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She makes a face. “Why would I want to go to Russia? I’m a tropical destination girl.”
“You think Russian investors will go over well with our crowd?” I ask JD.
“I don’t give a fuck about Russians.”
“They back a lot of Drumm projects.”
“So? When did you care about international politics?”
“I don’t. Something just doesn’t smell right about Drumm and his projects.”
“Look, Drumm projects are almost always shitty. There. I’ve said it. Expect to lose money. This isn’t an investment for a financial return. It’s a quid pro quo. I bet that’s why the Russians are backing them. They know Drumm knows how the game is played. I’ve already made my commitment to Eric. I think you should, too.”
“Darren’s too busy getting his head turned by the dorky sweater girl,” Kimberly replies, passing the weed back to JD. She turns to me. “I can’t believe you took that thing with you to Thailand.” She tries but fails to keep the jealousy out of her tone. “You suddenly into charity?” she asks.
“You’re so cute when you think you’re clever,” I tell her.
She scowls at me. “Did she actually meet your family or did you hide her in the closet next to that ugly-ass sweater of hers?”
JD chuckles.
“I had to dress her up,” I admitted. “Bought her some new clothes, new shoes, some jewelry.”
I didn’t need to add the last sentence because Kimberly already looks livid.
“Because she has zero sense of fashion,” she says.
“So why are you jealous?”
“Ha! Of that thing? I’m not jealous. I’m looking out for you, honey.”
“Well, we can’t all date Eric Drumm.”
“Now who’s sounding jealous?”
I don’t bother telling her that I’m more jealous of a pot-bellied pig than I am of Drumm. Not worth wasting my breath.
“Where you going?” JD asks when I get up.
“Gonna pick up Bridge.”
JD cocks his head to one side. “You two in a real relationship or something?”
“Or something,” I reply, not wanting to discuss it.
Back in Phuket, my mother warned me about falling in love with someone like Bridget. She wants me to walk the straight and narrow, so one would think she’d be happy that I’m with someone so law-abiding she won’t even consume alcohol until she’s twenty-one. My mom thinks I should go for a simpler woman, and she’s probably right on that. But my body wants what it wants.
I don’t know that I’m in love with Bridget, though. There was a moment, the day after the fight with Mok, that I thought I might be. But that burst of emotion has settled down since we got back.
For the better.
