Audrey punched Leo’s arm. “Hey. I’m in charge of that.”
“You suck at it.” Leo grinned. “Sorry, but it’s true. You just post occasional pics of stuff in the store, and you don’t even use captions.”
“What’s your point?” River asked, sitting down again and letting the tarot deck sift through her fingers.
Leo straddled the chair opposite her. “My point is you should totally make use of this crazy viral thing. Use it to talk up the issue and show people who you are and why it sucks that some corporate shithead wants to take away what you guys built. At the very least it might get you some more business. It will definitely get a zillion people sliding into your DMs. Have you even checked them today?” They looked at Audrey, who frowned.
“I’ve been a little busy with the dying husband thing.”
Leo blanched. “Fuck. I’m so sorry, I didn’t know?—”
“Audrey, don’t be an ass. Leo, her husband did have a heart attack, but he’s fine, and the nurses actually had to kick Audrey out because she was driving them insane.” River flinched when Audrey yanked the tarot card from her fingers, leaving a stinging papercut.
“Can I take over?” Leo asked, looking between them. “I’d love to manage your socials.”
Should we allow that? What if it gets them in trouble somehow? River thought it clearly, and loudly, and Audrey’s eyes narrowed.
“Yes. You can.” Audrey handed over her phone. “Figure out the passwords and all that malarkey. Do what you will. You’re an adult and if you think you can handle it, then you can.”
Well, that certainly told River off in no uncertain terms. “But Leo, if things get tense or people get…well, peopley, then you shut it down and let us know, okay?”
Leo nodded absently as their fingers flew over the phone, and they moved from Audrey’s to their own. They started to laugh and held up Audrey’s phone. “You have seven hundred DMs.”
River grabbed the phone and scrolled down the list. “Why would someone send a pic of that? And why would I want tomarry a total stranger?” She shook her head and handed it back. “Can you ignore them? Or send some bot response that doesn’t sell my soul, or body, to anyone?”
“If you ask me, you could do with handing over both to some hot person who makes you?—”
“Nope.” River clapped her hand over Leo’s mouth. “Not having this conversation with you, ever.”
Leo’s eyebrows wiggled, and River shook her head and dropped her hand. “Okay, I’ll handle it. But I’m going to want to do some B-roll video of you doing stuff. Like, doing a tarot spread, or meeting with the neighbors, whatever. It would be best if you’d talk because the queer community is all over this, and you know we can move mountains when we get together.” Leo began doing a bit of videoing as they walked around the shop.
River smiled at their optimism. Things had mellowed for a couple of decades, but now the next generation was being called to fight again. It was heartening, and sad, to see.
Her phone buzzed in her pocket, and she pulled it out.
Can we talk again?In person?
River frowned at Marina’s message.Seems like you said what you have to say. As ungodly hot as you are, it isn’t a good idea.
My hotness makes everything a good idea. Maybe I’ll even fall at your feet again.
The last one was followed with a devil emoji.
“You’re like a lioness in heat,” Audrey grumbled from behind the counter. “Put up some barriers or I’ll vomit into the witch hat.”
“What?” Leo spun around and looked at the phone in River’s hand. “You’re talking to someone?”
“I talk to people every day.” River held her phone out of Leo’s reach as they tried to grab for it. “But I’m not dating anyone, if that’s what you mean.”
Leo scoffed. “Audrey said malarkey, and you say dating. How oldareyou guys?”
Audrey threw a fluffy cat toy at Leo’s head. “Don’t be impertinent.”
River turned away to text Marina back.Business or pleasure? Honestly, please.
A little of both.
Okay, well, that was fair. River looked at Audrey, who was staring back at her. “Do I?”
