Page 37 of Nothing to Tell

Maybe that had been Roxie’s plan all along.Decidedly the cat that got the cream, Roxie arched across her to put the bottle in her husband’s hand, pushing her shoulders back to accentuate the cleavage revealed by her dress.

“It’s fine,” Harper said, though Zairn took the bottle and Roxie righted herself.“I don’t need a drink.”

“Yes, you do,” Roxie said, putting the champagne aside and linking their hands.“These parties are always filled with sycophants and brownnosers.”

“Aren’t they the same thing?”

“Mix, man,” Roxie said to her guy.“Protect and provide.”

“Yes, dear.”

“You look great.”Roxie’s focus came back.“The dress is just right.Beautiful.I love it.”

That was at least something.“Thank you.I like yours too.”

“Thank you.Good, now that’s out the way, let’s get down to it.”

“It?”

“Carolyn is a wonderful woman,” Roxie said.“Just not always the most perceptive.”

“You have a nose for it,” Zairn muttered, doing his thing.

“I have a nose for it,” Roxie repeated.

“I don’t understand what—”

“Have you talked to Bastian since our lunch?”Uh… “That look on your face right now.That’s it right there.”

“It?”

“You’ve never had sex with him, have you?”Roxie tossed in that grenade like it was no big deal.“Are you even dating him?If you were dating him, he’d have beat us to the punch.Why isn’t he picking you up?”

Screwing on a bottle cap, Zairn exhaled.“I should’ve known…”

“You should’ve known, husband, yes.”

“This is one of your capers.”

“It’s not a caper.You picked up a beautiful woman from her house, what’s so wrong with that?Are you hard-done-by?”

“You said I’d never pick up another woman.”

“Different context and you’re welcome,” Roxie said.“There you are, marriage hasn’t taken it from you after all, stud.”

Okay, she was a little adrift.“I don’t understand what—”

“Don’t worry about it, we’re here to see you through,” Roxie said.“Just think of us as your guardian angels.”It wouldn’t be so bad to have those.“You have to excuse Carolyn, she can be pushy—”

“Shecan be pushy?”Zairn scoffed.“You’ve got a goddamn Olympic medal in that sport, Lola.Top of the podium.”

Roxie ignored him.“Her children mean the whole world to her.And if Carolyn’s pushing you for Bastian, you’ve made a good impression.Are you into him?”

“I don’t know what—this is all happening fast.”

“Okay,” Roxie said, squeezing her hand.“Take it slow.Tell me what happened.Step by step.”

“I shouldn’t—Bastian—I shouldn’t… I haven’t talked to him about discussing this.Did you tell Carolyn?”