Page 34 of The Christmas Catch
Morgan rolled her eyes. “I know. I couldn’t be more of a cliché if I tried, could I?”
“Not really. Although she had a certain charm about her in those fetching colour-coordinated tracksuits she used to wear.”
“She was matchy-matchy before it was cool to do.”
Ali’s bum cheeks were still clenched from what she’d said, but she’d be forever grateful to Morgan for doing what she’d done. Making her laugh. Deflecting the situation.
“She was definitely queer, though.”
“No doubt.”
Ali glanced at Morgan again and caught her gaze. Desire rocked inside her, desperate for an exit. She took a moment to quiet it before she continued. She kept her hands under the duvet. If she took them out, they’d likely shake.
“You, though, were more of an enigma.” Ali risked a smile Morgan’s way.
She rewarded her with one back. “I wasn’t even out to myself.”
“And you had that boyfriend. What was his name?”
“Grant.” Morgan’s face folded into a frown.
“Yes, Grant! I hated him.” Shit. Had she said too much? The truth was often a low blow.
But Morgan laughed. “If it’s any consolation, I wasn’t that enamoured with him either. I mean, not in the way I should have been. All the other girls had boyfriends, and they were having sex and chatting about it all the time. Whereas I never quite got it, but I wasn’t ready to have that talk with myself.”
“Even though Ms Cherry made you want to pop?”
Now the bed shook as Morgan let out a hoot of laughter. “Ms Cherry was far too loved up with our maths teacher, Ms Bardell, to notice me. Imagine being Ms Cherry’s first, though. You really could say you popped her cherry.”
Ali grinned. “I’d dine out on that for years.”
They were quiet for a few moments before Morgan spoke again.
“I hope I was a decent first crush. Not too horrible to you. I remember Nicole and I making you walk behind us all the way home.”
Ali shrugged. “I got to ogle your arse, so it wasn’t all bad.”
Morgan’s mouth dropped open. “I feel used.” She closed her mouth. “But also, glad I paved the way for you to have some real-life love.”
Ali shook her head. “I was much better at it when I was younger. It was after university that shit got serious.” She blew out a breath. “Anyway, enough chat. We should sleep because if tomorrow’s anything like today, we’re going to need all our strength to get through it.”
Morgan slid down until she was flat. “You’re so sensible.”
“Tell my mother, please. She still thinks I’m rebelling by living in Scotland. Not a thought to what I might want to do with my life.” Of course, after what happened in the summer, maybe her mum had a point. Life was finite. Maybe she needed to go home more often.
“Also, I need to go to sleep so I can die of shame for what I just told you. I can’t wait until I wake up in the morning and remember it all over again.” Ali let her eyelids flutter shut. She functioned better when she was asleep. Less able to say stupid things.
“You’re going to be fine. If it helps at all, I’m glad I’m here with you. You might have been an annoying kid, but you’re a pretty cool adult. Plus, getting thrown this hopelessly off course on the way home wouldn’t have been half the fun alone. I’d still be stuck trying to inch past Maud the cow.”
Ali burst out laughing. Morgan always had been funny. Yes, she was cute, but her sense of humour and fun had drawn the young Ali, too.
When she recovered, Ali glanced sideways.
Their gazes locked again.
All the old feelings oozed down Ali like melted butter. Hot and impossible to ignore.
Ali felt iteverywhere.
