Page 71 of Let's Talk About Love

“Hey, yourself.” She didn’t look up from her laptop. “Where have you been?”

Alice flung her purse across the room, kicked her shoes off, and leapt onto the couch like a homicidal jungle cat hyped up on pixie dust. “Paragliding.”

“What?” Feenie’s head snapped up. “But you’re afraid of heights.”

“I know. And I am thoroughly wrecked.” Alice held up her hand. “Look. I’m still shaking. I had an absolutefitin the air. I called him everything but a child of God.” She had actually dropped to her knees and kissed the ground once they landed. “I must have used every curse word I’ve ever heard. You would have been proud.”

“‘Him’?And you went willingly?”

“We traded. Takumi’s terrified of horror movies, so we made a deal about a week ago. Fear for fear. I got my old-school, gore-free horror marathon and the smarmy bastard just happened to be a licensed paragliding instructor who got us a deal for free-ninety-nine with his old company. He just dropped me off because he had to work at the library today.”

“I can’t even get you to go on a Ferris wheel.” Feenie made a disgusted noise. “I’ll be right back.”

Alice watched her go for a moment and then peeked at her laptop screen. Wedding dresses.

(Wasn’t it a bit early for that?)

“Here.” Feenie held out a card. “I started talking to this guy who came into the shop to get his tat filled in and it turns out he runs his own interior-design business. He’s looking for an intern to start in September. I told him you’re into all that shit and he said he’d interview you, if you were interested.”

Interior design.

Intern.

His own business.

The words tumbled around inside Alice’s head. She could do that? As a job? That was something she could actually study, get a degree in and then get paid to do? She’d have to research, of course, but thinking about that, interior design, as a career,made sense. Her mom admired entrepreneurs and made it a point to support Black-ownedbusinesses whenever possible. She might actually be thrilled Alice’s education and career path might have the potential for her to become her own boss someday.

“Thanks.” She took the card. “This is great.”

“I am great.” Feenie settled back into her spot. “Don’t you fucking forget it.”

“How could I possibly?” Alice tugged the blanket until Feenie let her in. “So dresses?”

“Yep.”

“Find any you like?”

“A few.” Feenie turned the screen away as if she didn’t want Alice to see.

“Is this shop local?”

“Why? Are you going to go with me if it is?”

“Well, yeah. I mean, don’t you want my help?”

Feenie clicked her tongue. “Sure you can pry yourself away from Takumi long enough to spend time with me?”

Alice sighed and stood up. Feenie didn’t stop her.

CHAPTER

25

“Hey, Buttons,” Ryan called when Alice stepped out of her room. He sat on the floor, building a tan-carpetedsomething.

“What are you doing?”

“Building a cat tree. It was on sale, so I said, why not?”