Page 58 of The Winning Ticket

"Sure. How about we schedule that for Monday?" I ask, making sure to seem as cheerful and perky as possible, all the while planning to start the job hunt in earnest.

She studies me with her shrewd, beady little eyes before nodding and walking away. Within minutes, a meeting request with her and the Brisbane director comes through to my email, and I sigh, accepting it before returning to stare at the picture of the handbag, knowing full well that the inspiration is never going to come.

"So, what are you going to do?" Tara asks when we sit down to dinner that night.

I shrug. "Honestly, I don't know. I can't tell if it's marketing I've lost interest in or if it's just what that company works on." I take a mouthful of the pasta dish that Tara has thrown together and groan. "Tara, marry me. This is delicious."

"Yeah? Even better than Jake's cooking?" She shoots me a look I can't decipher, and I pause before taking the next bite.

"What's that look?" I ask before looking at Kylie, who is sitting across from Tara.

"Hey, don't look at me like that. I haven't said anything," she says, putting her hands up.

Tara grins at me triumphantly. "I fucking knew it."

"Know what? What do you think you know?"

"You and Jake are one hundred percent into each other. It was so obvious on Saturday night."

"No, we're not." Even I can hear how much of a lie that is, and Kylie shakes her head.

"I caught them getting each other off in the bathroom when I went inside."

"Kylie!" I glare at her, and Tara begins to laugh.

"I'm all for not telling anyone, but I'm not lying either," she says.

I look between them both and then sigh dramatically.

"Fine… Yes, we've hooked up a few times."

"Liar. I bet you guys were at it like rabbits all weekend. I heard the pair of you. That was hot." Kylie waggles her eyebrows, and I feel my cheeks heat up.

"So, are the rumours true?" Tara asks eagerly.

I don't think Jake would like me talking about his sexual prowess, even if he has gotten me off more times in one weekend than Richard managed over a month.

"I can neither confirm nor deny any rumours of how good Jake Boyd is in bed," I say before taking a mouthful of wine.

Tara lets out a hoot and high-fives Kylie.

"I knew you two would end up together one day. There is just so much chemistry there," Kylie says with a dreamy smile.

"We're not together. It's just a friends-with-benefits situation."

"Right, sure." She rolls her eyes.

"I'm serious. I can't commit to anyone else. I'm still dealing with everything after Richard, and it wouldn't be fair to make Jake my rebound."

"That is your sister talking. You were in love with Jake all through high school, and now you finally have him. There is no way you aren't into him as more than just a hook-up," Tara says, pointing at me with a fork full of food.

"Speaking of my sister, this obviously goes no further than this room, right?"

They exchange a look before nodding.

"Of course. But Morgan and Chris will eventually work out something is going on despite all the wedding planning happening. Shouldn't you just tell them now, rather than them finding out in another way and shit hitting the fan? You know how protective they are over both of you. Morgan has run off more than one of Jake's prospects over the years because she thinks no one is good enough for him, and Chris will be worried that you are both going to get hurt."

I know Tara is right, but with all the judgment my sister has thrown my way over the last few weeks, I just can't handle her giving her opinion on what Jake and I should and should not be doing.

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