The Wrong Girl by Zoe Foster Page B

Movie Moment.
    She bit into one of the cookies. It was the perfect blend of crunchy and chewy, and as each of the flavours elegantly shouted for attention in her mouth, she closed her eyes and savoured it.
    â€˜Sweet baby Jesus. That is SO good,’ she said, mouth still full of cookie, eyes wide with sugar and delight.
    â€˜Not too peanutty?’ His eyes were clouded in genuine concern. He was like a Stepford wife trying to perfect his recipe for a stern, unappreciative husband.
    â€˜Well,’ she said, wiping the crumbs from her mouth with the back of her free hand, realising how gross it was only after the act, ‘that’s a stupid question to ask a PB maniac, isn’t it.’ And she took another bite, all thoughts of being ladylike suddenly extinct.
    â€˜True.’ He watched her enjoy the cookie, smiling, until Lily felt awkward and picked up her mug and notebook carefully, to head back to her desk.
    â€˜Thanks again,’ she said. ‘I’m always open for business when it comes to cookie tasting.’
    â€˜And friands?’ he said playfully.
    Lily blushed slightly. ‘Sorry, but they were gross. They were and you know it.’
    â€˜Meh, it happens sometimes,’ he said cheerfully before leaving, presumably back to the test kitchen. As Lily strolled to her desk, she couldn’t help wondering if he’d offered Nikkii or Eliza or even Alice some of his cookies, or if she was The Special One. The realisation that he had specially brought her cookies, hand-delivered and with feedback eagerly anticipated, had her lolling around in the sunshine of her mind.

13
    Yes, still on man-ban. No, not in love with Jack. Tho he did bring me some just-made cookies to eat with my tea the other day . . .
    Lily hit send on her text to Mimi, smiling at the memory, aware that she was giving her mother ammunition in her quest to make Lily pursue Jack, but not really caring. She’d told Mimi all about him – the good and the bad – over dinner on the weekend, and now Mimi was convinced she’d found her daughter’s future husband. It wasn’t the first time.
    Men don’t just bring women cookies willy-nilly ox.
    Mimi wrote.
    They do when you’re producing their cooking segment.
    Lily hit back without skipping a beat. But maybe she’s right, Lily thought, a gentle momentum building in her. Maybe a little crush on Jack
was
worth exploring. Hell, maybe he was even worth detox-breaking.
    Taking her mother’s advice to be young, free and social, and finally feeling like she had the energy for it, Lily finally decided to call Simone on her dinner offer, and they made a plan to eat at the trendy Mexican joint. Of course, when Lily tried to book, there were no tables for a fortnight, but Simone assured her it would be fine, and sure enough, as soon as the pair arrived, the girl on the door recognised Simone and, in a flurry of air kisses and ‘babes’ and ‘you look
hot’
and ‘
amazing
dress’, they were straight inside.
    Simone looked the part with her mini-dress and gold heels, even if that part was slightly reminiscent of a certain role played by Julia Roberts in a certain film starring Richard Gere; while Lily, wearing a simple black dress and wooden wedges, looked like she was there to clear the plates. Sensing this was not optimal for potential ego-boosting man-attracting-then-dismissing, Lily immediately pulled her long hair out of her high topknot and shook it loose.
    â€˜HOT,’ Simone said, nodding seriously. ‘Always hotter out.
Always
.’
    â€˜Speaking of, this place is an oven, would it kill them to turn the aircon on?’
    â€˜No way. Hotter is sexier.’
    â€˜What about this menu? Is this sexy, would you say, or is it hot?’ Lily asked, picking up the drinks menu – housed in a Mexican children’s book – and shaking it in front of her friend’s face