“It’s fine. I already knew about that night.” I give Talia and Andi a huge grin, letting them know the story doesn’t bother me. “Mia has no secrets from me.”
The truth of the matter is, I did know about that night. Mia always tells me about her nights out, even the details I have no interest in hearing.
“So, what is this then? Some sort of open relationship?” Talia throws her head back and runs her fingers through her sharp white-blonde bob. “Because if you guys are open, I’ll throw my hat in the ring.” She licks her lips and purrs, “They don’t call me Talia Robber for no reason.”
Oh boy, I did not see this offer coming my way. I’m not interested, and I’m even more surprised to see Mia giving me a dirty look. I wipe the smile off of my face immediately.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Mia says.
I’ve never seen her look so pissed off in her life—at least not recently and never over me.
“It means if your relationship is open, I want in with Luke. I’m not a jealous type, and I’m in New York every other month.” She winks at me. “I can save money on hotels.”
I press my lips together because I don’t want to be rude and I’m curious to see what Mia will say next.
“Like I just sad they don’t call me Talia Robber for no reason. Emphasis on robber. When I want a man, he is mine. I say to women quite openly that they should just be prepared to lose their man if I want him. Don’t think you’ve got a man that can’t be taken from you,” Talia says, coquettishly licking her lips again before sipping her glass of champagne. “Because just as easily as you get them, I can take them. I’m a robber of the heart.”
She looks me dead in the eyes, and if she had magical powers, I know my clothes would be gone. I’ve met women like her before, and they think that heavy flirting and sexual innuendos will get them an in every time, but I’m just not that guy.
“Talia,” Andi says, shaking her head and grabbing her friend’s arm. “Don’t mind her. She’s just a little bit drunk. She would never steal your man, Mia.”
“The Haverbrooks sprang for top-shelf liquor and Moët & Chandonchampagne. Hell yeah, I’m going to get drunk. Not like the typical beach parties, where it’s all, like, twenty-dollar vodka.” Talia takes another sip and Andi grabs her hand roughly and whispers something to hear. Talia flinches and then lets out a low sigh. She seems to realize that she’s overstepped. “I love planning weddings where expenses are no cost.”
“Well, I’m glad you’re enjoying it, but I see Wendy and Juniper over there, and it looks like they’re calling out to us, so maybe we should see what they want.”
“Yeah, we should see what they want.” Mia nods enthusiastically, and we hurriedly walk away. “And then tonight, we need to have some hot, passionate sex,” she says loudly and looks back at Talia.
“So, she’s a bitch,” Mia says as soon as we’re out of earshot, and she turns to me. “What the fuck was that?”
“Don’t let her get to you.” I want to ask her why she got so upset, but I suppose it’s because it ruins our acting job.
“I’m not letting her get to me. But what the hell was that? How dare she offer to hook up with you? As if I would share my man.”
She trips slightly, and I reach out to grab her arm and steady her.
“Slow down. She’s not worth getting a broken ankle.”
“She’d love that. She’d be like,Let me take care of you, Luke, now that Mia is down and out. Well, keep your hands off, Talia. Like she could steal my man anyway.”
“Are you jealous, darling?” My lips twitch as I tease her.
Her face and voice are super animated, and I can tell she’s still pissed. I also can’t help but notice how hot she looks with her flushed skin and heaving bosom, which fills out her dress a little too nicely.
“No, I’m not jealous.” She rolls her eyes, like it’s the most ridiculous comment she’s heard all day. Which I would find quite hurtful, if I actually cared about her answer. “I would hope that even if we weren’t fake dating, you wouldn’t give her the time of day.”
“I certainly wouldn’t.”
“Yeah, right. You think she’s hot, don’t you?”
“To be honest, she’s cute, but she’s not my type.”
“Yeah, right.” She rolls her eyes again and stomps toward Wendy and Juniper, obviously annoyed. “That fucking bitch Talia Robber was just coming on to Luke, saying she could steal him from me.”
“No way.” Juniper’s jaw drops, and she looks over at Talia in shock. “Do I need to go and slap her?”
“Maybe. Just maybe,” Mia says and then laughs as she sees my expression. “Don’t worry, Luke; I’m not actually going to slap her.”
“Take some deep breaths,” Wendy says softly, always the voice of calm. She’s slightly older than us, but I always remember her being the one to reason with Mia and Josie when we were in high school and they were upset. “One, two, three. One, two, three.”
