CHAPTER 20
“Hi,” she said into her phone.
“Hey. What are you up to tonight?” Ava asked.
India glanced down at her full wineglass and the fire she had turned on the moment she had gotten home.
“Wine and contemplation,” she replied.
“Contemplation? That doesn’t sound good,” Ava said. “Is everything okay?”
“Um… Not really, but I’ll be all right.”
India took a small sip and savored the rich flavor of her favorite red.
“I was going to see if you wanted to come out with me and Stephania tonight.”
“Your new supermodel girlfriend?”
“We’re not together,” Ava replied through her nervous laughter. “We’re dating officially, though.”
“I thought she left town.”
“She did. She went back to LA to pack a bag after her photoshoot here. She got back yesterday and is staying with me for the week before she has to go to Miami for work.”
“And…” India smiled.
“And I really, really like her. How crazy is that? Asher met her through some app but was too in love with Linden, so nothing happened with Stephania and a dumb thought about giving her my number – or vice versa, I don’t remember exactly – got me here.”
“I’m happy for you,” India replied, staring into her gas fireplace. “She’s nice? It’s not just a sex thing anymore?”
“She’s amazing. She makes custom hats. Did I tell you that?
Like, it’s her business. She owns it and has employees and everything.
She’s obviously sexy and beautiful, but she’s also really smart and funny.
She holds my hand when we walk down the street.
She asked me first because if she gets spotted and someone takes a picture, they’ll want to know who I am next,” Ava said.
“Oh, shit. I hadn’t thought about that. You’re dating a famous person.”
“I am,” Ava replied, sounding proud of that fact. “But I don’t care about that. I just like her. I have her for six more nights before she has to go to Miami, and I thought I’d see if anyone wanted to hang out and maybe spend some time with her tonight.”
“I would, but I’m not going to be good company.”
“Why not? What happened?”
“It’s a long story,” India replied. “I screwed something up with a woman I’m seeing.”
“You’re seeing someone?”
“I was. I’m not sure if I still am.”
“Do you want to talk about it?”
“Maybe another time. You’re showing Stephania off to people tonight. I’m sure you need to get ready for that.”
Ava laughed and said, “I’m working on it. She’s in the shower.”
“I feel like you’re missing an opportunity there, Ava.”
“You know what? You’re right,” Ava said. “I think I’ll join her.”
“Have fun,” India replied, and they hung up.
India reached over into the small bowl of mini candy bars she had bought for herself and broken down earlier that day.
After leaving Maisie’s place, she’d had nowhere else to go.
She’d taken the day off work to support her and hadn’t brought her work computer with her to the bookshop, so it hadn’t made sense to go into work instead.
She’d driven to the local grocery store without any particular need and walked up and down the aisles, pushing a cart that she had filled with random things.
Only when she’d gotten home had she noticed her items. India had bought three bags of different mini candy bars, one bag of Twizzlers, a bag of chips she’d never had before, a small frying pan made for an egg that she would probably never use, a bag of plastic straws, a pack of cotton-candy-flavored gum, one roll of paper towels, two magazines, some bananas, and a loaf of rye bread. She didn’t even eat rye bread.
After putting everything away, India had sat on her sofa with her computer and pulled up the official election tracking site that Maisie had mentioned the other day.
She’d been watching it ever since and had her TV on above the fireplace with the results for the mayoral election because it displayed the results for the other offices as well.
India wanted Maisie to win, and she really hoped it would happen because it was what Maisie wanted and it would’ve shown her brother that he couldn’t get by on money and connections, but she knew that wasn’t how the world worked.
So, when the results started to trickle in, and it had become impossible for Maisie to win given the votes that had already been counted, it wasn’t surprising, but it still hurt because she knew it would be hurting Maisie right now.
India wanted to call her. She wanted to at least text her and tell her that she was sorry and that she’d be there if Maisie wanted to talk, but she didn’t.
She had been right to say that today was about Maisie; she shouldn’t make it about herself.
She knew that if they talked, she would ask if there was still a chance for them, which wouldn’t be fair to Maisie, who probably hadn’t had a moment all day to think about India or what had happened.
When her phone rang, though, India smiled, hopeful, thinking maybe Maisie was calling her instead.
“Hi,” she said, her tone now soaked in disappointment because she saw Colter’s name on the screen.
“Congratulate your brother. I just won the election.”
“I saw,” she said, reserving those congratulations.
“Why don’t you sound happy for me?”
“Why did you use that picture of me, Mom, and your dad in your campaign ad?”
“What?” he asked. “Oh, they said I was light on family stuff, so my campaign guy thought it would be a good idea to toss that in at the last minute.”
“You could have asked me, Colter.”
“It was one picture, India. You’re my sister. What’s the big deal?”
“Because I didn’t approve it.”
“Are you going to sue your own brother?”
“No, but it would’ve been nice to know that you were using my image in your campaign.”
“Hey, I called you so that you could congratulate me, not for you to get all pissed off about something stupid.”
“Well, I’m not going to congratulate you because I don’t think you should’ve won.”
“What the fuck crawled up your ass, India? I’m your family.”
“You’re a spoiled kid who grew into a spoiled adult, and now, you’re making other people, whom you don’t care about, suffer because you wanted a new toy.
It’s also just a small toy to you that you’ll use to get the bigger toy and then the even bigger one, which only means even more people will suffer for your ambition. ”
“Jesus, tell me how you really feel,” he said.
“Colter, you don’t actually care about this job. Maisie would have. Maisie cares about the community.”
“She cares about her little bookstore.”
“And New Orleans,” she replied. “You have a condo in her district, which you don’t even live in, just so you can take this spot that she actually would’ve done a great job at.”
