Page 11 of Try Hard
“I’ve got no idea what you mean.”
I groaned. “That poor woman thought you were flirting with her and you… leaned into it.”
She shot me a grin before focusing on tying her laces again, leg still up in the air. Her core muscles must be outstanding.
“Do you think she wants to call me…Daddy?” She dropped her voice to a low, suggestive whisper on the last word.
“I have no idea. And, frankly, no interest in knowing the answer.”
“Oh, really?.”
“Are you interested in knowing?” I stood up straighter, the muscles in my back tensing in the cold.
She smirked at me and switched legs to hold her other knee up. “No, but it is always flattering when someone’s into you.”
“Into you and calling you Daddy are not the same thing.”
“They’re not, but…” She sighed heavily, something almost imperceptible passing over her expression, and nodded towards Margot. “It is my experience that it’s always the unexpected ones who want to call me those names. And it’s best to know if they do. It’s also my experience that being friendly with fans brightens their day and makes them feel a little better about themselves. No losers.”
I was starting to wonder whether she wasn’t quite as relaxed about the names as she made out. “Except the poor partner waiting at home for you while you flirt with everyone you meet.”
She laughed, placing both feet on the floor again, and moved to stand in front of me. “No partners waiting at home. Nobody to get jealous over supposed flirting. Nobody gets hurt. I’m just doing my bit to make the world a better place. Though, my imaginary other half thanks you for your concern.”
“What about their partners?” I asked, unsure why I was pushing the issue so much.
“What about them? I’m pretty sure Margot’s single from what she’s said.”
Probably a direct and conscious notification that she’s single and available if the flirting was anything to go by. Even if she had spent ample time telling me the same thing…
“Well,” I said slowly, “if it were my partner flirting with a famous, gorgeous athlete, I think I’d be a little jealous.”
A light blush spread across her cheeks. “You think I’m gorgeous?”
“No.” I looked around wildly. “I’m just saying, I think other people might think you are. And what about their poor partners then?”
She laughed. “If it ever becomes an issue, I’ll let you know. But, most of those people who try flirting with me generally also want me to know they’re single or available.”
“Right.”
Of course they did. People were hitting on her to try to date her. For a million reasons. And, even if they weren’t, lots of people had crushes on celebrities. Maybe it only seemed weird to me because I remembered Eve at school. Biology, double period, Friday afternoons our whole final year. The last class we ever had in that place. Together, in the stuffy lab. There was something of a disconnect between someone I’d known in real life and what celebrity life must be like.
“Hey, Fia,” she said, not seeming nearly as thrown by the conversation as I was.
“Yes?”
“Do you fancy a walk? My feet still need warming up.”
“You don’t want to ask Margot?”
She laughed. “Maybe next time.”
I could do with a walk. It was cold, and it would be nice to move around, and, well, she was asking me. “Sure.”
Chapter Four
Eve
We circled the parking lot and, thanks to the hand warmers and activity, my feet were feeling a lot better—as was the rest of me. Still, I wasn’t quite ready to just head back and join everyone else. Fia was talking. She was interesting.
