Page 84
Story: About Last Night
Greta holds her finger up. “I’m not done.”
“Should I sit back down?”
“Probably.”
I sit on the couch and angle myself toward my sister.
“I want you back in the office,” she says.
I expected Greta to give me a spiel about my responsibilities, setting an example for the other employees, and showing Audrey that she hadn’t crushed me. I absolutely did not expect her to lead with this. I’m too stunned to speak, but Greta doesn’t give me much time to, anyway, before barreling on.
“I miss having you around. You bring a needed energy to Fourteener Sports. Willa makes up for it a bit, but she’s a contractor and will be leaving in a few months. And, she’s not family.” Greta swallows, takes a drink of her beer, and realizes it’s empty. “Maybe I will take another one.” Her voice is a little raspy.
I rise without a word, get us two fresh beers, and return.
Greta takes a long drink and pauses, I think, to gather her thoughts. Instead, she hits her chest lightly with her fist and lets out one of the loudest burps I’ve ever heard. Her eyes are wide when she looks at me. “Sorry.”
I can’t help it, I fall over laughing onto my stupidly expensive, decadently comfortable couch.
“If you tell a soul about that I will deny it,” she says.
I’m not looking at her but I hear the laughter in her voice. I sit back up, and see Greta grinning, with a slight blush on her face.
“Oh, you know I’m going to break that story out when you least expect it.”
She rolls her eyes, but she’s still grinning. “I’m sure you will pick the worst possible moment.”
“Absolutely. What are little sisters for?”
Greta shakes her head, takes another drink. “I’ve hired a Marketing and PR firm to take advantage of this whole Fortune magazine thing, and I want you involved in the development of our strategy, since you’re one half of the new face of Fourteener Sports.”
“Who’s the other? Ned?”
“Yes. Absolutely.” She reaches out and touches my leg. “You’re doing a great job with the adventure division, working from home and on the road. Which is a little surprising, considering your Instagram.” She raises an eyebrow.
“I’ve been wondering when you’d mention that.”
Greta shrugs. “You’ve been doing your job so there wasn’t a point, but I am curious. Are you getting any sleep at all?”
“Yeah, about that. They’re all strangers.”
Greta doesn’t react for a beat. “Aren’t they always?”
“OK, fair. But, um, I don’t sleep with them. Not lately. The women. The strangers. I ask them to take a photo with me, buy them a drink, chat a little, maybe, then send them on their way.”
Greta furrows her brow then laughs. “What? Why?”
“I’m not interested.”
“Did Audrey’s rejection turn you straight?”
“God, no. Gross. I’ll go out, have a beer or two then go back wherever I’m staying.”
“You’re trying to make Audrey jealous.”
I blush to my roots. “I wasn’t at first. I was really trying to move on. But I just…” None of them were Audrey, I think. They didn’t feel like her or sound like her when I touched them. They didn’t look at me like Audrey did, either. Remembering the way Audrey looked at me is what was, and is, most confusing. Not only when we were making love, but when I would catch her at random times during the day. There was always such…the stupid romantic part of me thought love, but now I don’t know what to call it. Those expressions are what torture me the most.
“Toni?” Greta says softly.
Table of Contents
- Page 1
- Page 2
- Page 3
- Page 4
- Page 5
- Page 6
- Page 7
- Page 8
- Page 9
- Page 10
- Page 11
- Page 12
- Page 13
- Page 14
- Page 15
- Page 16
- Page 17
- Page 18
- Page 19
- Page 20
- Page 21
- Page 22
- Page 23
- Page 24
- Page 25
- Page 26
- Page 27
- Page 28
- Page 29
- Page 30
- Page 31
- Page 32
- Page 33
- Page 34
- Page 35
- Page 36
- Page 37
- Page 38
- Page 39
- Page 40
- Page 41
- Page 42
- Page 43
- Page 44
- Page 45
- Page 46
- Page 47
- Page 48
- Page 49
- Page 50
- Page 51
- Page 52
- Page 53
- Page 54
- Page 55
- Page 56
- Page 57
- Page 58
- Page 59
- Page 60
- Page 61
- Page 62
- Page 63
- Page 64
- Page 65
- Page 66
- Page 67
- Page 68
- Page 69
- Page 70
- Page 71
- Page 72
- Page 73
- Page 74
- Page 75
- Page 76
- Page 77
- Page 78
- Page 79
- Page 80
- Page 81
- Page 82
- Page 83
- Page 84 (Reading here)
- Page 85
- Page 86
- Page 87
- Page 88
- Page 89
- Page 90
- Page 91
- Page 92
- Page 93
- Page 94
- Page 95