“Right. Because I have such a long history of starting conversations with beautiful women.”
“Do you realize that’s the second time you’ve called her beautiful?”
“Is it?”
He looks baffled. And a little star struck.
Fifteen years of friendship and I’ve never seen him like this.
I don’t know if I should congratulate him or gouge my eyes out as penance.
All I do know is that it fucking sucks to see him like this. If it were anyone else, I’d be thrilled for him. I’d be cautious. I’d be hiring a company to do a background search so thorough she could work for the CIA after. But I’d be thrilled.
But since it’s Savannah? The woman I manipulated him into hiring?
The woman who is the sister of the woman I just fucked?
Jesus, this situation just got way too complicated.
But at the end of the day, my loyalty lies with Ian. So, I tell him, “You know, it is okay to find a woman beautiful. It’s okay to notice that about her.”
Ian seems to think about it for a minute before saying, “It bothers me.”
“What does?”
“I didn’t think about her at all until I knew what she looked like. I didn’t even wonder what she looked like until I saw her in my kitchen this morning.”
“Why does that bother you?”
“Because I thought I was a better person than that.” He must see me trying not to laugh, because he adds, “Okay, I know I’m an ass. I just thought I was an ass who wasn’t shallow. I never notice what people look like. I value ideas. Intelligence. Contributions to society.” He sighs. “I guess I’ve been okay being a known ass, because at least I wasn’t shallow. After Ava broke up with me and started talking shit in those interviews, I could justify it. Fine. I’m a jerk. I am arrogant and impossible to get along with. It didn’t matter what she said or thought because I had the moral high ground.”
“You know Ava is a selfish, petty bitch, right?” I remind him.
“Yes. That’s what you keep telling me.”
“I can’t be the only one who tells you that.”
“My mother has brought it up as well.”
I snort. “That’s ironic. Wasn’t she the one who introduced you?”
“Yes. But apparently she changed her mind about her after the interview in Vanity Fair.”
“There you have it. The two people you trust most in the world agree—she’s a bitch.”
Ian doesn’t say anything.
I’m afraid I’m going to regret it, because I’m afraid I know the answer, but I ask, “So if this isn’t about Ava, what is it about?”
“I don’t know.” He looks so uncomfortable I’m afraid he’s going to launch himself out of the chair. Then he blurts, “I’m going to fire her.”
“Savannah?”
He nods, looking resolved. “Yes. I’ll just let her go.”
“You can’t,” I snap. Jesus.
Here I was worried that Trinity might be annoyed if she finds out I got her sister a job. I don’t even want to know how she’d feel if Ian fires her.