Chapter 6
This not-date had turned very date-like all of a sudden.
Harper hadn’t meant it to. Sure, she’d asked Maya out because she was charming and funny and maybe, a little bit, because of that damn smile of hers. But it was also because she was easy to talk to. After only a few minutes of conversation, you had to put in effort not to relax.
But it wasn’t just a few minutes. It had turned into hours. Several hours, ending in this current, highly non-romantic state, with them taking a late-night stroll along the riverside.
“You are wasted at a place like the Lucky Penny, you know that?” Harper gestured at the padded leather jacket.
When Maya had noticed Harper was getting cold, she handed over the jacket and didn’t take no for an answer.
“If I were you, I’d run for the hills. Or just somewhere that will appreciate your skill set.
The Penny doesn’t really reward talent.”
“Sounds like you’re trying to get rid of me. Did I annoy you that much already?”
“Come on. No one would work at that shithole if they had other options. You have the personality of someone who has options.”
“First impressions can be deceiving. I’m not that special.”
Harper nudged her with her elbow. “You put up with me for an entire day. That makes you very special.”
It wasn’t the only way she stood out. More than once, Maya had said or done something that Harper should have been able to respond to, but which instead stole her voice entirely.
The only other person who’d been able to make her tongue-tied like that was her girlfriend back in high school, and that was mainly because of the experience gap between them. Twenty-five-year-olds had a leg up on most teenagers.
But for once, Maya was the one who’d been caught off guard. Her soft, surprised smile at least suggested as much.
“What about you?” Maya nudged Harper back. “You’re working at the Lucky Penny, too. I find it hard to believe that you can’t go anywhere else.”
Harper’s smile stiffened. She’d heard that kind of question before. Kieran had thrown it in her face often, bristling whenever she reminded him that she had chosen this line of work and wasn’t interested in leaving it.
“I like my job,” Harper said flatly. “I’m good at it. And it’s fun and pays well, most of the time. I’m not looking to make a career change, if that’s what you’re implying.”
“That’s not what I’m implying. I may only have one shift to base my opinion on, but the Lucky Penny doesn’t fit your talent. Any other club would be lucky to have you.”
Harper nearly stopped in place. The question had made her go on the defensive by habit, so she’d read Maya’s tone wrong. As preaching rather than curious.
“That’s not how this kind of conversation usually goes,” Harper said. “People tend to have opinions. And they rarely keep them to themselves.”
“Yeah, I know the feeling.” Maya sighed, eyes going distant.
“My folks aren’t the most understanding types.
They believe being a lesbian is something that fades if you pray hard enough.
They weren’t going to change, and neither was I, so I left the day I turned eighteen.
Almost ten years out, and I’ve never looked back. ”
She shrugged, looking out at the water. “They didn’t even try to stop me. I had been a problem for a while in their eyes. Slacking in school and hanging out with the wrong people. If anything, they seemed relieved when I left.”
Harper tensed. Even though it hadn’t been the intention, the words hit like needles.
“That isn’t easy to go through. Same thing happened to me.”
Maya gave her a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. “Was it also because of your dating preferences?”
“Not exactly. Me being bi was just one of several things my parents took issue with.” Harper tightened the jacket around herself. “Multiple factors were involved with me leaving. Let’s just say it like that.”
She hadn’t even left, really. And she couldn’t say that she had never looked back either, even though doing so would have saved her a world of hurt.
“Their loss,” Maya said. “All I’m saying is that I get it. Even though I don’t get where the judging would even come from in this context. Sex work is just work. If my partner was in that field and didn’t mind being there, I doubt I would either.”
Harper couldn’t help but smirk. This topic was a lot easier to handle than a trip down memory lane. And given that everything about today had been totally platonic, she might as well give voice to her curiosity.
“So, hypothetically, you wouldn’t mind if your partner was working at a place like the Lucky Penny?”
Maya’s eyes glinted with amusement. “I would mind, actually. I’ve been told that place is a shithole.”
Harper couldn’t help but laugh. Another surprising trend. She could usually dial the noise down to a flirtatious giggle, but not around Maya.
