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I’m not letting her out of this. “That’s not what you said at dinner. You worried I was becoming too much like CeCe.”
“In Ivy’s defense, she did tell me my matchmaking app is a dumb idea, and she thinks the framework and AI I’m working on are way more valuable,” Heath explains.
“She did,” Darnell agrees. “She was all teary and shit. Like she was the bad guy in a Bond film. Oh, and hey, then she slept with him like she was the good girl in a Bond film.”
“I don’t think the bad guys cry.” Anika finally gives up and plops on the couch next to Darnell. “She was doing the martyr thing. This is not the first time I’ve lived through an Ivy-Harper showdown. Harper can’t see shades of gray.”
“I see shades of gray just fine,” Harper insists.
Anika’s eyes roll. “And the minute Ivy feels judged by someone she cares about, she goes into martyr mode and swings wildly the other way. I was worried she would be on a Greyhound bus going to like Maine or something to live out the rest of her life in the solitude she deserves in her head.”
“Nah,” Heath corrects. “I got her naked pretty fast and now we’re friends… Let me see if I can keep this straight. We’re friends who sleep together exclusively and hang out and have warm feelings for each other. Right, babe?”
“I was never going to Maine.” I’ve lost all control of this conversation.
“You know you’re the one most likely to Grey Gardens on us,” Harper says, her arms crossed over her chest.
I should never have watched that documentary with her. “I am not going to end up in a rambling mansion eating cat food.” The truth is I can’t afford a mansion. If that’s how my life ends up, I’ll be eating my cat food in a small apartment, thank you very much. “But she’s right about you not being able to see shades of gray. I did not go into this agreement with Heath to hurt him.”
“I know you didn’t. I worry that you’re so determined to get back to the top you won’t see a good thing sitting in front of you,” Harper says. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry to both of you. You guys are my sisters. Do you have any idea how hard it is to see you guys doing things I think will hurt you?”
“What did you do?” Darnell asks Anika. “I thought Ivy was the only fuckup.”
“I never said that either.” Harper looks worse for the wear. The rain got to her in a way it hadn’t with Anika’s high ponytail. Harper’s hair had been stick straight, and now it looks like she’d spent some time in Florida. Maybe wrestling a gator.
“I have taken a job on a reality TV dating show Harper thinks is beneath me,” Anika announces. “I start in a couple of weeks, and she’s trying to get me to battle with my bosses when she doesn’t even understand what’s going on.”
“Then explain it to me,” Harper counters.
Anika stands, facing off with her. She’s still wearing the glittery dress she’d worn for the party. “I would but I signed an NDA, so back off.”
This is tea she has not spilled to this point.
“Heath, I think the little disco ball and Wednesday Addams are going to fight,” Darnell whispers.
I need to take control. If Anika’s signed some kind of NDA, then we don’t know what’s going on and we can’t. “Everyone’s going to their respective corners. Harper, you can’t control the world. I know you want to. I know you would be a benevolent wicked queen, but we don’t live in a fantasy world, and you’re pushing us away with this crap.”
Tears shine in Harper’s eyes. “I don’t mean to. I want everyone to be happy. You can’t imagine how much I envied you when I thought you were living the dream out in San Francisco. I was so proud of you, and then I realized it was all a lie and you never told us.”
“I didn’t tell anyone.”
“I knew you built walls to protect yourself. But I didn’t think I was on the other side of one.” Harper takes a long breath, seeming to steel herself for something. “Fuck it. I’m doing the same thing. Ani’s right. I’ve run into some trouble. I’m overleveraged, and I could lose the company if I’m not careful. Ivy, could you please help me? I need someone to talk to about it.”
All of my anger washes away in the face of her plea.
The years I spent away did build a wall between us, and I don’t want this particular wall.
“Are they going to do a girl cry thing?” Darnell is whispering.
Heath hushes him.
“Of course I’ll help you.” I move close to her and wrap my arms around the woman who’s been my family since we were children.
