She stood on the far side, eyes glued to what she held in her hands. “Oh my shit,” she whispered. “Oh my fucking shit, Olivia Quinn.Is that Nix’s dick?”
I let my face fall onto the duvet and groaned.
“For my dirty girl?” she cried. “For mydirtygirl?Hisdirty girl!”
I only grumbled into the covers again, refusing to lift my head to look at her.
Lihawas clearly bouncing on the balls of her feet in excitement. “You’re fucking NixonArmas, aren’t you?”
I shook my head dramatically, rubbing my make-up into the sheet.
“You’ve fucked NixonArmas, haven’t you?”
I lifted a thumbs up.
“Livie, sit up!”
With a groan, I sat in amongst the pile of her clothes, bottom lip out.
“Ex-fucking-plain.”
“We have slept together,” I said, picking at my acrylics. “But it’s not serious. It’s not anything.” It couldn’t be.
“Why didn’t you say!” she cried, eyes wandering back to the picture. “This isn’t something you give a one-time shag to.” She breathed in sharply. “You haven’t been fucking Frank when you’ve been missing. You’ve been fuckinghim.”
“Missing—”
“Don’t lie,” she laughed, putting the picture away. “I’ve covered for you. Don’t look so ashamed. Everyone fucks everyone around here. Well, not within teams, but…” She stroked my arm. “Look, I know what today is, so I won’t give you a hard time. Next week, however…”
“My hero,” I sighed.
She laughed again and gestured to the desk. “Sit. You’ve ruined your hair by being so dramatic.”
As she was spraying it into place, my phone buzzed with a text from Frank.
FRANK: Some people are going now. Georges and I can stay at the bar and order a round. Though I didn’t win, I may still want a drink with you.
I narrowed my eyes, partly to protect them from the spray, partly as I tried to remember who Georges was.
“There!”Salihapulled back, admiring her handiwork. “You look amazing.”
“It’s all your talent,” I deflected. “Frank andGeorgesmight wait for us at the bar.”
“Let’s go,” she said, picking up her pineapple-shaped glass, umbrella and all.
Too keen. Far, far too keen.
I watched her pocket her room key through narrowed vision.
“Who is Georges?”
She didn’t falter, checking her bag and pulling out item after item. “Phone… lipstick… he’s a mechanic forPrixton. Works with Frank. That’s why he wants to stay.”
She took the other room key out of the electric port but I remained sat at the desk in the dark. “SalihaKaur,” I said her full name with warning. It was almost menacing without the lights. Menacing in only the way a best friend’s voice could be when needing the dirt dished. “Is he part of the ‘everyone fucks everyone’ group?”
Sighing, she put the key back in its slot, eyes on me as the room lit up again. “We’ve been fucking. Every opportunity. Like rabbits.”
Nothing could stop the grin on my face. “For how long?” I asked, grabbing my bag.