“Well, I can’t work anywhere else,” Harper said.
“St. Louis isn’t the friendliest place for me at the moment.
If I want somewhere decent to work, I’d have to seek it out elsewhere.
We spent the better part of last year moving all over the state, and unless I can find something guaranteed, I’m not putting them through that again. ”
“Them?”
“The four of us are a package deal. Me, Trish, Nell, and—” Her shoulders stiffened. She cleared her throat, hurrying on. “The three of us, I mean.”
Maya had obviously noticed the blunder. A slip of the tongue Harper should really have gotten past by now. She hadn’t needed to say ‘the four of us’ for over two years, but her mind still refused to accept what it should know perfectly well.
Maya paused, clearly considering whether to press the topic. But when she spoke, she didn’t press, really. Her soft tone made the words feel more like a caress.
“I’m guessing, whoever that last person is, it was her birthday recently. And she wasn’t around to celebrate it.”
The knot that had caught Harper’s voice sank into her chest.
“Yeah. Good guess.”
“Can I ask about her? Or should I drop it?”
“You can ask, but there isn’t much to tell. That’s the problem. She’s missing, technically, but in this case, ‘missing’ actually means ‘we don’t care enough to confirm that she’s dead.’ Her disappearance made the local news for a few days, but they didn’t have any leads, so… the world moved on.”
Harper’s grip on the leather jacket turned from tight to clutching.
“We got lucky, really. Evie was gay, but she was still a pretty, white girl. The news eats that up, since it’s rarely people like her who go missing. If she’d been a person of color or trans or both, I doubt she would have gotten more than a few paragraphs on some indie blog.”
“Doesn’t sound fair.”
“It sounds like reality. Reality sucks sometimes.”
Maya paused for a moment. She opened her mouth but stopped whatever she was about to say before it could escape.
“You must have been close,” she said instead. “You and Evie, I mean.”
“We were. We all were.”
Harper rolled her shoulders, shaking off the dark thoughts. Today had been far lovelier than expected, and she didn’t want to end this not-date feeling melancholy. She could do that any other day.
“You’re lucky to have them,” Maya said, smiling. “Sometimes, the family you find is better than the one you were born into. Sounds like you found a good one.”
“They’re better than good.” Better than I deserve. “What about you? Do you have anyone?”
“Not really. After I left home, I moved around for a while. Did odd jobs where I could find them, had my heart broken a few times. I guess I’m still looking for the right fit. When you grow up in a place that makes you feel like you’re wrong, it’s hard to recognize when something feels right.”
“Your parents would love mine,” Harper mused.
“The Montgomerys are so prim and proper that they fall into basically every stereotype. White picket fence, green lawns during droughts, and two-point-five kids, with me being the point-five. They could be mistaken for being in a cult where everyone wears beige.”
Maya chuckled. “I’m glad you escaped. That sounds horrid.”
“That’s not even the cultiest part. My parents’ names are Howard and Harriet. Their creativity had limits when it came to their children.”
Maya slowed to a near halt. “No…”
“Yes. My older sister is named Hope, and my younger brother is named Henry.”
Maya didn’t just chuckle then. She cackled, the noise so infectious that Harper couldn’t help but join in.
“This isn’t really what I expected today to be like,” Harper said once the laughter had died down. “Figured it would be fun, but not this fun. I haven’t laughed like this since…”
Her smile fell. Then she groaned. The problem with bad decisions was that they had long-lasting consequences. That included popping into her mind when they weren’t wanted.
“Since Kieran.” She broke away from the path, slumping down on a nearby bench. “Which is kind of tragic, I guess. It’s been a long time since being around him could be described as fun.”
Maya sat next to her. “Dammit. I had my money on him being an asshole from the beginning.”
“Oh, he was. I just pretended he wasn’t. Paid attention to all the good parts rather than the bad ones. They were easier to see past in the beginning. He was nicer back then. He made it feel safe.”
“Made what feel safe?”
Harper tensed. She hadn’t actually meant to share that, but there was something about Maya’s easygoing attitude that kept you talking when you really shouldn’t be.
Blame that pretty smile of hers. It was made to summon secrets.
