I don’t ask Gwen for details on the timing there, because frankly I don’t want to know.
It doesn’t do my ego any favors. Any way I look at it, I asked Holly to marry me and then she spent the next twelve hours hustling to write this speech for me and getting Priya and Gwen to take over my social media. Basically, she finished all the work she has to do with me so that her obligation to spend time with me is over.
So, in other words, it wasn’t just, “No, I don’t want to marry you,” it was, “Hell, no, I won’t marry you. And I don’t really ever want to see you again.”
“You’re growling again,” Gwen says.
“If I’m growling, it’s because you and Holly managed to twist my words.”
“Again, it’s a direct quote. We didn’t twist anything.”
“At best, this is a heavily romanticized description of my research.” I scoff. “‘The connection between every living creature,’ my ass.”
“Personally, I think it’s a fabulous description for your research. It is exactly what you study. How every organism on this planet is connected and bound to some other living creature. How we can’t survive without one another.” Gwen gives a small smile. “But maybe Holly just brings out your hidden sentimentality.”
“I don’t have hidden sentimentality.”
Gwen opens her mouth again.
Before she can say anything, I jab a finger in her direction. “And if you tell me I’m growling again, you’re fired.”
She snaps her mouth closed. If I didn’t know better, I’d say she was laughing at me.
I’m about to tell her she’s fired anyway when a text comes in on my phone.
I give her one last (mostly) silent glare before standing and walking a few feet away to unlock my phone and read the text that came through. It’s one of several, actually.
But not from Holly, damn it.
Tavey: OMG
Tavey: Super-hot picture of you on insta
Tavey: love it
Tavey: BTW
Tavey: you’re welcome
Okay, not only is it not Holly, but now I’m sickened by the idea that my sister thinks a picture of me is hot.
Me: What is wrong with you?
Tavey: Besides an incurable case of the awesomes? Nothing.
Tavey: What is wrong with you?
Tavey: Also, you’re welcome.
I hold my phone farther away and glare at it.
Me: What is wrong with you for telling me I look hot? You’re my sister and that’s unacceptable.
Me: Also, why are you using punctuation? You never punctuate your texts. Is this code that you’ve been kidnapped? If so, in the future, can we discuss and agree on these things ahead of time?
Tavey: Eeewww
Tavey: Calm down, perv
