And wine.
But Seph and I had the office. We’d become gold medallists at lunchtime quickies, even using the changing rooms in the basement gym in the offices and having to be almost silent when Max came down to train and we had just finished off. I knew at some point, we needed to have the conversation about telling Rose that Seph wasn’t just a friend, but that meant a whole new level of intensity.
“Why do you think I’m still single, Georgia?” She took the last sip of wine in her glass. “You know, I’m not ugly. I earn a shit ton of money. I’m independent, pay my own way, can hold a conversation. I don’t get why some clingy emotional vampire like Kelly Rothwell can catch herself a fiancée and I’m single.”
I took a tiny mouthful of my wine, having had this conversation with her before. “Maybe it’s because you’re independent, pay your own way and you’re not clingy.”
She glared at me. “Why would any of those be a problem?”
We were going there. I was about to get her membership card for the raving fake feminist club waved in my face.
“Because you scare men. You don’t actually need one. That puts them on edge.”
She glared at me. “I’m not scary. What’s scary is Kelly Rothwell who’s just looking to trap some poor man so she doesn’t have to work anymore. Which is exactly what’s she’s doing.”
Kelly Rothwell worked on the reception desk where Liv was based. She was pretty, had a boob job which didn’t look too obvious, false eyelashes – like Liv – and had landed a rich, decent looking boyfriend who Liv had decided at one point that she wanted to bang.
Those had been her words.
Since then, Kelly had been the person Liv didn’t want to be.
“Let’s move on from Kelly Rothwell.”
There was a murmur from my sister that sounded likeI can’t move on from Kelly Rothwell,but I chose to ignore it the same way I ignored it when one of Rose’s sentences started withcan I have.
“Doesn’t Seph have any more brothers?”
I shook my head. “He has a cousin though. Shay. But I’m not setting you up with him.”
Her eyes narrowed, a bit like if I held chocolate hostage from her. “Why’s that?”
Oh lord, she was about to unleash the beast. “Because you’ll, no. He’s a manwhore; you’d try and eat each other alive.”
“Sounds perfect.” She looked up at the waiter with a seductive smile. “Thank you. Could you top my sister’s glass up too?”
I shook my head at her, but let him add a bit more wine. If Liv carried on like this I was going to need it.
“No. Go and enjoy your flings with your men in different countries. You never know who you’ll meet. Mr Right might be sat next to you on a flight.” I took a mouthful of wine rather than a sip.
Olivia sighed. “It’s been a long time since I was in the Mile High Club. It’s been a long time since I was in any sex club.”
“Can we not go there. I’m about to eat.” I could cope with my sister verbally reliving her flings, but the wistful tours of her previous conquests weren’t something to stomach before a meal.
She rolled her eyes. “I have to hear about you and Seph.”
“You really don’t.”
“I have tohearyou and Seph.”
“Again, you really don’t.” There was no way she’d heard Seph and I. If Liv was in the house we were PG-rated. Which was epically frustrating but anything else felt wrong.
She eyed me. “Where’s this going with you and Seph.”
“Don’t you be trying to put doubt in my head.” Liv was wary of my taste in men after Rose’s dad.
“I’m not. I really like him. He’s kind, he looks at you like you’re some sort of goddess, and he adores Rose. I can’t believe he’s listened to her read every one of those bloody rainbow unicorn books – twice. He’s also hot as fuck. But Rose thinks he’s just your friend. Why lie to her?”
“I’m not lying to her.”
