Page 46 of The Problem With Pretending

AMBER: Hahahahahahahahahaha

ME: OMG can you be helpful for one minute????

AMBER: I told you it was a bad idea like forty times. You’re gonna have to deal with it.

ME: What do I do?

AMBER: Where are you now?

ME: Pretending to pee. In the cottage his parents are staying at.

AMBER: Oh wow, you weren’t joking.

AMBER: Why are they in a cottage and you’re in a castle?

ME: Explain later. What do I do?

AMBER: For now? Go along with it, smile, be polite, and if she brings it up say you don’t recognise her in the hope she’ll be specific.

ME: What if she doesn’t?

AMBER: Then you’ve gotten away with it for today, Satan.

ME: OMG. K. You are not helpful.

AMBER: Call me later.

ME: I’ll try.

I tucked my phone back in my pocket and got up, doubling back to flush the toilet. I doubted this place had state-of-the-art plumbing, and I knew from experience that old plumbing could be on the janky side of things at the best of times.

I rinsed my hands under the tap for good measure, patted them dry with the towel, and let myself out of the bathroom.

William was sitting in the living room when I walked in adjusting my scarf. “Are you cold? You’re still wearing your coat. I can start the fire.”

“Oh. I didn’t realise until just now.” I undid the buttons before I sat down and unwrapped my scarf. “No, I’m fine.”

Katie smiled at me. “Will tells me you’re studying for your PhD at Cambridge.”

Thank you, William.

“Yes, I am. I’m a little over halfway through,” I replied. “And regretting all my life choices to this point.”

She laughed quietly. “I can imagine. I commend you for seeking even further education. I barely made it out of university the first time around.”

Will eyed her with a barely-there frown. “Yeah, that’s what they call a distinction these days.”

“Be quiet,” she said, but there was a fondness in her eyes that I caught when she turned back to me. “I’m academically inclined, but that doesn’t mean I enjoy it.”

“That’s part of why I took history,” I admitted. “I thought it would be easy, but it turns out that it isn’t. Even more annoyingly, I’m a bit of a nerd for history, apparently.”

“What’s your field of study?”

“The broad answer is British royals and noble classes and slavery,” I replied.

That didn’t look bad at all while I was apparently dating a future duke.

Katie raised her eyebrows.

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