Page 58 of Royally Drawn

He’d bet correctly.

“Well, if she is, keep it the fuck down.”

“I’m on the other side of the house from you. Don’t be a whiny little cockblock, okay?” I pointed the chef’s knife at him.

“Does that count as a threat?” Duncan joked, then looked at the doorway.

I turned to see Ingrid coming in wearing only one of my T-shirts. As soon as she saw Duncan, she panicked.

“Oh shit! Oh my God! I forgot and... shit!”

“Calm down,” Duncan sighed. “It’s just me. I know about you now. He just fessed up. Apologies for surprising you.”

She choked in French, “I’m going to change now.”

She disappeared, and Duncan sighed. “She’s so hot. How did you manage to hide that? I mean… I’d not be able to get anything done.”

“I’m a human, not a dog,” I said, annoyed. “I can manage things, okay? And yes. She’s fucking beautiful. But this stays here. Besides you, Nate, and Leah, no one knows.”

“Leah knows?”

“Leah is good for wing-womaning,” I said.

“That’s because Leah thinks she’s hot.”

“Leah is friends with her.” I rolled my eyes. “You are perpetually twelve, Duncan.”

Duncan ignored me. “So, at what point is this a thing, then? Because we’re off to Cici’s wedding in a week. And Lars is going to?—”

“Fuck off about Lars. He doesn’t need to know. Unless you tell him, we’re chill,” I said. “This is between us.”

“So, you’re just shagging her? Because if you’reseeingher, you might want to let at least your mum know so she can prepare everyone. She would help you.”

I wanted to say yes, it was just sex. I tried to play it cool.

“It looks like more since you’ve flown her here. You’re making her dinner.”

“I can make a woman dinner.”

“Yeah, but this is like the crown jewel of dishes. And you only trot it out when you like a woman.”

I groaned.

“You like her—really like her. Just admit it. She grinds yourgears. It’s fine.”

But was it?

“I’m not taking advice from you, Duncan.”

“If you don’t tell your mum, you’re a fool to think the two of you can keep this under wraps the entire time. You won’t fool your mum, and she’s one of four people who can talk Lars down. The other two are the father and mother of the bride, and then…”

“Your mum,” I sighed.

“And you don’t want mum involved. Now, are you making me dinner or what?”

A Rough Sketch

INGRID

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