Page 71 of A Break in Communications

“So that’s a yes? Jeez, I’m just checking on the health of your relationship.”

I put my hands up dramatically. “Yes, Veronica,” I said, trying to sound as sarcastic as I could. “Lucy took me aside and had a quickie with me in my office before I headed home. That’s what happened.”

“Ugh, god, I need that for me too.”

“Ew. Stop telling me. Also, how about Kelcey? Pretty sure you could have that, except that apparently you broke her heart. Like I fucking said you would.”

She hunched her shoulders, not looking at me. “Leave Kelce out of this.”

“Pretty sure that’s what I toldyou.She’s been moping all around the office ever since, and I guess I have to admit, she hasn’t been harassing me about you. She’s been too desolate to even ask me random inane questions. Honestly, I kind of miss her commentary, it’s just sad looking at her now. What the hell did you even do to her?”

“That’s notimportant.”

“I told you not to go for Kelcey, because it would be wrapped up in my life and we’d have to address it whether you liked it or not. You went for Kelcey, and now it’s wrapped up in my life, and we have to address it whether you like it or not.”

She groaned, shutting off the machine after the second carafe of milk, pouring the milk into the second of the prepared mugs, and she went about dutifully wiping down the machine, muttering to herself. “You’re so pushy about my love life.”

“I’mpushy aboutyourlove life? You’re the one barging into my apartment and trying to figure out what kind of sex Lucy and I had.” Son of a bitch, that kind of confirmed Lucy and I had had sex. Whatever. Veronica would have believed it even if I hadn’t said a word.

“Okay, you were right,” she sighed, taking the two mugs to the table, sitting down and sliding one mug my way. “Kelcey took it as more than casual. And it kinda got… I dunno, more than casual for a second. And that was weird, so I called things off.”

Dammit, this girl was an idiot. Were all us Prestons idiots? I dropped into the seat opposite her, pointedly quiet as I took a sip of hot chocolate. Took a while to say anything, but after a minute, I said, “So, she caught feelings for you, you startedcatching feelings for her too, but it freaked you out because you’re not ready to acknowledge that you’re into girls, and you panicked and took the only way you could think of to drive her away from you, which was to insult her and try to make her not like you anymore.”

She scowled at me. “I’m notnotinto girls altogether, just, you know. It’s just casual fun. Sex and shoe shopping together.”

“Sex and what—forget it.”

“Sex in the fitting rooms—”

“Veronica.” I closed my eyes.

“What? That’s one of the best things of hooking up with a girl, nobody bats an eye at you going into the fitting room together.”

“Making crude sexual remarks isn’t going to get you out of this.”

She glowered. “It wasn’t crude. We had very sweet fitting-room sex. Eye contact and lots ofdarlingand everything.”

“Right, which kind of makes my point. You’re bisexual and just don’t want to admit it.”

“I’mbye-sexuallikebye-byebecause I don’t stick around, whether it’s a man or a woman. I’d have ditched Kelcey if she were a guy too.”

I shook my head, leaning over the table towards her. “You started having feelings for her. And it scared you in a way it wouldn’t have if it had been a man.”

She hunched her shoulders, shooting me a dirty look. “You don’t know what we were like.”

“No, but I know whatyou’relike. And I know what Kelcey is like. And I know what she’s been like, and what kinds of things you apparently said to her. Don’t you think you at least owe her an apology for the way you ended things? I know you’re used to hurting people and running away from your own fallout, but youdon’t have that same luxury when you’re screwing with people in your sister’s life.”

“Shut up,” she bristled. “I’m not obligated to be all sweet and harmless with someone just because you know her. I live my own life. My way.”

“Veronica—”

“You’re just changing the subject anyway. Have you even mentioned how you feel to Lucy, or are you just playing around with her while you have the chance? Again?”

“Veronica, do you have to start a fight every time you’re here?”

She glared at me. “You’re the one getting on my case about Kelcey.”

“Because—because I don’t like you breaking my coworkers’ hearts, I’m starting fights? That’s the logic we’re going with?”

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