ALICE Ch 138

“Your fault,” Kylie insists, folding her arms stubbornly.

“What the hell did I do?” Alice demands, pointing at herself. “Don’t tell me dumb lanky Americans are your kink.”

“I just went through a breakup!”

“I know! How could I forget? I think about it all the time. I mean all the time,” Alice adds irritably, pointing at the floor. “And then I have to deal with the fact that the worst night of your life was my best!”

Kylie gasps. “Don’t say that!” She throws her water bottle, which Alice catches. She does, after all, have the reflexes of an F1 driver. “That was not the best night of your life!”

Alice shrugs helplessly. “You knew I had a thing for you.”

Kylie balls up her fists and glares. “And you ruined it! Couldn’t you just stay a bloody idiot and keep doing whatever? Why did you have to go and be a cool girlfriend?”

Alice’s mouth can’t get any wider. “What? Cool girlfriend?”

“Yes! I’ve seen how you treat her. How you look at her. You’re not sneaky,” Kylie adds waspishly.

“Look, I don’t even know what’s happening,” Alice replies, holding up her hands. “I just don’t want to hurt her.”

“See?”

“See what?”

“That’s it! That’s attractive,” Kylie says, stamping her foot again. “Stop it.”

Alice pinches the bridge of her nose. She’s confused. “What?”

“You know,” Kylie says with another eye roll. “It’s why women like married men. Married means he’s stable and… committed and… that’s attractive.”

“That’s crazy! Being married doesn’t mean either of those things and if you’re hot for married guys and they cheat with you, doesn’t that mean they’re the opposite of what you want them to be?” Alice explodes.

“I didn’t say it was rational!”

“So, I’m hot now because I’m…” Alice swallows, dread heavy in her stomach. “Taken?”

“Yes!”

The door bangs open. Glynda looks bewildered and annoyed.

“What the bloody hell’s about in there?” she demands. “What are the two of ye doing? Why are we shoutin’?”

“Get out of here, Glynda!” Alice snaps.

“Exercising,” Kylie growls at the same time.

“I might not know much, but I know fighting! Why are we fighting?” she asks, pushing her way into the room. Alice immediately pushes back.

“Unless you want to fight me, beat it!”

“I am your team principal!”

“You’re interrupting a serious conversation!”

“About what?”

“None of your business!”

Alice has miscalculated; she finds herself in a fierce headlock, smooshed into Glynda’s pillowy chest.

“Kylie! What’s the meaning of this?” Glynda demands, sounding more confused than upset as she effortlessly subdues the struggling Alice.

Kylie makes a noise of frustration. “Alice is lifting with improper form,” she says finally.

“Alice! Listen to your trainer. It’s why she’s here. Oh, dear god. You smell,” Glynda notes, letting Alice go.

“I’m taking a shower!” Alice stalks out. She hears Glynda behind her.

“And Kylie, why are you dressed that way?”