“Sounds brilliant. Thanks for including me.”
Dev frowns and Sage cocks her head. I elbow Huan.
“Right,” Huan says. “So, um, we were thinking it might be fun if Will and Frank came along too. If everyone’s cool with it.”
“I think the question is whether Mr. Odell is cool with it,” Sage replies. “If he doesn’t approve our proposal then none of us are going anywhere.”
“I don’t see whyMr. Odellneeds to know anything,” Frank says. “You lot go on your trip and Will and I will go on our own. If we happen to wind up in the same city, at the same hotel, then so be it. Merely coincidental.”
Sage slowly nods. “True.”
Huan leans closer to Frank so their bodies are touching from shoulder to hip, and I can’t help but smile.
There’s only one person left to convince.
“Dev? Are you fine with it too?” Huan says.
But Dev doesn’t look at him. His gaze fixes on me and my pulse skitters at the intensity. For a moment I swear I see a glint of longing in his eyes. The second stretches thin. Then—snap—it recoils and Dev turns to Will.
“If you’ve been invited then I certainly won’t stand in the way.”
I play with my drink, my whole body flush with heat. Surely I misread him. He couldn’t belongingfor me. Though maybe he’slonging for a tripwithoutWill...
“So, what are the options?” Will asks, and rubs his hands together.
“A lot of people are going to Amsterdam,” Huan says.
Will and Frank share a look. “Anywhere else?”
“What about Paris?” I blurt, pushing thoughts of Dev from my mind.
“Mmm,” Will says, and takes another swig of his beer.
“Not a fan of the French?” Dev asks.
“No, no. Paris is wonderful. It’s a beautiful city. Great food.”
Frank leans forward. “Excuse him. Willoughby’s pretentious levels have grown so extreme we might need to wear protective suits around him now. I should have mine somewhere around here.” He pretends to rummage around in his coat. “I carry it everywhere....”
“And I left my eye gear back at the manor,” Huan says. “Even after you reminded me and everything.”
Will shakes his head. “I’m not being pretentious. I’m only saying that Paris is... the conventional choice.”
Frank smiles and puts out his hands like he’s showing us proof. “In other words, it’scommon.”
“And how many times have you been to Paris, Frank?”
“Oh, bugger off.”
“That’s what I thought,” Will replies with a smirk.
The waiter comes then and we all put in our orders. When he leaves, Dev says, “While it’s great that you both spend so much time in Paris, none of us have been there. It definitely won’t be common for us.”
“I didn’t mean to imply it was,” Will replies.
“So you really don’t think Paris will be fun?” I ask.
Will takes my hand. “It’s not that it won’t be fun, but I think there might be other places that could be better. Were you thinking of any place else?”
