Page 54 of Missing White Woman

I picked up my glass, swirling it around like this was some fancy restaurant. “So this is for reds?”

“Yes,” she said. “I think. I mean, it tastes pretty much the same. It could be a paper cup and I’d still be buzzed after two.”

“Gotta love marketing.” I took a sip. It tasted delicious.

I swigged another, then took in her place again. It was the second viewing that made me realize something was missing.

Photos.

The ex-husband I could understand, but there weren’t any of her mom or her brothers. She had three of them. There had to be some nieces and nephews by now. “Does your mom come up often?” I said. “Sorry I haven’t asked about her.”

Adore’s mother was… a lot. So was mine, but in different ways. Ten minutes in a room with her mother and you could tell where the name came from. Adore wasn’t just the only girl. She was also the youngest and the first in the family to go to college. There was no doubt Ms. Smith literally adored her child. Sometimes a little too loudly.

“She’s good,” Adore said. “Still in DC. I got her to move to a better neighborhood. But two of my brothers moved with her.”

So one thing about Adore hadn’t changed since college. Her siblings still weren’t shit. “I’m sure she’s proud of you,” I said.

“Yeah. Also mad I don’t drive down to see her. Wants to know when I’m giving her a grandbaby. I’m sure your mom’s bugging you too.”

But that was the thing. She wasn’t. And part of me knew it was because she thought I’d mess that up like I did every other aspect of my life.

“How is she?” Adore said.

“Still trying to run my life. And I’m still letting her,” I said, looking around at her fabulous place. Then at fabulous her. “Who’d you go to Cabo with?”

She literally jumped, and that’s when I realized it had come out of nowhere. But I needed to know. “Girls’ trip?” I said. It was probably some wonderful vacay with her Black Lady Lawyer Friends. “A date?” Some super-successful, super-rich older man she was dating. Maybe Bill Gates.

She gave me a tight smile. “It was a solo trip. I do one every year. It’s easier to travel alone. You can do what you want. When you want.”

She took another sip, then pushed her hair behind her ear. And that’s when I remembered she wasn’t the only one who could tell when one of us was lying. I could’ve called her out on it. But that would’ve been cruel. Even with the Louboutins and the Kelly. The loft and the law degree. It turned out Adore and I still had something in common after all.

“I’m proud of you, Adore,” I said. “You always said you wanted a fabulous apartment in a big city.”

She smiled again, this one genuine. “I did it.” There was no cockiness to her words. She said it like the fact it was. “Can I say something I’ve been wanting to say since I first saw you?”

I paused. Were we finally going to have the conversation? I’d been so hurt and angry by her ghosting me when I’d needed a friend the most. If the roles had been reversed, if she’d called me from that jail cell, I would’ve come in a heartbeat. I would’ve stuck by her.

And even after all these years, when that anger was long gone, the hurt still remained. Holding my breath, I nodded, and she finally opened her mouth to speak. “Your skin is freaking amazing.”

Not what I’d been expecting. I smiled anyway. “Thanks.”

She continued, effusive in her praise. “Seriously, it’s glowing. Meanwhile, I’m over thirty and still dealing with pimples and those dark spots I had in college.”

Though I was disappointed, once again I took her lead. “Turmeric,” I said quickly, then took my time with what came next because of how she was staring. “I’m a little obsessed with skin care. Make my own products and everything. Last year I gave them to my coworkers for Christmas. Ty thinks I need to start a side hustle.”

I flinched at his name, even though it had come out of my own mouth. I needed to stop bringing him up. Stop thinking about him at all. Instead, I forced myself to think of the grant. The application was still in my bag. Crumpled up at the bottom but there.

“If you could get everyone’s skin to look like yours, then definitely.” Adore smiled. “What are you waiting for?”

I gave my standard excuse. “I still haven’t thought of a good name.”

“Bree’s Beauty!” Adore sounded proud of herself.

It just made me once again think of Ty. Him jokingly telling me to call it Gunk. “I’ll think about it,” I said.

“Please do. You said side hustle, so what’s your main one?”

“I’m still at the stationery store.”

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