Page 68 of Push & Pull
Those specific words did more to mend Simone’s broken heart than any empty pleasantry her friends had offered over the years. She supposed that was the difference between people who saw her as a status symbol and those who wanted to touch the soul inside such a battered shell.
PART 3
PUSH & PRAY
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Chapter 23
NewYorkCitywasn’tso bad in February.Not as bad as some people make it out to be.It may not have the events of the summer, the dramatic views of autumn, or the holiday hullabaloo of December, but Petra never failed to find someone interesting to talk to or a picturesque place to eat her breakfast of a bagel and cream cheese.
That was true the following morning when Simone opted to sleep in while Petra got about with her day.It’s a big day, after all.Earl Olivier was coming into town that day, and he was destined to meet Petra – by chance, of course – in his hotel bar. Right now, she waited for the final bits of information from her uncle’s informant, Georgio. He was to contact her around three when Earl checked in to his hotel. Until then, Earl had no idea he was being tailed from JFK, and Petra had no idea what to expect.
She knew what usually happened, but that wasn’t the same as anticipating what to expect.
“He’s not giving you any shit, is he?” Petra sat on top of a bench overlooking the Hudson River, her feet propped on the seat while a cigarette she stole from Simone hung between her legs. “Because I’ll come back down to Miami to give him the business. Or I’ll fly to Stockholm. I’ve always wanted to see Scandinavia.”
Hailey yawned into her phone. “My boyfriend is the same as usual. I don’t know where he is right now. Maybe up in your neck of the woods. Is Simone really still with you? I thought she’d be back home now. I received confirmation that her phone was delivered two days ago.”
“She’s been with me since we got her in my car the day after your party. Quite the interesting travel companion. We quickly decided to split the cost of gas on the way up, although I'd be damned if I let her drive.” Knowing Simone, she wouldn’t know the first thing about driving a car that wasn’t Italian-made.
“Interesting? I suppose so.”
“I thought you were friends. You don’t make friends with uninteresting people, Hail.”
“Simone and I have known each other for a few years, yes. I’ve seen her change quite a bit over those years. You know she’s been in trouble before, right?”
I don’t know if I would call getting checked into rehab as trouble.Not the way Petra defined it. “She’s told me a bit about herself. Enough for me to get the gist.”
“I seriously can’t imagine you two having much of a conversation.”
“Yeah, well, what if I told you things have gone beyond conversations?”
Hailey was silent for a moment. “Huh?” She scoffed. “Are you two sleeping together? That must be why she’s still traveling with you, going as far north as New York City.”
“I won’t deny it.” The only reason Petra dropped the smile on her face was because she wanted another drag of her shrinking cigarette. “She’s got quite the tiger sleeping within her.” Petra didn’t know how much Hailey had learned about Simone’s personal desires over the years.Not my business to share how she likes it in bed.“And beside her now.” Petra knew her worth.
“Petra…” Hailey sounded more tired than usual. “Don’t get too involved with Simone. She’s more trouble than she’s worth for you.”
Petra instantly went onto the defensive as she said, “What are you talking about? She hasn’t been anything more than I expected withyourfriend network. Did I tell you I saw Daria Marseille last night? That girlthrewherself on me. I had to beat her off with a stick before I accidentally ended up between her legs.She’sthe one to watch out for.”
“Don’t change the subject to Daria. I’m telling you about Simone. Because that’s how she draws people in, Petra. Then she starts sucking the energy out of you. Not to mention her addiction issues…”
“I haven’t seen a concerning thing this past week.” Petra had thought this over more than once already.If I had seen something, I would have acknowledged it.“I don’t care if she’s been to rehab a couple of times as long as she’s on track now. It’s not like my own past is squeaky clean. You know half of my family is involved in crime of some kind.”
“Does she know that?”
“No, but… hasn’t come up.”
“Uh-huh.”
Petra hadn’t signed up for this when she called Hailey that morning.A cigarette, a view, and a chat with a friend.That’s what Petra had imagined when she dialed Hailey fifteen minutes ago.That and getting a feel for what she would think of Simone and me as a couple.She wasn’t merely the cinch that held them together. She was the origin of their meet-cute.
Instead, Hailey was acting like it was one of the worst things she had ever heard. While some women didn’t like their social spheres colliding, Hailey had never struck Petra as the type.
“I don’t see it,” Hailey said. “You guys hooking up isn’t weird, but a relationship? I don’t know what’s gotten into either of you. Simone is always going on about how she doesn’t want a relationship right now, and you’re… you.”
