Elaine looked at me with a pitiful expression, as if to say, I’m not going to miss you in the next round.
“Is there more fizz?” I asked.
I probably shouldn’t drink too much. I probably should call this a day now that the familiar awkward silence had once again regained full force. Cut my losses. Charlene had seen me hang out with the group, and I should go back upstairs and polish the big ending I had planned.
“This one says no,” May said, shaking the empty bottle.
“Maybe for the better,” I sighed, straightening and bracing myself to face the cold.
“I’ll get one.” John suddenly stood. Water fell from his shoulders like a wet blanket. Hot droplets sprayed my face as his torso, then his stomach, and at last the very wet, very tight boxers rose into my vision. Inches from my face. With a body like this, of course his personality had to come short.
It took quite an effort not to turn around and watch him leave. He hadn’t bothered with a towel. Show off.
May and Jeremy exchanged a look.
“What?”
May shrugged, putting both elbows on the ledge of the tub. “Am I picking up on some...tension between you two?”
“I don’t know what you mean,” I said flatly.
“Yeah, I don’t think he likes you much,” Elaine said, flicking blond curls from her face as she took a selfie.
“Really?” I said, with uncoated sarcasm. “What makes you say that?”
But she didn’t get my tone. “He always looks at you with such contempt.”
Even though I knew she was right, her words did hurt a little.
“Not what I would call it,” May said, raising her brows.
“Isn’t he married?” Jeremy said, as if that had anything to do with this.
Elaine twirled the blonde curl with her finger but leaned closer, as if telling us a secret. “Engaged. But I hear they are having trouble.”
“From whom?” I heard myself asking. Why did I care all of a sudden?
She shrugged, leaning back. “It’s all over social media.”
“And that makes it true? So, if BuzzFeed declares that the Kardashians are starting a rock band just because Kim was seen posing with a guitar, you’d believe that too?”
Elaine seemed to try to use telekinetic powers to pop my head off. Her face had gone all red.
May cleared her throat, warning us of John’s return.
He settled back between me and Elaine, this time leaving a bigger gap between us. It for sure read like contempt to me.
“So… Nora. Where are you from originally?”
I tried to hide my wince. Small talk. I knew where this was going. Endless questions about education, jobs, and what car you drive. All that boring stuff that didn’t really matter in the end.
I straightened as John handed me a refilled glass of champagne.
“How about a game instead?”
Chapter Thirteen
Kissing a frog won’t bring it back to life.
