“Want to bet? During her first meeting, she read excerpts from the exposé to everyone, then at happy hour, she drops a bomb on my game in front of all the guys.”Fuck. As soon as the words left my mouth, I understood my sister had just tricked me into revealing too muchinformation.
With an annoyingly smug smile, she finished moving perishables into the fridge. “So, a new girl shows up at your office, questions your work and your character, and now you’re asking me for the first time in years if I think you’ve changed? Is shepretty?”
“It’s not the first time inyears.”
“Whenever I ask about your personal life in Manhattan, you go monosyllabic. So, most of what I know comes from Justin or what I see in the society pages.” She plugged the sink and turned on the faucet. “Then this exposé popsup. . .”
“Not true. We talked about my love life after what Mom said those last few days,” I said. “You agreed I need to settle down and meet a nicegirl.”
She squirted dish soap into the rising water. “Is Georgina a nicegirl?”
I snorted. “Not in the least. Exactly what Mom warned meagainst.”
Libby tilted her head. “Really? Your usualtype?”
“No,” I said before I realized that answer was contradictory—and would only incite Libby’scuriosity.
“Was she like your last girlfriend—what was her name?Wenchy?”
I rolled my eyes. “Sure, Georgina is likeWendy—minus several inches, plus a real job. And if Wendy dyed her hair red, had freckles, wore suits, and was fuckingrude.”
“Wendywasrude.”
“So isGeorgina.”
“To you or toothers?”
“Both.”
“Then if she’s a bitch, forget her.” She pulled on yellow rubber gloves. “What’s bringing all thisup?”
“Take your pick.” Scratching under my chin, I listed, “The one-year anniversary of Mom’s death. For the first time in my career I’ve stumbled, and now I have a handler. I’m entering my mid-thirties. Given all that, I’m allowed someintrospection.”
“Okay, so what have you beenintrospecting?”
“I work hard, Libs. Mom taught us the importance of that, but she never reaped the benefits. I tried to get her to retire, but she wouldn’t. So why are people on my case for enjoying what I’veearned?”
She began scrubbing the dishes. “Your values will change once you meet someone. Everything I do is for Aaron and thekids.”
“I don’t have that yet. When I do, I’ll settledown.”
“It’s the other way around—start settling now, and you’ll find someone, but she’s not going to fall into yourlap.”
“You never know,” I said. “I’ve had a few girls land in mylap.”
“Isn’t there anyone at work whoisn’tthere to model? I’ve heard the office is an unfairly maligned place to meet women. Maybe a woman like . . .Georgina?”
I shook my head with a sigh. “She’s not a bitch, by the way. Just . . .frustrating.”
“Howso?”
I rounded the island to take a dishtowel hanging from the stove handle. “She’s called me entitled, arrogant, a jerk, and an asshole—some of that before I even knew hername.”
“Back up.” She handed me a plate. “How is thatpossible?”
“We met in a café before work,” I said as I dried. “I had no idea she was the new consultant.Sheran intomewhile I was in a hurry, then calledmean asshole when my drink spilled onher.”
“Well, that’s understandable. Girl hadn’t had her coffeeyet.”
