Page 6 of The Upgrade

It’s nuts. It’s wild.

It’s exactly what I’d have done before settling into a safe, calm,normallife.

“Fuck it,” I mutter. “I’ll do it.”

Camille grins. “You’ll be Kit’s date to the event, or…” She wiggles her eyebrows as Sara snickers beside her.

I think about sex resorts and hot, uninhibited flings. About revenge sex and making mean exes pay. About sex shaming and how far I’ve come.

How fucking far I still want to go.

“Text Kit,” I tell her. “Say I’m open to anything.”

CHAPTER2

KIT

“You’re sure you’re okay with this?” I shift the phone from one ear to the other and check the clock on the hotel nightstand. My fake date arrives in five minutes.

“Okay with what?” Camille’s feigned innocence makes me snort.

“Me having sex with your high school buddy.” No sense pretending that’s not on the table. “I thought you guys hated me dating your friends.”

Because yes, it’s a thing with my sisters. We’re still recovering from The Great Dani Debacle of Grad School, also known as that time I made the poor choice to date our middle sister’s best friend.

That was more than a decade ago. My sisters arestillupset.

“I don’t want you todateEve.” Camille says it like I’ve suggested wearing her socks on my ears. “She’s just there to make Miranda jealous.” There’s a pause where I picture my sister deviously twirling her hair like a supervillain. “And if you happen to enjoy a one-night stand that puts you both on a path to healing, even better.”

“Jesus.” She sounds like she’s prescribing casual sex. Now that I think of it, she probably does that. “Why would I need healing? I’mfine. Miranda and I split more than six months ago and?—”

“I wasn’t talking about Miranda.” She lets those words hang, waiting for me to take the bait.

I won’t do it. But I will let the silence linger uncomfortably.

This is the problem with two shrinks in a standoff. We could do this all fucking day.

Since my fake date will be here any second, I cave first. “Just because I wasn’t there when Dad died doesn’t mean I failed to get closure.”

“Whatever you say, Kit. I’m sure your crushing grief over the passing of our primary, paternal caretaker is completely resolved and didn’t create any issues for you around intimacy and?—”

“There’s Eve at the door.” It’s not true, but it’s my chance to escape this conversation. “Are we grabbing dinner with Mom before I leave town?”

My sister switches gears like I’d hoped. “Thursday’s good. Christine’s teaching until six, so she’s a maybe. Celia and Caitlynn and Courtney are a definite yes.” God, we have a lot of sisters. “Clara’s trying to get out of some work thing, but Mom’s in for sure.”

“Thanks for setting that up.”

“Why do you sound weird? Your voice is all scratchy.”

“I caught a cold coming over from London.”

“Are you contagious?”

“Not anymore. I promise not to make your friend sick.”

A knock at the door announces Eve’sactualarrival and I draw a fortifying breath.

“I have to go. Love you, Camille.”

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