Page 26 of A Break in Communications

“What—” I felt the color drain from my face. “Veronica, I don’t want to hear about you with my high school classmates.”

She picked something off the cuff of her sleeve as she dropped, casually, “Apparently she likes getting tied up and degraded—”

“Stop. Stop. Please.”

She threw her hands up like I was being the unreasonable one. “It’s fun to fuck girls, but it doesn’t mean I’m gay—”

“Itdoes.”

“I mean, I don’t think I’d date a girl. Just hookups and, like, orgies and stuff.”

Orgies. I wasn’t following that thought any further. If I had to hear one word about my sister attending a lesbian orgy, I’d have to pluck out my eardrums to make sure I’d never hear a second word. “Okay, okay, great,” I said, massaging my temples. “You’re a totally straight, one hundred percent bona fide heterosexual woman who’s also fucked my coworker.”

“Youtoldme to fuck her.”

“That’s definitely not true.” I sighed, dropping my arms. “Well, I am so glad you had fun. So what now? You and Kelce one-and-done?”

“Nah, we went like seven times last night—”

“Not likethat,Veronica.”

“Oh, like—” She shrugged. “Probably. I mean, it was fun, but I dunno. She’s kinda dumb. Why, are you into her?”

“What—no. She… I have a girlfriend,” I said, the words feeling hollow, now with the uncomfortable realization of just how badly I apparently wanted a girlfriend. Veronica rolled her eyes.

“Look, I dunno, maybe you want a third. Why do you ask, then?”

“Just—” I didn’t even know how to answer that. “Just making sure I’m not going to have to contend with my sister dating my coworker.”

She wrinkled her nose. “Oh my god, I already said, I’m not dating her, I’m straight.”

“Right. Of course you are.” Because straight women went seven rounds in one night with another woman. Hell, as far as I was aware, straight women were lucky to finish one round. “Okay, well, fantastic. Let’s circle back to that never. Why are you here?”

“Oh, I just ran into your girlfriend while I was out, and apparently she was buying some stuff for you, so I thought I’d tag along and get a cappuccino.”

Right. Frankly, I didn’t know why I asked. “Last time I gave you one, it was in exchange for keeping Mom from going to my work party, and not only did she come, but so did you.”

“So did Kelcey.”

“Veronica.” I rubbed my forehead. Christ, I was going to hear all the details once I saw Kelcey again… twenty bucks said Kelcey was going to get obsessed with her and ask me for more opportunities to meet Veronica. Veronica was pretty enough and flaky enough that she’d always been leaving a trailof brokenhearted men, and apparently there was a whole set of brokenhearted women I didn’t even know about too.

Emily Lord.She was the one from an uptight Christian family, too… I guess that was how these things went. I’d never think about music class again without thinking about how the goody-two-shoes girl playing flute next to me apparently liked getting tied up and degraded by my little sister.

I was going to throw up.

“There’s a coffee shop just down the road,” I said, but apparently Lucy wasn’t done terrorizing me, because she swung open the door behind me, leaning in the frame.

“Not to interrupt sister talk, but breakfast is coming along, sweetheart. I made you both cappuccinos, too.”

Ugh… I forced myself to smile at her. “Aw, babe. You spoil me.”

Veronica rolled her eyes. “Flips like a switch as soon as it’s the girlfriend… thanks, Luce.”

Luce. Wasn’t that cute? I wondered if Veronica would make friends with Lucy and try to stick around even after the whole thing shook out, after the holidays… I wouldn’t put it past Lucy. Or Veronica.

Mom was probably never going to stop telling me to get together with Lucy for real once she found out. Maybe we’d have to stage a dramatic breakup.WhyI’d ignored Lucy’s for-once reasonable advice and leaned into the stupid relationship act, I’d spend the rest of my life trying to figure out.

Once again, Lucy made breakfast, and as much as I hated it, I had to admit she was pretty handy in the kitchen. She made an omelet better than I knew how to, and of course she’d made a portion for Veronica, too, and of course Veronica let her know howoh you’re a much better cook than Anna. Lucy seemed to be having the time of her life, chatting to Veronica over breakfast while I fumed silently, and Veronica took her time with hercappuccino after we finished eating, which meant it took even longer than I was hoping to get rid of her. Went without saying that I gave her a polite smile the second she finished her last drop of drink, shaking the cup over her mouth to get the last bits of foam out, and I said, “Well, Veronica, it’s been nice having you and all, but move your ass out of here. I need to get work done.”

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