Chapter 32
Mallory
A Year Before the Outing
“Is DILF still a thing?” Mallory asked at the DIY craft cocktails pop-up that was exorbitantly expensive despite having no
bartenders. You mixed the drinks yourself watching YouTube tutorials. “There’s not a single one here.”
“Not exactly our demographic,” Ilena said.
“Isn’t that sexist?”
“Numbers aren’t sexist. We’re not exactly going after the DILF market with our featuring of celebs like Reese and Shonda.”
“But cocktails are universal. Besides, one can still hope.” Hope for some no-strings-attached-adequate-don’t-spend-the-night
sex.
“But I hear Grayson Fields is coming.”
“To check on his investment.”
“Right, that’s why.”
Mallory ignored Ilena and watched a young woman wearing a neon pink tee that said “My parents gave me climate change without a gift receipt and now I’m stuck with it” snap a selfie with her rosemary-infused tonic.
One of countless attendees shaking organic raw eggs and drinking out of straws made from cactus leaves and touting their love of AIM.
A love that led to this, the coveted, see-and-be-seen launch party for “How Wide’s My Smile. ”
It was the challenge that did it: “Seven Days to Your Resting Beach Face!” It had been designed as a one-time thing. Users
earned points for self-attesting to the completion of certain behaviors like hitting ten thousand steps or bullet journaling
or pleasuring oneself without guilt. Like “Dry January” but with strategically placed ads from their sponsors. Today they
celebrated a hundred thousand new subscribers and a new beginning for AIM. The challenge was over, but the points were staying,
morphing into their own community-driven channel: “How Wide’s My Smile.”
All indicators pointed to it eclipsing the rest of AIM’s features. That was why Grayson was coming. And why she was having
dinner with him after, not that Ilena needed to know that. It was time to explore taking AIM public. Aubrey wasn’t the problem—Aubrey
was never the problem in that way—but Ilena would take some convincing. Grayson was the start.
“Hey, y’all!” Noreen bounded over and handed them each a highball with perfect layers of blue, green, and orange liquid. “I’m
a big DIY-er, so I made you these.”
“And you just became my best friend.” Mallory took a sip, and her eyes widened at the sweet but savory, citrus-y but herbal
concoction. “In fact, you became better than that. I’m in need of a new assistant. Interested?”
Noreen placed a hand to her chest. “Gosh, that’s an offer, isn’t it? But, Ms. Miller—”
“Aubrey. And she won’t mind.” Mallory waved her hand. “Twenty percent raise?”
“Well.” Noreen’s head bobbed. “A girl would be daft to not accept that.”
Noreen returned to handing out AIM swag, and Ilena shook her head. Not a strand of her short cut moved. She was no longer the girl from freshman year with the long, thick hair that Mallory had envied. Her face had grown thinner, with less shine and more lines, yet she was just as gorgeous. More so.
“Shameless, Mal,” Ilena said.
“Aubrey won’t mind.” Mallory took another sip, eyeing Ilena, who hadn’t touched hers yet. “Are you . . . ?”
Ilena stuck the straw between her lips.
Mallory nodded. “So that’s a no.”
“I want to try a different doctor,” Ilena said.
“The ‘I’ implies Jonah doesn’t.”
“Jonah’s . . . tired.”
“Maybe a pause would be good? Especially with things ramping up with AIM?” Which would only increase when they went public.
“Don’t give me the ‘it’ll happen when you stop trying to make it happen’ speech. Everyone knows someone who magically got
pregnant when they stopped trying. But what about all the people who just stopped?”
There was a time when all of this would have been making Ilena do cartwheels, but now all she cared about was what those cartwheels
would do to her ovaries.
Look at this, Mallory wanted to scream. Grab Ilena’s hands and dance her around this ridiculous pop-up that had a line halfway around
the block for entry. They made this, together. What could be better than this? Continuing to do it together, that was what.
She loved Aubrey, but Aubrey wasn’t in it like they were. Aubrey could never handle the pressure, and as well as Mallory was
handling it, going public would take it to another level. She needed Ilena. Ilena was her person.
Mallory changed the subject. “Is Aubrey even coming?”
“Ethan had a thing.”
“Sure he did.”
“I think she really likes him, Mallory. We’re going to have to get used to him.”
“He hit on me, did I tell you that?”
Ilena drew back. “And you didn’t tell Aubrey?”
“I did. She said me and my long legs always think people are hitting on me.”
“She’s got a point.”
“And you really should try to de-stress. For the baby.”
“Touché.” Ilena played with her straw. “Do you really think he was?”
“I may be conceited, but it comes from experience. He was hitting on me.”
“Then we’ll keep an eye on him.”
They clinked glasses just as Grayson Fields appeared.
Ilena said, “There’s your DILF.”
“One, he’s not a father, and two, there is no way I’m ever sleeping with our main investor and head of our board. Give me
a little credit.”
Ilena greeted Grayson, small talk lobbed back and forth, and all the while Mallory did her best not to stare at the tautness
of his shirt.
After Ilena excused herself, Grayson lowered his sunglasses. “I’m training for a race. There’s a new vegan place in the South
End. Globe said the meatballs are a surprising aphrodisiac.”
Well, shit.