“I’m so sorry,” he says. “She does this more than I’d like to admit.”
“Who?” I barely croak out, eyes wide like a deer in headlights.
What is happening here?
The woman steps towards me in a figure-hugging green dress, her lips a deep red. She’s absolutely stunning and curvaceous in way I could only dream of. She holds out her hand.
“Hi Sara, please ignore him, he’s just bitter people prefer my company to his.” She sticks her tongue out at him.
What is going on?!
“Keep telling yourself that,” Gus tuts.
She pretends he isn’t here, “I’m Grace. My brother has told me literally nothing about you, so I bullied an invite out of Cole so I could do what I do best.”
Something stupid, like relief, floods me.His sister.I could scream, but I actually make a nervous sound instead. It comes out like a squeaky laugh. “Hi,” is all I manage.
“And what is it you do best?” Gus interrupts.
She gives him a sisterly smile. “Intrude.”
He chokes on a laugh. “Yes. Yes, you do. What are you even doing in Italy?”
She shrugs. “I have a work thing in Milan.”
Cole laughs this time. “Just a quick a six-hour drive from here.” Grace brushes this off, making a face at me like they’re all being very dramatic.
“I took the liberty of ordering champagne for us,” she says to me, ushering me to the table. I take the seat opposite hers, Gus sliding in beside me.
“Er, thank you,” I say, as she fills my glass.
“What are you having?” she asks, nodding at the menu.
“Give the girl a chance,” Cole says, giving her a disbelieving glance.
“I’m just excited. This is the first normie Gus has ever dated. Well, since secondary school.”
Sirens sound in my head. Must shut this down.
“Oh, we’re not…”
But Gus is already speaking too, “She isnotthe firstnormalwoman I’ve dated. What are you basing this on anyway? Normal is subjective.”
“We’re not dating,” I try to add, but nobody is listening.
“You’ve only ever dated rich people’s daughters,” Grace accuses.
“Not true! What about Maisy Telling? She wasn’t famous when I dated her. The first time anyway.”
Cole laughs as Grace sputters. “She’s a nepo baby!”
“No, she’s not!”
“Her father is Martyn Telling!”
“Who is that?” he asks.
“That guy who wrote that fantasy show about the dragons,” she says. “He’s a multi-millionaire.”
