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Abigail and I turn to find him there with Merci. She was helping me look after the bookstore before it was burned down.
“You two deserve each other. You know that, right?” Abigail remarks, disgusted.
“This your sister?” Merci asks. I nod, and Merci just smirks and looks her up and down. “Nice to meet you.”
“Yeah, whatever,” Abigail snarks, turning her back to her and looking at me one last time. “I need money, a lot of it.”
Merci laughs at her words.
Joey just stands there.
“I can’t,” I tell her. And right now, I don’t feel guilty about it. “I owe someone.”
“You don’t. And let’s be real, you have ways of getting it. We all know your boy thing over here…” she points her thumb to Joey, “… will give it to you.” Then she’s huffing a laugh and stalking off without another word.
“I could kill her,” Joey offers.
“No,” I say immediately.
“So, new bookstore?” Merci muses, clapping her hands excitedly. “Joey told me last night at Chanel’s. I took his credit card and ordered some of what you had in stock before for rush delivery, and it should be coming today.” She smiles proudly. “And Joey said he will cover my wages until the shop’s up and running.”
“He what?” I ask her, shaking my head as I try to process what she’s just said. “So, first, we need to find bookcases, tables, well… everything.”
Joey holds his credit card out to me, but I make no move to take it.
“I already owe you money,” I remind him and push his hand away. I really need to work that out soon. It’s been a while since I’ve dipped into that account of my father’s money. I try never to use it since I was hoping one day to give it to Jerome for his twenty-first birthday. To me, it's blood money.
“Take the card, Adora. It’s an investment,” he says, still holding it toward me again. “I know you’ll be good for it. Lucas shared sales on the last one.” Merci takes the card from his outstretched hand when I still can’t get myself to.
“Don’t worry, boss. If she won’t, I will.” She smiles and links her arm through mine. “How long until you have to be back to get your boy?” she asks.
I tell her as we walk off.
Joey’s already left without a goodbye.
* * *
I’m knockingon his door, and there is no answer. Merci and I shopped all day, then collected Jerome and shopped some more. We got everything we needed, and I wanted to personally hand his card back. It’s late. Jerome is asleep at Bianca’s place, and I’m standing in front of his apartment, knocking with no answer. I try to call him, but he doesn’t pick up.
My phone rings as I hang up from trying Joey.
It’s Merci.
“Hey,” I answer.
“Forgot to say, we have to work out an opening day and promote it as much as possible.”
“Yeah, sounds good.”
“Where are you? It doesn’t sound like you’re in bed like you should be,” she jokes.
“I’m at Joey’s, but he isn’t here. I was going to give back his card.” I hear Merci yelling, and when she comes back, she huffs.
“Chanel says Joey was with Lucas. Best bet would be Lucas’ club.”
“Thanks,” I tell her, hanging up before she gets out what she was going to say next.
* * *
