Page 121 of Nothing to Tell

“She didn’t ask where you were staying?”

“I said I was with a friend.He is a friend.He’s dating…” What was her name?“Audine.”

“He is not dating Audine.That wasn’t a thing.It’s nothing.Guys like him get dates like that, it just happens.It looks good.They’re networking, they don’t actually know each other.Not like you and Bastian know each other.Shit, Zairn is surrounded by women like her all the time and he’s married.”

“They were on a date.”

Still, Roxie wasn’t buying it.“You’ve been there a week, have you seen her?Heard him talking to her?About her?”

“No, but the guy owns a million hotels, I don’t know where he is every minute.”

“So you think they’re having sex?Because sex is not love.Checked and verified by me, honey.Even if he’s screwing her—he’s not screwing her.I’ll find out.”

Panic came in a gasp.“What?No!Don’t do that.”

“I can be discreet.I’m discreet.”That wasn’t the first word that came to mind when considering Roxie’s qualities.“Tina will know.”

“Tina his—his assistant?No, who he has sex with is his business.It’s not my business.”

“I won’t find out for you.I want to know for me and if I happen to share that information with you…”

She exhaled.“This is complicated enough.Please.Let Bastian live his life his way.”

“Have you been spending time together?”

“We eat dinner.Talk about business.He’s having red tape issues with ambiguous regulations, and an even more ambiguous regulations officer.”

“Sounds about right.Red tape.Red tape.Do you just talk about his stuff?”

“No, he’s had some great ideas about a charity concert I’m organizing and wants me to use a Grand location for a team building thing I have coming up.”

They ate together, they laughed together, and every night they said good night between their bedroom doors.Sleeping wasn’t as easy this time as it had been before.

Beyond anything else, he was the best friend she’d ever had.That didn’t erase her memory of the pleasure, but that was in the past.Now they were roommates and that’s how it would stay.

“What are you doing today?”

“Work,” she said.“You?”

“My definition of work is different to yours.”

That was true.“It is great having the office so close to my bedroom.I’ll never have to see another soul again.”

“No, no, no, you are not going to become a recluse.The club’s open door for you.It doesn’t have to be loud and busy, you’re in LA, you can use our private pods.Take Bastian along or Keely.”

“I don’t think they know I’m…”

“Shacked up with Bastian?”

Roxie sure didn’t make this easy.“My family don’t know, why should his?”

“You have nothing to be ashamed of.”

“It’s not shame, we just don’t need everyone in our business.”And she didn’t want them getting the wrong idea.Like Roxie’s idea this was something more.“We’re friends.That’s it.”

“Friends,” Roxie stated though whether she agreed was dubious.“Friends is good.”

“I am going downstairs to make some food, then I’ll spend the day working.Bastian’s still asleep.”Or so she thought.“We won’t even have to see each other.”