1
The blisterson Nora’s feet throbbed in time with the amplified base pounding out of the speakers above the crowded bar. Colored lights cut through hazy air, and the song blasting through the room was by some pop star whose name Nora should probably know but couldn’t call to mind.
She took a sip of the drink her sister had ordered for her and grimaced when she found it was fruity and cloyingly sweet. It appeared the bar’s only saving grace was their hot wings, which Odelle had ordered for Nora.
Now Odelle raised her glass to her sister in a toast. “Cheers to the youngest department head in Chicago Field Museum history.”
Nora raised the chicken wing in her hand and bumped it against the rim of Odelle’s martini glass, even as she countered, “Well, I’m not officially department head yet.”
“It’s only a matter of time, just take the damn compliment,” Odelle retorted, shaking her head so the neon lights reflected off her sleek platinum bob. “You nailed your presentation and got funding for your project restoring those weapons from ancient Greece. Although, maybe I should get some of the credit too. I bet those dull old fogeys at the museum would have given you the funding for your project no matter what you said, as long as you stood up there wearing the outfit I selected.”
“I’m sure you’re right, zaika,” Nora commented, intentionally not bringing up the myriad of blisters caused by the heels her sister had picked out. “The museum board decides what departments get funding solely based on how much they want to sleep with the person presenting the pitch. Now I understand why the paleontology department always gets all the money. I mean, have you seen Bert?”
Odelle snorted in an unladylike manner. “Of course, big gray tufts of ear hair have always been my greatest turn-on.”
Nora smiled as she polished off the wing in her hand and licked the sauce from between her fingers.
“In all seriousness, though, thank you for your help with the presentation. Getting to restore these artifacts all but guarantees I’ll get that department head promotion I’ve been gunning for. I mean seriously, Leo keeps trash-talking me to the board, saying I’m too young for the position, but he hasn’t made any contributions this big since he ran that mummy through an MRI machine almost five years ago!”
“Okay, okay,” Odelle cut in. “Now is not the time to start in on all the drama. If I let you vent about department politics, I’ll be here until I have grey ear tufts of my own.”
Nora bit back her retort, knowing her sister had listened to her go on about the dramas of academia enough in the past. Besides, she had promised her sister that tonight would be a celebration, and she wouldn’t spend the entire time talking about work, as much as she would prefer to be thinking about work these days. Instead, she asked, “Did you have to wear the tall prosthetics plus the shoes? Isn’t that a touch redundant?”
Tonight, Odelle had chosen to wear the pair of sculpted prosthetic legs that made her six feet tall, then proceeded to add a pair of killer heels to the ensemble. The finished product had the effect of making Odelle look like a veritable Amazon.
“What’s the point of having feet made of carbon fiber if I don’t take advantage of it by wearing fantastic shoes? Besides, I like feeling as if I could eat men alive.”
Nora nodded over her drink. “Speaking of which, that one over there looks as if he wouldn’t mind being eaten alive.”
Odelle glanced over her shoulder at the tanned Ken doll of a man who eyed her from a few feet away. Seeing her looking, he approached and slid himself onto the empty bar stool next to them.
Nora smiled and took another sip of her drink, suppressing a grimace again at the overpowering sweetness as Odelle struck up a conversation. Nora caught the bartender’s eye and waved him over to order herself a dirty martini as her sister continued to flirt.
Just as the bartender arrived with her drink, Nora’s phone vibrated in her back pocket. She fished it out of her jeans and frowned at the illuminated screen.
Even as she read the message from the emergency notification system at work, her phone buzzed in her hand again, with several new texts popping up on the screen from coworkers. They immediately began arguing about whose job it was to go in and check on things. Nora didn’t hesitate before typing a message of her own.
As soon as it was sent, she turned back to Odelle to explain that she had to leave, but her sister was still otherwise occupied. Odelle had leaned in towards her admirer and he was reaching out to put a hand on her knee, just below the hem of her short black dress. He clearly hadn’t noticed that she had hinges instead of knees in the dim light of the bar, too distracted by Odelle’s coy smile. Nora smirked despite herself when the man jumped as his hand encountered cool carbon fiber instead of warm skin. He raised his eyebrows a fraction, but Odelle gave him a wicked grin and continued their conversation.
Nora tapped Odelle on the shoulder to get her attention.
“Hey zaika, I have to go. There is a security breach at work, and I need to go deal with it,” Nora explained, already slipping on her leather jacket.
“Girl, you do not know how to take a break. It’s supposed to be your night off!”
“Comes with the territory of getting promoted,” Nora countered as she grabbed a few crumpled bills out of her purse and put them on the bar. “I’ve got to show people I can handle the responsibilities. You stay and enjoy yourself. It looks like you aren’t quite done breaking that poor man’s heart.”
Indeed, Odelle’s admirer was obviously appreciating the fit of Odelle’s dress as the women spoke.
“Oh, I’m not,” Odelle admitted, “but he can wait. I’m coming to the museum with you to make sure you don’t stay too late.”
Odelle fished a pen out of her purse and grabbed the man’s wrist. His brows drew together in puzzlement before he smirked at the realization that she was scribbling her number on the back of his hand. Nora sighed. If she knew Odelle, she would lead this man on for the next two weeks before realizing he didn’t have the brains to keep up with her, then she’d leave him hanging.
“All right, let’s get out of here,” Odelle said as she grabbed Nora’s elbow to start weaving towards the exit. Just before they slipped into the crowd, Odelle looked over her shoulder and shot a wink at the enamored man whose gaze still followed them.
Nora chuckled as they pushed towards the door.
“That poor man. He’s not going to know what hit him.”
