Page 63 of Bad Influence
‘I don’t know, because I can’t reach him.’ I stopped for a second. ‘Did you say there’s proper chocolateanywherein this house?’
‘I wish. I could murder some Dairy Milk. I might be a nutritionist by profession, but chocolate has always been my weakness. I love it too much.’
‘Have you tried imagining you don’t like it, when you eat it?’
‘Name something you don’t like then?’
‘My boyfriend’s breath after he’s eaten cheese.’
Coco snorted.
‘She laughs!’ I smiled.
‘There’s nothing worse than cheese breath.’ Coco giggled. ‘I’ll give that a try next time.’
‘Did someone say cheese?’ It was Jimi coming back into the room. My heart did a little flutter when I heard his voice.
‘I was hoping to find some food –properfood – in here. Until I remembered this place is a health retreat.’ He took us both in as we sat on the floor together, Coco’s eyes a little red. ‘What’s up?’
‘Health-retreat-meets-rehab would be more accurate.’ Coco sighed.
Jimi snorted. ‘Is Amber bringing you down?’
‘Hey!’ I exclaimed.
He ignored me. ‘Are thereanysalty snacksanywhere?’
‘I’m only doing what I’m told.’ Coco held her hands up.
‘I’d settle for some more alcohol,’ I said.
‘Philippa was meant to go on a mission to find some, but she hasn’t come back,’ added Coco.
‘She’s upstairs with a bunch of influencers,’ Jimi told us. ‘Running tours of the house and giving away all of its dirty secrets. Gables is going to be trending on Instagram soon, believe me. Anyway, I have this.’ With a cheeky grin he produced an unopened bottle of champagne from behind his back. ‘As long as it doesn’t paralyse you, Amber.’ He winked at me.
‘Aren’t you meant to be doing some influencing for Mandy right about now?’ I asked, keen to avoid looking flustered.
‘Hand it over then.’ Coco took the bottle from him.
‘Enjoy, ladies, enjoy. I’d better do some influencing and get back on the decks,’ Jimi said. I felt disappointed he was going again.
‘If I was straight, I totally would,’ Coco whispered as we both watched him leave the room. He even looked good from behind. ‘He issohot.’
‘A bad influence. And cheesy,’ I added.
‘I bet he doesn’t have cheesy breath though,’ Coco quipped. ‘I bet it’s really minty and fresh.’
‘I bet he uses whitening stripes,’ I added with a giggle. The thought of the inside of Jimi’s mouth made me feel funny inside.
Coco looked at the side of my face. ‘You fancy him.’
‘I don’t!’ My voice sounded trill.
‘You so do,’ she teased. ‘And I bet he has full veneers.’
We both cracked up.
A couple of glasses of champagne later Coco and I went back into the lounge, where the music had been turned up, and sofas pushed back to create a makeshift dance floor in the centre. Bodies writhed, a jungle of limbs and hands in the air, phones lifted, a lot of laughter. Mandy and her guests looked like performers from a contemporary circus troupe. She was holding court, of course, standing on top of a round, upholstered ottoman coffee table and waving her arms in the air, while Aneka whooped in appreciation. House music was playing.
