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“Aren’t you working? I don’t want to interrupt.”
“Please, I’m dying for a break,” she insists. “It’s either you, or browsing the boutiques nearby, and my checking account can’t take it. So, stay.”
“Well, for the sake of your savings…” I agree, taking a seat with a smile.
Lulu closes her laptop and tucks it into her bag. “What brings you to this part of town?” she asks.
“I was just out for a walk,” I say. “Taking a look around.”
“Coming from Sebastian’s place?”
I pause. “How would you know that?”
She gives a little laugh. “Educated guess, from the way he was looking at you last night. Plus, the houses in this area are pretty pricey,” she adds. “Mere mortals like us can only dream, right?”
“Right,” I echo with a smile, but my spidey senses are definitely tingling now. “And yes, I’m staying with Sebastian at the moment.”
Her eyes widen. “Does that mean you guys are in a real relationship?”
OK, that’s enough.
“What is it to you?” I ask, fixing her with a challenging stare. “Why are you asking so many questions about him? And don’t lie,” I add. “You’re not great at it.”
Lulu winces. “Shit. I thought I was playing it cool. Okay, fine. I’m a journalist. At least, I want to be,” she adds, “but right now theGazettehas me stuck on the social diary, writing about charity luncheons and polo matches. I figured, if I could get a story about the great Sebastian Wolfe…”
I frown. “So, you’ve been following me to try and get some kind of scoop?”
“What? No!” She protests, and this time, I can see it’s genuine. “This is a total coincidence, I swear. I couldn’t help asking, I didn’t mean to lie. Forgive me?”
I think fast. Lulu clearly knows more than I do about London society, and even if she’s got her own agenda here, well, so do I.
Maybe we can be useful to each other.
“Forgiven,” I reassure her with a smile. “Although, you owe me two drinks, now.”
“How about lunch?” she offers immediately.
My phone buzzes in my pocket, and I pull it out. Sebastian’s calling. I click to send it to voicemail and tuck it away again.
“You know what? I am hungry.” I smile. “Do you know anywhere good to eat?”
“There’s a great spot, just around the corner.”
“Perfect.”
We leavethe coffee shop and head to a nearby café. We sit outside, under a candy-striped awning, and order delicious looking meatball sandwiches that Lulu swears are the best in town.
“I don’t know,” I tease. “A New York sub sets a pretty high bar.”
Lulu groans, “I love New York, you’re so lucky. Did you grow up there?”
I pause. As much as I want to be her friend, I know that I need to be careful. Lulu is a journalist with an agenda, so I can’t be completely honest about who I am. I have to maintain the fabricated identity that Sebastian knows.
“Upstate,” I say, keeping it simple. “But I’ve always wanted to travel, so it’s nice to be somewhere different.”
“And I’m sure you’re experiencing the best of the city with a man like Sebastian Wolfe.” Lulu says, sounding envious. “That man has the entire world is at his feet.”
“Right?” I agree. “Although, he’s kind of an enigma. I’m still trying to figure him out.”
