Page 25 of Derivation
“You don’t have hobbies, do you?”
“I’m part of a marketing networking group thing. Does that count?”
“Does it count to you?”
“Not really because I skipped all the meetings and only hung around this long in case the business failed and I needed someone there to help me find a job.”
Gabi chuckled and asked, “Anything else? Or do you just work all the time?”
“I read. I binge-watch TV shows sometimes, too. I play games on my phone.”
“Which ones?”
“I have a bubble-popping one that I like. It calms me. I have a racing one, too.”
“Car racing?”
“Boat racing,” she replied.
“Interesting hobbies you’ve got. What do you read?”
“Mostly, books and articles on marketing, business, and trends in markets.”
“Ah, so by the fireplace, you sip your hot chocolate, and read… boring business books?”
“I’m sorry; what kind of books do you read?”
“Fiction, mostly.”
“Just any fiction?”
“No, I read a lot of lesbian fiction. Sometimes, romance. Other times, not.”
“You read romance novels now?”
“I know. I blame you.”
Sarai laughed and said, “I didn’t know you were going to even find that.”
“You told me to go into your closet to get the umbrella.”
“Yes, because it was raining, and you wanted to go out.”
“I had things to see,” Gabi replied.
“You lived a train ride away. You could’ve gone back to Amsterdam anytime you wanted to.”
“No, I couldn’t have. I had plans. Besides, even when I offered to alter those plans, you… were busy,” Gabi replied and looked away from her.
“You could’ve toured Amsterdam without me.”
“It wouldn’t have been the same,” Gabi said. “Anyway, you’re the one who put a lesbian romance novel on the same shelf as your umbrella.”
“I had it on my desk, but when you were coming over, I moved my lesbian paraphernalia.”
Gabi laughed again and said, “Oh, my God. What other paraphernalia did you have there?”
“Movies.”
