"James Patrick Kelly - Chemistry (2)" - читать интересную книгу автора (Kelly James Patrick)

in
and out of love and still be back in plenty of time
to
weigh old Freddy's nonexistant spleen."
Lily picked up her spex again and held them at arm's
length. From a distance the bright little images on
the
displays looked like a pair of shirt buttons. Had it
really been two years? Maybe it was time to unbutton
herself.

A private security rover patrolled Densmore Street;
the
servos of its infrared lenses mewled softly as it
wove
through the twilight. Most of the stores on the block
were just closing: La Parfumerie, Hawkins Fine Wines,
a
World Food boutique and a couple of art galleries.
Next
 to the Hothouse was the Office Restaurant. Through
its
windows Lily could see people in gray suits sitting
alone at stylized desks, eating absently as they
tweaked
glowing blue spreadsheets. The neighborhood reeked of
money and there was only fifty-three dollars and
sixty
seven cents left on her cash card. She wondered how
much
romance that would buy in the caviar part of town.
At street level the Hothouse was as stolid as a bank:
two stories of granite blocks regularly pierced by
thin,
dark windows. Higher up, it blossomed into a
crystalline
riot of glass and light. They hesitated in front of
the
marble threshold.
"I bet they're wearing shoes made of real cow." Lily
tucked her purse under her arm as if she expected
some
rampaging doorman to snatch it from her.
"Don't worry." Marja touched Lily's hand. "You look
fine." She had lent Lily a crepe off the shoulder
dress
her grandmother had left her. It was too 90's for
Lily's
taste, but Marja was the specialist when it came to
this