Page 24 of Heart Match

‘Is there something about him you aren’t telling us?’ says Naomi widening her eyes in excitement, urging me to tell something juicy.

‘No and no. You guys, would you just leave it? There is nothing going on,’ I lie, of course, there is no way I’m telling them I’m having a date with him tonight. Not when I myself don’t even understand what’s going on between us. Not when I don’t know how I feel about this, about Luc. Soon he will leave and I won’t have to talk about him to them anymore. Besides, I don’t want them to make a big deal about tonight, I’m already doing the job myself. I’m even considering cancelling. Why did I agree to this dinner anyways?

‘Fine,’ says Lexi, now defeated, seeming to have finally accepted I might truly have nothing to hide.

‘Is he on Instagram?’ But she continues, to my annoyance.

‘How am I supposed to know that?’ I say, my mouth full of toast.

‘Yeah, right, sometimes I forget you live in a non-social media world. What’s his last name? I’m gonna try to find him,’ she says.

I don’t know his last name, is that weird? I mean, I didn’t think knowing his last name would be important, I’ve only met him five days ago, not that I’m counting or anything.

‘Lexi, stop it,’ I say, making it sound like I’m only annoyed by the fact that she wants to find his Instagram profile and not because I don’t want to admit that I don’t know his full name.

‘Oh my God, you don’t know his last name, do you?’

‘Is it that important?’ I ask, lying to myself. ‘It’s not like I’m going to see him again.’ I’m such a liar.

‘Of course it is. I mean, he’s been in your home, he’s cute—or so you say, because you know, we haven’t seen the guy yet—and how are you supposed to stalk him on social media once he leaves?’

‘I’m no social media stalker,’ I say, and she immediately regrets saying it. She knows very well this is actually the main reason I’m not on social media anymore, not even with fake profiles.

‘Where is the lingerie?’ asks Naomi, changing the subject.

Once I’m done eating we head to my office. Yesterday I hung the bodysuits, robes and babydolls on the stand, the other pieces are spread out neatly on the big table, each bra and bralette with matching knickers, thongs and panties. There are also suspender belts.

‘I’ve been crazy about this one since I saw you designing it,’ says Naomi, holding high-waisted silk knickers in pale pink with golden botanical details.

‘They are gorgeous, just feel this,’ says Lexi holding the matching bra feeling the silk fabric between her fingers.

They amuse me. I love it how they make me feel better and how they love my work. I imagine if I ever have my own brand they will be my first clients, no doubt.

‘No, seriously Livvy. What would your brand be called if you were to have one?’ asks Naomi, as if reading my mind.

I roll my eyes at her, pretending I haven’t been thinking a lot about it lately.

‘Yeah. Let’s discuss names,’ says Lexi.

‘Guys, let’s not.’

‘C’mon, are you saying you haven’t been considering it?’ Teases Lexi.

‘I might, but—’

‘But what? You’re talented, you have experience, you’ve got the money and support. What else do you need?’ says Naomi.

I just watch her. I don’t know what to say, because she does have a point. The problem is just, I’m afraid. There are so many things involved.

‘Just … think about it, Livvy,’ says Lexi, moving on to the next lingerie set.

I’m glad when we move on to the next topic, Lewis. I haven’t seen Naomi excited about a date in a long while. I know it’s because Lewis is a big deal to her. Then there’s Lexi and Thomas’s lack of sex issue, which she’s still hesitant to talk about.

‘When are you going to talk to him about it?’ I ask Lexi.

‘I don’t know how to do it or what to say. Tommy is a bit closed up about the subject,’ she says.

‘Are you saying you guys never talk about sex?’ asks Naomi, unable to hide the surprise in her face.

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