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After several deep breaths that restored her color, Lana said, “Okay, I’m not even going to ask why he virtually fired you, because I still have my job.” She tapped a split fingernail against her bottom lip before shouting, “Then what on earth possessed you to sleep with him?”
“Would you believe the devil made me do it?”
Beth couldn’t help her response and she sure couldn’t control the smile tweaking her lips.
Ever since they were kids she’d been making Lana laugh, trying to lighten up her serious cousin, trying to make her see that life wasn’t all textbooks and museums.
Thankfully, Lana was usually a good sport and the minute her tight-lipped, grim expression softened, Beth knew she’d be forgiven.
“You’re nuts, you know that?”
Beth shrugged and picked up the pitcher of iced tea she’d set out earlier, pouring them both a generous glass. “Like you didn’t already know.”
Lana accepted the proffered glass, the rim barely hiding her growing smile. “You actually slept with Voss the Boss,” she murmured, shaking her head before taking a healthy slurp.
“And you’re actually lightening up enough to call him that?”
She met Lana’s bemused glance and they burst out laughing.
“I guess it’s pointless me asking how good he was?”
“You can ask, I just won’t tell you.” Beth hoped the instant heat flooding her body at the memory of her night with Aidan didn’t make it to her cheeks. “Besides, you’re the workaholic. Think how awkward it could be at your first staff meeting, trying to maintain a professional front when you know how long his—”
“Point taken.” Lana almost snorted the remainder of her tea before her smile faded and she leaned forward, pushing her glasses up her nose and reverting to her usual serious mode. “Just don’t screw this up for me, okay? You’ve been amazing helping me keep my job but I know you. Just be careful.”
“Of what?”
Lana paused, as if searching for the right words, before blowing out a long breath that sent her scraggly fringe heavenward.
“You date a lot of guys and pretend to be the ultimate party girl but I know for a fact you don’t sleep with many of them. And I’ve got to say I’m pretty surprised you’re even interested in Aidan considering he’s probably not your type.”
Beth frowned, still none the wiser about her cousin’s warning.
Was she trying to tell her to take care of her feelings or Aidan’s?
“You’re being as clear as mud. Come on, spit it out. I’m a big girl, I can take it.”
Concern flashed in Lana’s eyes before she blurted, “If Aidan’s anything like the usual museum crowd, he’s a stayer. He’s the type of guy who expects more from a girl than a one night stand.”
“Who said anything about a one night stand?”
It certainly wouldn’t be, not if she had anything to do with it. She had more than a few weeks left of strutting her stuff as a tour guide and she had every intention of making every second count.
She may not go in for the whole long-term commitment thing but who said she couldn’t have fun while it lasted?
Lana topped up her glass and took a long sip before answering. “We both know the longest you date is three months before moving on. And we both know why.”
Her heart sank. She should be on a high after last night. Instead, here she was playing twenty questions with her nosy cousin and having to suffer her amateur psychobabble to boot.
“This has nothing to do with my folks.” She kept her tone deliberately flat, downing another top up and leaping from her chair. “Now, I really have to finish this bolognaise sauce if you want to eat any time this century.”
Lana wouldn’t push. She knew it, Lana knew it. It had always been the way with them: Beth the confident, outspoken one, Lana the shy, retiring one who gave her opinion but wouldn’t force an issue no matter how right she was.
“Fine. I just care about you.” Lana’s soft spoken words hung in the air and Beth blinked several times, grateful her back was turned.
“Right back at you, Cuz,” she said in a fake, perky falsetto, resuming her chopping at a frantic pace in an attempt to drown out any further forays into topics she’d rather not discuss.
Pity she couldn’t drown out her thoughts, especially the main one centred around a very sexy boss and the strange urge to do something completely out of character…like let him hang around for longer than the requisite ninety days.
