Page 57 of Cross My Heart

I can hear the sound of Kris and Jia talking, out in the kitchen, so I pull on my cozy bathrobe and go join them, in search of coffee.

“Morning,” I greet them brightly, heading for the coffee pot.

“How was the party?” Jia asks, sitting at the table, eating cereal.

“Great,” I beam. “I mean, ridiculous, but kind of fun. I felt like someone on a nature show, touring a foreign world. I mean, there were all kinds of celebrities there and politicians, it was wild!”

“Huh,” is all Jia says in response. She takes a spoonful, and chews, looking at me coolly.

I blink, confused by the cold treatment. Kris is also keeping quiet, leaning against the countertop with his hands wrapped around a mug of coffee.

“I didn’t wake anyone, did I, coming back?” I check, as I go to pour my coffee. “It was still pretty early; I didn’t know if you were home.”

“We were just at the college bar,” Kris replies. “It was a fun night. I mean, not packed with celebrities, and politicians…” His voice has a sarcastic edge as he mimics me.

I look between them. “Is everything OK?”

“Just peachy,” Jia replies. “You’re famous, by the way,” she adds, moving past me to leave her bowl in the sink with a clatter. “All over the gossip blogs. You, and your fancy new friends.”

“What?” I ask, even more confused.

“Show her,” Kris says, and Jia holds out her phone. There’s a picture on some society page, showing me with Saint, Imogen, Hugh, and a couple of other people last night. The photographer captured us mid-conversation, and Hugh’s cracked some joke. We’re all laughing, looking like we’re having the best time.

“You fit right in,” Jia comments. “Listen, ‘Britain’s bright young things mingle at the Lancaster Press anniversary bash,’she reads. ‘Anthony St. Clair couldn’t keep his eyes off his glamorous date. Might we be meeting the future Duchess of Ashford, perhaps?’

“Duchess?” I repeat, and give a snort of laughter. “That’s insane. And that photo doesn’t tell half the story. I was just about ready to gouge my eyes out with boredom from all the stuffy aristos,” I promise, even though that’s not exactly true.

Sure, meeting all those strangers was pretty intimidating, but Imogen was a ton of fun, and Hugh seems really nice, too.

Not that I’m going to tell my roommate that. I can already see, spending time with Saint and his friends is driving a wedge between us.

“It was just one party,” I add, reassuring. But Jia just gives a sharp shrug.

“So you don’t have plans to see Saint again?”

Shit.

“I mean, he mentioned maybe us going to dinner,” I fib again. There was already a text message waiting on my phone this morning when I woke:

Thank you for making the evening bearable.

And no, that isn’t faint praise.

“But it’s not like we’re reallydating,” I say quickly. Even though Saint is being pretty persistent about that dinner date.

“Good. I mean, you know his reputation,” Kris says, with smirk. “The man likes them young and fresh.”

“No offense,” Jia adds, seeing my face fall. “But you need to be careful you don’t get hurt. He’ll move on by the end of the semester.”

“The end of the week,” Kris adds.

“Right,” I say, deflating slightly. “Of course he will.”

“Sorry, I don’t mean to be a bitch about it,” Jia adds, giving me a little hug. “You should have fun and everything. We just don’t want you getting hurt, that’s all.”

“Being swept up in all the glitz and glamor,” Kris agrees. “Saint and his friends… They’re not like us. It’s like all the Greek myths, we’re just mere mortals, and they’re the gods who come down the mountain from to toy with us.”

I nod slowly. They’re still looking at me for a reaction, so I force a smile. “Don’t worry, my feet are planted firmly on solid ground. I’m just going to enjoy the champagne and amazing buffet table as long as I can.”

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