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“Roommates?” Maddy interjected.
Alicia looked back and forth between us, like she wasn’t entirely convinced.
“I’m staying at James’s place while he’s in London,” she explained, as if she were keen to discourage follow-up questions.
“Oh,” Alicia said, her lips twitching. “How lovely that you’re getting along so well.” She studied our medley of drinks in the middle of the table before looking back at me.
I hoped she wasn’t waiting for an invitation to join us because that wasn’t fucking happening.
“I’m here with Claudine,” she added, pointing over her shoulder without turning around.
My asshole clenched. “Well, I’d invite you guys to join us, but we’re sort of celebrating something private.”
“Oh?” She glanced back at Maddy, who offered a shallow smile and leaned back in her chair.
“It’s a roommate thing,” I added, touching her shoulder gently. “I’m sure you understand.”
“I see.”
I took my seat and hoped she would take the hint. “Great to see you, though.”
“You, too,” she said half-heartedly before nodding at my date. “Maddy.”
“I’ll tell James you said hi,” she chirped.
Her lie seemed to perk Alicia up a bit. “Please do. Thanks.”
“Have a nice night,” I said, lifting my shot again and angling towards Maddy.
She did the same, and Alicia lingered for a brief moment before skulking off.
Maddy leaned forward and lowered her voice. “What private thing are we celebrating, Roomie?”
“Good company,” I said, clinking my shot glass against hers.
We kept our eyes on each other as we knocked them back, and I could tell by the way her lips puckered that she enjoyed the fruity sweetness, which was a shock to my tongue after the bourbon I’d been enjoying.
“Thanks,” she said, sliding her empty glass to the middle of the table. “For not inviting them to join us.”
“It was for their own good,” I said, leaning back to admire her. “I couldn’t possibly take my eyes off you long enough to include them in our conversation.”
