"No," Jenny says, looking deflated. "But they're the most elusive family on the island."
"Exactly." Holly looks around the room with an expectant look on her face. "Whoever can get me a story on the Waverlys will go up in my esteem and is guaranteed to keep their job."
"Better chance of winning the lottery," Emma whispers to me, and I giggle in response. The Waverlys are so out of my league and zip code that I don't even think about trying to get an interview with them.
"Right?" I check my phone. "Oh, man, only five more hours until my date with Patrick. Why is my heart racing like this?"
"Because you're nervous that you're dating a criminal and not a hot mafia guy like from those romance books." Emma shrugs. "You're just dating a straight-up weirdo."
"Thanks, Emma." I stare at her with a frown. "We don't know that he's really a criminal."
"He doesn't have a real job. He always has stacks of cash. He's always doing some deal out of the back of a truck or a warehouse, and, before you suggest it, we both know he's not one of those guys that buys storage units that aren't paid for."
"I know. I mean, I never would have agreed to a date if I'd known he might be shady. He was just so good-looking when we first met. And he always compliments me.”
“Girl…" Emma rolls her eyes. "He tried to get you to bring him to my parents' house when I wasn't there. And he asked if you knew the combination to the safe, remember?"
I swallow hard and nod. "So, I'm guessing the gut feeling in my stomach telling me to say no to his proposal is the feeling I should follow?"
"Do you love him?"
"No."
"Do you want to marry him?"
"Not really, but that's only because I don't even know our status."
"Exactly, Gina. He's not even your boyfriend. Give me a break," she says a little too loudly because suddenly everyone in the room is staring at us.
"Care to share the conversation with us?" Holly asks and taps her long red nails against the table. They are pointed and sharp, and I remind myself never to get into a catfight with her. She'd scratch me to pieces, and my clear skin is one of the best things I have going for me. I don't need her to blemish another part of my life.
"No, we were just trying to brainstorm for Monday," Emma says quickly. "Thinking of who we have in our phones that might be worthy of a good story." Emma holds up her phone and waves it around like it's some sort of gold bullion, which, I suppose, to Holly, it would be. The fact of the matter is that Emma has loads of rich people in her phonebook, some of whom she could likely call for an interview, but I know she won't. Just like I know I have zero contacts that Holly will be interested in, but I’m not going to tell her that. A Spellman never admits to not being good enough. That's something I've grown up with all my life.
"Hmm." Holly looks away. She knows better than to be super rude to Emma. Even though Emma is technically just an employee and has no real say at the paper, she's still a Bond. And one call to her brothers or her dad and Holly would be out on her ear. Which is what makes it even more admirable that Emma hasn't made that call. She is nothing if not fair. Which is incredibly gracious of her. I know that if I were in her position, Holly would have been fired and sent packing as fast as I could yell out the words. "Meeting dismissed." Holly slams the table hard and then walks to the door. She stops, looks back at us like some sort of ice maiden, and snarls. "Anyone that doesn't havea potential story and lead on Monday..." Her voice trails off, she smirks, and then she leaves the room. I roll my eyes and gaze at Emma.
"She couldn't finish the sentence?" I yawn as I stretch my arms up. "It's not like she hasn't already warned us that she wants to fire people. Like, just say it."
"She's dangling it like a carrot in front of our faces," Emma says, and we both stand up. "Oh, wait, maybe I used the wrong analogy. That would mean something good." She laughs, and we both make a face at each other. "And we both know Holly is never going to do anything good for anyone other than herself."
"I'm nervous, Ems. What am I going to do if I can't find someone or a good idea?"
"Don't worry about it." She squeezes my hand. "I'm sure I can help you find someone, and if push comes to shove, I'll speak to my brothers. I would never let you get fired."
"Thanks,” I say, though deep inside I feel like a failure. I don’t want to have to depend on my friend to be able to keep my job. I want to be good enough on my own to keep my job because I am an awesome writer and reporter. I blink rapidly so as not to cry. Now is not the time to feel overwhelmed and anxious. "I guess I know what I'll be doing this weekend."
"Getting engaged?"
"Very funny." I shake my head and try not to groan loudly. "Brainstorming, silly."
"Emma, I feel sick to my stomach." I hold the phone to my ear as I make my way towards Olivetti's Steakhouse, the most exclusive restaurant in town. My feet are already aching from walking inthe too-tight red heels I'm wearing. "I don't know what I'm going to say to Patrick."
"Just say the words that come from your heart," Emma says patiently, though I know she's dying to get back to her TV show. She's been watching a reality TV show calledThe Traitorsthat she's fallen in love with and has already watched all the US episodesand is now on the UK seasons. "Did I tell you what Alan Carr did in the last episode, by the way?"
"No, you didn't." I look down at my watch and stop. "Girl, I'm here an hour early." I groan as I look around to make sure no one is staring at me. "I'm not going to just stand outside the restaurant for an hour. Everyone will think I'm some sort of prostitute, and then I'll get arrested and be on the local news. Then Tina will tell everyone in the family that she was right. I am a loser, and she's always been the best daughter and Spellman to ever exist." I grunt at the end. "Did I tell you that she and Garth are buying a house on Beach Drive? They’re going to have a view of the water. Like, fuck me now. How does my younger sister have enough money to buy a house with a beach view? While I just moved out of my parents’ house, into an apartment, not even a month ago."
"Because she married Garth, who is the only son of a baseball legend," Emma answers, trying not to sound snide, but failing miserably. "You know how!"
"I wish he were old and gray with missing teeth. No, actually, I wish he had dentures that fell out when they were making love. That would somehow balance out the inequality in our lives." I moan and then immediately feel guilty. "I'm a horrible sister and a bitch."
