Like a Lover Read Online Free PDF

in the day.” Georgina worked in
the media team at the university. They had met when Rupert had been called in
to fix a network problem in her department, and they’d hit it off immediately.
They’d been lunch and coffee-date friends ever since. “How’s life with you?”
    “Pretty
good, thanks.”
    “So… what
can I do for you?”
    “Well, um,
I was actually phoning to ask you a favour.”
    “Sounds
ominous.”
    “I know
this is rather short notice… but my mother’s getting married on the last
weekend in May. I need a plus-one for the wedding, and was wondering whether
you were free to come with me?”
    “Really,
Rupert? I thought you were dating again. Don’t you have a potential boyfriend
you can take?”
    “My mother
wants me to bring a nice girl ”—he
emphasised the words to show they were his mother’s rather than his
own—“and I think you fit the bill.”
    “Why the
hell did your mother specify a girl? She’s never had a problem with you dating
guys, has she?”
    “Not that I
knew of, no.” Rupert sighed. “I think Charles, her fiancé, is the one with the
stick up his arse. But I get the impression it’ll make the big day go more
smoothly if I don’t rock the boat by turning up with a man, and I don’t have a
guy to ask anyway. So, can you come?”
    There was
the sound of movement on the other end. “I’m just checking my calendar… but
honestly. I think your mother’s attitude is awful…. Okay, yes, I’m free. But
are you sure you want to do this?”
    Rupert
sighed. “Yes. It’s just less hassle this way.”
    “You owe me
big time for this.”
    “I know.
It’s bound to be massively tedious. All pomp and ceremony and speeches, and
people asking me about my job, then asking for advice about their own computers
when I tell them what I do. There won’t even be a disco to sweeten the pill.
Let’s hope there’s plenty of booze is all I can say.”
    “You don’t
have to put yourself through this, you know. Can’t you fake an illness that
weekend? A vomiting bug is always a great excuse.”
    “She’d
never forgive me. She probably wouldn’t believe me either. No. I’ll have to get
through it.”
    “I can’t
believe you’re letting her push you into this. What happened to that boy you
told me about who marched in all the pride parades when he was a student? He
wouldn’t take a woman as his plus-one just to keep his mother happy.”
    She had a
point.
    “It would
be different if there was a guy I wanted to take. But there isn’t,” Rupert
said.
    “Are you
still not even dating?”
    “Not
really.” Rupert thought about his failed attempt at a date the night before,
and that led his thoughts back to Josh again. The urge to talk about him was
too strong to resist. “But I did meet someone last night.”
    “Ooh, tell
me more! Did you meet him in the exchanging-phone-numbers sense, or the
getting-naked sense? I want details. What’s his name? What’s he like? Are you
seeing him again?”
    Rupert
laughed. “If I can get a word in, I’ll tell you. I met him in a bar, and we
hooked up. He’s called Josh, and I’m seeing him again next weekend.” Rupert was
all too aware of the salient information missing from his summary, but no way
was he going to tell Georgina the part where Josh was an escort.
    “What does
he look like?”
    “He’s hot.
Lean and sexy, with dark hair and amazing green eyes. He’s got tattoos and a
lip ring.”
    “Not your
usual type, then.”
    “I suppose
not.” In the past Rupert had always gone for conventional, wholesome-looking
guys. Guys who looked more like himself. Josh was definitely a step out of his
comfort zone with his slightly edgy look.
    “And you like
him?”
    Rupert
hesitated, and then admitted it. “Yeah. It was only one evening, but I like
him.”
    “You should
ask him to the wedding instead of
me.”
    “I don’t
think so.”
    “Too soon?
You don’t want to scare him off?”
    “Something
like that. My mother’s