This wasn’t good. Looking into each other’s eyes would be fine in front of my family, but it was the last thing we should be doing at ten o’clock at night when we were alone in his flat with the bed just metres away.
What was I even saying? Of course I wouldn’t sleep with Ben. I rolled my eyes internally, thinking it was crazy that the thought even dared to pop into my head.
Nuh-uh.
Never gonna happen.
Ben broke eye contact, taking a large gulp of his beer, and I tilted my bottle back and did the same.
‘God, I needed that,’ I said.
‘So, are you a beer drinker? I feel like I should know those kinds of things about my girlfriend.’
When he said the wordgirlfriend, a tingle shot down my spine. Then logic kicked in and reminded me that this was a fake arrangement.
Nothing to get excited about.
‘I don’t mind it,’ I said.
‘But if I’m getting you a drink at the bar, what am I ordering?’
‘Malibu and pineapple.’
‘Malibu?’ He raised a judgemental eyebrow.
‘Yeah. What’s wrong with that?’
‘Nothing.’ He smirked. ‘Nothing at all. I’m just not one for sweet drinks.’
‘I enjoy a nice G&T or white wine too.’
‘Good to know.’
‘So obviously you like beer. What else?’
‘A good red wine with dinner. And I’m partial to a nice scotch or whisky. So… are you okay to continue giving me the lowdown on your family?’
‘Oh yeah,’ I sighed as I started taking some cables and computer equipment out of a box and resting them on the floor beside me. ‘My sister, Esme, is self-centred, vain and fake. She was spoilt from a young age and I think that made her very entitled. She always had to be the centre of attention and get one up on everyone else.’
‘Can you give me a few examples so I know the kind of woman we’re dealing with?’
‘God, how long have you got?’ I laughed. ‘If I got something, she had to have the same. I remember there was a family wedding we went to years ago. She already had an outfit, but I was struggling to find something I liked. About a week before, I foundthe dress.I was so excited that I did a little fashion show when I got home. Y’know, like when you buy something and you just want to show people to get their opinions too?’
‘Sure,’ Ben said.
‘So I did that and when she saw the dress, she said she wasn’t sure if it suited me. I was shocked because I genuinely loved it. It kind of knocked my confidence, but after trying it on a dozen more times I was sure that I loved it and that was the main thing.’
‘That’s right.’
‘Anyway, so the wedding day arrives and we’re getting ready. As always, she’s late, because she expects everyone to wait for her. So me, my brother and my parents are twiddling our thumbs downstairs, waiting forty minutes for her to make an appearance, fretting that we’ll miss the ceremony, and she finally breezes down the stairs like she’s got all the time in the world, wearing the same dress as me!’
‘You’re joking?’ Ben gasped.
‘Nope! When she asked me where I’d got it from, I thought she was just taking an interest, but I should’ve known better.’
‘So you both went to the wedding wearing the same dress?’
‘Yep. And of course everyone said how amazing she looked in it! She’s a lot slimmer, taller and prettier than me, so it clearly fitted her better. And if that wasn’t bad enough, she even made out to everyone likeIwas the one who copiedher!’
