The question came out of nowhere, and she wasn’t exactly sure how to answer. Cleo was happy to have a job to pass the time. She liked the money. A lot. But working specifically at the motel?
“It’s fine.”
Reyna snorted. “Considering the activity happening in those rooms, I’m sure you’ve seen some pretty gross shit.”
Cleo forced a smile.That’s an understatement.
She lifted her hands and wiggled her fingers. “I wear industrial gloves.”
Reyna knitted her brows, then burst out laughing. “As you should.”
There was a small lull in conversation. Comfortable silence could be calming and enjoyable. And boring. The last thing she wanted was Reyna to think she couldn’t carry a conversation.
“So um…” Cleo racked her brain for an interesting topic but came up short. “Do you like what you do?”
Reyna smirked. “I like the money.”
Cleo had no idea how much the girls made, but considering their lavish clothes and cars, she assumed it was decent.
“Have you ever wanted to do something different?”
Reyna snorted, and her gaze scanned the room. “I’ve been doing this since I was sixteen and my stepbrother started pimping me out to his friends.”
Cleo gasped. Her own life had been a mini hell, but she couldn’t imagine living the picture Reyna was painting.
Reyna laughed, wrapping her hand around Cleo’s wrist andstrumming her thumb over her skin. It felt comforting, which was strange. If anyone should be consoling someone, it was Cleo with Reyna.
“I’m sorry,” Cleo whispered.
Reyna shrugged but didn’t look at Cleo. “We don’t all get the cookie cutter, white picket fence childhood,” Reyna spun on her stool to face Cleo. “Right?”
No, we don’t.
“Right.” Cleo forced a smile.
“You and I are a lot alike, I think.”
She instantly felt a burst of appreciation. Cleo couldn’t contain her smile. “Thank you.”
Reyna scoffed. “You act like that’s a compliment.”
“It is. You’re smart, obviously beautiful, and nice. Why wouldn’t I take that as a compliment?”
Reyna’s bottom lip fell open, staring at Cleo as if she’d just sprouted a second head. Cleo wasn’t the best at gauging people’s reactions or reading into their thoughts. She attributed her lack of social skills to years of isolation. Maybe she’d taken it the wrong way. There had been more depth to the conversation, mainly circling around abuse.
Ah, dammit.Cleo bowed her head, staring down at her clasped hands in her lap. That’s what Reyna had been referring to.
“I think I took that the wrong way. You meant—” Cleo stopped and cleared her throat. Before she could finish her thought, Reyna grabbed her knee in a tight squeeze. Cleo glanced up through her lashes to find Reyna smiling.
Thankfully the bartender was a welcome distraction, placing two napkins down, then their drinks. Cleo immediately grabbed the glass and took a sip, glancing around the room. As with most conversations, she’d made it awkward.I swear, that’s going to be on my headstone…Loving sister and awkward AF.
“You didn’t,” Reyna said, and Cleo peeked over at the woman. “Smart, beautiful, and nice. That’s what I meant.”
Naïve and gullible. Out of touch. Those were all relatable traitsfor Cleo. Stupid wasn’t. Cleo was well-aware Reyna was backtracking with her lie.And I’m going to let her.
They spent the next ten minutes chatting with Tanner, who gave them the scoop on the tables. All the while, she sucked down her drink. Cleo was feeling the buzz and lightheaded. She rarely drank, but this was going down quick, and she was feeling the effect.
When Tanner excused himself to help a patron, Reyna swiveled on her stool to face Cleo.
