ASTRID
My client is running late. It irks me as I have a penchant for punctuality. Unable to sit still, I pace the floor, tuning out the chatters from the other patrons. It’s the third gig I’m taking from my part–time job at the editing firm in Brookland.
She had been gracious enough to make reservations in the VIP lounge, keeping us separated from the loud music and laughter. It’s Thursday, the twentieth day of the month, and a few days before the election. It’s a slow day, too, and I can’t wait for it to end.
Irun smooth hands across my neck while peering at the entrance door.
“Nervous about something?”
1 come to a standstill and shift my attention towards the source of the voice.
“No, I’m just trying to make the time go faster.” I return, flashing the attractive man a smile. “I can stop now if it’s a bother.”
He chuckles. “Oh, no. The only thing that is bothering me is seeing you restless. Have a drink with me. It will help ease your nerves.”
“My nerves are perfect, thank you.” I almost snapped back at him, irritated at his awkward attempt at flirting.
A sound from the door catches my attention. It’s the server bringing a bucket of ice with a seemingly expensive bottle of wine sitting in it. I throw my face away, pretending not to notice anything.
The weather is sweltering to engage in piddly conversation with a random man. Attractive or not. I pull out my phone from my back pocket to check the time and my notifications for the umpteenth time.
There’s nothing from Ava. She’s one of our bestseller authors, and the firm added her to my tab because I’ve been doing remarkably well recently.
She’s yet to meet me, but we’ve texted a few times and talked over the phone, too. I’m holding my breath, though, a tad bit worried she might disapprove of me since she’s been dishing out blockbusters way before I got my degree in college.
“Do you want me to pour you a glass?”
I struggle to keep my expression neutral even though I want to scream at him to get off my ass. “My client will be here any second from now. I don’t think it’d be cool for me to drink on the job.”
“A glass doesn’t hurt.” He tilts his glass at me in a silent toast, then takes a long gulp. “It’s just a glass of streaming eagle.”
I stifle as I groan but fail at wheeling back the exasperated eye roll. He says screaming eagle like the fucking drink is a ticket to sanity.
“I’m fine.” I bite back and turn from him, fiddling with my phone while hoping the good lady shows up soon.
I’m two glasses of wine in and drowning in controlled rage when Ava finally walks in. I can see her making her way through the entrance door. She winks at the bouncers and strokes the arm of the one closest to her like she’s brushing off a stain. Then her lips shift, and she blinks again. I watch in awe as she continues down the center of the room. There’s no missing the eyes strained on her and the hushed tones spreading throughout the room. For a moment, I wonder if she’s living out of her books–one of her romance novels or if this is who she really is.
She’s beautiful. Bold, too. It will be a delight working with her. Well, that would be after we’ve gotten tardiness off the list.
The door to the VIP lounge opens. Without delay, her eyes meet mine, and she smiles. I smile back and stand up, crossing my hands over my thighs. “Ms.
Rocks.”
“I recognized you from your profile picture on Instagram. You’re more beautiful in person. How are you, dear?”
“I’m good. I was almost afraid you wouldn’t show up. Traffic?”
1/5
20:33 Sat 31 May
Chapter 15
She takes the seat opposite me, crossing her legs in a sexy pose. “I had a date. An old friend wanted to meet for dinner, but I had to move it up because my evening is jam–packed.”
“Oh. You have an event tonight?”
“No, I kept it open for you.”
1 cock my head. This is our first meeting, and we’re supposed to go over the draft and talk about the characters and whatever. I expect it to be an hour or two tops. And this is just 5 pm.
“I don’t understand, Ma’am. You said it’s to go over a few things. What else do you want to do?”
“I need your help with something.”
Damn! This doesn’t sound good at all. I have a nagging feeling that whatever she needs will be above me. Women like Ava Rocks are never simple.
*Send me the pages, and I’ll go over everything later. How fast do you—”
“I have an event in Los Angeles. I need a chaperone …a date…whatever. I need one for tonight too.”
