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“I’ll be going now,” Steve says, slapping me on the back and walking off into the crowd.
I look at Selena. Right now, there are two of her.
“Kenneth,” she repeats.
“Well, yeah, you know,” I say. “Because you won’t let me write the piece on Derek. You don’t want to come forward and admit that the anonymous posts are from us.” I turn and pick up one of the shot glasses, convinced that there’s still liquid inside of it. I frown when I notice that it’s empty.
“You never mentioned to me that you were going to lose yourjobif you didn’t,” she says, taking the shot glass out of my hand and setting it back down on the counter. I know she wants me to look at her, but I just can’t.
“I don’t want you to feel pressured,” I explain. “I care about you, you know? And you’re not ready, so there was no point in telling you.”
“I… but, that is…wow.” Selena apparently can’t find the words to say.
I suck in a breath. “Whenwillyou be ready?”
“What?”
“Derek. When will you be ready to leave Derek?” Even saying his name makes the anger instant inside of me.
“I… Kenneth, are you drunk?”
“Stop deflecting.”
“You know it’s not that simple.”
“No. You know that itis. But you still won’t do it.”
“Why does it matter to you so much?”
“Why does it…?” I slam a fist on the counter. “Are you kidding me, Selena?!”
She jumps back in fright.
I step away from the counter and run a hand over my face. “Shit, Selena, I’m sorry.”
What the hell is the matter with me?
Selena doesn’t say anything back, but the way she stares at me nearly breaks my heart.
Then just like that, she disappears.
29
GISELLE
I’m standing at the bar inside The Warehouse with Kenneth and Steve when I hear the news.
“By the way, you know my stepmom, right?” Kenneth asks Steve, capturing my attention.
Steve nods at him. The two haven’t stopped drinking since we got here.
“She’s here right now. Came on the flight back home with us,” Kenneth says.
“Wait, here intown?” I ask, side-glancing at Steve.
Kenneth looks at me and nods. “You know her, too?”
“Oh, sheknowsher, that’s for sure,” Steve says. I bug my eyes out at him, and he chuckles. “Giselle models for her.”
