Page 44 of Retrograde
‘No!’ Lucie’s voice rose several octaves and her cheeks reddened.
‘Nothinghas happened? Nothing that would cause a shift in your behaviour now?’
‘Okay, so obviously there was the drunken almost-sex in Vegas… maybe we kissed in Sydney. Stone-cold sober.’
‘You’ve what? You’ve kissed? Just, a casual peck or like, a full-on, clothes thrown across the room, hard to resist taking it further kind of kiss?’
‘Uhhh… tipped my entire world on its axis. I laid awake for hours.’
‘Oh lord, those are the best kind.’
‘Iknow. But it’s Brett. This can’t be a thing.’
‘Why not? You two are soulmates, it’s frustrating watching you two not realise it.’
‘He’s a wild card. I don’t think anything could make him settle down.’
Faith frowned. ‘Hmm.’
‘What?’
‘I hate to admit it, but I think you have a point.’
‘Exactly. So, we need to rein it in.’
‘I don’t think you should completely close the door on it.’
‘Well, I can’ttalkto him about it.’ Lucie widened her eyes as if the idea was ludicrous.
‘Of course you can.’
‘No way. That will make things awkward.’ She fidgeted with her bracelet, one that Brett had got her when her grandma passed away. It had her nonna’s birthstone, amethyst, in it.
‘Lucie, are you for real? If a one-night stand two years ago hasn’t made things awkward, neither will addressing said one-night stand.’
‘He did also offer a friends-with-benefits arrangement… I’m still not sure if he was joking. I laughed it off, anyway.’
‘He what? Girl, take it!’ Faith’s drink sloshed as she lurched forward and gripped Lucie’s arm. This was the most they’d gossiped about the guys since the IEC trip to Hawaii two seasons ago, when Faith had told her she and Julien had been secretly sort-of dating.
‘I can’t do that!’ She was already dangerously close, but right now, in this moment, logic was in control of her emotions.
‘Why not?’
Lucie chewed on her bottom lip, ruining her recent gloss application. ‘Because…’
‘Oh, shit! You’re in love with him!’ Faith whisper-yelled and caused the bartender to look their way. It was just as well nobody else was at the bar, because this would be all over social media before long if they weren’t careful.
‘Congrats, you worked it out.’
Faith’s jaw dropped, and Lucie became hyper-aware that Brett was likely still looking in their direction. If they didn’t move this conversation elsewhere, or tone it down a notch, he’d be over here in a millisecond, trying to get in on the gossip. What excuse would Lucie possibly give him if he did catch on to their top-secret exchange?
‘I can’t believe it’s taken me this long to figure it out.’ Faith sat there dumbfounded, like she had just uncovered the world’s greatest love story.
‘I’m not too sure whenIfigured it out, to be honest. It was almost like I didn’t have to.’
‘You’ve just kind of always felt it?’ she said, dreamily.
‘For as long as I can remember. But it’s like that night we spent together reignited the spark, and I can’t push it down any more.’