Huh? This is getting even more confusing. “Is it related to the book I will work on?”
She picks up my half glass of wine and takes a long sip, draining it. Her lips are precisely where my lipstick is. I inwardly sigh and avert my eyes.
“No. But we can talk shop on our way to the airport and when we get to LA. We can do anything you want. I want you to go with me.”
“Why?”
She smiles. Her eyes crinkle at the sides. “Last night, I spent ample time on your social media pages. I read every post you’ve put out in the past two months; I went through all your pictures, and I was… I felt like I was looking at a mirror. You are smart, beautiful, spunky, and independent. Something most women struggle to have at your age comes so easy to you.”
“And what’s that? I ask, unable to hold back from putting out the question.
“Charm. You have a truckload of that. You are really good at what you do.” Her eyes gleaming with what I perceive to be admiration.
I’ve always believed I can be anything I want if I put in the effort. I grew up with books – novels, cookbooks, magazines. Dad made sure my bookshelf was refreshed every month, and my iPad was filled with soft copies of my favorite books, my favorite authors, and, of course, the ones he wanted me to read
too.
“I love books, and I’ve wanted to be an editor. I was an avid reader, which made me want to work with authors, and to see how it’s done up close.”
“How many authors have you worked with?”
“You’re the third.”
“It’s going to be a fun journey. So, what do you say about LA?”
I study her. She’s still wearing a charming grin, and her dainty fingers, neatly manicured with sharp tips, are wrapped around my glass. I don’t know what to say, nor do I think I can make the trip with her. I have work.
“It’s not tonight. You can take your time, think, and pack a few things, or don’t. We can always get new stuff there.”
“When is it?”
“Last day of next month. You have more than a week to make up your mind.”
“But you said there’s an event you want us to attend tonight.”
2/5
20:33 Sat 31 May
Chapter 15.
She glances at the bar. “She’s right there. Troy will introduce her soon. Come, you’ll love her.”
I notice the bar is suddenly crowded, and most people are hovering close to the makeshift stage. “Who is she?”
Ava’s smile brightens considerably. “Lisa. My younger sister.”
I turn, taken by surprise at her words. I know Lisa. I come here most of the time to listen to her soul–lifting songs. She sings about family, love, forgiveness, lust and sex. She’s a music goddess. I had no idea she had a family because she never mentioned them in the interview.
“You look surprised. I told you I have a sister over the phone.”
As Lisa’s voice echoes throughout the room, ny hands fold on my thighs as I drink in her voice, the lyrics, and the sight of her slightly tilting her head toward the mic. Her eyes closed. There’s something about watching her sing. It’s therapeutic. And tonight, she’s singing about love and loss.
“Her voice summons raw emotions. I had no idea she was related to you. Or anyone. She strikes me as a loner.”
“She’s that. We meet twice a month for dinner at my penthouse. She dashes in, eats, dashes out before I can get her to say more than hello and thank
you.”
The musical notes continue to pour from her parted lips. I sing along, even though I’m not familiar with the lyrics. There’s something about the song I can relate to. Perhaps everything about it pulls my mind to a man I can’t keep out of my thoughts.
I shut my eyes and let my mind wander. I know where it’s headed, and I do nothing to stop it. I will bask in this moment, relive everything that is Jordan, and hope my body learns to stop leaning toward him.
I miss him. So much that my heart bleeds because of the excruciating pain that spears through me.
The allure of the music is profound. I roll my shoulders, anticipating the next lyrics.
“It’s Taylor Swift. Lisa adores her.” Ava says with a smile in her voice. “When we lived as a family, she spent her entire free time listening to Taylor. She forced it down my throat and.” Her eyes turn dreamy. “I must admit it was one of the best music I listened to, and to date, those moments when Lisa and 1 blared Taylor’s lyrics are my absolute favorite.”
