Page 52 of Long Story Short

When it was finally over, I wandered into the next room where the dance was being held. I found the drinks table and grabbed another sparkling wine; I had had a couple already at dinner but I decided I deserved it. After all, tonight was turning out to be less fun than I’d imagined.

I tried to find Liv or Tessa again but ended up circling the room by myself at a loss as to what to do. I saw Jake and Hayley surrounded by people. It looked like they were the favourites of the party. I was glad that things had gone so well but I did feel a bit annoyed that they seemed to have forgotten about me.

I hovered by the dance floor before walking to the side near to a door that led into the bar. I leaned against the wall to sip my wine, wondering how early I could escape to my room. I wondered if Jake would have any time to talk to me tonight or if he might try to come to my room once the party was over. Everyone seemed desperate for his attention, and I wished I wasn’t feeling the same way.

‘All alone?’

I jumped as a voice spoke in my ear, close enough to be heard over the music. Turning around, my heart sunk in dismay to see Davis Mulberry beside me, drink in hand, with a slimy grin on his face.

‘As you can see,’ I replied, waving my glass. ‘Just having some quiet time.’

‘Hmm.’ Davis scanned the room. He was wearing a bow tie and it made him look older than Jake even though they were the same age. ‘I can’t see your client anywhere; aren’t you two usually joined at the hip?’ he asked, raising an eyebrow.

‘He’s in demand tonight; Hayley is with him.’

‘Hayley is here? How come?’

‘Well, she thought she should come as things weren’t going great but then Jake told everyone why he said those things about romance books to you,’ I said, giving him a glare. ‘And everyone now understands.’

Davis rolled his eyes. ‘Yeah, I heard his dad ran off and chose another family over Jake and his mum. Looks like the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.’

‘What do you mean?’ I asked him.

‘I can’t hear you. Come on.’ Davis nodded his head and stepped into the bar room behind us. ‘Freya,’ he called, beckoning me over his shoulder.

I sighed but pulled myself off the wall and ducked into the room, which was far quieter and empty of people, the bar unused as drinks were being served by wait staff.

Davis leaned one arm in the doorway like he was in a Booktok romance and I kept a couple of feet between us – being alone in a room with him wasn’t something I felt 100 per cent comfortable with.

‘I mean Jake is just like his father, isn’t he? A lady’s man. After anyone in a skirt… even if they are inappropriate,’ Davis said, the smirk on his face annoying with a capital A.

‘What are you talking about?’ I said, my cheeks flushing when I thought about me and Jake. But I was sure he was nothing like his father.

‘I saw you,’ Davis said then.

‘Saw what?’ I asked, suddenly nervous. He looked way too happy.

‘I saw you with Jake earlier in the lift. Kissing. I know you two are sleeping together.’

35

I stared at Davis’s triumphant face in horror. I had been aware of someone watching before the lift doors closed when Jake and I went up to my room. Now I knew who had seen us. And it was the worst person possible: Davis Mulberry. The man with a huge vendetta against Jake and who had been unable to bring him down once, and was likely itching to try to do it again. He could tell Hayley about us. And she wouldn’t consider promoting me then. She would likely fire me instead.

Panic surged through me.

‘Are you joking?’ I said, hoping my voice didn’t come out squeaky. ‘Kissing Jake? What are you talking about?’ I added in my haughty voice, hoping that using that tone and by staring into his eyes, he wouldn’t sense I was lying. I gripped the wine glass tightly in my hand, wishing I could turn back time and not kiss Jake until those lift doors had fully closed.

Davis sighed as he dropped his arm from the door. ‘I hoped you wouldn’t lie to me; I saw you two in the lift, so don’t kid a kidder. What happened? Jake fooled you into thinking he could do real-life romance as good as he can write about it?’

‘Ha,’ I said, knowing that I needed to change tack and act like him, not myself. ‘Fine, you got me; Jake kissed me,’ I said, shaking my head. ‘But what you didn’t see was after the lift doors closed, I slapped him.’

‘You slapped him?’ Davis repeated, unable to stop himself from grinning.

‘Of course I did! Can you imagine? He’s ten years older than me, and we work together; it was highly inappropriate. There is nothing and never will be anything between us,’ I said firmly. ‘Like you said, Jake can’t do an actual relationship and that’s what I’m looking for. I don’t trust anything he says.’

Davis nodded. ‘You’re wise not to, Freya; he’d eat a pretty little thing like you for breakfast.’

‘You’re right. I couldn’t trust him, not after what his father has done.’

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