Minders by Michele Jaffe Page B

straighter. “A new job? You mean a promotion?”
    “No. A whole new job.” Another deep breath for courage. “I started interviewing in April, and I found out I got it on Friday.”
    “April?” Ford repeated incredulously. “You kept this from me for two months?” Sadie caught a whiff of the same bleachy scent she’d noticed at the Castle. Only she’d been wrong; there hadn’t been a cleaning crew, it was inside Ford’s head.
    “I was afraid of how you’d take it,” Cali said.
    “How should I take it?” Ford demanded. “I thought we were a couple. Now you tell me you’ve been looking for new jobs behind my back.” The smell of bleach got stronger. “What else have you been lying about?”
    “I didn’t lie.” Cali reached for him, but he pulled away from her hand, turning his back. From behind him she said, “The job is with CitCent Neighborhood Bank. I’ll be an executive assistant to one of the bankers. It’s a great opportunity, Ford. More money, more responsibility, chances for promotion. It’s a career, the way I always said I wanted. We’ll be able to get a place together, like Georgia and Clinton.”
    Say congratulations , Sadie urged. Tell her that’s great news and you’re excited for her.
    Ford’s mind flashed back to the imagined dinner scene with Georgia and Clinton, the dots forming pictures of dessert, tiny cups of coffee, the final bill. His wallet with the two dollars in it. It brought with it a rush of the same sticky, dirty sensation Sadie had noticed at the Castle.
    He turned to face Cali and said, “You know what they call executive assistants? Work mistresses. They’ll screw you but they won’t promote you.”
    Or you could say that.
    Cali’s lower lip was trembling. “Ford, don’t act this way.”
    “I’m just telling you the truth. Would you rather I lied to you and said you were off to a great start, your future looks bright?” He shook his head. “I’m sorry, I’m not comfortable lying to the people I love.”
    Seriously, Mr. Ice? You’re not comfortable lying? Careful you don’t slip and lose your tenuous hold on the moral high ground.
    “I’d hoped you could be happy for me and not need to lie.” Cali sighed. “But I guess I already knew that’s not how it would go.”
    Ford blinked, and dots of brown, yellow, magenta, blue, and beige formed a very faint elevator carrying Cali dressed like Kansas had been that day, surrounded by men in business suits with bulging wallets eyeing her cleavage. “I’m sorry I’m such a disappointment.”
    He’s deliberately provoking her , Sadie realized. As if he wanted to fight, wanted to make it escalate.
    “You’re twisting everything around,” Cali whimpered.
    “I’m just listening to you. Isn’t that what you want? And you know what, babe? You’re right. You deserve better than me.”
    That’s a neat magic trick , Sadie thought. Turning from the person in the wrong into the person who was wronged. What’s next? Pulling a rabbit out of a hat?
    “I don’t want better, I want you,” Cali said, falling for the trick. “I just want you to be happy. You used to be, but now—it seems like you never are.”
    “I’m sorry I’m not happy, Cali,” he said. “It’s just that my brother is dead and my girlfriend is a liar.”
    Cali’s mouth made an O , and she froze like she’d been stabbed in the stomach. Oh, I see. Your next trick is cutting the woman in half.
    The tears started down Cali’s cheeks, streaking her mascara, and she didn’t even lift a hand to smooth them away. “I’m gonna go.”
    Followed by making her disappear.
    At the door, Cali faced him. “Is this—are we—?”
    “I’ll be in touch,” he said, half closing his eyes. “Soon.”
    I’ll be in touch. Sadie heard the echo of Pete’s words the night before, and worked to push it away. The point of this fellowship was to experience someone else’s life, not her own.
    Besides, Pete had called and apologized that