“In the sack? Sure am. Just ask Jake Graves-Holland.”
Aggie chortles so hard she coughs. “You’re the right girl to take Cece under your wing, aren’t ya, darl?”
“I am. Speaking of which.” Ada gestures at Davis. “Can I ask you avery important question?”
Her accusing tone is enough to make me put my ultra-shiny glass down. Ada does not inquire things of Davis. Ada mocks Davis, and he tolerates it with an air of long-suffering martyrdom.
“What question?” Davis asks, eyeing her suspiciously.
“I want to ask whatyouthink would make Cece more attractive to men?”
“Ada!” I exclaim. “What the hell?”
Davis’s suspicion morphs into irritation. “Why are you asking me that?”
“I just figured we could use some male perspective,” Ada says, like she can’t see me trying to explode her head with the force of my gaze.
“Cece’s obviously gorgeous. You are,” she says when I try to object. “We all know it. And she’s kind, funny and smart. But Cece wants to make a splash at our dog-show of a high school reunion, and I thought you might have some advice?”
Davis’s hands ball into fists. “I don’t.”
“Nothing? No opinions on Cece at all?”
“Yes. No. I mean… She’s great the way she is.”
“True,” Ada says brightly. “But she wants to sparkle for the undeserving men of Pukekohe, and I’m determined to help her do so.”
Davis turns to stare at me, and my skin crawls. Partly from this conversation and partly from the way he’s looking at me, like my being hot is incomprehensible to him. He’s always been so sweet, but maybe he’s one of those guys who thinks women shrivel into unfuckability after twenty-five? Eitherway, I really don’t need this to be happening.
“Stop it, Addy,” I say, my cheeks burning. “I’m sure this counts as workplace harassment.”
“All the more reason to fire Davis.”
“Can it, Demon,” Davis snarls. “I already said there’s nothing wrong with Cece. She doesn’t need your help to get guys.”
“Oooooohh. Is that a note of jealousy I detect?”
“Enough,” Davis says sharply. “Stop trying to make everyone uncomfortable just because you’re bored, as per fucking usual.”
I brace myself for Ada to explode, but she eyes Davis with something bordering respect. “Well observed, rent-a-cop. There may be hope for you yet.”
“Davis is lovely,” Aggie agrees, handing him a Tupperware container of biscuits. “But youdoneed better bras, Cecelia.”
I pray to disintegrate where I stand, but I’m forced to witness Davis glance at my chest then look away, flushing.
“Are we done here?” he asks.
“Pretty much,” Ada says, tapping her pen against her pad. “I’ll further strategise solo.”
“In your playpen with a pint of tequila?” Davis asks.
“Precisely, Pretend Pig. Stage one kicks off tomorrow morning, Cee. Shopping then a social media overhaul.”
“Cool,” I whisper. Despite the three-way dissection that just happened, the thought of making an actual move toward landing Will has nerves flickering through my body.
“Well, I’m baking a cake,” Aggie says. “Black forest’s your favourite, isn’t it, Ada?”
“How come?” she asks, adorably aghast, the way she always is when someone’s unexpectedly nice to her. “I get a cake?”
