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“—o Torino?” says Jordan and I suddenly realise she’s talking to me and I haven’t heard a fucking thing.
Shit.
I shake my head, clear it. “Sorry Jords, what?”
She frowns. “What’s in a Milano Torino? Have you had one?”
“Um—” I try to think. Focus on my girlfriend, not on what Parks is saying to Jonah. “I don’t know. I’ve had one, yeah—”
Her shoulders slump a little, annoyed. “Do you think I’d like it?”
I frown. What’s the matter with me. “Um—”
“It’s Campari and sweet vermouth,” Magnolia tells her with a glance. “Bittersweet. I personally think it’s yuck.”
“Oh.” Jordan nods. “Thanks.”
Magnolia turns back to Jonah and they keep talking, and I lean in towards Jordan. Force myself to focus.
The waitress asks for my order.
Negroni.
Parks catches my eye, amused. Maybe relieved that something hasn’t changed.
“And you, Miss?” the waitress asks Jordan.
“A Milano Torino.”
Magnolia’s eyes flick back over to mine and they catch.
I lick away an amused smile.
Jordan sees, glares at me a bit.
And then a shadow casts over our table.
I look up.
Julian Haites.
I grin up at him to say hello but he doesn’t even register that I’m there. His eyes are locked on Parks.
“Oh shit—” he says, watching her as she looks over at him. “Here’s trouble…”
Her mouth drops into a delighted smile.
He gives her a small scowl. “Come on — get up and give me a squeeze.”
She bounces up into his arms and I know at least a bit of it’s for show. Trying to deflect my arm around my girlfriend by spring-boarding herself into the arms of another man in a fucking leather letterman jacket.
Vintage Parks.
Julian’s touching her how he’s always tried to. She’s always liked his attention, even when we were together.
Can’t blame her for that, I suppose — he’s just that kind of person. Never bothered me before because I knew it meant nothing and she’d never. She’d still never now, I know that. He’s a fucking gang lord, but still…
Watching him here, I want to punch a fucking wall because his hands fall down her in a way that would have made her skittish before but now she’s just letting him feel his way down her body all playful and shit and I wonder how many ways New York’s changed Parks and if all of them are going to make me feel like dying.
