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Alice clenched and tensed, breathing in for the count ofone, two, three, four… fuck. She looked up at the smiling face of Ash, curiosity sparkling in her brown eyes. Alice fumbled with her phone, locking the screen as Ash reached her.

“What an earth were you doing just now? Because from a distance it looked like you were laying an egg.”

“Just practicing some… er, breathing exercises.”

“Doesn’t that come naturally to you?” Ash laughed and went in for a hug.

Alice grinned, trying not to notice the way Ash’s woody scent lingered in her wake or how the sleeves of her black T-shirt flexed around her biceps.Nope, definitely not noticing the soft curve of her breasts under the fitted material, either.

“This place is lovely. How have I lived here most of my life and never come across it before?”

“I guess you weren’t looking hard enough.” Ash’s grin pinched a dimple into her cheek and it was so damn cute Alice had to tear her eyes away before she did something she might regret.

“Ooh, table.” Ash sprung over to where a young couple with a grizzling baby were rising from their seats. Her phone trilled as they sat and she glanced at the screen. “Shit, sorry, Alice. I have to get this.”

As Ash stepped away, Alice picked up the menu and tried not to listen, but couldn’t help overhearing when Ash’s normally even tone rose with irritation.

“Seriously, Indi. You can’t let me down, you promised.”

She paced along the path, interjecting with, “Uh-huh. Right, well, you owe me big-time,” and “Yeah, I guess that’s my problem to figure out,” as she raked her fingers through her glossy hair.

Ash caught Alice’s gaze and rolled her eyes as she said into the phone, “Yeah, yeah, love you too, just a little bit less than I did before.” She hung up the call and made her way back over, groaning as she slumped into the bistro chair. Alice placed the menu down.

“Okay, that’s not a happy face. Who’s this Indi and what’s she done to upset you?”

Ash glanced up through her long eyelashes and sighed. “Indi is ahe. And the answer to every gay Indian girl’s dreams.”

“Tell me more.”

“Remember, I told you I had a beard?”

Alice nodded.

“Well, that’s Indi, my gay best mate. Incredibly, we make each other appear straight at family gatherings. He’s like a very flamboyant invisibility cape.”

Alice laughed. “So, what’s he done to upset you?”

“Only gone and bailed on being my plus-one to my brother’s engagement party next weekend.” She added a “for fuck’s sake,” under her breath.

“I’ll go with you,” Alice said before pausing to breathe… or think.

“Oh. Er, I mean, the idea is to get through it somehow by passing as straight, so I’m not sure…” Ash shrugged, but then narrowed her eyes. “Fuck it. Maybe you should come with me?”

“Really? I don’t want to make anything worse for you.”

“They’ll all love you. You’re so glamorous, you’ll divert attention that way instead.”

Alice swatted away the compliment. “I’m hardly glamorous. And with some of the states you’ve seen me in recently, I’ve never looked such a wreck.”

“Seriously, have you seen yourself? Panda-eyes and ripped stockings notwithstanding… you’re stunning. I mean, you know that, right?” Ash blushed.

“Yeah, that’s me, a hot mess.” Alice crushed her lips together to stop herself from smiling too hard.

Ash cleared her throat. “So, do you know what you want?”

“Well, you’re the one who keeps getting interrupted as you’re about to say something intriguing. What doyouwant, Ash?”

“To order, I mean.” A teasing grin played on Ash’s lips. “You’ve been staring at the menu for ten minutes. I already know what I’m having so…”