Page 101 of Sit, Stay, Love
‘Not at all. Then he had a go at me about not knowing what I want. He thinks Toby is in love with me. Told me it was obvious. My mum says the same thing, actually. And dad.’ She looked to the ceiling and squeaked out a whine. ‘Ethan even asked me if I was in love with Toby, which is ridiculous.’
‘Is it?’ Linda asked archly. ‘After our last conversation about your gorgeous-man-triangle, I’m not so sure.’
‘We decided Ethan was boyfriend material and Toby was friend zone, remember? So, I can’t be in love with him.’ Sera looked at Linda with pleading eyes. ‘Because I decided. Right?’
‘A woman can change her mind.’ Linda wiggled off the bed and stood in front of Sera. ‘Hot actor or hot vet; who will get the final rose?’ she announced into an invisible microphone.
‘Stop it! It’s not funny.’ Sera said, even though she was laughing.
‘It’s brilliant. You’re gorgeous. All the men should be fighting over you.’
‘I don’t want anyone fighting over me.’ She groaned. ‘My life used to be so easy.’
‘Boring!’
‘Easy!’
Linda rolled her eyes. ‘Try on the cherry dress.’
Sera slipped the white and red dress over her head and gazed in the mirror as Linda zipped her up. ‘Anyway, Toby can’t be in love with me. In all the nights we’ve spent together, he’s never eventriedto kiss me, and the more I think about that night on the couch, the more I’m sure I misread everything.’ Her brow creased as she remembered his tendertouch and the heat that rocked her from head to toe. ‘I think I was just hot and bothered because of the day I’d had with Ethan, then seeing him naked on Netflix.’
Linda straightened Sera’s dress straps. ‘What if he did try to kiss you?’
‘I can’t wear this,’ Sera said. ‘If a dog jumps up on me, I’ll be covered in paw prints.’
Linda pulled the zip back down and handed her a pink gingham fifties wiggle dress.
Sera stepped out of the first dress and shimmied the new one over her hips. ‘I didn’t know you’d have so many retro clothes,’ she said.
‘And I didn’t know you were so good at evasion,’ Linda replied. She sat on the bed again and studied her friend. ‘That one looks great. It goes with your hair. You could even wear cute sneakers with it if you wanted to.’
Sera nodded. She liked the dress. It hugged her shapely figure, sitting tight across her tummy and pushing her boobs up into sensational cleavage. And it had a pocket.
Linda handed her a pair of pink and white sneakers. ‘What if Toby did make a move on you? Romantically speaking.’
‘He wouldn’t,’ Sera said. ‘Neither of us would risk screwing up our friendship.’
‘So, that’s the only thing holding you back?’
Sera threw her arms out. ‘Well? Are the sneakers too casual?’
Linda looked at her deadpan. ‘They’re Alexander McQueen.’
Sera glanced down at her feet. They just looked like white sneakers.
‘And the outfit is super cute,’ Linda said. ‘You look amazing. Both your men are going to swoon.’
‘Darling.’ Her mother’s voice cut through the air of Sera’s car like a knife. ‘Come to dinner tonight. Bring Toby. We miss him.’
Sera stifled a groan. ‘Mum, I can’t. I have stuff to do.’
‘I want to talk to you about the fundraiser. Come about six-thirty and we’ll have cheese on the balcony. I’ll tell your father to get some beer for Toby. See you two soon.’
Sera managed to splutter a ‘Mum, wait… I—’ before her mother hung up.
Practically gnashing her teeth, she said, ‘Siri, call Toby.’
‘Petside Vet Clinic,’ Toby’s deep voice boomed.
