Page 96 of Semantics

“I’m not good at clubs. I’m better when we go to a bar.”

“Arlowe and Sarai like these places. I think they’re overpriced.”

“And pretty boring,” Enya noted. “I don’t dance, and I’m not a fan of this music, so it’s really just alcohol, which I can get at home, where my friends live, and we can all hang out there until I want to go to my room and fall asleep or learn something new. I know I’m a nerd.”

“You’re not a nerd. Enya, you’re a genius. Your brain is unbelievable. We wouldn’t be where we are right now without it. Because of how your brain works, nights like this aren’t as interesting to you, and that’s perfectly fine. I’d also prefer that we hang out, just the four of us, at home, but we have two other people in our little family who like places like this, so I think we give them tonight, and the next time we want to celebrate, maybe we just stay at home or go somewhere else.”

“It’s fine. They’re having a good time,” Enya replied.

When Violet looked at the dance floor again, Sarai was now dancing with someone, too, and it made Violet think of Stella and how they’d danced briefly before she’d asked Stella to take her home. Part of Violet wished they had stayed and danced a little longer, but she’d never been much of a club dancer, even when she’d lived in Amsterdam and had been twenty-two years old. Still, it would have been nice to have a beautiful woman dance with her tonight, maybe make out with her a little, and then take her home.

She must have been hallucinating due to the alcohol or something because while she was picturing Stella in the club with her, it looked like Stella actually was in the club with her.

“Um… Violet?” Enya asked.

“Yeah?”

“Why is Stella here?”

“You can see her, too?” she asked, checking with Enya before looking back at Stella, who was walking toward them.

“How drunk are you?” Enya asked.

“Not drunk enough, apparently.”

“Hey,” Stella greeted when she arrived at the table.

“Hi, Stella,” Enya said.

“Hi. Congrats on the funding, Enya.”

“We don’t have anything yet, but how did you know we got the good news?”

“Um… Violet–”

“She was the one who booked the meeting for us,” Violet interrupted.

“You booked the meeting for us?” Enya asked Stella.

“No, I didn’t.”

“I’m confused,” Enya said. “I’ve had a little too much to drink, and the music is giving me a headache.”

“Violet, all I did was send a couple of emails,” Stella insisted.

“A couple?”

“Two total. One to Asset because I knew Ant, and one to Pritchett & Park because they invested in one of Cerebral’s vendors, and I thought they might be interested.”

“So, you got us the meeting?” Enya asked.

“No. All I did was suggest they check you out,” Stella said, her eyes only on Violet. “Ant did, and she liked what she saw. She did call me today to tell me that the meeting went well, though, right before you texted me to tell me the good news.”

“So, you found out before I texted?”

“Only just,” Stella replied and looked around the club. “Are you mad that I didn’t tell you about the emails? I know you said you didn’t want the help, but I swear, all I did was send emails, Violet. I had no control over whether or not they would want a meeting, and I definitely had nothing to do with them wanting to invest. That was all you.”

“I’m not mad about that.”