Stolen Kiss From a Prince (17 page)

‘Then I’ll see you tomorrow.’

The interview was clearly over.

‘Enjoy the rest of your birthday.’

Fliss looked up in shock. ‘It’s your
birthday
? Here I am, thinking about spreadsheets and emails and offices, and what I should be doing is ordering you a cocktail to go with that cake. What are you doing later? I’m sure you have plans, but we could meet here for cocktails first?’

Lawrie’s first instinct was to lie—to claim company, plans, unavailability. But Jonas had stopped, turned, was listening, and she couldn’t let him know she was ashamed of her lone state. ‘Actually, Fliss, I was planning a quiet one this year. I have a nice bottle of red and a good book saved up.’

It was the truth, and she had been looking forward to indulging in both. So why did it feel like a confession?

‘A good book? I know you’ve been gone a long time, but nobody changes
that
much. Of
course
we’re going to celebrate. I’ll see you here for cocktails at seven, and then there’s Open Mic Night later. Perfect! Jonas, you can pick her up. We don’t want the birthday girl to be late.’

‘Honestly—’ Lawrie began, not sure what panicked her more: Jonas picking her up like old times, the chance that she might let her guard down after a cocktail, or spending her thirtieth birthday with the same people who had celebrated her eighteenth. ‘I’ll be fine.’

‘Don’t be silly.’ Jonas’s expression was indecipherable, his voice emotionless. ‘Fliss is right. You can’t spend your birthday alone. Besides, you used to enjoy singing. It’ll be just like old times.’

And that, thought Lawrie, was exactly what she was afraid of.

Copyright © 2014 by Jessica Gilmore

ISBN-13: 9781460328989

Copyright © 2014 by Teresa Carpenter

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