“Oh?” He looked confused. “That’s a weird lie.”
“I know.” I shook my head. “I’m an idiot. It just sounded more glorious than what I really want to do.”
“What’s that, then?” He scratched his forehead. “Let me guess.”
“Okay, then, guess.” I smiled.
“You want to be a preservationist and preserve insects?”
“Eww, no.” I giggled.
“Okay, let me guess again.” He pursed his lips and looked thoughtful, his green eyes alive with humor as he gazed at me. “You want to model lingerie at Victoria’s Secret?”
“No!” I said emphatically, and he laughed.
“A man can hope.” He winked at me and I could feel myself blushing. Was he flirting with me?
“That’s never going to happen. That would be my worst nightmare.”
“What would be your worst nightmare?” Liv came running towards me, her face a deep red and her eyes looking crazy and wild from all the exercise.
“Me being a lingerie model.”
“What?” She stopped dead in her tracks and started laughing. “Who’s gone and offered you that job, then?”
“No one offered me that job.” I shook my head and rolled my eyes. “Henry was just saying that—”
“Liv!” Aiden ran up to us and shouted at his sister. “Stop bloody talking.” He glared at her and blew his whistle. “Everyone stop!”
“What’s up with the whistle?” Liv looked confused as all the players came to a halt. “What’s going on?”
“That’s what I want to know.” Aiden frowned and gazed at me for a second before looking away. “Alice and Henry aren’t doing anything, and now you’re just standing there talking as well. Are you guys sure you want to be a part of these games?”
“I was playing!” Liv shouted. “I just stopped because Alice was telling me about her offer to be a lingerie model.”
“I didn’t say I was offered that job.” I groaned.
“I think there has been some confusion,” Henry spoke up. “Alice hasn’t been offered that as a job yet, it’s just her dream job to be a lingerie model at Victoria’s Secret.”
“No, it’s not!” I screeched and looked at Aiden beseechingly. “Henry asked me if I wanted to model lingerie, and I said no.”
“I don’t care what the two of you talk about.” Aiden’s eyes narrowed as he gazed at me and shook his head. “Save your personal talk for after the game is done.”
“I … ugh.” I closed my mouth in frustration. “I am playing. I was just trying to catch my breath because I was feeling a little tired from all the running back and forth.”
“Maybe you can take her to your gym and help her work out,” Liv suggested. “What do you say, Aiden?”
“I guess.” He frowned, and my heart thudded at the thought of some one-on-one time with Aiden.
“You can come to my gym if you want.” Henry grinned at me. “I make a great personal trainer.”
“Oh, thanks.” I looked at him with wide eyes. This wasn’t part of the plan. I’d thought that Henry was just being nice to me, but now I wasn’t so sure. Was he flirting with me for real?
“I think it would be fun.” He winked at me. “Plus, then we can finish this conversation without having a whistle blown at us.”
“Finish what conversation?” Aiden’s eyes narrowed and he took a step towards us.
“Alice was telling me what she wants to be when she grows up.” Henry smiled, seemingly unaware of the fact that Aiden wasn’t looking very happy.
“She wants to be a casting agent for reality show TV stars.” Aiden glanced at me as he spoke. “Though it kills me to call anyone who goes on a reality TV show a star.”
“How did you know that?” I asked him in surprise.
“How could I not know that?” He shrugged. “You’ve mentioned it a billion times.”
“I didn’t know you ever bothered listening to me,” I said softly.
“I always listen to you, Alice,” he said, his eyes boring into mine intensely. However, I couldn’t figure out what his gaze was telling me. Did he listen to me because he liked me or because I just talked too much?
“So that’s why you said actress?” Henry put his arm around my shoulder, and I wanted to groan as Aiden pursed his lips and took a step back. I could see Liv’s eyes gleaming at me with joy and excitement. She seemed to be the only one loving this little chat.
“Yeah, actress seemed a more dignified answer than casting for The Bachelor.” I smiled at him, my face reddening as he rubbed the top of my shoulders innocently. Or at least, I thought he was rubbing them innocently.