Page 23 of Covert

Sam had already taken Ebony’s advice and look where it had got her. As much as she tried to deny it, she’d fallen for Dylan, and there wasn’t one damn thing she could do about it.

15

Sam waited for the knock she knew would come.

As if on cue, a loud rapping sounded at her bedroom door before it flew open and Ebony barged in.

“Hey you. What’s going on?” Ebony threw herself face down on Sam’s bed and rested her chin in her hands. “Tell meeverythingand don’t leave out a single detail.”

Sam smiled and wondered how she’d survived the last few weeks without their chats. They’d shared every detail of their lives for as long as she could remember, yet how could she begin to describe the strange feelings Dylan aroused. She could barely admit them to herself.

Sam shrugged, aiming for nonchalant. “Not much to tell.”

Ebony threw a pillow at her. “Don’t give me that. You’re glowing, and it can’t be the smoggy Melbourne air that’s caused it.”

Sam sat cross-legged on the floor next to the bed and stared up at her best friend. “What can I say? I love my job.”

“You sure it’s just the job you love?” Ebony wiggled her eyebrows suggestively.

“What else could it be?” Sam lowered her gaze so her friend couldn’t see the truth in her eyes.

“Uh-oh,” Ebony groaned. “It’s worse than I first thought. You’ve fallen for him, haven’t you?”

“Don’t be silly,” fibbed Sam. “I’m enjoying the challenge of working as a P.A. rather than sitting around and waiting for my crazy parents to marry me off to some decrepit old fool.”

“Speaking of which…” Ebony trailed off and Sam looked up, the furtive expression on her friend’s face far from reassuring.

“What have they done this time?”

Ebony sighed and rolled her eyes. “That rat Quade told them you and Dylan are joined at the hip, and should be announcing your engagement any day now.”

“What’s wrong with that? That’s one of the reasons I took this job, to get them off my case.”

Ebony held her hand up. “Not so fast, babe. Your folks are saying if the announcement doesn’t happen ASAP they’re going to ‘send Max down to Melbourne to drag you back to Brisbane and up the aisle, no excuses this time’, end of quote.”

“What?” Sam leaped to her feet and started pacing the room. “They can’t seriously believe I’d consider marrying that old fogey? I’ve already told them how I feel.”

“You know your folks. They won’t take no for an answer.” Ebony shrugged. “They expect you to start acting like a princess, sooner rather than later.”

“How did you hear this?” Sam stopped stomping and stared at her friend.

Ebony blushed. “Peter told me.”

“Don’t tell me you still have a thing for my buffoon of a brother?”

Ebony shook her head as the rose colour staining her cheeks deepened. “No, we’re just friends. I happened to run into him at a charity dinner last week, that’s all.”

Sam snorted. “You’re taste in men is deteriorating, as much as I’d love to have you as a sister-in-law.”

Ebony unfolded her long legs from the bed and stood. “Hey, it’s not my taste in men we’re discussing here, it’s yours.”

She laid a hand on Sam’s shoulder as her voice lowered to a conspiratorial level. “Is it serious with Dylan?”

Sam paused before answering. If she told her best friend the truth, would Ebony accidentally let something slip to Dylan? They’d been friends for a long time and Ebony was renowned for her ‘slip of the tongue’ comments.

Sam knew Dylan was probably toying with her. Heck, he didn’t have a reputation as one of Australia’s most eligible bachelors for nothing. So what if he’d kissed her a few times? He probably did it every day of the week with women in his sphere. She’d been the stupid one for reading more into it and she didn’t need her best friend reinforcing it.

“Dylan’s a nice guy and I enjoy working with him.” She hoped her evasive answer would satisfy her curious friend.

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