“Wow. Okay. Someone’s in a snotty mood. I’m so glad I came.”
“I’m not. I’m just …” She looks sideways at the waitress as our drinks are brought over, then snaps her eyes back to the table. “It doesn’t matter.”
“Right. Well, shall I start then? Kabul was a nightmare, but I got myself rescued by this hunky commando, which clearly meant a few hours of complete exhaustion by way of a bed.” Her eyes widen. Not surprising given her lack of boyfriend. Having said that, how would I know? I’ve never even heard her mention a man in her life. Maybe she screws a different one every weekend. “And now I’m back, I’m going to get involved with investigating the author who’s turned up dead. Landon’s actually paying me to do it. Have you heard anything on the grapevine that might help?”
She crosses her legs. “Me? Why would I know anything?”
“I don’t know, but with all your secrets about your job, I’ve always wondered what you might be able to access. It’s not like you haven’t found stuff for me before.”
“I just test systems, Ivy. I’m hardly a spy that can pluck any kind of information off of the internet.”
“And yet you always seem to be able to.” She drinks rather than answer that, eyes flicking around the bar, as if someone’s about to find her. “And honestly, Neve, you’re forever acting shady as fuck. Look at you now. It’s like you’re waiting for a potential threat to sneak up on us.”
“I am not.”
“Yes, you are. Who are you waiting for?”
She laughs lightly and shakes her head, as if my particular view of her is absurd. “Don’t be ridiculous. I came here to see you. It’s been ages. Tell me more about this guy.”
“What guy?”
“The hunky commando? Presumably, he was the hot story you were after? Or was this the second gig while you were over there?”
My own drink goes to my lips, several gulps downed at the thought of how he made me feel. “Just the one. One and the same, actually. And smoking hot.” I fan myself for effect. “Blake Rhodes. Far too good in bed for any girl not to go silly over and ridiculously handsome. I might have licked my lips. A lot. It’s a shame he’s not here really. I could use a man like him for a while. One might even think about settling down for such a specimen.”
“Specimen?”
“Well, you should have seen it. Girthy, you know? Wide. Hit all the right places and made an old hotel room a whole lot more interesting for a while.”
Another light laugh. “Good grief, you really are a slut.”
“How dare you.” I chuckle and drink some more, happy to keep on doing so. She’s right. It has been ages since we’ve sat and talked. “You would have said yes, too. Totally drool-worthy. And when he kissed me goodbye at the airport, I swear I actually swooned. Still, that’s it for that one. How about you?”
“What?”
“Anyone interesting in your life?”
“No.” She snaps her answer and starts drinking again, as if that topic is well off the cards.
“Oh, come on, Neve, you must have seen someone since the last time we met. I’m beginning to wonder if you’re a spinster already. You've even got the cat."
“Just because I don’t go around sleeping with everything that moves, it doesn’t mean I’m a spinster, Ivy. Bloody hell, you can be really annoying sometimes.”
“Why? Because I asked you if you’re seeing anyone?”
“No, because you won’t just quit it. I’m not interested in guys.”
“Maybe you’re not, but look at you. You’re pretty, you’re super smart and have a cracking rack, if you’d just dare to show a little cleavage, and you’re honestly telling me there’s no one? A woman even?”
She shifts and goes for her bag, dragging her phone out at the sound of it ringing. “I’m not discussing this with you.”
“Oh my god, you’re such a tease. Come on. Fess up. I want the details. It’s a woman, isn't it?”
“No.”
“So, it is a man.”
I shrug back into the chair and take another sip, absolutely ready to make her tell me by way of a big sisterly chat. Maybe that’s what I need to do. This secrecy and strange hiding from the family all the time is becoming tiresome. She is, in fact, one of us. Frankly, she could do with showing it sometimes.
