“I don’t want to gloat,” he says quietly. “Really.”
I wait for the sarcastic comment which is surely about to follow this, but it doesn’t come. Instead, he just reaches up and rubs the stubble on his chin thoughtfully, as if he’s working out what to say.
“I missed you at dinner tonight,” he says.
“Oh. Right.”
I pause again, to give him time to deliver whatever punchline he has in mind here, but he just keeps looking down at me with those poet’s eyes of his, until it starts to feel uncomfortable.
“Are you joking?” I ask suspiciously. “Because, like I said, I’m not—”
“No,” he insists, his eyes widening to emphasize his innocence. “I really did miss you. It was quite dull, really, being able toeatmy food rather than wear it.”
And there it is.
“Cool,” I say shortly, turning back to the door, which has slammed shut behind me and automatically locked itself, forcing me to start all over again with the key card.
“So, how did you get on with Whatsisface?” says Alex casually, as I try to remember which way up it goes. “Did you manage to catch up with him?”
I freeze again, torn between the need to be alone with my humiliation, and the equally pressing need to talk to someone about Jamie and the kiss-that-wasn’t-really-a-kiss.
“Yeah, I did,” I tell him, trying to match his casual tone. “We had dinner together, actually. That’s why you didn’t see me in the restaurant.”
There’s a short beat of silence.
“That’s great,” says Alex, sounding relieved.
I look over my shoulder suspiciously.
“Great? I thought you didn’t approve of me going after him? I think the word was ‘ridiculous’?”
“No,” he says, seriously. “It was risking your job I thought was ridiculous. I mean, your boss could be waiting to sack you as soon as you get back, for all you know. I thought running off after Whatsisface like that was just … well, it was veryyou, let’s put it that way.”
“His name’s Jamie,” I tell him stiffly. “As you well know. And, for your information,hedidn’t think any of it was ridiculous.Hethought me coming here was a brilliant idea.”
“Really? You told him you dropped everything to come here and find him? And he said it was ‘brilliant’? Wow.”
Alex rubs his chin again. This time, I’m positive he’s doing it to hide the smirk I can see on his lips.
God, he’sunbearable.
“I didn’t say thatexactly,” I reply. “Even if I had, though, he wouldn’t have laughed at me. He’s not like you. He’s your polar opposite, in fact.”
An expression I can’t quite read flits briefly across Alex’s face.
“Right,” he says quietly. “Well, I’m happy for you, Summer. Really. Look, it’s been a long day; I think I’ll turn in. Goodnight.”
Without waiting for an answer, he goes to his own door — which is right next to mine — and pulls an expensive-looking wallet out of his pocket, from which he produces his key card.
“Wait!” I hear myself say as he slots it into the door, getting it right on the first attempt, which is no less than I’d expect from him.
He looks over at me with a ‘what now?’ expression.
“Weird question,” I begin, “And trust me when I tell you, I wish there was someone else I could ask. But have you ever… have you ever kissed one of your female friends on the lips? Platonically, I mean? Like, it genuinely didn’t mean anything; you were just saying goodnight, say?”
Alex’s eyes go immediately to my lips.
“Are you asking me to kiss you goodnight?” he asks, his voice slightly hoarse.
