“I slept with Dane Rourke.”
The words erupt out of me, and I instantly feel a rush of shame follow right after them. It’s like I’ve been carrying it along with me, waiting for a moment to feel it properly.
Aunt Ruby pauses with the glass halfway to her lips, and flicks a look in my direction, her expression going blank. Slowly, she lowers the glass to the table, setting it down with aclick.
“I’m so sorry,” Aunt Ruby shakes her head, frowning. “You’ll have to remind me who that is, dear. I’m afraid I have a hard time when I can’t put a face to the name.”
My mouth drops open. “Auntie—Dane Rourke. The millionaire? Or—probably billionaire? He’s like, crazy rich. Has a bunch of companies and charities?”
Aunt Ruby shakes her head, and we’re interrupted by the chef returning with our dishes, setting them down, thanking my aunt again before retreating. The moment he’s gone, I hiss, “Myboss.”
“Oh—that’s where I’ve heard the name!” she chuckles, eyeing the plate containing her bulgogi appreciatively. “Lord, I’m hungry.”
“You have nothing to say about that, Auntie?”
I hadn’t realized it, but there’s an undertone of anxiety bubbling in my stomach. Right now, it feels like Aunt Ruby is playing surrogate for my parents—who would most certainly not be reacting to this news with such nonchalance.
Thinking about my parents’ potential reaction gives me the same feeling as thinking about space, or how deep the ocean is. Too much untapped potential for dread and terror.
“Well—what do you mean?” she asks, busying herself with placing her napkin over her lap.
I laugh, shaking my head and covering my face with my hands. Through them, I say in a quiet voice, “I slept with my boss. A man twice my age. Aren’t you going to, like—tell me not to?”
“Well, you already did, so it’s a little late for that now, right?” she laughs, then digs into her food. After chewing and letting out an appreciative noise, she holds her hand in front of her mouth and says, “You know, I slept with my boss, once. Except he was balding and bankrupt, so if this Don?—”
“—Dane—”
“—fellow is as handsome as I’m remembering from those magazines, then you’re already making out better than I did.”
I stare at her, dumbfounded. After a second, the expression on her face does shift to disapproval, and my stomach flips.
“You’d better dig in,” she says, pointing at my plate with her fork. “This is a special treat; don’t let it get cold.”
Blinking and shaking my head, I pick up my own fork, burying it in the vegetables and rice in front of me. It is, of course, delicious, and I sink into the easy rhythm of eating. Aunt Ruby seems to forget all about my secret—this major revelation that, to her, is no more than a passing trifle. We talk about Pudding, about Aunt Ruby’s recent perfume testing, about what it was like to be in Amsterdam for the first time.
It’s only when we’re down at the valet, and Aunt Ruby is tipsy enough that she’s handing me the keys, that she leans into my side and says, “This Rourke—he’s been respectful with you, right?”
The question is so unexpected that it takes my brain a moment to readjust, and I pull back, giving her a meaningful look, “Yes—yes, Auntie. It’s completely consensual. I’m actually the one who—” I think about crawling into his lap on the plane and flush. “—started things.”
“Then, alright.” When she pushes out into the bright early October sunshine, it only takes her a second to drop her sunglasses down onto her head before she glances over her shoulder at me. “Just let me know if you need an IUD—I know a guy.”
Chapter 15
Cole
Para-synthetic, medical-grade silicone paired with a copper infusion throughout the various layers of materialshouldmean an anti-bacterial coating for our toys, resulting in fewer infections in users.
There are two primary issues with the suffusion of copper through the silicone—first, that it’s rather difficult to do correctly and maintain the same supple, silken material our toys have become known for. And second, the copper seems to be interfering with the nano-bots’ ability to communicate with one another.
Both issues are unacceptable. The nano-robotic technology is the primary feature that sets us apart from our competitors. I refuse to settle on one or the other—we can have both. It just comes down to me to figure outhow.
I’m right in the middle of examining the chemical properties of the latest batch of material from the plant in Brazil when I hear the subtlewhooshof the elevator rising.
Sitting up straight, I lean back from my computer and look out into the lobby, my mind instantly running through the possible suspects.
No cleaning crew. Dane knows I do my best work at night, and I don’t want to be interrupted, so they come early in the mornings.
Nico would never come to the office to work on the weekend, though I have caught him sleeping in his office occasionally. If he’s up and around now, though, he will be out on the town, schmoozing with potential investors, or whatever networking stuff he does for Ember.
