if you’re walking out here wearing my clothes,” he said, drawing me toward him.
It would be so easy to give in, forget the internship, and let him carry me away.
It’s just the honeymoon period of early infatuation. Don’t throw away your future for some guy!
“You’re going to have to pay me back for this later,” Jonathan murmured.
My phone beeped.
Lilith: Your turn to babysit Salem. Emma and I are here to do more photo shoots.
Emma: Really, we are here for the free booze, but sure, marketing contract money, whoo!
Morticia: Need to finish the painting.
Lilith: S’fine just get the cat.
My sister was waiting in the bar. She handed me Salem’s leash. “Someone got laid!”
“Well,” I said, thinking back to what Jonathan and I had done outside. “We weren’t really lying down.”
“Dirty girl!” Emma said with a laugh. “No wonder he’s obsessed with you. I bet none of those bar bimbos he was always with let him hit it from the back outside!”
“It wasn’t like that.”
“I bet Sarah didn’t let him do that either.”
“She probably just starfished once a year,” Lilith said. “Let’s be honest: you’re so much better than her. And I should know, because we are identical twins, and I am amazing. That makes you amazing. Now go finish that project and make me proud!”
“Keep it down!” I looked around furtively, hoping no one heard. Then I waved, picked up Salem, and left.
I was super close to finishing the piece. I went over the to-do list in my head as I climbed the stairs to the apartment, which felt a lot bigger now that many of the contestants were gone. Unfortunately, Keeley was still there. I found her in my room, poking around.
“Get out,” I said flatly.
She turned to glare at me. “I know you’re hiding something.”
“After you ruined my cake,” I said, baring my teeth, “you have some kind of a death wish.” Salem added a hiss to punctuate my words.
Keeley took a small step back. Then her eyes flicked down. “Of course you’re wearing his shirt!” she yelled. “I bet you’re going to turn it into some sort of shrine to him. Just you wait. You think he wants someone like you? You’re going to be booted to the curb. You’re not even going to make it until Christmas Eve.”
I tried to calm my panic as I changed clothes. Had Keeley found the collage? Surely not. Surely she would have thrown it in my face if she had.
I needed to smuggle it out of the apartment. I couldn’t take it to Emma’s apartment across town because I still needed to be able to work on it. But there was an artist in residence across the street…
Dorothy was signing autographs outside her studio space when I came by with the painting secure in a black portfolio case.
“And don’t forget,” Dorothy was telling the middle-aged women listening with rapt attention, “that the key to keeping a man wrapped around your little finger is to keep it spicy and surprising. That’s why they stray; they get bored. Just go up to him one day and smash his cock between your tits, and it will be like you have a whole new husband.”
The women thanked her profusely and hugged her.
“I’m branching into life advice,” Dorothy said proudly. “I’m going to be a guru. I’m trying to convince Dana to give me my own show on Romance Creative. It will be called The Spice of Life, and I will help couples get their groove on.”
She peered at me.
“Now, I know you don’t think you need any help in that department, but let me tell you, Jonathan’s a good man, but you have to put in the work too. Besides, sex is self-care. Ooh, I like that saying,” she exclaimed, taking out a notepad and scribbling. “I’m going to put that on coffee mugs to sell. You have to help make more videos of me,” she added, flipping the notebook closed. “I need to go viral again.”
“I’m sure that won’t be an issue,” I replied, still slightly in shock. On my shoulder, Salem hissed at one of the Christmas geese that flapped its wings at him.
“Whatcha got there?” Dorothy asked, motioning to the portfolio case.
“I need studio space,” I told her. “I would ask to rent, but I’m flat broke. How about a barter, since you need more viral content?”
“Deal,” Dorothy said, shaking my hand. “Let’s see how this is progressing.” She opened the portfolio and set the canvas up on a nearby table. She