“Hey, no sweat,” she interrupted. “Congratulations on your little boy.”
“Thanks! You should meet him. Especially since he brought us together and all.”
“What?”
“I guess, more accurately, it was Esty. You know, my wife?”
“Yeah?”
“She just couldn’t get over that I had this niece I never spoke to. And I’d thought about you, really. It’s just after a while, so much time passed, and I didn’t know how to just call out of the blue anymore.”
“Guess you figured out a way.”
“Ha. Well, once we got pregnant, Esty was like, ‘you see how important family is?’”
“Uh-huh.”
“Seriously. Then he came. And he was so perfect. We were so proud. Just like your parents were so proud when you were born.”
He waited a beat then nailed her exact thought. “I feel terrible I haven’t been around to tell you things like that about your parents.”
She exhaled slowly as if meditating. “Right.”
“So, um, are you doing well? Tell me all about you.” His tone indicated that he found it as awkward as she did, being family and strangers all at the same time.
“I don’t know what to tell you. I got my MBA and ended up working in marketing, which I love. I’m at Estée Lauder working on a global project.”
“Wow, I’m impressed. Does global mean you travel?”
“Sometimes, though we hold a lot of video conferences too.”
“Well, if you’re ever in L.A, you’ve got to call me.”
Quentin sounded a shriek in the background.
“Are you married? Do you have kids?”
“Nope,” she said.
“Well, you have plenty of time.”
Orchid puffed up her cheeks. “I know. It’s just . . . it’s just that I fell for a guy who wants nothing to do with me.”
“Aw, I’m sorry. Want me to come kill him for you?”
The ridiculous offer cheered her. “Yeah, actually, that’d be great. We were getting along super. Then I came back after a month and a half to China andboom. He says we shouldn’t see each other anymore.”
“Ouch. Guy’s got no taste. He’s not good enough for you.”
Orchid stared at the ceiling. Entrepreneur, model-ready dance fiend with a touch of European. That’s what family’s for, to boost spirits by saying the opposite of the truth.
CHAPTER 33
STEADY AS SHE GOES
Phoenix
SATURDAY DECEMBER 1—DECEMBER 8
