Page 16 of Try Hard
“I hope you took note of that,” Eve’s voice said, quiet but right in my ear.
I jumped, straightening up and almost dropping the equipment in my hands. I shot her a wide-eyed look. The whole group would murder me if I started breaking their gear. “What?”
“My number.” She looked deeply amused as she gestured to my full hands. “I didn’t see you typing it into your phone, so I hope you’ve got a great memory.”
“Was I supposed to? You were literally in the middle of a conversation with someone else.”
“I said it nice and loud, just for you.”
I shot her a look, less panicked now that I had a good grip on everything. “So, you just gave all of Gatwick your number? I hope you’ve been looking to get a new one.”
She laughed. Everything with her was so easy going. “I have multiple numbers so it’s not the end of the world if that one gets out and I have to write it off.”
I frowned. “Why?”
“A whole host of reasons, but, you know, having been in different countries, then for business, and just…” She seemed mildly uncomfortable for the first time. “It was suggested to me once as a security and privacy measure.”
“Oh, right.” I hadn’t thought of that, but it made a lot of sense. I was reminded of my earlier thoughts about my dad putting himself out there on the internet and one of the manyreasons I didn’t. Sure, people weren’t clamouring for my number like Eve’s fans were clamouring for hers, but I still didn’t like the idea of giving up parts of my privacy, of running the risk of things about me getting out.
Eve smiled again and glanced around before leaning in. “Don’t worry, though, I’m planning on giving you my private number.”
I glanced at Margot, who was positively glowing as she helped pack up the laptops. “Isn’t the number you gave Margot private?”
She shrugged easily, moving to take some of the gear from me. “Kind of, but it’s not the one I reserve for close friends and family.”
“We’re not family,” I said, really meaning that we’re not close friends but somehow unable to say that.
“I’ve known you since we were eleven. I think I can trust you.”
Something twisted in my stomach again. “I could have become a criminal in the interim.”
“A criminal who collects people’s numbers and hands them out?”
“Yes.”
“Did you?” she asked, looking deeply entertained.
“No.”
“So, there we go then. Safe.”
I hummed. I seldom felt as off-kilter in conversation as I did right now. “I guess so.”
“Thank god I don’t have to ask Big Jezzer to adopt you before I can give you my number,” she joked and I couldn’t help but shake my head.
“Is that how you’re planning on referring to him moving forward?”
“Obviously. But not all the time. I’m saving it for the most opportune, impactful moments.”
“Of course. Got to… make a scene with it.”
“For sure. The man’s an internet celebrity now, gotta give him that experience of fame.”
I narrowed my eyes and looked between Eve and her dad. “You’re not worried he’ll start pulling the same thing on you?”
She snorted. “He’s been doing that for years, so this is fair game.”
I grimaced. “Let’s just hope he doesn’t start commenting on the whole, ‘Choke me, Daddy,’ thing in revenge.”