The song slowly winds down. I glance away from Aya to her sister, trying to see the resemblance. It’s there, right in the tilt of Lisa’s head and the curve of her hips in her ripped black jeans. At the same time, Lisa is a perfect blend of class and mystery; Ava wars with spontaneity and sex appeal. I see it in her writings, and when people say that authors give their characters a little bit of themselves, I totally believe them.
“Do you regret anything?” I have no idea what I’m fishing for. I guess I’m enthralled by it all – Ava and Lisa. No one would believe me.
“Our mother’s death. It ruined everything. Lisa left home, and Dad started gambling. Her death affected us in more ways than one.”
“It must have been really hard. I’m so sorry.”
She straightens, the lights in her eyes dimming into a pale blue. I wonder if I’m knocking her back to a moment she’d rather not talk about, As I’m about to tell her not to favor me with a reply, she parts her lips.
“Not for me. I hated my mother. She ran off with her young lover, and when she came home five years later, Lisa and my dad acted like she did nothing wrong. I didn’t want that, but there was nothing I could do since it was me against them. She became ill after a month and died the same month. I didn’t cry at her funeral.”
Damn. This is deeper than I thought. I clear my throat. “I’m sorry, Ms. Rocks.”
She moistened her lips. “Don’t feel sorry for me, I think it was a miracle. God knew we didn’t deserve to be treated like second fiddles. That was the first time I believed that a God was watching over us.”
1 stifle a gasp. “Because he took your mama?”
She shakes her head and twists her lips in a wry smile. “No, because he did the right thing.”
3/5
20:33 Sat E
Sat, 11 May —
Chapter 15
Lisa’s voice kicks up again as she delves into the second verse.
જોની વોએ વ ો
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Lisa pats her palm over the inlaid wood of the guitar strapped around her neck. A sense of nostalgia rumbles in my chest as I sing along, bobbing my head gently.
“Your parents. You’re lucky to have them.”
Ava’s words cause my breathing to cease. “You know my parents?”
She gives a single flat nod. “Social media.”
Oh.
“You’re lucky, and honestly, I think they’re lucky too.”
I smile. “Thank you. So, where’s your dad now?”
“Jail. Being a gambler brings out the devil in you. He was owing a lot more of people, and they were pissed that he dared to walk on God’s great earth freely. So they dumped his sorry ass in jail.”
I need another drink. This is getting darker. I eye the screaming eagle man. He winks. I scowl at him. And quickly avert my gaze.
“Are you okay, love?”
I gulp and try to make my expression neutral. “I need a drink.”
Chuckling, she says. “My sob story has drained you, huh?”
I muster a grin. “It reminds me of one of your books. It was the second piece of yours I read, and I was captivated by every word. Every page. It’s something I can’t relate to because I have the best parents.”
ே
The waitress, a tall young woman with caramel skin, walks to our table. Ava has pressed a button on the table. “Scotch. Double.”
Ava chuckles. “You’re going hard?”
“I’m sorry to be drinking on the job. I need this.”
She swirls her drink in the glass. “I understand.”
The crowd erupts in a cheer as Lisa steps back from the microphone. She blows them a kiss and then jumps into the waiting arms of a woman. My eyes almost bulge out of their socket. Slowly, I swerve my head to look at Ava.
“That’s her lover, Georgia. She just applied to intern at your workplace. Can you help her get in? Can you do that for me?”
“Two favors in one day? I don’t know how to feel.” I say, deadpan.
She leans on her elbows, her eyes scanning my face. In two hours, this woman has awakened emotions deep within me. Lisa too. I was hopeful that our work meeting would help me relax, but she’s dug a deeper hole. I can’t stop imagining how she must have felt when her mom left, and now, she’s dealing with so much after losing her mother and father in jail, and her only sibling is a complete stranger.
“Please.” She wraps her fingers around my wrist and gives it a gentle squeeze. “And please, call me Ava.
4/5
