Page 76 of The Gin Lover's Guide to Dating

‘I am glad of hearing this.’

‘And as snogging Dylan would feel a bit like incest – he’s like my brother – I’m going to have to opt for another marriage of convenience…’

‘This is meaning that you snog Aaron!’ Reyes hoots with glee.

‘I guess it does.’ I wrinkle my nose as I contemplate this.

‘Aaron is good-looking hombre, no?’ Reyes regards my facial expression with confusion.

‘Yeah, I suppose.’ I remove the remaining glasses from the glass washer. ‘I’ve never really thought about him that way. And he’s a few years older than me. But if you lose the super-awkward personality and replace it with Josh’s charm, then why not?’

‘I am thinking you are right.’ Reyes starts to cash up the till. ‘But I am also thinking that any man with charm of Josh I will snog.’

‘That may well be true,’ I agree. ‘Which is probably all the more reason why I need to keep my wits about me in this… whatever it is. I could easily get swept away by the lust and fun, without thinking any of it through. I do like him a lot, but I need to be sure that he’s right for me.’

‘I think this is OK, Chica,’ Reyes reassures me. ‘For now. You can see if the rest is coming later.’

‘Lots of deep and meaningful chat going on here, I see.’ Aaron’s clipped tone suddenly cuts through our conversation, as I freeze in horror.

Chapter 21

Reyes and I share a panicked look as we realise he’s standing just feet away from us, his expression totally unreadable. Oh hell. How long has he been there? Please tell me he didn’t hear us; I’ll have completely barbecued my bridges this time.

‘Aaron. Hi. Didn’t see you there,’ I say, flustered. ‘We were just… err…’

I glance desperately at Reyes, who reads my unspoken distress call and wades in to help me.

‘We speak about a new TV show, Mister Gardiner. It is about dating.’

‘Oh, yes?’ Aaron prompts Reyes to continue, his expression still indecipherable.

‘It is dating, but without clothes,’ Reyes continues. ‘The chicas and hombres go for dinner naked. You have seen this?’

I inwardly groan, realising that whatever Aaron heard, it will not match up at all with Reyes’s account of things. She’s now added to an already excruciating situation in her attempt to divert his attention.

‘Is that right?’ Aaron gives nothing away as he sways in his habitual, pine-tree-like manner, moving smoothly back and forth from his heels to the balls of his feet. ‘I can’t say it’s something I’ve seen.’

I study his face, trying to figure out what he heard. Unless it was only the very tail end of our conversation, I have two things to worry about: he’ll now know about me and Josh; or worse, he’ll know thatandthat I said Iwouldsnog him, but preferably only if he assumed a different personality.

‘You should watch it, Mister Gardiner.’ Reyes appears completely unaware of her misjudgement. ‘It is very… liberation.’

‘You mean liberating,’ Aaron corrects her.

‘Yes,’ Reyes replies. ‘That is what I say.’

I stare at Reyes, trying to send her telepathic messages to shut the hell up, but her attention is fully fixed on Aaron.

‘Right, well. Perhaps I should give it a watch.’ Aaron surveys us appraisingly.

‘Yes, you must,’ she persists. ‘You are learning things. Like how people are making different choices when they cannot see how the other person will dress.’

Reyes smiles sweetly at Aaron, mistakenly thinking she’s rescued the situation. But the hint of sarcasm barely detectable in Aaron’s voice suggests otherwise.

‘It’s certainly interesting what people consider to be important,’ says Aaron. ‘For some it’s all aboutfunandlust.’

Shit. He heard. He bloody well heard. Certainly, the part about me and Josh. That’s bad enough, especially him hearing it in that context, but did he hear the bit before it – about him? Please, no. I’ll never be able to look him in the eye again. My face is burning. I will him to leave and end to this excruciating conversation.

‘That is true, Mister Gardiner. You have good observation.’ Reyes is completely oblivious to what’s really going on.

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