"


    Vespera stayed silent.


    Reba gasped. "Last night must''ve been wild, huh?"


    Vespera lifted her chin, put on an extremely serious, deadpan face, and started spouting pure nonsense.


    "Ba, you''re overthinking it. Mr.


    Reid and are very pure. He''s only having breakfast here because because Mr. Chandler was doing a deep clean at home this morning, so they borrowed my dining room for a bit."  s?novel


    Reba stared at her with pure admiration.