“Evening, Ms Frazer,” he says. “What can I get you?”
“I’ll have what he’s having, Dom, thank you.”
I smile. It was all Mai Tais on holiday, now we’re back in the real world.
“I have three brothers,” she says.
I say nothing, instead turning to face her. She’s makeup-free, her damp hair screwed up in a messy top knot.
A designer jumper over— Are those leggings?
A pink flush spreads high over her cheekbones as I take in her appearance.
The bar is almost empty, with only a few guests enjoying post-dinner drinks. All however, are dressed in smart business attire befitting a top-end five-star hotel.
Kat looks around, her shoulders tense as she notices people watching.
She straightens her spine and smiles. Several return her greeting.
Dom places her whiskey down in front of her.
“Charge them to my account,” Kat says to Dom.
He nods and moves away.
Silence descends between us.
“Zach?” I say, eventually.
“Turned up unexpectedly.”
“Yet he was in your suite?”
Kat flinches at the sarcasm in my tone.
“I had no choice. Was I supposed to have a conversation with him in front of God knows who?”
She has a point, but I still smart at the idea of her being alone with him.
“Big brother is always watching,” I say, under my breath.
Something Elijah used to say when we’d go out on the town as students.
“You have no idea,” she murmurs, almost too quietly for me to hear.
We nurse our drinks, taking a moment.
Kat takes a sip of hers, the ice clinking against the side. Then she stares at the glass.
“Do you want to come up?” she asks suddenly, turning her head towards me. “I can order us some room service?”
I look at her. Something flashes across her eyes. Defiance? Vulnerability?
A man comes to stand next to us at the bar.
“You have the plans you want me to look over?” I say, suddenly.
Kat shoots me a look, then smiles.
