Page 39 of Knots About You
Me: Marty didn’t bleach my vag.
Shells: Bet he didn’t make it wet either.
I rolled my eyes, but couldn’t wipe the smile off my face.
Shells: Speaking of the dickhead ex, he showed up here yesterday.
Me: Why?
Shells: He was furious that you were ignoring him, but I explained you hadn’t taken your phone to Otterleigh Bay. He asked for your number, but I said no. You didn’t want me to give it to you, did you?
Me: I’m glad you didn’t! What did he say to that?
Shells: Dominic came out of the bedroom naked as you like, and I thought Marty's eyes were going to fall out. He couldn’t have left any faster.
Oh my days. I would have loved to see that. Marty was such a prude when it came to anything other than his dick and some quickHow’s your motherbefore bed. Meowrse looked up as Owen crashed about in his kitchen.
Me: Ah, well, at least Dom and his penis came in handy.
Shells: It’s VERY handy. For many things. Speaking of which, spill on your holi-date. What’s he like?
Me: His name is Owen. He owns a whisky distillery and has the cutest little eye wrinkles when he smiles, which isn’t often, as he’s a bit of a grump. But in a sexy way.
Shells: How can grumpy men even be sexy?
Me: It’s not like he’s really grumpy, just kind of a hard shell, soft underneath. He’s so unlike anyone I’ve dated before. Not that we’re dating, because you can’t really date someone who you’re only going to know for a few weeks.
Shells: OMG. You like him.
Me: Well, obviously.
Shells: No… not just want to take him for a quick ride. You like him like him
.
I swallowed, running my finger along the edge of the phone. I couldn’t deny it.
The front door clicked, and Isla crashed into the house, arms full of cake and notepads. I put my phone aside and got up, taking the upside-down Tupperware tub from her before she could drop it.
‘Hey,’ I said.
‘It’s a pleasant surprise to see you,’ she said, kicking the door shut with a heel. ‘I hope your presence means my big brother is less of a grouch than usual.’
‘I wouldn’t count on it I joked.’ I peered through the Tupperware tub’s semi-translucent walls, trying to decipher what kind of cake it was. ‘Why have you put the cake in upside down?’
‘Because then the lid acts as a plate when you take the other bit off.’ Isla led the way through to the kitchen, dumping her stationery onto the large wooden table and shrugging off her damp coat.
‘Alright, trouble?’ Owen asked, looking out some plates and a knife. ‘No Jeff today?’
‘He’s been dumped at Mum and Dad’s for Sunday lunch. Mum made pie and we’re busy, so I told him if he wanted to be fed, he could go there,’ Isla replied, already laying out slices of a delicious-looking coffee and walnut cake, before flipping open her notebook.
I took the chair beside Owen, pressing my thigh against his. He gave me a look that told me he was onto me. Still, I didn’t move.
‘No flirting at the table,’ Isla said, narrowing her eyes at Owen. ‘I’ve enough to deal with now that my phone lights up fifty billion times a day with people telling me the gross stuff they want you to do to them. I had to turn my notifications off.’
Owen shrugged. ‘You could take down the video?’
‘No, I can’t. As much as I think they are all off their rockers, sales are up for the first time in god knows how long.’ Isla stabbed her cake and shoved a forkful in her mouth. I followed suit.
