CHAPTER 8 #2
That was when India realized that Maisie had put it all together because her expression had gone from overwhelmed to one of realization, and not necessarily a good realization.
“I see,” Maisie said, nodding. “Well, I’ve got some inventory to do right now. Is there anything I can get for you, though?”
“I’d like to get another book,” India said, moving over next to Finley, but leaving plenty of space between them.
“Go for it. I’ll have Lainey ring you up.”
“Hey, what are you doing tonight?” Molly asked Maisie.
“Sorry?”
“Tonight. Do you have any plans?”
India looked over at Molly with wide eyes and then back at Maisie, thinking about taking back her earlier thought about Molly being great for Finley right about now.
“No, I don’t.”
“Well, we’re all going to this bar a friend of a friend owns to have a few drinks. Want to join us?”
“We are?” Finley asked before receiving an elbow to her side. “Right. We are. You should come.”
Maisie looked at India and asked, “You’re going?”
India glanced at Finley and Molly and then nodded because she didn’t know what else to do.
“Yes. They asked me on the way over here, and I said yes,” she lied.
“What kind of bar is it?” Maisie asked.
“A good one,” Molly replied. “Chill. Super chill.”
India cleared her throat.
“Chill? And you’re going?” Maisie asked India again.
“I can do chill.”
When Finley laughed at that, Molly elbowed her again. India shook her head at her ex-girlfriend, but also at herself for putting Molly – and now everyone else – in this very awkward situation.
“Super chill,” Finley added.
“I’ve been there before. It’s a local place. Indoors. No bird poop,” India joked.
“That was just a–” Maisie stopped herself. “Nothing. I don’t know. Maybe. I might need to stay late for inventory.”
“Earlier, you asked me–” India stopped, too, because now wasn’t the time to point out that Maisie had been free before when she had asked her out for that night. “Yeah, if you can make it, it could be fun.”
“Candace, the owner, is a professional mixologist,” Finley added as if a selling point was needed to convince Maisie to go. “She makes amazing drinks.”
“Mixologist?”
“But, like, a casual, chill mixologist,” Molly said. “She’s always wanted to own her own place, and it’s not like one of those weirdly blue-lit places with frosted glass that looks like it belongs in outer space.”
Maisie laughed and said, “There are a lot of those places in this city.”
“I know. I’ve been to some, but this isn’t one of them,” Molly said.
“I could buy you a drink,” India offered. “If you’re able to go, I mean.”
“I’ll see if I can finish up early. We can hang out.”
India caught that tone and understood it to mean that tonight would not be considered a double date.
They would be there just as two friends because she’d messed things up by suggesting they go someplace she wanted to go instead of going along with Maisie’s idea.
And she had done this in the past, too. Repeatedly.
In fact, it was one of the reasons she and Finley were no longer together: India’s inflexibility.
She knew that it was something that she needed to work on.
“Okay,” India said, giving Maisie a soft smile.
“Let me give you the info,” Molly said.
While Molly and Maisie talked more about the bar for a minute and made plans for the four of them, India remembered that she had said something about wanting to buy another book, so she reached behind her for one, thinking any would do. She picked one up without looking and put it on the counter.
“I’ll take this too while I’m here.”
“How to Appear Normal at Social Events: and Other Essential Wisdom?” Maisie looked up at her. “This is the book you want?”
Finley laughed hard before Molly pulled her away from the counter. India blushed, which rarely happened, but she cleared her throat again and tried to hold it together.
“Um… Yeah. It’s a gift.”
“For whom?” Maisie asked.
“Finley. As you can see, she’s terrible at picking up on social cues,” India replied, handing Maisie her credit card.
“Hey!” Finley said as she continued to laugh.
“Anyway… I’ll just get this and see you later.”
“Yeah, okay,” Maisie replied and rang the book up for her. “Do you need a bag?”
“No, I’m good.” India took her purchase and pushed it into Finley’s chest. “There you go. All yours, asshole.”
Molly laughed a little, took the book from Finley, and said, “See you later?”
“Sure,” Maisie replied.
India then pulled open the door, not waiting for Finley and Molly, and walked outside, hearing her heels click, click, click against the sidewalk and not stopping until she was in front of her office building.
“What was that?” she asked, turning around to see Molly and Finley catching up to her.
“Sorry. I thought it would be nice to hang out with her,” Molly replied. “We can talk you up.”
“I don’t need you to talk me up, Molly,” she said. “And could you have been any more obvious?” she asked Finley.
“What? You were both right: she is cute. You should go for it.”
“So that you wouldn’t have to worry about me trying to get back together with you again because I would’ve moved on?” she asked.
“What? No,” Finley replied. “I thought you liked her.”
“I barely know her.”
“You get to know people by spending time with them, India. Maybe a night at a bar is just what you two need.”
“We aren’t a twosome.” India sighed. “She’s right: we’re polar opposites. I want a nice meal. She wants–”
“If I hear you say, ‘Bird poop,’ again, I’m going back in there and canceling the bar hang,” Finley interrupted her.
“India, calm down. This isn’t a big deal.
We’ll just have a few drinks. If you two don’t hang out again, so be it.
If you decide to go out with her, and she’s into it, you do that.
This is a good thing. And I’m not saying that because I think you’re still into me.
I believe you when you say that you’re good. ”
“I am good.”
“Glad to hear it,” Molly added.
India took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down, and softly asked, “Will you help me order the right stuff so that she doesn’t think I’m inflexible? I don’t want to order some fancy drink, and she thinks I can’t… Well, you know.”
“Sure. We’ll do that,” Finley replied. “Also, here.” She handed India the book. “Maybe this will help.”
“Shut up,” India said, laughing.