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“Wash your mouth out with soap,” she harrumphs. “Good for you for being courageous. I’m not.”
It has nothing to do with courage and everything to do with trying to hide in plain sight.
“Knowing you, I’m sure you’ll rise to the challenge and you’ll get that hotel looking like a billion dollars with your lighting design before they open in three months.”
“Thanks, sis, for the vote of confidence,” she says. “Speaking of work, Mom texted me to let me know you’re working as a translator now? Since when?”
I knew Mom would sing like a canary if I told her too much. She can’t keep a secret.
“Yes. It’s a new… position—short term.”
“Are you working from home or in an office?”
“From home, but I was out of the country.”
“Where were you?”
“I had to accompany my client to Paris—”
“Your client has an office in Texas?”
“Not Paris, Texas. Paris, France.”
“You were in Paris, and didn’t tell me?” she shrieks.
“It was last minute, and you’re in Bali. You’re a day ahead, and there’s a twelve-hour difference between us.”
“Did you lose your phone?” I have three. “No email? Worst case scenario, you could’ve used a computer at any New York Library to let me know you were going to the City of Lights.” I don’t miss the sarcasm in her voice. “What if I needed you to bring me back some things?”
“There was a lot to go over before we left.”
“Your client does business with French companies?”
“Yes,” I say. “He doesn’t speak French and he had some big clients to impress.” I almost believe my own lie.
“Did you go to London to spend a day or two with Mom?”
“No, there was no time for that. Our schedule was packed.”
“Who’s your client?”
My blood freezes.
If I tell her, she’ll Google the hell out of Bryce.
Keep it vague. “Their head office is in Silicon Valley.”
“How did you get this contract again?”
I haven’t told you.
Sneaky, Ciara.
I play it cool. “One of my former employees worked with the owner of the agency that booked me for this gig in the past, and she referred me. I lucked out with a client who needed someone who spoke multiple languages.”
“I see. That’s good.”
“It is.” I veer the topic back to her to get out of this uncomfortable conversation. “Earlier today, I was at Betony for a business lunch with my client. You did an outstanding job with that place.”