“Why are you all about this Maisie chick?” He paused. “Oh, you’re fucking her, aren’t you? First, no-class Finley, and now, poor little bookstore owner, Maisie. You certainly have a type, don’t you, India?”
“I’m not fucking her. Also, watch what you say about them. The world could definitely use more people like Finley Storm and Maisie Lincoln.”
“If you’re not fucking her, why are you all about her right now when your actual brother won an election?”
“Because I would have voted for her if I could. I believe her when she says she wants to help. I don’t believe you.”
“I’m not trying to destroy the world, India. You act like just because I see the world a certain way, I’m the problem.”
“You’re part of it,” she replied. “Unless you’re actually willing to do the work.”
“I am trying to bring companies here to get more jobs out there for people. It’s not all about me, you know?”
“I think your motivation is all about you, and I’m not convinced that your solution is the best one. Maybe it is. I’m no politician. I just wish you would think about the people you hurt, too, Colter. Maisie is one of them.”
“Maisie lost this thing fair and square.”
“I don’t mean that you hurt her because she lost. I mean that you threatened her business.”
“Well, fuck, India. If that’s what this is about, I’ll protect her damn bookstore.
I was just trying to get her to drop out because she was rising in the polls.
No one actually wants her land. It’s between your office and a clothing store.
There’s no room to put something large enough there, and if you or the store wanted to buy it, you would have already.
It’s not like a freeway makes sense there, either. ”
“What do you mean, you’ll protect it?”
“I’ll figure it out,” he replied.
“Get her the landmark status?”
“It’s not like I can just grant that. There has to be a session and we vote, but I’ll figure it out. At least, I won’t go after it or anything. Is that good enough for you? Can I get a congratulations from my big sister now?”
“Not yet,” she said, leaning forward on the sofa. “You need an advisor.”
“An advisor? I have–”
“You have a bunch of people just like you surrounding you all the time. You need the opposite of you.”
“Well, I know that’s not you, because even though you’re not my number one fan, we’re still pretty similar, India.”
“Find someone like Maisie, Colter; someone who would challenge you, ask you questions, and make you think about the impact of your decisions and votes. That’s what you need.”
“God, are you just trying to make me a better person or something right now?”
“I suppose I’m trying to make you realize that your actions have consequences.”
“You think I don’t know that?”
“I don’t know that you care, if I’m being honest,” India said.
“Look, I’ve got to go now. There’s a party. I was going to invite you, but I think I’ll just tell Mom you were busy.”
“Mom’s there?”
“Yes. Her son won an election tonight,” Colter replied. “My dad’s here, too.”
“Enjoy your night, then, Colter.”
“Yeah, whatever,” he said and hung up on her.
India tossed the phone onto the sofa, took a long drink of her wine, not savoring it this time, and then ate another three candy bars before she finally got up, turned off the fire, went into her bathroom, and started the water, checking to make sure it was hot enough.
She added her favorite bubble bath and slid inside once it was ready for her.
She sipped her wine while listening to her favorite opera soundtrack and thought about how Maisie must be feeling right now, wishing she could be there with her to wrap her in her arms and tell her that everything would be okay.
India had always been a bit of a fixer. She supposed it was one of the things that made her good at her job, but it could also be annoying to people in her life.
Her bath finished, she dressed in her robe, putting nothing on under it, and went to her safe, which she opened to find the engagement ring that would never be Finley’s.
She still hadn’t done anything with it and needed to stop putting it off, so despite the late hour, she found her phone on the sofa and called her jeweler.
“You want me to sell it?” he asked her once India had explained.
“Yes, please,” she confirmed. “I can have it for you tomorrow.”
“It was a custom piece. Are you sure?”
“The person I got it for is with someone else now, so yes, I’m sure. It’s lovely, though, and if I ever need another engagement ring, I’ll have you make it for me.”
“Very well. Yes, drop it off tomorrow. I’ll write up the paperwork and have it ready for you to sign.”
“Thank you,” she said and hung up.
Normally, her life at work was filled with phone calls, but her evening life was typically devoid of them. Text messages were much more common, but she didn’t even get that many of those these days. Tonight, she’d already been on the phone with three people, so she figured why not one more.
“Hey. What’s up?” Finley asked.
“I messed up,” she said. “Are you busy?”
“No. Well, Molls and I are walking the dogs, but other than that, no.”
“Who is it?” India heard Molly say on the other end of the phone.
“India,” Finley said to Molly. “Hey, we saw the results before we came out. Maisie lost, huh?”
“Yeah, she did.”
“Sucks. Sorry.”
“Yeah, me too,” India said as she placed the ring box on the dresser and climbed into bed over the comforter, still only in her robe.
“So, what did you mean, you messed up?”
“She found out about Colter.”
“Oh. Well, you knew that was going to happen,” Finley said.
“I was going to tell her after.”
“She’s pissed?”
India thought about that for a second and said, “I don’t know if pissed is the right word. I think she’s upset. I didn’t stick around long.”
“What? Why not?”
“Because I didn’t want to make it worse. Today was a big day for her, and I thought it would be less stressful for her if I left.”
“So, you don’t even know if she’s mad at you? God, call her, India.”
“Not tonight. I’m sure she’s with her friends or just needs to be alone.”
“You’re her friend. Even if you’re not dating anymore because of this, you’re her friend, right?”
“I don’t know,” she said. “Anyway, I’m sorry I bothered you. I don’t even know why I called.”
“Do you want me to come over? We can talk in person.”
“I’m sure Molly would love that.” India laughed.
“Molls knows I love her,” Finley said. “And that you and I are trying to be friends.”
“Thank you, but I’ll be okay,” she replied. “I’m pretty tired, anyway. I’ll just try to get some sleep.”
“Okay. Well, let me know if you need anything.”
“I will. Thanks, Fin.”