Cara didn’t know what to say, could feel herself shrinking from the inside out.
‘It is not a problem,’ the beauty assured her. ‘We used to date but it was over a long time ago. I’m sure we’ll hook up again some other time when he’s back on the market and in need of a semi-platonic date for the evening. In the meantime, you should enjoy him while you have him.’
Cara searched for signs the woman was having a joke at her expense but saw nothing but open friendliness in those hazel eyes. She swallowed and forced her rooted tongue to work. ‘What does semi-platonic mean?’
‘Oh, you know—what is the English expression?’ Her eyes scrunched up as she thought, then another beaming smile broke out on her spectacularly pretty face. ‘I know—it means “friends with benefits”!’
‘Friends with benefits,’ Cara echoed weakly, her stomach roiling at the thought.
That friendliness turned to consternation. ‘Have I spoken out of turn?’
‘Not at all,’ Cara said, knowing as she said the words that they sounded weedy and pathetic.
The woman slapped her own forehead. ‘I have a very big mouth—forgive me, I meant no harm. I didn’t know you were serious about him.’
‘I’m not.’ Cara strove to affect nonchalance. From the pity in the other woman’s eyes, she failed miserably at it.
‘I must use the bathroom now,’ the woman said, shuffling to the door. ‘Please, forget what I said. I didn’t know—’
‘I’m not serious about him,’ Cara interrupted, her horror at the woman’s assumptions trumping her innate shyness. ‘I’m well aware Pepe has the attention span of a goldfish.’
‘That is a little unfair,’ the woman said with a slight crease in her forehead. ‘To goldfish.’ With a quick wink she entered the bathroom and shut the door behind her.
Taking rapid breaths, Cara rejoined the party, trying desperately to contain the nerves that threatened to overwhelm her.
As she sought out Pepe she could feel people staring at her, feel their curiosity about this stranger in their midst. For this was no social-networking occasion, this was a proper party for friends to mingle, catch up on each other’s lives, drink too much alcohol and behave indiscreetly. She couldn’t even have a glass of wine to calm her nerves.
Eventually she found him chatting to a couple of women, a tall glass of beer in his hand. Walking towards them, she almost came to a stop when she saw one of the women cup his buttocks and give them a squeeze. How Cara’s feet carried on moving, she had no idea, but it felt as if a million hot pins were being poked into her skin.
Pepe laughed and grabbed the wandering hand. He brought it to his lips. Whatever he said as he kissed it made the wandering-hand woman burst into laughter.
‘Cara,’ he called, spotting her and beckoning her over. When she reached him, he placed an arm around her waist, his hand gripping her hip. The same hand that just moments earlier had held another woman’s hand so he could kiss it.
‘I don’t think I’ve introduced you—this is Lena and Francesca. Ladies, this is Cara.’
The two women looked at her with unabashed interest. Wandering-hand lady held her hand out. Much as she wanted to refuse, Cara forced herself to shake it, all the while thinking, This hand just squeezed Pepe’s butt. This is another of his ex-lovers.