Page 42 of Back for More
“I don’t know what to say, other than it’s complicated. I have mixed feelings about everything. But I need to make it work. The job, I mean. That’s more important right now, than anything we might—anythingImight—feel about him.”
She scowls at me. “Is it?”
“Yes.”
“But why does one thing have to be more important than the other?”
“Do I really need to explain this to you? He’s my boss now. My dad ishisboss. I have to stick with the job for one year so I can start accessing my trust fund.”
“So what happens to all the feelings—you just file them away until it’s a more convenient time to have them?”
I raise my glass to her. “Sounds good to me.”
She makes a buzzer sound. “Enhhhhh!I can’t wait that long.”
“Oh, sorry, I forgot this was all about you!” I place my hand on her shoulder. “What can I do to make you feel better about this whole situation?”
“Get it on with Wes, already! We always said we’d date and marry best friends, remember? Guess who my husband’s best friend is?”
I stir my drink, contemplating this. “Yeah, that is…inconvenient.”
Alecia suddenly seems to be incredibly enthusiastic about this pairing. “I mean, just imagine what it’ll be like when you guys finally start giving each other all the things you’ve been holding back!” She makes the sound effect and hand gesture of an explosion.
“I’m trying to create more stability in my life,” I say so earnestly that I actually convince myself of this. “I don’t need explosions and fireworks. I need…” I draw a blank, trying to find the word for what I think I need.
Alecia sweeps her arm around the club and the slouching male specimens that populate it. “This? Is this what you need? Have fun with that.”
I am not here to have fun.
“Oh. My. Gawd. Lily Barnes?” An unfamiliar voice pierces my sad little thought bubble.
It isn’t until Alecia grabs my hand and says, “Hey, Scarlett. You remember Scarlett, right, Lil?” that I recognize Wes’s date to my school’s prom. She looks pretty much the same as she did at school but with a blunt bob, a few additional pounds, and more lip gloss.
“Scarlett! Hey! How are you?”
“I’m great, thanks. Long time no see.”
I can tell by her phony pleasant voice that she still hasn’t forgiven me for stealing away to make out with her date that night, so long ago. Apparently Wes and I hadn’t been as discreet as we’d thought we’d been. Everyone at my school had been talking about it the next week.
“Yeah, long time. You still live here?”
“I do, yes. I went to Harvard—I don’t know if you heard that—and now I’m back and I’m the CFO at my father’s company.”
“Wow, that’s great. Good for you.”
“And how about you? I heard you were trying to be an actress… Is that true? I don’t think I’ve seen you in anything. Are you doing live theater?”
“She’s been in like a million commercials and music videos and TV shows,” Alecia blurts out. “And she’s a super-successful model.”
I take a sip of my vodka Greyhound and shrug. A million is a slight exaggeration, but who’s counting?
“How fun for you. That sounds fulfilling. Are you just back in town for a quick visit, then?”
“No, I’m here for work.”
“Oh, really? Which kind of work? Commercial, music video, TV show, or modeling?”
“I’m an assistant. At my dad’s company.”There you go, Scarlett. I’ll just let you have that, as an apology for your precious prom night.
