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“Zara, are you awake?”
“Yeah, I am. Come in.” The scent of fried bacon and eggs entered the room with Ally, causing my stomach to flip uncomfortably. I groaned again. “Please, no, I don’t think I could eat a thing. And what’s in the glass?”
Ally placed the tray carefully on the bed. “You’ll eat up if you know what’s good for you. And it’s Berocca. It’s what Europeans take instead of Alka Seltzer. Drink it slowly with the food and you’ll feel better in no time. Promise.”
“Ouff. Very doubtful.” I took a tentative forkful of eggs, pleased when my stomach didn’t immediately revolt.
Sitting on the edge of the bed, Ally took a slice of toast off the plate, took a bite, chewed thoughtfully. “That was fun last night, yeah?”
I nodded. “I think I had a good time. I’m not sure I remember all of it.”
Ally tilted her head, watching me for a long moment. “What parts do you remember?”
Giving it some thought, I replied, “I remember the tequila shots…beers…then you bought me a gin and tonic.” I stared at Ally for a long moment as memories, hazy and fractured, started coming back. “I remember…”
“Yes?”
“I remember cuddling up to Matt. I remember dancing with him… Kissing him.” I flushed, covered my face with my hands.
“Don’t forget telling everyone that you were banging him.”
I gasped, my face still in my hands. “I—Oh God! I’m so embarrassed.”
Ally chuckled. “Why?”
“Why?” I lifted my head. “I fucking threw myself at him! In front of everyone! I announced…” I trailed off helplessly.
“So? He caught you pretty good, and he was hardly complaining, from what I could see. And he honestly doesn’t mind that we all know your dirty little secret. He said so. You have nothing to be embarrassed about.”
“I have everything to be embarrassed about.”
“What? Why?”
“Because…” I toyed with the fork. “Because it makes it morereal, if it’s out in the open.”
Ally sighed, the edge of frustration obvious in her words. “And would that be so terrible, if you let it be real? If you let it become something more?”
“No. I can’t.” I shook my head emphatically.
“Why the hell not?”
“You know why not and it’s not fair to push me.”
Ally looked at me, her expression softening. “Okay, yes, fair, I do know why not. Or why you think not, anyway. But I watched you both last night and I gotta say, you looked good together. Plus, he was so sweet with you. He never let you cross a line you couldn’t come back from. And you know what you’re like, you were getting pretty frisky at times.”
I flushed again.
“Sweetie, I don’t think you need to be embarrassed, honestly. He looked after you in the most gentlemanly way. You probably don’t remember much about coming home, but I had to look after Emma, so Matt brought you in, took your shoes off, put you to bed. I got back just as he was coming down the hall. And you know the first thing he said to me?”
I shook my head.
“He said that if you didn’t remember much from the night, not to remind you. And do you know why he said that?”
I shrugged, confused.
“He said it would make you uncomfortable.” Ally took a moment to let that really sink in. “He knows you, Zara, and he cares about you. Like, genuinely cares. And yeah, part of that is just because he’s a really decent guy, but a bigger part of that is you. I can pretty confidently say he wouldn’t fuck you over.”
I took a slice of toast, tore off a piece and slowly put it in my mouth. “He really is nice, isn’t he?”
