Vulnerable Read Online Free PDF Page A

damp.
    â€œAre you going to resign from the board?” Rawn asked.
    Sicily pondered momentarily, her mind seemingly elsewhere despite the fact she had looked forward to seeing Rawn all week. “No. I like the contribution they make to the community. AIDS has taken too many friends away from me. Between the Academy’s trustees and the A Blanket for My Friend board…I didn’t become a member of that board to deal with a lot of B.S. AIDS isn’t a game, and politics has no place with something this important.”
    â€œYou’re serious? Politics has its hands in everything. And life…hey, there’s always going to be some B.S. in life.”
    Sicily looked into her wineglass, contemplating. She stared at the dark plum-colored wine. “Rawn, really. Do you always have to go deep?”
    He grinned to himself, casually looking at the queue on the sidewalk that never seemed to move, not even a foot.
    â€œI thought I met someone,” she said, to change the subject.
    â€œWhat happened? No, let me guess. Not your type? As much as you get on my case about…”
    â€œYou’re right—not my type. But that wasn’t the problem.”
    â€œSo what happened?”
    â€œI’m not sure. Maybe it’s that first sign of flighty. Besides, the date was too young.”
    â€œHow young?”
    Sicily nursed her wine while scrutinizing the people whose faces she could scarcely make out from the warm glow of the room. “Young.”
    â€œYoung as in cradle-robbing—what?”
    It was rare Sicily did not feel some level of contentment whenever she was in Rawn’s company. Giggling, she remarked, “Close enough. Nineteen.”
    â€œNineteen! Where did you two meet?”
    â€œU-Dub. A student.”
    â€œWhat were you doing with a student at UW?”
    â€œI had a committee meeting over there. Our paths…crossed. We hung out. It was fun. I knew it couldn’t be anything else.”
    â€œNineteen. I guess not. I saw someone.”
    â€œSaw —what, like a celebrity? What are you talking about?”
    â€œI have to say, this one did get my attention.”
    â€œWell, did you say anything?”
    Rawn ruminated. “I wasn’t sure it would lead anywhere. Besides… I—I didn’t bother.”
    â€œIt’s not like you’re looking for someone to marry. Where did you see her?”
    â€œCafé Neuf.”
    â€œWhy didn’t you say something? Do you think a sister on, of all places, Crescent Island, would turn down your extra fine…?”
    â€œShe was white.”
    â€œLike Caucasian white?”
    â€œLike Caucasian white.”
    â€œWhat?” Sicily frowned. “That’s why you didn’t say anything. That’s more Khalil’s thing.” They each drank their wine choices, and Rawn gazed at the mix of people lingering nearby. “How’s Khalil, by the way?”
    â€œHe’s in London.”
    â€œYou know, I don’t see you with a white woman.”
    â€œYou have trouble seeing me with any woman. You didn’t like Jas. You thought she was using me. Using me for what?”
    â€œThen she moved to L.A. and slept with your best friend. I mean, look, Khalil is who he is and I love that he makes no apologies. But Jas? Even Khalil deserves better. She was with Khalil because she thought he could help her get a record deal. I mean, he’s a sports agent with connections, I’m sure. But… Sisters without credibility…she makes us—the credible ones—look bad.”
    â€œAnd DiDi. You loathed her…”
    â€œOh, please—her!” Sicily butted in. “She has three snotty-nosed kids, or is it two kids?—I forget. That’s the last woman you needed. Besides, she was only twenty-six, goodness gracious! She wanted a daddy figure because the daddies to those snotty-nosed kids weren’t responsible and hadn’t paid