Page 15 of Push & Pull
Simone added maple syrup to her pecan waffle. “Yeah. Super small.”
Petra cut into her hash browns. “Your family. What do they do?”
“My grandfather founded a successful investment company when he was young. By the time I was born, my father had transformed it into a conglomerate that did more than investments. Right now, I’m a project manager, although there isn’t much to manage anymore.” The last time Simone had any significant work to do, she was down the faltering road to rehab – part two. “I’m sort of on sabbatical these past few months. The president of the company, one of my father’s former friends, told me to take time off to ‘work on myself.’”
“Ooh, that’s code for some bullshit.”
Simone couldn’t say she hated these syrupy pecan pancakes, but they were the opposite of what she was used to eating for dinner. “There was a lot that went on after he died a few years ago. For one thing, his wife… no, never mind. I don’t want to get into this right now.”
“I get it. Old wounds.”
At least Petra didn’t press her for more information. Unlike Simone, who suddenly wanted to knoweverythingabout Petra and her uncle. What did they do, exactly? How did they do business for Hailey Lambert’s family? How did a girl go from foster care to being adopted by a mysterious uncle who had those crazy connections? Why was Petra running errands across the country? In a car?
So much wasn’t adding up. But, unlike the story about marooning in the Mediterranean, Simone didn’t assume Petra had lied about anything else. There were simply holes she refused to fill with information.
“If Daria Marseille isn’t your girlfriend…” Petra said with a mouthful of hash browns, “Then she wassooooall over you last night. I mean until she was grinding with some Swedish dude.” Petra’s fork scraped across her plate. Simone gritted her teeth at the sound. “Guess it makes sense she’s not your girlfriend, then.”
“You’re really hung up on me dating one of the sisters. What even pinged your gaydar?”
“First of all, I’ve got hella great gaydar. Who do you think was Hailey’s first lesbian experience?” Petra jammed her crumb-covered fork toward her chest. “Actually, that’s how I knew for sure. She’s told me about you. Took me a bit to recognize you at the party, though.”
“She’s told you about me?” Simone snorted in disbelief. “She doesn’t talk about that with anyone.”
“Um, she does with me. Remember? We go way back.”
“So why aren’t you dating Hailey Lambert?”
“Don’t know if you’ve noticed, but the bi side of her is so deep in the closet that I would suffocate from a lack of oxygen. Not worth it.”
“I hear that, for sure.”
“She surrounds herself with gays, though. Gay girls, gay guys.” Petra shrugged. “You ask me, she likes the aesthetic and thinks it makes her cool. Occasionally experimenting with girls is a bonus, but that girl’s a cock junkie.”
Simone almost choked on her coffee. As it burned in her nostrils, she grabbed a napkin and slammed it against her face.Fucking hell!Her brain was half fried from hearing the phrase “cock junkie.”
“Aw, sorry. I forget that not everyone is cool with phallic imagery.”
“My God.” Simone rubbed her temples. “You could’ve said she likes guys too much to commit to a woman.”
“How about you, huh? You like guys at all? Or is it all girls all the way for you?”
Simone shook her head. The sugar was starting to go to her brain. “Can’t say men appeal to me. I prefer the company of women.”
“Same. I deal with enough men with my work. It’s all ladies in my private life.”
They were silent, although neither ate nor drank. Simone couldn’t shake a certain unfortunate phrase from her head. Petra had pulled out her phone and swiped through her notifications.
“Speaking of work,” she said, “I have a work meeting tomorrow night in Raleigh. That’s my next stop.” She stopped scrolling and put down her phone. “Not as far there as it is from here to Miami, but I’ve gotta make sure I get some sleep tonight. What say we hit the hay after we wrap up here?”
“You mean in our hotel room with only one bed.”
“There’s a couch.”
You’re sleeping on the couch.Simone couldn’t finish her dinner. Something about the sugar from the waffle and the acid from the coffee wasn’t agreeing with her stomach.Or maybe it’s the hangover that won’t go away.She really wasn’t cut out for drinking as much as she used to.To be fair, I haven’t been full-on drunk since rehab.Some time had passed. Her body wasn’t used to it anymore.
Probably for the best. Her goal was to kick all of those unfortunate habits, after all.
Even though there was one she still had yet to kick. If Daria Marseilles hadn’t been so distracted the night before, Simone might have indulged. Again.
