The not-calling thing was bad.I would have called if I hadn’t passed out from hot, mind-blowing sex.
“So what are these rumors you mentioned?”I say, forcing my mind off Jaeger, where it’s determined to drift, and back to our conversation.
“People have asked me why you got fired.”
That makes it sound so awesome.“Go on.”
“There’s a rumor one of the execs has it in for certain people.”
“That’s pretty much what they said when they let me go, only subtly.It’s done, Gen.I’m not going back.”
“Right, but… if this has happened before?—”
“From Drake?”
She stills.“Drake got you fired?”
I shrug.“I assumed.It happened after I rejected him.And Jaeger, well, Jaeger made sure he remembered it.”
I already suspected Drake had me fired.Hearing what he did to Gen, the way he threatened me when I went in to see her—and saw Jaeger comforting her.That must have been right after Drake touched her.
He’s horrible.And he seems to have a firm grip on management.They fired me for no good reason, simply because he told them to.I don’t care anymore about my old job, because I’m moving on, but I’m worried about Gen.
“Look, Gen, this is bad.No matter what you do about Drake, there could be repercussions.You have to decide what’s best for you.As much as I like to believe differently, I don’t have all the answers.”I press my fingers to my eyes and sigh.“At the moment, I’m not sure I have any answers.”
“You’re right.”
I look up, becauseouch.
She sees my expression.“No, not that.You’re smart, Cali, and you usually have good ideas, but I need to make my own choices.I can do this.I already decided my pride wasn’t worth losing my job.”
“You’re staying on?Without telling anyone what happened?”
She nods.“I am for now.I’ll go to management if Drake so much as lifts a pinky toward me, but I want to play this by ear.He got you fired and I don’t doubt he’d have me fired too.And I sort of need my job.”
The idea of Gen staying at Blue after what Drake did to each of us scares me.What if he touches her again, or worse?She shouldn’t have to hide sexual harassment to keep her job.That’s horrible.
But I’m finished telling Gen what to do.She’s stronger than she knows.At least she’s doing what’s right for her and not what others think she should do.It’s more than I can say for the job choices I’ve made these last few years.
“Hey.”She walks around the edge of the bed and sits beside me.“I’m glad we’re talking again.”My back loosens and I lean into her, resting my head on her shoulder.“No matter what happens, it’s always ten times worse if I can’t talk to you.”
“Ditto.”
ChapterTwenty-Three
Out in the backyard, I draw the last shape on my sketch.It’s a scene of a rowboat on the shore of the lake with the sun rising in the background.The water is made of squiggly circles and, from the corner of my eye, appears to move.
I’m calling my drawingssketchesinstead ofdoodlesafter I spoke to a professional artist yesterday.She told me I need to approach my work like a business.Apparently,doodlesisn’t a professional term.The jury is still out on whether or not I believe I’ll thrive with an art career.
For the first time in my life, I’m not confident I’ll succeed.It’s scary, yet surprisingly freeing.I’m not pursuing art because I should, but because I really enjoy it and it makes me happy.
Last night, I went online and signed up for an art class at the community college, as well as a CAD course.I learned during one of my midnight Internet searches that some of the patterned drawings I’ve made could be used to create textiles—who knew?And CAD is a requirement for fabric art.
Whorls of heat rise from the cement patio in the late morning sun.It’s only eleven and already I’m sweating in my pajama bottoms and bikini top.
My phone buzzes.I dig it out from where it migrated beneath my thigh on the lounge chair.My smile grows a mile wide when I see who it’s from.
Jaeger:Dinner this evening?
