Nadia Knows Best Read Free

head.
    â€œAnyway, we managed to persuade him that it wasn’t ,” Nadia hastily emphasized, “and Laurie finally agreed to go up for the final. Mainly to shut me up, I think. But when he met the organizers and found out how much money he could make, he realized it might be worth making the effort after all. So then he won the competition and that was it, the agency put him on their books and the whole thing took off like a rocket. Before, he’d been training as a stockbroker and hating every minute. Now he’s traveling all over the world doing magazine shoots and ad campaigns. It’s just brilliant, a whole new career.”
    â€œThanks to you,” Jay said mildly. He paused. “Ever regret it?”
    Nadia had heard this question before. About a thousand times.
    â€œWhy would I regret it? We’re still together, Laurie hasn’t changed. We might not see as much of each other as before, but he comes back whenever he can. We still love each other. And it’s not going to last forever, we both know that. By the time you hit thirty, you’re well and truly over the hill.” There, slipped it in, just in case Jay was still hankering after a change of career. “If my phone was working, I could speak to him now,” Nadia went on. “We talk to each other all the time. He’s been in Egypt for the last few days, shooting an ad campaign for Earl jeans.”
    Jay looked mildly skeptical. “And you trust him?”
    It wasn’t the first time she’d been asked this one either.
    â€œOf course I do. One hundred percent.”
    â€œHow about him? Does he trust you?”
    â€œLaurie knows I’d never cheat on him.” Smiling to herself, Nadia plumped up her pillow and changed the subject. “Anyway, your turn now. Tell me all about your boyfriend.”
    The candle on the bedside table flickered, sending an eddy of shadows across the wall.
    â€œActually, I’m not gay,” said Jay.
    Oh for heaven’s sake.
    â€œSo why did you tell me you were?”
    â€œTo relax you.” His eyes were bright with amusement. “And it worked.”
    â€œThat’s cheating,” Nadia groaned. “I trusted you. You lied to me.”
    â€œWhat can I say? I’m a man, it’s what we do.”
    Hang on, was he insinuating something about Laurie? Nadia bristled. “If that’s meant to be some kind of dig—”
    â€œOK, I’m sorry.” Laughing, Jay held up his hands. “But it did calm you down, didn’t it? You stopped panicking about spending the night in bed with a strange man who might try to seduce you.”
    â€œAnd now you tell me you aren’t gay after all. Wouldn’t it have made more sense to carry it on? You could at least have waited until the morning before telling me you were straight.”
    â€œI was going to. Until you asked me about my boyfriend. Anyway, you don’t have to worry,” said Jay. “I’m still not going to even try to seduce you. So you’re perfectly safe.”
    â€œRight. Well, that’s good.” Nadia wriggled down into her sleeping bag, affecting indifference but secretly wishing he could have invented a boyfriend. She preferred him gay. Just because she’d never be unfaithful to Laurie didn’t mean she couldn’t be attracted to a good-looking man.
    â€œYou could ask me about my girlfriend if you like,” Jay prompted.
    â€œGo on then, tell me about her.”
    He winked. “We broke up a couple of months ago.”
    Typical.
    â€œSee?” Nadia heaved a sigh. “You’re doing it already. You wouldn’t have said that if you’d still been gay.”
    â€œWouldn’t have had a girlfriend to break up with,” Jay reminded her. “Oh, come on, don’t get all defensive. I said I wouldn’t try to seduce you, didn’t I?”
    â€œBut now you’re flirting with me,” Nadia