Louise Bentley is a feisty, wild, 'let's-go-to-Capri-for-the-weekend-yeah?' kind of girl. She spends her days working at a party-planning company. Oh, and she never wants kids. Ever.
Ben Langford is a studious, quiet, 'I'm-busy-reading' sort of man...
Ophelia took a bite of scone. "So you haven't spoken about it?"
"No." Louise took a sip of tea. "But I mean, what is there to say? Both of us have been celibate for weeks; of course he's feeling frustrated. It's only natural." The girls exchanged a look, and she frowned. "What?"
Ella fiddled with a bracelet. "I mean, is it possible that..." She leaned forward, lowering her voice. "Lou, have you thought about the fact that Max might be right? That Ben has feelings for you?"
Louise set down her tea. "Don't be stupid."
"I'm serious."
"Langford and I can't stand each other," Louise said. Both girls looked at her doubtfully, and she sighed. "Okay, well, yes, we're getting along better these days, but that doesn't mean he fancies me."
"Did he deny it?" Ella asked.
Louise frowned. Had Ben denied it last night? Not strictly speaking, no... he'd just rolled over and gone to sleep. Still, the idea of Ben Langford fancying her was ridiculous; he'd marry a six-foot blonde model named Francesca Taylor-Smythe that loved cross-stitching, baking, and played tennis on the weekends.
The thought made her feel a little sick.
Louise picked up her tea. "He doesn't have to deny it. I know him."
"And you?" Ophelia asked.
Ophelia was watching with her closely. It was the same face her friend got when she was editing, Louise thought, her face bent low to the manuscript, red ink smudged all over her hands. She sipped her tea.
"What about me?" Louise asked.
Ophelia wiped her hands on a napkin. "Do you fancy him?"
The image of Ben — shirtless, sprawled out in bed — rose in her mind, and Louise lowered her eyes to her tea. "Well, he's not exactly ugly, is he?"
"That's not an answer," Ella pointed out.
Louise pulled a face. "What do you want me to say? Yes. Fine. I fancy him a little. But remember what you said at the wedding, Ells?" She set down her tea. "About Ben being the only man that hasn't tried to shag me straight away?"
Ella's mouth quirked. "I don't think that's exactly how I phrased it."
"Details, details." Louise waved her off. "Anyway, you know I like a challenge. And he's off-limits. Maybe that's all it is."
Ella's smile grew. "Maybe."
"He's not in love with me," Louise said firmly. Ophelia turned her laugh into a cough, and her exasperation rose. "He's not!"
Ophelia shrugged. "Okay. We believe you."
Louise doubted this. Ella looked gleeful; Ophelia, uncharacteristically smug. Louise finished her tea, flagging down the waitress. It was a pity, she thought, that her friends were about to be exceptionally disappointed.
"I'll speak with him today," Louise said, pulling out her wallet. "Ben doesn't have feelings for me. You'll see."
Ophelia and Ella exchanged another loaded look.
Wisely, neither one of them spoke.
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