Page 62 of A Dark Fall
“Jake. He’s Jake.” I laugh nervously. Saying his name aloud immediately makes me feel as if the albatross around my neck has just broken free, flapped its wings, and flown away. The name means nothing to Rob, of course, so she stares at me blankly.
“Jake. Okay, I’m gonna need a bit more than that, babe.”
“I met him at the club a few weeks ago—the opening.” It’s not a lie.
Robyn’s eyebrows move together while she digests this. “The nightclub? You never mentioned you met anyone.” She shakes her head. “Oh, wait—the guy you were dancing with? The tall one who disappeared?”
Who? Who is she talking about? Then I remember: Matt.
“No, not him. It was after that.”
“After that, you went home with a headache ...”
“Before the headache. After the dancing guy. When I went to the toilet and got lost.” My face begins to feel warm as though I’m digging myself back into a hole. “I was tipsy, and we got talking, and, well ... I gave him my number.”
Robyn chews the information over in her head. “That’s great, but why all the secrecy about it?” She looks genuinely confused.
I shrug again. “I honestly don’t know.” Again, not a lie. “I suppose at first, I never thought anything would happen. Then I thought you’d think he was a terrible idea. I mean, he’s ridiculously attractive and owns a nightclub. I felt impulsive even going out with a guy like him. I suppose I was waiting to see how it went before telling you.”
She nods. Then a small, sly smile grows on her face.“So, he’s ridiculously attractive?”
“It’s insane, Rob, seriously.”
She laughs at this. “So, this is therealreason you kicked the eligible Doctor Wardley to the curb then? The nightclub owner.” She’s grinning now.
I do a half-shrug-nod thing. I didn’t exactly kick him to the curb; I was just powerless in the face of the human sex tornado that is Jake Lawrence.
Rob’s quiet for a moment before she speaks again. “So, it’s obviously progressing well. Dan said you looked close.”
“I thought Dan said I wassnogging the faceoff him.”
“He did say that.” She laughs again. “Honestly, at first, I thought it might have been Ben. I was going to disown you.”
“Yeah, well, that’s not ever going to happen, so don’t worry.”
She hits me lightly on the knee. “Ugh, I can’t believe you kept this from me!”
“I know. I was waiting to see what happened, love. I felt sure you’d talk me out of it, and I didn’t ... want to be talked out of it, I suppose.” I was already doing a grand job of that all by myself.
She nods. “So ... have you slept with him yet?”
I give her a look that tells her everything.
“Oh my god! Dr. Marlowe, you secret nightclub owner-shagging slut!” she squeals before collapsing into a fit of giggles. Then she demands to know every detail of every encounter to date.
I tell her what I can without feeling as if I’m spilling Jake’s secrets. Which is mainly that he’s completely hot, totally intense, and the sex has been amazing, including this afternoon’s lunchtime dalliance.
“Well, I for one want to meet this guy who has turned you into a harlot!” she says. “Oh, bring him to dinner with us on Friday night?” She’s practically jumping off the sofa with excitement.
I forgot about Robyn’s dinner party.
“Dan and I were thinking we’d finally get you and Mark together, but now you can bring Jake, and it’ll be perfect! Though, probably not for Mark, but he’ll get over it.” She laughs again.
Invite Jake to Rob’s. Is that where we are now? Are we two people who go to dinner parties together? We’re having a lot of sex. I flush again. Then I remember I haven’t showered yet. I can’t imagine Jake would want to come to a dinner party with Rob and Dan and their friends anyway.
“Um, I don’t know, Rob. I’m pretty sure he works Friday nights,” I say, watching her deflate visibly. “But I’ll ask him and see what he says.”
I know what he’ll say. He’ll say he works Friday nights.