“Is he really that bad?”
“Not at all.”
“But you don’t trust him?”
“I don’t trust anyone.”
“And this isn’t just about having fun between the sheets anymore, is it?”
I lower my guilty gaze.
“I knew that this would happen. You can’t separate things – you think too much.”
It isn’t technically an insult, but I still take it the wrong way.
‘You think too much, you never let yourself go. You don’t know how to have fun’.These were some of Steven’s favourite things to say.
“I don’t want to play devil’s advocate, here, but if you don’t plan on getting involved, Jordan, then you need to nip it in the bud right now. Before things get out of hand, for both of you.”
I’ve tried, but it’s not that easy to get rid of Niall Kerry; and not just because he seems to pop up everywhere. The problem is entirely in my head – and maybe somewhere else, too.
“I need to get back to work.” Anya gets up. “Don’t go to that date if you’re not one hundred-per-cent sure of what you’re doing, Jordan. I’m saying this for your benefit.”
Anya walks out of my office, leaving me alone with my phone in my hand and an answer to give. Just as I’m about to type out my rejection, it starts to buzz.
“You shouldn’t call me,” I tell him as I pick up. “The messages are bad enough.”
“You weren’t replying. I wanted to make sure you weren’t inventing an excuse to say no.”
“I don’t need an excuse.”
His breathing is heavy at the end of the line.
“It’s not right.”
“For who?”
This time, it’s my breath which fills the silence.
“It’s just for moral support.”
“You know as well as I do that that’s bullshit.”
“Did you just swear, Headmistress?”
I laugh. “Stop.”
“It’s so sexy when you swear.”
“You’re not helping.”
“I have absolutely no intention of being helpful. But if you want, I can help you with a few other things – although that might be a breach of our contract.”
“Okay, you win.”
I can almost hear him smile.
“But you already knew that. I’m an idiot.”
