Page 58 of The Fiancée Farce
Tansy cringed and a shocked laugh bubbled up in her throat. She pinched her lips together to keep it from escaping.
“Wow.” Lucy laughed bitterly. “Screw you, Gemma.”
She sounded furious. Confusing, considering she and Gemma were roommates, right? Friends?Justfriends?
Unless...
We could add a few benefits to our friendship... if you want?
Tansy’s stomach roiled. She pressed her palm against it, praying for it to settle.
What if she wasn’t the only friend Gemma had with added benefits?
Why then would Gemma have resorted to—to marrying Tansy, if she and Lucy weresomethingall along? That didn’t make sense. Something didn’t add up.
“You asked for the truth, Lucy. I’m sorry if you don’t like it, but I’m not exactly fond of you storming in and pointing fingers when I haven’t done a damn thing wrong.”
Tansy took a step toward Prudence, hardwood creaking beneath her weight. She cringed, muscles locking. Damn it.
“Did you hear that?” Lucy asked.
“Hear what?”
“I could’ve sworn I heard... forget it. It was probably just the floor settling.”
Tansy breathed a quiet sigh of relief, still trapped in a staring match with Prudence, who refused to blink.
“Lucy, we’ve been over this before,” Gemma said, voice gentle.
“Yeah, and you lied. You told me it was just a business arrangement.”
“Ineverlied to you. At the time, that’s all it was. Things changed.”
“Clearly.” Lucy scoffed. “You having your hand buried under her skirt sort of clued me in.”
Tansy shut her eyes, heat rising in her cheeks. That wasn’t the sort of thing she was okay with just anyone seeing. Lucy, a girl Tansy had barely even spoken to, taking what was meant to be a private moment and using it as ammunition only added insult to injury.
“Don’t,” Gemma said, stony. “Just—just lay off, Lucy.”
“Are you in love with her?” Lucy demanded. “Tell me the truth.”
Gemma scoffed. “I’ve known Tansy a month. Of course I’m not in love with her.”
Prudence, completely oblivious to Tansy’s plight, stood, stretched, and turned, wandering down the hall in Gemma and Lucy’s direction. Tansy cringed. No, no,no. This was so bad.
“Prudence!” she whispered. “Prudence.”
“What was that?” Lucy asked.
Tansy cringed harder, cursing her stupidity, feeling for all the world like she was caught between a rock and a hard place. Story of her life.
“What was what?” Gemma asked.
“You seriously didn’t hear that?”
“Hear what?”
“That noise!”
