Page 16 of Mixing Drinks For Tipsy Weasels

"Ah, so that's why you're here and not out partying celebrating the end of exams?"

"I need a summer job too, and it'll look good on my CV," Rupert says.

I snort. "You sound like me."

"Well, we did spend a lot of time together as kids."

"So you're saying that I had an effect on you?"

"Mmhmm. It's got to happen, right?" He looks at me in a way that makes me think he feels some of the same comfort that I do when I've been around him for the past week or so. Basically for as long as our truce has been in place.

"I suppose we did spend a lot of time together as kids," I say.

"Remember when we saw those squirrels chasing each other up trees and decided we should do it ourselves?"

He laughs. "You did better than just now."

"We found a nest of baby birds and realised we should probably go before we scared them. You fell down a couple of branches."

"See, I told you I'd done it myself," he says, bumping his shoulder against mine as he does.

I smile at him, feeling as if I've just regained something that I thought I would never get back.

Chapter 9

Erica

I'm kind of excitedfor the mixologist to come, especially as Robin has allowed the entire ball committee to come and try out the drinks they're thinking of serving. It's a bit worrying to me that we're so close to the ball and haven't actually done this yet, but I guess that's not really my problem.

I head into the room, surprised to find Rupert waving me over to where he's sitting with Sami and D. I don't hesitate in joining them, sliding into the booth and sitting next to Rupert.

Sami leans in to say something to D that I can't hear and I tune them out, knowing that they should have privacy now they seem to have decided to make a go of whatever it is between them.

"Hey," Rupert says.

"Hi," I respond with a smile.

"This is probably the best bit of ball prep," he says.

"Oh no, the best bit is that I brought cupcakes." I set a box down on the table. "To soak up the alcohol."

"You don't drink."

"Who said they were for me?" I flash him a smile. "Though one of them is. If I drink too much liquid on an empty stomach, I feel queasy."

"So you're going for a sugar overload instead?" Rupert asks.

"Something like that."

Robin stops at our table and holds out a clipboard. "I need you to put down any allergies on this." They hold it out to me.

I take it and find my name, addingnon-alcoholicto the list and passing it on to Rupert, who writes down his citrus fruit allergy.

Robin takes the list away once both Sami and D have checked it, and we sit back, waiting for drinks. There's a festive atmosphere in the room as everyone admires the hard work we've all put into getting things ready. I have to admit that the room looks great, and the arch with the streamers definitely doesn't look as if it's been decorated by two weasels, or has nearly been the site of a near accident with me falling.

It takes a few minutes for a tray of drinks to arrive on our table, with four flights of shot glasses with miniature cocktails inside them. They look adorable, though I know it'll be the full-sized thing on the night of the ball.

Each one is labelled with one of our names, which cuts down on any of the quizzing about what's what.

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