“The sex,” Harper said casually, eyeing Maya for her reaction. The topic change would have made most people let out a nervous laugh or look away to hide a sudden blush.
Maya did neither. She just narrowed her eyes.
“What does that mean?”
She didn’t sound amused anymore. Instead of responding to Harper’s flirty tone, she’d pivoted the conversation in a more serious direction.
Which wasn’t necessary. Nothing bad had happened. If you ignored a few specific moments.
Her mouth had just gotten in the way, like usual. To shut her up, Kieran had twisted every limit she’d set into awfully creative punishments. He’d said it was normal for the dynamic they were playing out. Even if it hadn’t felt like playing by the end.
She hadn’t talked about it before, with anyone. In part because the only person she would consider discussing stuff like this with was Nell, and she didn’t even know about Kieran. But Kieran had also told her not to share anything. Had insisted that their sex life was between them and no one else.
That relationship was over, though. And Maya was waiting for an answer.
“Kinky sex.” Harper armored the comment with a smirk. “Like I said, he was nice at first. Made sure he knew everything I liked and didn’t. If there was an exam on the topic, he would have aced it. But it didn’t work out. Apparently, I’m too bratty.”
Maya regarded her with a surprisingly stern gaze. But then she relaxed, smiling again.
“Sounds like he didn’t know what he was doing. Anyone can be tamed, no matter how bratty they are. With the right partner at least.”
Harper’s mouth dropped open. “Wait… You know about…”
Maya grinned. The subject of sex made most people flustered, so Harper had thrown in the kinky descriptor, thinking it would summon that kind of reaction.
Instead, Maya redirected the energy right back at her. Like she’d done all goddamn day.
“What can I say? I’ll try anything once.” Maya shrugged, putting her arm on the bench backrest. “Some things I’ll try more than once. I like women with a little fight in them. And I like beating them at their own game.”
Her expression was the very definition of teasing. As though she could tell, despite the darkness, that Harper was blushing.
“You have to be careful with those comments,” Harper said. “And with mine, too. I flirt for a living, so you can’t take it seriously.”
“Fine. I won’t take it seriously.” Maya stroked her thumb over Harper’s chin. “But then you can’t take it seriously either.”
Damn, she was good. The butterflies in Harper’s stomach were undeniable evidence. They didn’t dissipate either, since Maya didn’t withdraw her hand. She stayed put, fingers resting around Harper’s chin in such a natural way it was like being settled there was their sole purpose.
The touch could be broken with ease. Either of them just needed to lean back and the moment would be shattered. But they didn’t move. Didn’t breathe.
Maya’s eyes fell to Harper’s lips. “If this was a date, I would kiss you right now.”
Snowflakes danced around them, the only sounds being those of flowing water and sighing winds. Such a peaceful soundtrack, making it almost possible to forget any concerns beyond those of the present.
“If this was a date, I’d let you,” Harper whispered. “Too bad we’re not allowed.”
The sincerity in her voice was surprising. For her, flirting was more of an innate skill than a learned one, and when she found someone who could match her, her reaction was more enthusiastic than invested. A sort of neutral excitement that came from finding a quality sparring partner.
She rarely felt disappointed.
Using more effort than it should take, she leaned away. They’d both known how far it could go. This had just been a fun day out, and the odd dismay she felt couldn’t distract from the fact that they worked together. Going further than flirty conversation would just end with someone getting hurt.
But on the other hand, she couldn’t remember when she’d last been as happy as when walking next to Maya, huddled under her leather jacket. Unfortunately, that was also a fact.
Rather than entertain that impractical line of thinking, Harper got to her feet. She put on a winning grin and extended her hand towards Maya.
“But you can walk me to my car. I know you like being chivalrous.”
Maya stayed seated, hand awkwardly raised. Not everyone handled rejection with grace, and though this version had technically been stated before they even began this outing, Maya might have forgotten. Either accidentally or willfully.
But neither was the case. She took Harper’s hand, smiling as she stood.
“I’ll take that offer.” Maya linked their arms as they continued down the path. “But only because it’s you. I don’t act this gallantly for just anyone.”