“Yes, her. But I think she’s more interested in Carl. What’s going on there?”
Shamefully, Jonah had no idea. He was out of the loop with office gossip, and aside from checking on his general health and wellbeing, hadn’t had a real conversation with Carl in weeks.
“You’re rubbish,” Lily chided. “And not for any reason that actually matters, so don’t get all wounded.”
“Wounded? Remind me why I invited you to my office Christmas party?”
“The same reason you do every year. So you could buy me Champagne all night while I insult you. Standard night out, dear boy, though I fear you’re going to ditch me as soon as a certain Russian shows his face.”
“Am not,” Jonah said for the dozenth time since Lily had breezed into the pub, fresh from her early flight home. “He wants to meet you.”
Lily snorted. “Nothing you’ve told me about him makes me believe that phrase has ever left his mouth.”
“Well, not exactly. But he knows you’re my best friend and meeting you is kind of non-negotiable.”
“On what grounds? That’s a little extreme for a fuck buddy, Jonah.”
“I know.”
“So…?”
“So what?”
“What’s changed?” Lily refilled her glass from the bottle Jonah had dumped on the table to keep her quiet. “Last I heard you were angsting over the fact he probably only wanted to fuck you, not make a blood pact and exchange friendship bracelets.”
She was joking, but her dry humour was close enough to reality that Jonah flushed. He ducked his head, glad of the dimly lit bar. “I was not angsting.”
“You so were. And that’s totally okay. It means you care, and there’s nothing wrong with that. Besides, if what I hear about your Russian is accurate, he’s definitely hot enough to warrant a bit of angst.”
“What have you heard? And how have you heard it? You’ve only been here an hour.”
“And you’ve spent most of it stalking the door, leaving me to eavesdrop, and word has it, yourfriend, is every bit as gorgeous as you said he was.”
Jonah rolled his eyes. “He’s more than gorgeous, Lil. You think I’d have got myself in this state over someone who was just a bit of eye candy?”
“Nope. And I know you wouldn’t over someone who was just a good fuck, so I’m assuming you’ve done something ridiculous since I last saw you and fallen in love with him.”
“I’m not in love with him. I don’t know him well enough for that.”
“Says who? Do you think all great love stories begin with a picture perfect set-up, spread over a formulaic space of time that leaves no room for doubt?”
“I—”
“Of course it doesn’t. Thereisno formula. You don’t have to know someone inside out to fall in love with them, boo. That bit is just the start.”
Lily’s words would’ve had more effect if Jonah had been paying her his full attention, but as she finished her rousing speech, Helga entered the pub. Jonah sat up straighter, waiting for Sacha to follow, but as she shook out her hair and draped her coat over her arm, it became clear she was alone.
Frowning, Jonah scanned the bar, counting the heads of the Blutecc employees he only knew by sight. There were probably some missing, but no one he’d ever seen Sacha with, even in the office, and doubt threatened the optimistic bubble he’d carried all day.Did I get this wrong again? Has he gone home without me?
No. That made no sense. After weeks of back and forth and mixed messages, over the past few days, something had shifted in Sacha. He’d made no promises, but he’d made his intentions clear. HewantedJonah, in whatever way they could figure out together.I’ll find you. Not even drunk Jonah could misinterpret that, and he wasn’t drunk. Not even close. He hadn’t touched a drop.
Lily was still talking. Jonah tuned her out and rose from his seat. He elbowed his way through the crowd to where Helga stood at the bar. “Where’s Sacha?”
She turned, frowning. “What?”
“Where’s Sacha?” Jonah repeated. “Didn’t he come with you?”
“I thought he was here?”
