"What is this?"
"It's a, um, herbal supplement. Like an energy blend. Haven't you seen those?"
She frowned. "Like ginseng or kava or whatever?"
"Yeah. I mean, it won't change your life, of course, but it always sort of gives me a kick. You just mix it in a drink and go from there."
"Well, I was about to buy coffee…"
"That's perfect. And it can't hurt or anything." Smiling, I squeezed her arm. "Do it for me, so I'll feel like I've given you a good-luck charm."
"Okay. Sure. I'll take it as soon as I get the coffee." She glanced at her watch. "I've got to take off now if I want to be on time. You take care of yourself, okay?"
"I will. Thanks. Good luck tonight."
To my surprise, she gave me a quick hug and then disappeared into the crowd of pedestrians. As I rode the bus home, I found I felt better about myself than I had in days. I'd sort of wanted to save the ambrosia for next year's Emerald Lit Fest, but I supposed I wouldn't need it so long as I actually allowed myself two days instead of one. After all, a little leeway never hurt.
CHAPTER 23
The CPFV meeting didn't get nearly as much press as a hot lesbian affair did, but it still drew a reporter from the Seattle Times, as well as some other media attention.
Jody had delivered the speech of a lifetime at the meeting. She'd outlined a fully detailed vision for the CPFV, one that involved dropping the group's current attack on homosexuality. Her plan encouraged outreach to those in need, the same teen mothers and runaways she'd spoken to me about before. Since the CPFV had a national presence, she also wanted the chapters to address local needs in order to have a more meaningful impact and foster a sense of community. Her presentation had been brilliantly thought out and inspiring. The meeting had ended with cheers and applause, as well as a vote that made her the organization's new head. I suspected that, post-ambrosia, she might be a little terrified by what she'd wrought. After all the creative and interesting things she'd done in her life so far, though, I felt confident she could manage. Plus, I had a feeling she'd be happier being involved in some meaningful vocation again after her days in the doldrums as a housebound wife.
It occurred to me also that although we might be hellish superstars for our Dana-related actions, Bastien and I hadn't really helped the greater diabolical cause in the end. Really, Dana had been spreading evil and intolerance. Ousting her for Jody had actually brought more good into the world than before. I hoped Jerome never made that connection. He was pretty pleased with me at the moment.
The CPFV article was a few days old now, but I kept it on my desk at work because it made me happy during what had otherwise been an unsettling week. Seth hadn't shown at the store at all.
"Did you see that on the Internet?" Doug asked me, noticing the paper.
I gave him a blank look. "Why would I watch something like that?"
"Because it's hot. You're totally missing out."
He sat on the edge of the desk and played with a pen, flipping it in the air. Neither of us were doing the work we should have been. It was just like old times.
"How are you feeling?" I asked.
"Pretty good, I guess." He knew that I knew about the ambrosia, but he wasn't aware of my role in what had happened. All he knew was that Alec was gone. "The band's sort of plateaued now. I guess that had to happen. Not having a drummer really doesn't help either."
"Well, you'll fix that, won't you?"
"Yeah. Just a pain. Gotta have auditions." He stopped playing with the pen and sighed. "We were so close, Kincaid. A little bit farther, and we'd have made it."
"You still will. It'll just take longer. Everything you guys did—that was still you. "
"Yeah," he said, not sounding convinced.
"Besides, I'm still your groupie. That's got to count for something, right?"
His easy grin returned. "You bet it does. I think Maddie might be joining your ranks. She won't get out of my apartment."
I laughed. "Doesn't she have to go back to her job?"
"Womanspeakis run out of Berkeley. She was already telecommuting, so she's just doing more of the same. She says she wants to keep an eye on me."
"That's sweet."
"Dude." Doug gave me a droll look. "I'm trying to be a rock star, and my sister lives with me. That's not sweet. "
"Working hard as always, I see," a smooth voice said.
We both looked up from our banter. "Paige!" I exclaimed delightedly. I would have hugged her, but we'd never exactly had a touchy-feely relationship.
Our long-absent manager stood in the doorway. She almost looked casual in loose black slacks and an empire-cut pink maternity blouse. Her stomach had grown even more in the last month, and seeing it made a little fuzzy spot tickle in my chest. I'd been unable to conceive a child while mortal and could not now as an immortal. That knowledge still stung on a personal level, but I never held it against those I knew. I loved pregnant women and babies. I was happy for Paige, happier to see her back and looking well.
A smile played on her glossed lips as she took in the two of us. "Georgina, could you come to Warren's office? We want to talk to you. It won't take long."
"Sure," I said standing up. Doug quietly hummed the Jaws theme.
Paige, Warren, and I sat down in his office with the door closed. I didn't really think I was in trouble, but being with them like this felt kind of intimidating. Especially since both seemed to be watching me expectantly.
"So," began Paige, "we've been looking over all the accounts of what happened while we were gone. We've talked to some people too." She paused purposefully. "You've been busy."
I smiled, relaxing. "It's always busy here. If I wanted a slow store, I'd go down to Foster's."
Warren laughed. "I heard he offered you a job."
"Yeah, but don't worry. I'm not going anywhere."
"That's good," Paige said crisply, "because I understand we now have some sort of annual event you've got to plan. Lorelei Biljan sent me e-mail asking to be invited back to next year's Emerald Lit Gala."
"Fest," I corrected. "It's a fest."
"Whatever. The point is, what you did was remarkable…if a little unorthodox. To pull that together so quickly and then turn over such amazing sales stats." She shook her head. "It was superhuman."
I squirmed at the adjective. "It needed to be done."
"And you did it. Just like you've been doing a number of other remarkable things around here. Things that we're very impressed with."
"Hey, now," I said, suddenly uncomfortable with the way they both watched me, "don't think that was an ordinary day. It was kind of an exception. I can't do that kind of stuff all the time. I was just having a good day, that's all."
"You've had a lot of good days, Georgina," Warren spoke up. "You haven't had a full staff here in weeks. You've come in on your days off. You've run this place when no one else was around to do it. You've handled crisis after crisis—and not just the Fest thing. I'm talking about the whole situation with Doug too."
I sat up straighten "What are you going to do? You aren't going to fire him, are you? Because it wasn't all him…I mean, there were extenuating circumstances. He's better now. He's the best employee you've got."
"We've spoken to him," said Paige calmly. "And he'll stay on for now, although he understands he'll sort of be on probation."
Relief coursed through me. "Good. That's really good."
"I'm glad you think so because you'll be the one who's supervising him."