Page 78 of November

India took a small sip and savored the rich flavor of her favorite red.

“I was going to see if you wanted to come out with me and Stephania tonight.”

“Your new supermodel girlfriend?”

“We’re not together,” Ava replied through her nervous laughter. “We’re dating officially, though.”

“I thought she left town.”

“She did. She went back to LA to pack a bag after her photoshoot here. She got back yesterday and is staying with me for the week before she has to go to Miami for work.”

“And…” India smiled.

“And I really, really like her. How crazy is that? Asher met her through some app but was too in love with Linden, so nothing happened with Stephania and a dumb thought about giving her my number – or vice versa, I don’t remember exactly – got me here.”

“I’m happy for you,” India replied, staring into her gas fireplace. “She’s nice? It’s not just a sex thing anymore?”

“She’s amazing. She makes custom hats. Did I tell you that? Like, it’s her business. She owns it and has employeesand everything. She’s obviously sexy and beautiful, but she’s also really smart and funny. She holds my hand when we walk down the street. She asked me first because if she gets spotted and someone takes a picture, they’ll want to know whoIam next,” Ava said.

“Oh, shit. I hadn’t thought about that. You’re dating a famous person.”

“I am,” Ava replied, sounding proud of that fact. “But I don’t care about that. I just like her. I have her for six more nights before she has to go to Miami, and I thought I’d see if anyone wanted to hang out and maybe spend some time with her tonight.”

“I would, but I’m not going to be good company.”

“Why not? What happened?”

“It’s a long story,” India replied. “I screwed something up with a woman I’m seeing.”

“You’re seeing someone?”

“I was. I’m not sure if I still am.”

“Do you want to talk about it?”

“Maybe another time. You’re showing Stephania off to people tonight. I’m sure you need to get ready for that.”

Ava laughed and said, “I’m working on it. She’s in the shower.”

“I feel like you’re missing an opportunity there, Ava.”

“You know what? You’re right,” Ava said. “I think I’ll join her.”

“Have fun,” India replied, and they hung up.

India reached over into the small bowl of mini candy bars she had bought for herself and broken down earlier that day. After leaving Maisie’s place, she’d had nowhere else to go. She’d taken the day off work to support her and hadn’t brought her work computer with her to the bookshop, so it hadn’t made sense to go into work instead. She’d driven to the local grocery store without any particular need and walked up and down the aisles, pushing a cart that she had filled with random things. Only when she’d gotten home had she noticed her items. India had bought three bags of different minicandy bars, one bag of Twizzlers, a bag of chips she’d never had before, a small frying pan made for an egg that she would probably never use, a bag of plastic straws, a pack of cotton-candy-flavored gum, one roll of paper towels, two magazines, some bananas, and a loaf of rye bread. She didn’t even eat rye bread.

After putting everything away, India had sat on her sofa with her computer and pulled up the official election tracking site that Maisie had mentioned the other day. She’d been watching it ever since and had her TV on above the fireplace with the results for the mayoral election because it displayed the results for the other offices as well. India wanted Maisie to win, and she really hoped it would happen because it was what Maisie wanted and it would’ve shown her brother that he couldn’t get by on money and connections, but she knew that wasn’t how the world worked.

So, when the results started to trickle in, and it had become impossible for Maisie to win given the votes that had already been counted, it wasn’t surprising, but it still hurt because she knew it would be hurting Maisie right now. India wanted to call her. She wanted to at least text her and tell her that she was sorry and that she’d be there if Maisie wanted to talk, but she didn’t. She had been right to say that today was about Maisie; she shouldn’t make it about herself. She knew that if they talked, she would ask if there was still a chance for them, which wouldn’t be fair to Maisie, who probably hadn’t had a moment all day to think about India or what had happened. When her phone rang, though, India smiled, hopeful, thinking maybe Maisie was callingherinstead.

“Hi,” she said, her tone now soaked in disappointment because she sawColter’sname on the screen.

“Congratulate your brother. I just won the election.”

“I saw,” she said, reserving those congratulations.

“Why don’t you sound happy for me?”