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ROCCO

Rocco knew when he’d been played and Valentina had played him like he was a rare Stradivarius.

Rocco managed to fit the gift bag with the bubble bath in his coat pocket so he wouldn’t look like Mr Desperate if the middle-aged man was working again. On entering the chemists, Rocco was both delighted and slightly nervous to see Alison’s cute freckly face peer out from the back.

‘How are you?’ she said with a smile. ‘Any ill effects from last night? I’ve a great range in hangover cures if you need them?’

‘Uh, no, I’m okay.’ In truth, Rocco had drunk very little.

‘Did you have a good time? I saw you left quite early.’

‘Yeah, I had a few things to do this morning,’ he said, slightly buoyed that she’d noticed he’d gone. ‘Did you have fun?’

‘I did. It was nice meeting new people.’

‘I saw you and Will talking.’ Rocco studiously kept his voice neutral.

‘Yeah.’ Alison leant on the counter, hands clasped in front of her. ‘He is certainly a talker.’

Rocco felt his stomach dip in disappointment.

‘You seemed to be hitting it off with Catriona,’ Alison remarked.

‘Oh. Well, I wouldn’t say that, it was more a hostage situation. She had proper praying mantis vibes.’ Rocco did a pose of what he hoped looked like a praying mantis.

Alison’s smile instantly disappeared. ‘Catriona’s one of my closest friends.’

‘Oh fu— I’m sorry, she’s lovely, just⁠—’

Alison slapped the counter and burst out laughing. ‘Your face! I’m sorry, I couldn’t resist. I don’t know Catriona at all – just met her last night. She ended up leaving with Will.’

Rocco tried not to smile. ‘Oh, I’m sorry.’

‘Don’t be. Will talked at me all night, he’s a talker but not really a listener.’

‘You seemed to be having fun. I saw you laughing.’

Alison looked at him with interest. Shit, had he overplayed his hand?

‘I was being polite,’ she said. ‘He really isn’t as funny as he thinks he is.’

Rocco smiled. ‘Hang on, how do you know Will and I aren’t friends?’

‘Because he clearly doesn’t like you.’

‘What?’ Rocco felt taken aback.

‘Warned me right off you.’

‘He… he did?’ Rocco stuttered in disbelief.

‘Yup. He said you were up yourself and a complete snob. And materialistic because you like nice clothes and fancy wine and food. You’ve been like that since school. He was standing behind you in the café last week and heard you order oat milk for your coffee but knows you’re not lactose intolerant. Then he told me all about how you’re an architect and did up your sister’s barn, and then completely gutted and renovated your own home because you like to show off and wanted the fanciest house in the area. Oh, and then he got onto your personal life. Said you’re a philanderer, but only go for airheads and dump them after one hook-up.’

Rocco said nothing, fearing any chance with Alison was now well and truly blown out the water.

‘Well, after that sterling character assassination, could I get something for my sister’s indigestion.’

‘How is Valentina?’ Alison turned to get a bottle off the shelf.