“What?” I blurted, having no idea what he was talking about.
“That girl you mentioned at the bar.” Axel kept eating like he didn’t just throw me under the bus.
“Uh…” My eyes immediately darted to Francesca.
She was looking purposely down at her food but she wasn’t eating it. She was just picking at it like she needed something to do with her hands.
“Are you guys more serious now?” Axel asked.
I wanted to break his neck.
“Oh, tell us about her,” Yaya said. “What’s her name?”
Fuck, why did I say that to Axel? “It’s nothing. He’s exaggerating.”
“No, I’m not,” Axel argued. “Yaya, there were these two hot chicks that totally wanted us but Hawke said no.”
“Loyal,” Yaya said. “I like that.”
Francesca still wouldn’t look up from her food.
“She and I are just friends—that’s it.” I didn’t want Francesca to assume the worst, not after last night.
“That sleep together?” Axel asked incredulously.
Francesca abruptly stood from the table. “I need to use the restroom…” She walked away and immediately headed up the stairs.
No one noticed her quick departure but me. And I had a feeling I knew why she left. “Just drop it, okay?”
“Geez, calm down,” Axel said. “We aren’t interrogating you.”
“It feels like it,” I snapped.
“Well, we would love to meet her if you ever want to bring her by,” Yaya said. “A handsome and sweet man like you must have the most beautiful girl in the world.”
Actually, I did.
***
The rest of the day was hell. There was never any opportunity for me to be alone with Francesca. Axel wanted to be by my side every second of the day, and when I wanted to hang around the house for an opportunity to talk to his sister, he grew irritated and said we should go skiing. After I reluctantly agreed, I hoped Francesca would come with us.
Of course, she didn’t.
The entire time we were on the mountain, all I could think about was her. The last thing I wanted her to think was I had some kind of serious girlfriend and I was committed to her. I didn’t want Francesca to think I was even sleeping with anybody, even if it was meaningless.
She wasn’t my girlfriend and she never would be but…I couldn’t let her think that.
By the time we came home, Yaya and Francesca had already eaten and Francesca was already in bed.
Could this day get any worse?
I had to sit downstairs with Axel and Yaya and wait for them to finally go to bed. They were the longest hours of my life. I was tempted to walk into her room even if I did get caught. I didn’t give a damn at the moment.
Finally, everyone went to sleep and I had my chance. I headed to her bedroom and turned the knob.
But it was locked.
Goddammit.
I pulled out my phone and texted her. Muffin, please unlock the door.
No response.
She was either sleeping or pretending to sleep to avoid me.
It’s really important. Maybe that would entice her. If she thought something was wrong, she wouldn’t ignore me.
A second later, I heard footsteps from inside the room. Then the door clicked audibly.
I immediately stepped inside and finally relaxed once I was alone with her. But the pained look on her face made me want to walk right back out.
She crossed her arms over her chest and stared at me like she wasn’t afraid of anything I had to say. She held her head high like I couldn’t hurt her. It reminded me of a warrior on the field of battle. She was scared but she refused to show it. “What?” She wore a long t-shirt with no bottoms. Her legs were bare but I knew it wasn’t the time to look.
“I wanted to explain what Axel was talking about.”
“I don’t care, Hawke. Your personal life is none of my business.” The tone of her voice sounded like she was being sincere. The look on her face even seemed genuine. But I knew that wasn’t how she felt. She just gave me something so deep and personal, and she would have every right to be mad if she thought I had a serious girlfriend.
“I don’t have a girlfriend.”
“There’s nothing I hate more than a liar.” Her eyes glowed with ferocity. “You were upfront with me about what you wanted, and I respected that. But to go back on your word and come in here and lie to my face is unacceptable. I don’t tolerate bullshit.”
“I don’t have a girlfriend,” I repeated. “Give me five minutes to explain.”
She shifted her weight and continued to glare at me.
I assumed that meant I had the floor. “I went out with Axel a few weeks ago and he wanted to hook up with some girls. When I said I wasn’t interested, he kept pressuring me. When I flat out said no, he grew suspicious. He assumed I had a girlfriend because it was the only way to explain my behavior. I went along with it just so he would get off my back.”
Francesca didn’t drop her guard. “If you don’t have a girlfriend, why did you say that?”
She really needed to ask? “Because I didn’t want to hook up with anyone.”