Page 102 of Behind Frenemy Lines

Loretta sat up. “She messaged you? You’ve got her number?”

CG: “She wanted me to send her food recommendations, since she was going to Hong Kong.”

Loretta: “Oh, so she gave you her number? And she texted you? Let me see.”

CG: “What? No.”

Scuffle ensued. Loretta cheated: licked my arm. I dropped the phone trying to get away from her.

CG: “That’s disgusting! What’s wrong with you?”

Hayley, admiring, to Loretta: “You really will stop at nothing.”

Loretta: “At least I didn’t bite you. Charles, you should lock your phone, anyone could pick it up and go through your shit.”

She scrolled through my messages while I was sputtering.

Loretta: “She asked you out! Babe, she asked him out!”

CG: “She didn’t ask me out.” Assailed by doubt. “Did she?”

Loretta: “What’s this bit about having a coffee, if it’s not meant to be a date?” She handed my phone to Hayley. “And heturned her down! Charles, what’s your problem? I thought you liked her.”

CG: “She just wanted to keep in touch, as colleagues. She wasn’t asking for a date.” Was she?

Maybe I should have asked. I’d assumed Kriya wanted information—the details of Arthur’s departure from the firm, and whether we’d decided to take Shaw’s case on, or not. Could understand her curiosity, but I hadn’t wanted to prolong the exchange of messages unnecessarily.

I’d spent enough time pining for Kriya. Experience had shown proximity and regular contact didn’t help. I’d thought I’d see what distance could do.

Hadn’t done much so far, it was true. But it had only been three weeks.

Loretta rolled her eyes. “Poor Kriya. Reacting with a thumbs up emoji was more than you deserved.”

Hayley: “I can see why Charles thinks it’s ambiguous, to be fair. It could be a networking thing, especially if she’s job-hunting now. It depends on the context.”

Perhaps Hayley would be a salutary influence in our flat. There were times I had felt Loretta could do with some moderation.

Hayley: “What actually happened when you stayed over at Kriya’s? Did you guys, you know.” She gestured. “Mess around?”

Loretta: “Of course they messed around. Wait, didn’t you?”

CG, stiffly: “It doesn’t matter. She isn’t interested in anything more. She’s going off for this job now anyway.”

Loretta and Hayley exchanged an extremely married look.

Loretta: “Charles, seriously.” Tapped phone screen. “This is solid evidence she’s interested. She wants to see you again. If it was about networking so she could get another job, why wouldn’t she network with all the former colleagues shehasn’tslept with?”

Hayley: “That’s true. It’s not like she doesn’t know what straight men are like. She has to expect you’ll be thinking, ‘She wants to hook up again.’”

They were both so serenely certain it shook me. Recovered my phone from Hayley so I could review the messages.

There still didn’t seem much in them to encourage hope. Loretta and Hayley hadn’t been there when Kriya had said,It’s complicated.She could have messaged me before she left the country, if she’d wanted to meet up.

But she’d said other things, too.You’re so lovely.

Heart lifted at the memory of the look in her eyes.

Maybe Loretta and Hayley were right. It was hardly an area in which I had much expertise. I was very willing to concede the point.

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