Perdie smiled. “I take it back, you’re a real American hero.”
“So you think they’ll really do it today, then? Partner you up? Make an honest woman out of you?” Lucille sat at their kitchen table, and a rectangular glass vase filled with white amaryllis partially obscured her face. She stirred her chai latte, appearing a little distracted as she tapped at her phone.
Perdie took in the view over the water, sipping her coffee. She nodded. “Yep, big settlement under my belt, meeting with Frank at the end of the day—I’ve been there way longer than required for partnership, and I picked up this dress from the tailor’s yesterday afternoon.” She swept away an invisible speck of dust near the split neck of her knee-length red sheath. She paired the dress with nude pumps, but her red gel manicure matched the fabric, and beneath the dress she wore matching red undergarments.
Matching bra and panties was the true sign of having one’s shit together, everyone knew that. And a rare fucking occurrence for Perdie.
Lucille frowned, her head bent over her phone.
Perdie narrowed her eyes suspiciously. “You got any big plans for the day?”
Lucille shrugged. “Taking Bananas to the flower shop around eleven. Hope all the wealthy neighborhood housewives are really into daffodils this week because I accidentally ordered four times the usual amount. Then, oh, who knows. Gem is working the shop all day. I’ll see where the wind blows me. Free like a bird.”
“No Hampton then?”
Lucille sighed, leaning back in her chair. “The fucker ghosted me again. He totally bailed on Bananas’s vet appointment. I was using that appointment as a test, like a trial run. You know, for kids? Whatever. Doesn’t matter. He’s not returning any of my texts anyway. Again. At this point, I’m used to it.” She tossed her phone onto the table. “Don’t say I told you so. Ugh, but you know what? You did tell me so.”
“It’s okay, we all mess around with men we shouldn’t.” Like men who leave us wet and wanting on our own doorsteps. Perdie tapped her fingernails against the ceramic of her mug.
“Nope, I’m calling it. I, Lucille Knox, of sound heart and mind, declare this—” she gestured up and down her body with a swirling motion “—a Hampton-free zone for the rest of my days on this green planet. Perdie, you need to hold me to it. I’m done chasing his dopamine-hoarding ass around.”
“That’s not how dopamine works, but yes, I fully support you.”
Lucille slapped her hands on the table and rose, her canary-yellow robe bright against the wood. “I wasn’t going to shower this morning I was feeling so down, but fuck it, this calls for a shower.”
“A moving-on baptism.” Perdie lifted her mug in a toast.
Lucille sauntered up the stairs. “Good luck today. You look hot.”
Perdie settled into the seat Lucille had vacated, taking a moment to let a touch of excitement flow through her limbs. They would tell her they were making her a partner today. That meant prestige. Respect. Money. Validation that she was good enough. Perdie Stone from Greeneville, South Carolina, a big-shot lawyer. And who wouldn’t want those things?
A faint buzzing caught Perdie’s attention from Lucille’s lit phone, a new message alert on the screen.
Hampton Calhoun: BABE. Come over and watch The Holy Grail tonight? I’m trying out a new grapefruit high gravity.
Perdie rolled her eyes. Of course Hampton would come back to Lucille as if nothing had happened. They’d played this game before. And things were looking on the up-and-up for Perdie and Lucille, so this timing couldn’t be worse.
Lucille joked about messing up her flower orders at her shop, but Perdie organized all the paperwork for Lucille’s proprietorship. That little flower shop tucked away in a wealthy corner of a Charleston suburb was doing gangbusters. Lucille had quickly gained a reputation as the best florist in the Lowcountry. No small feat when the city was a popular wedding destination.
Perdie was proud of her, and Lucille didn’t need this lowlife slowing her down. She deserved better. She’d asked Perdie to hold her to it, after all. And sometimes...
Before she could stop herself, Perdie picked up Lucille’s phone, unlocked the screen—six, nine, six, nine—and deleted the message before promptly returning it.
Another message from Hampton popped up.
Raw dog tonight?
Ew. Perdie almost retched. “Go raw dog a fucking Pringles can, you dumpster fire.” She deleted the message, then paused, her finger hovering over Hampton’s contact info. She tapped a few times until she found the blue rectangle Block Caller. She set the phone down and shut off the screen.
Her lips pursed together in a smile. It was in everyone’s best interest, really.
Frank Stetsel was still on the phone when she arrived at his fifth-floor corner office. His white hair was side-parted with a swoop and his free hand was clutching the lapel of his navy blazer, scrunching against his black-and-white checked pocket square. At the sight of her, he waved to the leather wingchair in front of his desk.
Seated, she regretted not wearing shapewear, as the material of her fitted dress was folding at her waist and riding up on her thighs. She tried her best to shimmy her skirt down without drawing attention, but she caught Frank’s eyes wandering to her lap. The apparent distraction of her body, however, wasn’t enough to make him hang up the damned phone.
She cleared her throat to get his attention, and his eyes finally flicked up to her face.
“Okay, I’ll be home soon. Tell the kids that I won’t be there for the soccer game on Saturday... Gotta go... Mmm-hmm. Okay...”
She leaned forward in anticipation. But he leaned back in his chair again.
“I have golf scheduled with a new client... Yes, it has to be me. I’ll make the next game... It won’t be like last time... It’s my job to entertain clients. Look, I gotta go. June, I’m hanging up now. June...bye, June.” Finally he pulled the phone from his face, tapping the red button with his thumb. “Wives.” He rolled his eyes. “A burden, but I promise you, not worth the alimony.”
She forced a smile. “Ah...ha-ha.”
When he spun around on his chair to grab a pen, she quickly yanked the hem of her skirt down to her knees.
He spun back, his hands templed together on his desk. “So, Perdie, Perdie, Perdie. Per-di-ta.” He tapped his fingers on the surface. “You’ve done some great work this past year. I feel like a proud father.”
She clenched her hands together. “Thank you. I’m proud too.”
“I mean, wow, this last settlement.” He gave her the A-OK sign, making a clicking sound with his mouth. “A real feather in your cap.”
She offered him a tight smile. “Mmm-hmm.”
He nodded. “That’s why I wanted to be the one to give you the news. Hear it from me as the managing partner of the securities group.” He held up his index finger. “I believe that Joy and Schulz should be a place of great opportunity for all of our associates...”
She nodded along with his speech, adrenaline bubbling in her system. Blah, blah, blah, say it already, Perdita Stone, we’re making you partner. Finally, after all these years.
