Page 125 of Tailwind

My eyes bulged. ‘How the fuck did you do that?’

‘I’m always right, Lena.’ She leaned back, propping herself up on her elbows, satisfied.

‘Fine. If you’re such a know-it-all, what do I do about it? He betrayed my trust years ago, which I am very much not over by the way, and wriggled back into my life to blackmail me.’ My anger poured out, heightening every time I listed a new issue with Theo. ‘Then he somehow managed to become my friend again, ended up having my back when I needed him, but then goes and says “I’m never letting you go” while I’ve got my legs wrapped around him! He knows about my parents—’

My steam ran out, leaving me limply hanging on to the last thought. My chest shuddered as I tried to take a deep breath.

Josie sat up again and shuffled over, bumping her shoulder against mine. ‘It’s okay, you don’t have to say everything on your first go.’

I clamped my lips together and nodded, relieved.

‘To answer your question though,’ she said. ‘Talk to him. Call him out for what he did and see what he says in return. It could make you feel awful or it could go better than you expect, but either way you can move on. Holding on to all this isn’t healthy.’

‘Do I have to?’

‘You’re a whiny toddler when you’re hungover, did you know that?’ She produced a sealed envelope from her back pocket. ‘It’s almost enough to make me hide this from you.’

My brain fuzzed. He’d sent a message already.

‘Don’t be a coward.’ She pressed it into my hands. ‘And don’t be slow. I want to know what it says.’

It was addressed to me, with the address of Bach’s ranch. I’d given Theo the code for the local Comms Office, who knew where to forward messages. An express stamp marked the corner.

‘Miss Lena Paldon.’ I read the enclosed note aloud. ‘You are invited by Miss Hough to attend a luncheon at the Edimon tomorrow afternoon at one o’clock. Punctuality and appropriate dress are expected.’

We both stared at the note. A mixture of relief and disappointment swirled through me.

‘Well,’ I said. ‘It’s not from Theo.’

‘Maybe I don’t need to worry about your cognitive functions after all.’

‘Very funny.’ I grimaced at Josie. Something in the back of my mind twitched when I read the name, but I couldn’t work out why. ‘Ever heard of Miss Hough?’

‘No idea, but the Edimon is that massive glass hotel in the city. So whoever she is, she’s loaded.’

‘Should I go? It seems kind of sketchy.’

Josie pinched the bridge of her nose. ‘Lena, if some rich person wants to speak with you and you need money, you go.’

I looked down at the note like the answers would appear if I just wanted them enough.

‘I guess I have a lunch date tomorrow.’

I wore one of the nicer outfits Theo had supplied. A tight black shirt, high-waisted, loose grey trousers with faint pink pinstripes and black boots. It was as formal as I could get from the selection available.

The Edimon was in view miles before the train reached the nearby station. It was one of the biggest and most impressive buildings in all of the city. At night it reflected the colourful lights of the buildings, but during the day it looked like the rest of the sky around it – clear cloudless blue. I’d walked past it dozens of times without giving it much thought, yet now it held a potential future for me … maybe.

When I reached it at street level I could see just how fancy it was. A cream carpet was rolled out in front of the wide entrance. Cream. Showing off that you have a limitless cleaning budget was definitely how to let people know you were a high-end establishment. I’d spent years scrubbing for the most profitable sport on the continents and commiserated with their cleaning staff.

The moment I stepped on the carpet the doorman sprang into action, pulling open the gold-framed glass door for me. I nodded to him, feeling awkward.

The lobby was equally as luxurious, even more so with an indoor fountain that filled the space with a gentle trickling noise. The light marble floor had thin veins of grey running through it, keeping up with the pale theme. The whole thing must have been at least twenty storeys.

I felt distinctly out of place in my dark outfit. It seemed the hostess thought the same, because she came over with a too-polite smile and her shoulders squared off.

‘May I help you, ma’am?’

It was the first time in my life I’d ever been called ma’am.