AllFreeNovel
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I needed it. I called it.
It answered.
The restof the afternoon is spent in front of the fire, our glasses filled with wine. In a couple of hours, we’re supposed to be having pizza with our neighbours. Part of me wants to remain here, in my space, but a more demanding side of me wants to investigate what’s going on with Max. In many ways, having four men next door has been a boost to my recovery and I’m keen to keep the momentum going. To see what I’m comfortable with.
Outside, visible through the windows as dusk falls, I can see the men return from a walk, Logan looking happily exhausted.
“Can you do my make-up?” Josie asks. “You always make me look so pretty.”
“You’re already pretty.”
She smirks. “Prettier then.”
Even though I’m comfortable in some leggings and a slouchy jumper, I head to my room and pull on some skin-tight black jeans, pairing them with the silver blouse Josie loved back at home. Then I reach for my make-up toolbox and find Josie at the dining table. First, I cover her skin with a moisturising primer. Then I move on to contouring, shading, highlighting and blending—Mum taught me all the necessary techniques. Personally, I don’t like much sitting on my skin, so I always use a very light base to even out skin tone and hide blemishes. Thanks to my Spanish mother and Venezuelan father, I have an olive skin tone. Josie is paler, but I treat her skin much the same, brightening her eyes, tending to her eyebrows, and contouring her cheeks to give her some definition.
“Are you going to wear any tonight?” she asks, watching me put some lip balm on.
“Tomorrow,” I admit.
“When you’re done up like a runway model, I can’t stop looking at you.”
I laugh off her compliments, a little knot of worry forming in my stomach. “Well, I doubt Laurence will be able to look away from you tonight.” She heads to the nearest mirror and checks my work. “Happy?”
“I look hot,” she jokes.
“Hotter,” Tabi calls from the sofa.
I turn to the others. “Who’s next?”
“Nah, I’m going to save the big reveal for tomorrow night,” Tabi says, a wink aimed my way. “Maybe Sam will think I’m worth a go.”
“Tabi,” I say shaking my head at her endearing inappropriateness. “I didn’t realise you were serious about hooking up with one of them.”
“If Sam’s game, then so am I. I don’t think I’ve boned an auburn-haired guy before. I need to tick him off my list.”
“You’re so bad,” Jen admonishes.
“Bad in bed, baby,” she retorts, a devil-may-care smile on her face.
Reminding myself that I love Tabi, flaws and all, I grab a pear from the fruit bowl, biting into the crisp flesh when gentle knocking sounds. My eyes dart to the patio doors, Max’s form distinguishable in the gloomy light. He’s looking right at me, a soft expression on his face.
My heart does a little flip, my mouth curving into an immediate, involuntary smile. And even though there are many unspoken things between us, and I’m uncertain exactly what is going on between him and Ben, I beckon him inside.
“Hey.” Briefly his eyes crawl over my body, but instead of hating the hot gaze of a man, I like it. “You look lovely.”
“Thank you.”
Wearing snug grey tracksuit bottoms and a burgundy T-shirt that has a Prada logo on it, Max looks comfortable in his skin. His clothes are undoubtedly expensive, but I feel there’s an opportunity here. “Good to see you made an effort for dinner too.”
He chuckles, correcting me. “My jeans have got a field of mud on them from the walk, and after washing Logan got wet-through. I threw these on before I hit the shower. You still coming over?”
“Try and stop us!” Jen shouts from the sofa. “It’s pizza, you loony. Of course, we’ll be there!”
“I think you have your answer,” I murmur, eyeing my friends and nibbling at my pear.
Max steps closer, turning his back on the girls who are blatantly watching from behind him. “Is it me, or does this feel a little like a date, but with some extra people?”
A grin breaks free. “Yeah, I guess it does.”
