Except Margot paused, a broad smile breaking across her features. “Really? That’s such a relief. Did you hear that everyone?” Margot looked back over her shoulder to the crowd of relatives in line behind her, the overhead lights glinting off her all but imperceptible brand spanking new hearing aids. “Gigi tells me she’s just using that young man of hers for sex.”
The round of loud applause was way over the top. Merciful Lady, where was a sinkhole when you needed one?
***
Nico watched Gigi storm down the external stairs from her apartment, clutching a bottle of wine and two glasses. Sitting down across from him at the outdoor table on the sundeck, she shared out the wine before huddling back in her seat, wrapping one arm around her chest.
“You okay?”
“I think there’s something wrong with the water heater. I just tried to have a bath and it was beyond icy.”
Ah, thus explaining the long red jumper, cream yoga pants and matching shoes she was wearing, despite it being a reasonably warm late afternoon. The mild Queensland days of Autumn and Winter had definitely played a major factor in why he and Matias had chosen to settle in Haven Bay.
Absently Nico raised a hand and waved, responding to a warm greeting from an older couple directed their way who were walking along the beach. “That’s weird.”
“What’s weird about Great-Great-Uncle John saying hello?”
“All morning I was getting nothing but cold looks and huffy sighs directed my way. Suddenly, everything changed an hour or two ago and every second couple are smiling and waving.”
“Oh.”
“Why do you suddenly have guilt face, what did you do?”
“I don’t have guilt face.” Gigi reached for the bottle, refilling her glass almost up to the brim. “This is my normal face.”
“I beg to differ.”
“Well, I can only guess that what I said to Great-Great-Aunt Margot would have hit the grapevine about two hours ago. In my defence, it had been a very long day of patronising advice and consoling worried looks. I didn’t think she’d even hear me. She’s deaf. No one mentioned she’d recently gotten hearing aids.”
“What did you say?”
“That I was just using you for sex.” She glanced Nico’s way, trying to gauge his reaction. Annoyed? Amused?
“I think we might have a little problem then. Your brother and Cam McKenzie stopped by earlier to have a little chat with me.”
“My brother? Benedict?”
“In uniform no less. It felt kind of official.”
“Official how?”
“Like an interrogation official. Basically it came down to him wanting to know exactly what my intentions are towards you.”
Oh, Good Lady Above. “Intentions?” How humiliating. Even her closest family members appeared to be under the impression Gigi was some dewy eyed naïve love starved waif who was about to be used, abused and thrown away by studly, worldly, experienced Nico.
“So I kind of suggested, hinted, that I might be falling for you and that my intentions were honourable.” Nico glanced down the beach, noting another older couple strolling by along the water’s edge, this one giving him the stink eye still. At least now he had an explanation of the hot and cold responses he was receiving.
“Really? That has to be the best news I’ve heard all day.” Gigi relaxed back into her chair, knocking back a big swig of wine. “Thank you.”
“You don’t think our conflicting stories will cause problems? That we should maybe clear things up?”
“Clear things up? Heavens, no. The muddier the better I say. Keep the family guessing and confused. The betting books will be running hot with speculation as to whether we will or we won’t. Am I really just using you for sex? Is your heart really in play? Will you eventually woo and win me around?”
“One thing though, I’m not sure I know how to go about proving my intentions are honourable.” He hadn’t played the boyfriend role in over a decade and even then, things between him and the seemingly older Kristiah had been decidedly sexual in nature. Honourable intentions? What the hell did that even mean? “Will holding your hand and the PDA’s be sufficient?”
“I don’t see why not. And if anyone asks us for an update status we say we’re just getting to know one another, that we need privacy and aren’t ready to go public as yet. Perfectly ambiguous. And it also gives me a good reason to refuse the dozens of family invites to parties that have been lighting up my phone for the last two days.”
“Okay.” Still, Nico felt like he was missing something important here, and sought a little more clarification. “So, you’re saying nothing has changed when it comes to this faux relationship thing we are perpetrating as a cover for our covert activities, as we attempt to identify and disband a Cabal of Deities intent upon Earth domination?”
