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.
