Page 36 of Rough Around the Hedges

Well, I was right, as per usual. “How do you even remember that?”

“I have an excellent memory,” she replied. “What are you tapping away so diligently at over there?”

“Hmm? Oh, making notes for the big meeting tomorrow night. I want to make sure I don’t miss anything when I’m speaking in front of everyone, so I’m going to print this out and take it with me.”

She slid her gaze to the envelope to my left. “Is that…it?”

I screwed my face up in disgust as I followed her gaze. “Mm. It was delivered to me at seven-thirty this morning by one of His No-Grace’s lackeys. I guess he decided he’d already bestowed upon me the horror of his presence enough times.”

“You know, you’re giving me enemies-to-lovers vibes.”

It was more like lovers-to-enemies, but whatever. “Get off Wattpad, Isadora.”

“There’s nothing wrong with Wattpad.”

“It’s rotting your brain. You’re seeing romantic plots where they don’t exist. Don’t you also think your two neighbours are engaging in an affair?”

She planted her hands on the table and stood up. “Oh, Jason and Marissa are absolutely fucking each other. Kate doesn’tknow, but there’s no reason for Marissa to slip out to the alley and through their back gate three times a week.”

“Maybe it’s an open relationship and Kate does know. They’re not being very discreet, are they?”

Isa paused. “No, I don’t think so. I work with Kate, remember?”

“Then tell her you think her husband is cheating on her.”

“I can’t do that. What if it is an open relationship? Then I’m just being a nosy neighbour.”

I blinked at her. When exactly was her never-ending lunch break going to be over? What had I done in a past life to be subjected to such menial speculation in this one? “So, you’re going to gossip about it to me instead?”

“That’s what best friends are for.” She yawned, sitting back down. “Goodness, I’m tired.”

“Whyareyou so tired? If you yawn any harder, you’re going to suck everything in like you’re a black hole.”

“Ugh. My mother called me at just past midnight screaming that the stupid dog had brought in a hedgehog, and he wouldn’t let it go.”

“Aren’t German Shepherds supposed to be smart?”

“Intelligent as heck, but also, the dumbest creatures I’ve ever come across in my life,” she confirmed. “Anyway, I had to drive over there in the middle of the night in my pyjamas, only to walk in and find my parents in their conservatory in nothing but their underwear, trying to use a hockey stick to pry open Harry’s mouth.”

I blinked. “Wow. Did it work?”

“Right as I walked in, of course.” She sighed, running her fingers through her hair. “The hedgehog is fine and currently sleeping in a box in my bathroom since I checked it over, butI told them never to call me in the middle of the night again. I don’t think I’ll sleep for a week after seeing them in their underwear.”

Understandable. I would feel similarly if it were me. “I almost feel bad for assuming you were staying up all night speaking to your new boy toys.”

She held up a finger and shook her head. “No, no boy toys, no flings. I’m single-single right now. I’m holding out hope that the rich, handsome duke might fall so helplessly in love with me that he agrees not to sell the allotments if I marry him.”

I stared at her over the top of my laptop. “And people think I’m the weirdo in this friendship.”

She pouted. “I know. It’s a bit strange given you’ve slept with him, but I’m willing to forgive you both when our love story comes to fruition.”

“You have extremely questionable taste in men.”

“You’re the one who shagged him.”

“In my defense, I knew nothing about the man, including his name. I really did just fuck him because of his face,” I replied. “It’s a shame I had to see it again and ruin my memories of that night.”

Isa propped her chin up on her hand and blew out a long breath. “That’s why we get people’s names before we see them naked, Rose.”

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