Page 44 of That Secret Something

Rebecca’s phone vibrated, and she jumped up when she saw the name on the screen. “I just got to take this,” she said, dashing out of the room before anyone could say a thing.

“What was that about?” Shay asked. Harriet worked around them, placing pins in the dress.

Amy shrugged, slurping on her straw. “A booty call?”

They burst into laughter, and Lily shushed them. “You two shouldn’t know what that is,” she scolded.

“Come on, we’re sixteen next year, Lily,” Shay said. “We know pretty much everything.”

I watched them in awe. I’d never had that confidence. Shay had come out as non-binary when they were thirteen. I could only dream about being that sure of myself at that age. The two of them being so happy and carefree filled me with hope for the future.

Amy finished her lemonade, and then it was her turn for measuring. Lily watched it all with obsessive persistence, while trying to make small talk with Harriet—which, from the permanent frown line in her forehead, it seemed the older woman hated.

Rebecca still hadn’t returned. The squishy part of my heart fell into jealous mode. Maybe it was another lover? Someone new? The logical part of my brain tried to tell the other part to shut up, but my curiosity got the better of me.

I finished the last of my tea and collected the empty glasses.

“Where are you going?” Lily asked, not taking her eyes off Harriet’s handiwork. “You’re next.”

“I won’t be long.” I pressed the door handle with my elbow, bumped it open with my hip, and headed towards the kitchen. I couldn’t hear any voices, just the sound of the TV upstairs. Tyler had the right idea, keeping out of the way.

With no sign of Rebecca, I put the dirty glasses and mugs into the dishwasher, along with a few other plates that were lying on the countertop. It was unlike Lily to leave things out. Judging by her overreaction earlier, it seemed the stress was taking its toll. Guilt weighed on me again. I made a mental note to take time to talk to her properly and check in.

Arms around my waist made me jump. A hand flew over my mouth before I could scream.

“Relax, Grant,” Rebecca’s sultry voice whispered in my ear. “You’re not being kidnapped. It’s just me.”

She let go of me, and her familiar musky scent brought back memories of her in my bed. She pressed me up against the counter, her hands firmly on my waist.

“What are you doing?” I hissed, glancing over her shoulder. I tried to move her hands away, but she only smiled. “You promised you’d be on your best behaviour today.”

“I am. What have I done?”

“This! Stop it.”

Her grip loosened, and she took a step back, but the playful look on her face remained. “Okay, one slipup, I’ll own up to that. But I am only human.”

Adrenaline surged through my veins, making me panicky. “You’ve made more than one.”

“When? What did I do?”

I looked away, feeling a little sheepish. “Looked at me—”

“Looked at you? I didn’t know my eyeballs were strictly a no-Jess zone now,” she teased. “Surely it would be more suspicious if I never looked at you. And that would be kind of impossible.”

“It’s the way you look at me… It’s naughty, and you know it. So don’t go pretending, ’cos you’re not fooling me.”

She broke out into a full grin. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Yeah, right.” My eyes dropped to her mouth. That perfect smirking mouth, and all I wanted to do was kiss it—until I remembered where I was.

I pushed her backwards lightly, trying not to marvel at her strong core. And definitely not thinking about how good she’d looked naked, towering over me. Rebecca complied with the distance, but nothing seemed to knock that look from her face.

I let out a soft laugh. “What are you smiling about?”

Her eyes flicked between mine, something mischievous about them. “Remember the interview I had?” She waited for me to nod before continuing. “Well…I got it.”

“You did? That’s amazing! Well done!” I pulled her to me and wrapped my arms around her.

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