Page 45 of Meet Me on Greenwood

"I didn’t realize you’d even applied."

"I only mentioned it to you dozens of times," she said. "I swear you are always lost in your little books and never pay me any mind."

I grabbed her waist and pulled her close. "I always pay you mind," I said with a quick kiss.

"All the important people will be there. This will mean so much for us and make it more likely that the right people attend our wedding."

"And that is—good?"

She rolled her eyes. "Yes, Houston. It is good for our standing, your business, our ties to this community. Who knows, you may even be able to run for office someday."

I shook my head. "I have no interest in public life."

"Well, one day you might change your mind. Don’t you get tired of working for free all the time? I don’t know how you pay the mortgage on your property."

"I always find a way, and business isn’t always this slow. Times are hard right now, that’s all."

Sarah smoothed her hands across my shoulders. "I ran into Gray Sterling the other day." She paused.

I kept my face still, though my chest tightened. It was like she wanted me to respond, because some part of her needed to gauge my reaction.

When I gave her nothing, she said, "He doesn’t seem to like you very much."

I frowned. "The feeling is mutual."

"Well," she said running her hands through her honey blonde hair. "His family is very friendly with ours. I’d hoped you’d get along."

"Didn’t the two of you used to court?" I asked.

"In high school," she pouted. "Honestly, that was eons ago. Is that why you two don’t get along? You are jealous?"

She seemed thrilled by the idea, but her face immediately fell when I said, "No. I just have never cared for him."

"He told me you have a new assistant." She fell silent, as though holding her breath, waiting for me to admit to my crimes. "Is she here?"

"No," I said carefully. "She is Negro. Our circles are very different." That wasn’t a lie.

"He said she was your guest."

"She was injured," I explained. "Lettie helped me get her on her feet, and I found a good family to take her in."

Sarah watched me carefully, weighing every word.

"I am not a fool, Houston."

"Sarah, I—"

"Please, let me finish," she said holding up her hand, eyes locked on mine. "I watched my mother cry and languish over every affair my daddy ever had. I wanted to hate him for it, but truthfully, I hated her for being so weak. I am not weak, Houston."

I swallowed.

"If at some point you want to wet your dick somewhere else," she continued, her tone almost conversational, "I will not embarrass you. Men have needs. But there are lines, Houston."

Her mouth tightened.

"And one of them, is that I will not compete with a…" she paused as if disgusted. "With a Negro woman."

The words landed like a boulder on my chest. I couldn’t help but feel disappointed.