“Kate, it doesn’t have to be a thing. Just…tell me where you’re staying.”

Kate spared a glance at Tilly, deep in conversation with Lexi. She met Elodie’s gaze again. “The Meriton.”

“I could come to the hotel bar.”

Kate quirked an eyebrow. Elodie had always been so forward, so confident.

She leaned closer. “My number hasn’t changed, so if your mind does…”

The six-minute call broke loudly across the crowd. In line to the door, Molly ushered their group over.

Kate slid her hands into her pockets. “I’ve gotta go. But you look really good, El.”

“So do you.”

The moment pulsed. There was a lot of history between them. And a lot of it was good. Really good.

“Bye, El.”

“Call me later?”

Kate grinned. “I’m on duty.”

With a shy grin, Elodie turned and headed to Door Ten.

Quickly, Kate caught up to the group. In the line of patrons outside Door Eight, Lexi was stopped to open her bag for inspection. As she produced her own ticket for the usher, Kate shook her head in apology as the entire confectionary aisle of Woolworths was confiscated from Lexi’s bag.

“Eugh,” Lexi moaned as they sank into their assigned seats. “That was ten bucks’ worth.”

At the end of the row, Kate sat forward. “If you hadn’t brought it into the theatre, you’d still have it, wouldn’t you?”

Lexi leaned over Grace’s arm, watching as Grace checked the four girls into the theatre on Facebook. “They let you take stuff in at the cinema,” she said mindlessly.

As Tilly grinned at the exchange, Kate rolled her eyes. “This isn’t a cinema, Lexi, it’s Her Majesty’s Theatre.”

Between Kate and Tilly, Molly sat forward in her seat and turned to Tilly. “You want to just sit next to Kate so I can sit next to Em?”

Their eyes locked. Tilly smiled a tight line with her lips. “Sure,” she said softly.

As Molly swapped seats with Tilly, Kate feigned deep interest in the program, scanning her eyes over the actors’ bios and doing her best to avert her gaze from the enchanting way Tilly crossed her legs as she sat. The way she smoothed her hand over her stocking-clad thigh. The way she danced her fingertips against the hem of her little black dress.

Christ… She’d been relieved when they’d walked into the row and Molly had sat between them, grateful to have a buffer. But now, with her elbow balanced on the thin armrest between them, she could feel the heat of Tilly’s body, so close, so warm, so present. And for the next two hours and fifty minutes—including interval—there would be no escape.

With the girls occupied, Tilly leaned close, her breath hot against the shell of Kate’s ear. “Let me help out with dinner,” she whispered.

Kate shook her head.

Tilly’s gaze was warm on the side of her face. “I know that came out of your pocket…” she pressed. “Let me help. Please.”

The lights dimmed and the audience hushed. Kate pressed her finger to her lips and winked at Tilly, who rolled her eyes before she turned her attention to the stage.