“Well, not one that we’ve met. She’s never had an issue hooking up with people though,” Brooke countered.
“Aromantic and asexual are not the same thing. And she could just be demisexual, you know?” Christine suggested.
Nick raised his hand.“Sorry, they’re not the same thing?”
Christine shook her head.“Nah, you can totally want to fuck someone and not date them. That’s how Todd and I started.” She let out a self deprecating laugh and waved her hand,“honestly it’s how we are most of the time anyway. That’s why we still haven’t moved in together.”
Nick frowned.“But don’t you have a cat together?”
“We’re not gossiping about me and Todd, we are…” she grinned at Brooke before continuing,“exchanging facts about our friends.”
None of them could hold back a quick round of laughter after that.“This is ridiculous,” Brooke said.“Fine, Nick, you clearly have all the intel, tell us everything you know and make it quick, we’ve got an apartment to decorate.”
“Anna has been good for you,” Christine said, her smile softening. She reached out and squeezed Brooke’s forearm before turning all of her attention to Nick.“She’s right though, spill.”
“Right, so after the brownie event, they exchanged numbers. But I guess neither of them used them. Allegra said something about not wanting to read the vibes wrong or something like that,” Nick said.
“That seems unlike Vivienne. She would shoot her shot and move on if rejected,” Brooke said. She’d known Vivienne the longest. They’d met in boarding school and hadn’t met Christine until Oxford.
Christine nodded.“I agree. Every time I’ve seen her pick someone up, or get picked up for that matter, it’s been very direct.”
Nick held his hands up in surrender.“I only have one half of the story here, do you want what I’ve got or not?”
“Well obviously,” Christine said, rolling her eyes.
“Okay, so board-game night nearly a month ago, we were all back together.”
Nick was talking about the board game night he and Anna had hosted. The whole group had crammed themselves into Anna and Nick’s apartment.
Brooke tried to remember Allegra and Vivienne’s interactions from the night. Anna and Nick had definitely both clocked the chemistry between them and Brooke had confessed that she had noticed it at brownie night. That had been the night that Anna had set clear, concise expectations in the tea gathering and sharing department. Other than prolonged eye contact, she couldn’t really think of anything glaring that might have transpired between them at the game night.
“Apparently, after it ended, Vivienne gave Allegra a ride home after she found out that Allegra was going to take public transit,” Nick continued.
“So, they fornicated after board game night?” Brooke asked.
“No, and for the nine-thousandth time, please stop saying fornicated,” Nick said.
Christine giggled.“She always has, you’re not going to break that habit.”
“Well, when did they haveintercourse?” Brooke asked.
Nick visibly recoiled.“That’s worse, go back to fornicate.” He threw another handful of rose petals, just to delay the point.“They did start to text after that night though. They got drinks the following Friday. And apparently after a few drinks they hooked up in the bar’s bathroom.”
“No?” Christine squeaked.“They didn’t!”
“I’m just sharing the story as I know it. But yes. The bar’s bathroom and then again at Allegra’s apartment. Then again a few nights later.” He wiggled his eyebrows scandalously.
“Friends with benefits, do we think?” Christine asked.
“I mean, they could be dating. Vivienne might have had official, labelled partners and just never spoken about them before,” Brooke insisted.“She's a very private person.”
“That’s true, if you’re a bank drawer, she’s a vault.” Christine tapped her chin again.“I’m going to ask her if she’s ever had a boyfriend or girlfriend at dinner next Monday.”
“Why?” Brooke asked, genuinely curious, but also to tell Anna later.
“Because. I want to know. How do we, of all people, not know this about her? We’re her best friends and I’m beginning to worry we’ve been bad ones,” Christine said with a finality that Brooke didn’t feel was appropriate to question.
“Can I come?” Nick asked, though it was clear he was teasing.
