Page 15 of Chic Steel

“I kissed him. Or we kissed each other. I don’t remember.”

“When? When did you even see him?”

“I went to his office to drop off his wallet and then he invited me out and we kissed and then his hands went places and I don’t know what to do!”

“Breathe.” Lily mimics inhaling slowly and I copy her, in and out, until I can talk normally and my hands aren’t as sweaty. “Okay. You kissed Oliver.”

“He invited me to join the company tonight at the rugby, but it was before everything happened and before a guy came into the room while I was unzipping his pants.” It’s a good thing her café is loud and no one’s paying attention to us.

Lily’s eyes bulge. “You were doing it at his office and someone saw you?”

“Kind of? We didn’t mean to.” My voice shakes. I hadn’t expected it to go so far, but when he had his hands on me and looked all flushed, I didn’t want to stop. He’s very good at taking direction.

“He invited you out, though?”

“To the rugby, but I still don’t have his number and he didn’t get mine.”

“Why not?” Lily’s brow creases.

My cheeks flush. “We were a little distracted.”

“There must be a way to contact him. He wouldn’t have asked if he didn’t want you there.”

I glance around the bustling café and avoid her eyes. “What if he got what he wanted? Then he’d have no reason to get my contact details.”

Someone yanks the chair out beside me and drops into it. “That’s bullshit.”

My eyebrows lift in surprise. “Maddy, what are you doing here?”

“Came to deliver this.” She drops an envelope on the table in front of me and a small cluster of pink flowers held together with the distinctive yellow ribbon from Daisy Chains at the top of the street. “Has the information for tonight and the bookings he made for you.”

“Who?” I don’t know who Maddy’s talking about. Besides crossing over during opening and closing hours, we don’t see each other much.

“Oliver.”

I freeze, pulling paper decorated in purple calligraphy from the envelope. “You know Oliver?”

“He’s my brother.”

My eyes fly to hers, and I drop the fancy paper.

“Who’s Oliver?” Lily asks sharply. “Is that the business guy who?—”

I kick her under the table. Just because I feel safe sharing information with Lily doesn’t mean I spread client information, let alone their names. Especially not to their family members. It’s private. Especially what Oliver likes done.

“You’re siblings?” I croak out.

“Yep.”

“For how long!” They both turn to me with alarmed expressions, and okay, that was a dumb question.

“My whole life?” Maddy says, but her voice tilts up as if it’s a question.

“And you know he comes to my store for…”

She rolls her eyes. “Yes, I know he comes to your store forthings.Half the time he comes to me first for a pep talk.”

“Why would he need a pep talk?”

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