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“It’s not. I’m just wondering what’s wrong with him.”
That gets me a snicker. “Oh, darling, we don’t have that kind of time. So it’s Jack then?”
I don’t know whether it’s the embarrassment or the spice flaming my cheeks. I reach for my glass in case it’s the latter.
“Maybe,” I say after taking a deep gulp of water. “I mean…he’s hot. Don’t you think?”
Her eyes sparkle. “I believe that’s another understatement.”
“What’s his story?” I push, all pretenses of playing it cool now forgotten. “Dating wise, I mean. He never brings girls home, but I assume he’s not celibate or anything.”
“Um, no, he’s not celibate.” She laughs to herself.
I tense. “Oh. Are you two…?”
“What? No, no, nothing like that. I’m just saying—the boy gets around. I don’t think he dates so much as fucks and runs. He probably doesn’t bring women home to deter them from getting attached. Jackie doesn’t seem like he’s looking for attachments.”
“Fucks and runs, huh?” I mull that over.
She lifts a brow. “I suppose the question is—what do you want from our dear Jack?”
I smother another groan. “Honestly, there’s no point even talking about this. Like I said, he’s off-limits. I got a very long lecture when I first arrived about the perils of sleeping with a flatmate.”
“The Jamie rule,” she confirms with a nod.
I laugh. “Exactly. Anyway, I think I’d better look elsewhere for romance. Or sex. Or both.”
“Actually, that reminds me,” she says. “I’m meant to go to a polo match in a couple weeks. Come with me. I promise a slew of eligible talent for your perusal.”
I went to a water polo match once in high school, because Eliza’s boyfriend was on the team. I was doing great until they all filed outof the locker rooms like a school of Speedo-wrapped penis fishes. I couldn’t stop laughing. I don’t know, it was some strange nervous response, leaving me in absolute hysterics on the bleachers. Eliza had her hands mashed over my mouth and was practically burying my head in her lap while moms and even the referee on the side of the pool with his little whistle in his mouth stared at me with irritation.
This probably won’t be like that.
“I love horses” is for some reason the thing that comes out of my mouth. It’s not a lie, but still.
Weirdo.
“Brilliant. Yvonne and Nate are coming too.”
My face does the thing again. And Celeste gasps again.
“What?”
“You fancy Nate? He’s the other forbidden apple?”
“No.”
“Liar.”
“I met him once.”
My protest goes unacknowledged. “Oh, Yvonne would die.”
“Better not tell her then. For her own safety.” I say it as a joke. But also not. “And don’t tell your brother about this one either.”
Celeste bites her lip, staring at me with bright excited eyes. “I won’t say a word. Swear it.”
I want to believe her. But there’s also a certain mischief about her general aura that leaves me apprehensive.
