Page 15 of Fritillaria (Fortune Records Omegaverse #5)

Chapter 15

I vy

That black coffee this morning was gross, and I’m desperate enough for another that I sneak into the break room.

Luckily, there is no sign of Matilda or Aspis, and I relax a little as I get the machine going.

“Have you seen Matilda?” I hear someone in the distance and listen in. “She didn’t show up to an interview that we had scheduled.”

“Oh, didn’t you hear?” That’s Tabitha, she knows everything about everyone. “She went home sick. But I’m sure she’ll be in touch tomorrow to reschedule.”

Shit.

Did what I say to her upset her that much? She hadn’t seemed sick when we spoke.

Guilt floods my chest, along with worry for my friend. I didn’t want to upset her like that. But what else was I supposed to do, get her hopes up?

It’s just not fair that I was given no choice in this. It’s not fair that I’m responsible for these people’s emotions now.

I abandon my coffee, mid way through the brew and head back to my studio to get my things. My morning was the opposite of productive, anyway.

I’m clearly in the way here, and I don’t want to run into Aspis or Matilda and upset them. Maybe some time away from the studio would be beneficial for everyone.

The last thing I want is to sit in my lonely apartment, so I get in my car and drive to my safe haven.

The nail salon.

“I’m so sorry, I don’t have an appointment.” I say when I get inside the salon. “I’ll take a pedicure if that’s all you have available.”

“Ivy!” My regular nail girl, Rachel, calls out from behind me and I abandon the lady at the front desk. “I’ve literally just had a cancellation if you need to see me.”

She welcomes me in with a hug and two kisses.

Thank God she is available, Rachel is the best. She’s also just the type of person to vent to about my week.

“Oh, yes please!” I say, following her to the desk. “I want to go for something more fun today. I’m not on tour, and I have no appearances lined up, so no one can get mad at me for it.”

My usual brand is a solid black, stiletto shape. But it’s been feeling kind of boring recently, and a change would be nice.

“Oh, I have been waiting for this day!” Rachel exclaims. “I am gonna surprise you as we go, it’ll be fun.”

I trust her taste, so I’m not worried about it.

She switches on the electric file and gets to taking off the top layer of polish.

“So what’s up? I’m sure that there’s a reason you have come here in the middle of the afternoon.”

“OK, so you know how I’ve told you about all those irritating mates in the studio…”

I catch Rachel up on the events of the past few days, on more of a surface level. She and I are very similar, and it will be nice to finally speak to someone with some sense.

Rachel is quiet for a few minutes after I finish my spiel.

“Do you like your mates?” She surprises me by asking.

“What?”

“Do you like them? Are they attractive, or is there something wrong with them?”

“Umm…” I decide to work it through with her. She is clearly going somewhere with this. “Well, yeah. Matilda is sweet and feminine, just how I like women to be. She’s beautiful, with these bright golden eyes. Aspis is drop dead handsome, very masculine and powerful.”

I try not to swoon when I talk about them, but I am sure that my voice does get a tad bit swoony.

“How well do you know them?”

Rachel finishes the first layer of a gorgeous dark green polish.

“I don’t really know Aspis all that well. The party was the first time I had met him in person, but I had seen him on video calls and always thought he was hot. Especially his voice . I didn’t even realize he was half snake until I met him, but it doesn’t bother me. I actually think it’s pretty cool how he can change his height, and his scales are really pretty.

“Matilda… well, I’ve known her as long as the studio has been merged. She was an intern back then. We’ve worked together a lot, and to be honest I would have considered her more a friend than a coworker. I’ve always kind of had this pull to look after her.”

Rachel goes quiet again, and my anxiety spikes, wondering if I’ve said something wrong. She pauses her work on my nails, looking me dead in the eyes.

“I don’t see the problem.”

What the hell?

“Hear me out,” she continues. “I understand not wanting to have a big decision like this made for you, I totally get that. But if it is a decision that you would have come to on your own…? Girl, you are crazy about them both. Who’s to say you wouldn’t have just ended up with them naturally, anyway? I mean, maybe not both of them… but isn’t this the best of both worlds?”

We don’t talk about it again after that. One of the other girls at the salon sits down with a client at the desk next to us and we all chat about a reality TV show.

What if Rachel is right?

If I was a better person, I could maybe get over all this. But what was I supposed to do? Take some dude at his word and upend my entire life?!

I need to sit on things at least. It’s barely been a couple days, maybe some time and space will help.