“Andrea, I’d love to talk to you some more about art when we get back,” said Dex.
Next to me, Liam chuckled. “Will you shave off that beard if she tells you you’ve ‘got an eye for it’?”
Dex flipped a middle finger at him.
“Of course, Dex,” I said. “It would be a pleasure.” It feltweird to be asked about art, like I knew what I was talking about.
The engines changed note, and the horizon outside the window began to creep upward. We were almost home.
Chapter 39
Andrea
“You look rested,”James said.
We were sitting at a café under the railway arches by the Thames. I’d only been back from France three days, and I was still buzzing. Trains passed overhead every few minutes, close enough to rattle the mugs on the tables.
“Do I?”
“Yes. Something’s different. Did you get Bo?”
I gave him a withering look.
“Huh. Must be something else then.” He nudged me. “How’s Mr. von Hot?”
“Oh, for fuck’s sake, have you been talking to Eliza?”
He laughed. “I have. She’s been keeping me updated. I hear you haven’t been getting muchrest.” His fingers mapped out the air quotes.
“How are things with you?” I asked. “Any hot dates lately?” He looked well, despite all the takeout.
“Actually, Andrea, I’m seeing someone.”
What—?
“Like,seeingseeing someone? More than once?” I hadn’teven had theincredible cockdebrief—how could it have come to this already, without passing through the smut phase?
“You know, you’re not the only one capable of turning a hookup into a love story.” He huffed, but he was enjoying stretching out the last bit of mystery from his big reveal. “It’s fine, hon. I’ve accepted I’m just a side character in the drama that is Andrea’s life.”
He placed his hands primly on the table for a moment. Then his eyes slid sideways.
“Oh, fuck it, I can’t not tell you,” he said. “It’s Baz. We’ve been together six weeks now.”
“Who the fuck isBaz?”
“Andrea.Baz. Remember?” He turned toward me, brows raised.
The name was vaguely familiar, but… nope.
“Saying it louder isn’t going to help,” I said.
He sighed. “Jesus, okay. Baz. Hot Ukrainian? Did your stakeout of Rudy’s place with the pink-haired ho last month.”
“You’re dating Baz theDoorDashdriver?”
“Don’t be snobby, Andrea,” he replied curtly. “And he’s with Uber, not DoorDash.”
“Uber. Of course.”Because that makes all the difference.“And… um… how’s it going?”
