Page 87

“Any chance she’s here to commiserate with her old sycophants?” Jasmine asked as if going down an imaginary list.

“Slim to none. I’m pretty sure she thinks most things are stupid. Themed Halloween parties included. Plus, I don’t think she’s talked to anyone since graduation.”

“Why?”

Ari waved away the question. “Unrelated to the matter at hand.”

Jasmine nodded. “Simple question. Do you want to kiss her again?”

Ari straightened and considered the prospect.

“Knee jerk response. Yes or no. Do you want to kiss her again?”

“God, yes. It’s, like, all I’ve thought about for weeks.”

“Do you really think there’s any work-related reason you shouldn’t continue to kiss her?”

“That’s more complicated. I mean, our o ce is small.

And what if it goes badly? We’d have to work in the same division, and be occasional trial partners, for the next seven or eight months. That’s a long time for a whole lot of awkward. Or worse, we might end up hating each other.”

Jasmine shrugged. “You spent the last three years hating each other, and that apparently hasn’t had any long-lasting e ects.”

“False. That’s the other problem, Jaz. We’ve done some pretty heinous shit to each other. Can we really pretend that didn’t happen?”

“Maybe not. What does she think?”

Ari furrowed her brow. “What do you mean?”

Jasmine looked like she wanted to laugh but wasn’t sure if they were on the same page with the joke. “You have talked to her about these concerns, right? I mean that’s why you decided to cool it?”

Ari winced. “Not exactly. I just sort of told her it wasn’t a good idea and she agreed.”

“Ew. No, girl. You’re almost thirty years old. That’s

no way to handle this.”

“What exactly do you suggest?” Ari implored, desperate for the right answer. “Was I supposed to sit down and lay my cards all out on the table for Sloane when I still kind of

thought she was just messing with me? You know how she was—”

“Do you think she’s messing with you now?” Jasmine asked, cutting to the chase.

Ari hesitated before taking a deep breath and releasing the tension coiled in her shoulders. “She is di erent now, but—”

“I’m not telling you to get on one knee.” Jasmine took her hand in hers. “I’m just asking you about this Sloane you’ve gotten to know. Do you think you can talk to her about whether you might go on a date? Maybe air out all that old shit? Take it one step at a time?”

Ari considered it. “Maybe.”

Jasmine smiled before cupping her cheek. “Then I think you owe it to yourself to find out. See if she wants to shape up,” she joked, nodding toward Sloane’s costume. “Also, I think if you don’t, eighty percent of this party is going to try to get into those leather pants.”

A group of their classmates and several strangers had formed around Sloane, who looked much like her old self.

The life of the party. The mean girl ready to cut someone down for a laugh. It gave Ari pause, until she emerged from the corner and they locked eyes.

The instant she saw her, Sloane excused herself from the group, not giving a shit that someone was still talking to her as she approached her and Jasmine.

“Jasmine, how are you? Arwyn told me you’re loving Seattle,” she said before leaning forward and kissing Jasmine on the cheek.