Page 25 of Not So Very Sensible

She nodded, her heart tight with unexplained emotion.

“Hey.” Ethan drew closer, placed a hand on the back of her chair. “I’m sure he’s got people around him who are doing their best to help. You don’t need to feel responsible for him.”

“How did you know I felt like that?”

“Because I have this feeling like I’ve known you all my life. Is that weird?”

“No, I feel the same.”

She stared into his eyes, his dark brown eyes, behind his glasses. Oh, this man was certainly handsome.

Katie gave a shriek of laughter, dragging Ellie’s attention from Ethan to notice the room had paused, with all eyes their way.

“Katie!” she murmured, before standing. It was high time her sister realised she was making an exhibition of herself. “Will you come with me to the restroom?”

“What? Why?”

“Because it’s a well-known fact that women can’t visit the restroom by themselves,” Jason drawled, his gaze fixed on Ellie.

She fought to keep her expression neutral as she focused on Katie. “I need you to fix my hair.” Mm. She should’ve thought this one more clearly and pulled her hair out to back up her claim. Oh well. Too late now.

“Your hair looks fine to me, but I suppose I could go. I’ll be back soon. Don’t go anywhere, handsome.”

“I’ll be counting every second you’re gone,” Jason said, one arm stretched possessively over Katie’s chair.

Ellie beckoned for Katie to join her, and they moved to the ladies’ restroom, where they waited in line for the facilities. All the while, Katie kept going on about how handsome Jason was, how wonderful he was, how charming.

“I agree, he’s very handsome, but you don’t really know him.”

“Yes, I do,” Katie protested. “He’s told me about his work, and that we have the same taste in poetry. And he loves ancient history too!”

“Did he tell you this before or after you told him about wanting to go visit Pompeii?”

“He told me this after. So?”

An internal red flag waved, but anything she said would likely be received the wrong way. She needed to tread carefully. “Look, maybe he has a genuine interest in Pompeii, but it’s easy for a man to say one thing in order to get another.”

“I don’t know what you mean.”

Ellie winced. And this was the problem of having a sister who was so romance-minded that she lacked practical sense. Lord, give me wisdom to say this right. “Some men might go on a charm offensive in order to persuade a girl to do, uh, things, that they might not want to do.”

“Like eat tiramisu?”

“Seriously, Katie?”

Her sister scoffed. “I don’t know what you take me for, but I’m not a complete idiot. And there’s no way somebody I’ve just met is gonna charm me out of my pants.”

Whoa. Okay. “Good to know.”

“I can’t believe you would think that of me.”

“Well, you haven’t exactly been hiding your feelings.”

“And why should I? I have no reason to hide. I have been open and sincere, where perhaps you would’ve preferred me to have been reserved, spiritless, dull, and deceitful. Why shouldn’t I let him know I like him?”

“Because I don’t want you to get your heart broken by someone who isn’t worthy of it.”

“How dare you? And how dare you judge whether he’s worthy? You don’t know him.”