Page 36 of The Situation Ship
“Who do you think took the role of Betsy inThe Silent Danceronce it was free for the taking?” Poppy winked.
The mischievous glint in her eye as they walked out of the nail boutique made him nervous.
Poppy tried to avoid replaying this afternoon’s conversation with Calliope as she soaked in the large tub in her bathroom. She hadn’t thought she would be able to bring herself to get in a tub again after seeing Patrice’s body, but it was her favourite place in the world and she’d desperately needed to relax, so she’d decided the best way to get over it would be to get under the water.
Instead of inducing a panic attack, the warm water had turned her muscles to mush while the lavender fragrance washed away her stress. She groaned when the phone on the bathroom wall rang; there was no way she was going to answer, in case it was Calliope trying to set up another dinner date. At least she didn’t have to worry about running into her at the opera tomorrow night.
Thankfully, the phone stopped ringing quickly, allowing her to relax again.
“Can I come in?” Isaiah asked, tapping lightly on the door just as she closed her eyes.
“Come in,” Poppy called, making sure she was covered by a blanket of bubbles.
As he entered, he focused his gaze on the marble tiles. She found his bashful concern for her privacy adorable.
“I got a call from the reception desk. I need to head down. Are you okay here for a while?”
“Poppy, do you have any moisturiser?” Mina walked into the bathroom, pausing when she saw Poppy in the tub and Isaiah by the sink. “I suppose I should be grateful this is a bathroom, not a fridge.”
“Very funny,” Isaiah replied. “But I’m glad you’re here. I need you to keep an eye on Poppy while I step out.”
“Keep an eye on me? I don’t need a babysitter,” Poppy protested.
“Don’t put me in the middle of your foreplay,” Mina joked, holding her hands up in mock surrender as she started to back out of the room. “I’ve got a dinner date tonight with a world champion. I need a nap and some moisturiser, because I think I’m starting to peel. I can’t look like a burnt lobster on a date– it’s gross. I don’t have time to get caught up in whatever you two are doing.”
Poppy winced in sympathy; Mina’s freckled shoulders matched her own painted nails. She turned to Isaiah. “Why do they need you to go to reception?”
“Eckells sent me something that he wants me to review,” Isaiah replied, shifting uncomfortably. His unease was palpable. Poppy wasn’t sure if he was lying, or just feeling awkward about Mina’s teasing. Or her diminishing bubbles.
“Did you speak to him? Is something wrong with the club?” Mina asked anxiously.
“I thought you didn’t care about your boss?” Isaiah teased.
“Did you two spend more time in fridges while I soaked up too much sun?” was Mina’s retort.
“No more fridges, but we did get our nails done.” Poppy chuckled, proudly displaying her ruby-red manicure.
Mina looked at Isaiah and laughed. “Eckells would love to hear that his tough and terrible Detective Rivers had his nails done.”
“Hey, a real man looks after himself,” he said, rubbing his hands together. “And the salon wouldn’t let me in unless I booked a treatment. Besides, I’m sure he’d be equally interested to know that you have a date with an F1 driver, one of his guests!”
Mina’s smile faded. “You wouldn’t.”
“I would, so stay here with Poppy until I get back,” Isaiah threatened.
“If you’re so worried about me, maybe you could leave us with a gun?” Poppy suggested, trying to tease him.
“The thought of you with a gun frightens me more than any threat out there.”
“It should,” Poppy muttered.
“I think she’s starting to like you,” she heard Mina said as Isaiah closed the door behind them harder than necessary.
“If that’s what liking me looks like…” Isaiah whistled. “I’d hate to be her enemy.”
“You’ve no idea,” Mina chuckled.
“I can hear the two of you!” Poppy called, stepping out of the tub and wrapping herself in a fluffy towel embroidered with gold tridents.
