Chapter 2
Back at work, I long to be tied to a desk in an old movie. Not in a kinky way, but because when someone was busy back then, everyone knew it. Work was literally piled on their desk, so people bothered them less. My work is mostly on my computer, making it invisible, so no one sees an obstacle to their conversation.
Especially not Madi. Though I doubt a pile of work would persuade her to leave me alone.
She clicks her fake nails on my desk, and I swear they are pointier every time I see them. Without looking up from my typing, I groan internally and shove my glasses back up my nose before they slide down again. “Yes, Madi?”
“Wallace wants you to stay late to finish up the proposal for the Banks account.”
“It’s not due until next week. I have plenty of time?—”
“He wants to look over it before you officially turn it in to him, so it needs to be completed before the morning.”
I frown up at her. “Why does he need to look at it before I officially turn it in?”
She smiles sinisterly. “Because we’ve noticed your lack of focus lately, and before he discusses it with the client next week, he wants to look at it and make sure you’ve dotted all the I’s.”
I can hear the translation in my head. “Because I’m sleeping with him and you embarrassed me today, so I whined until I could get you punished.”
“Uh sure, Madi. I’ll just skip the meeting at four?—”
“Oh, but you can’t. It’s an all-hands.”
She’s right. Which means I’m not getting out of here until eight. Or later. “Hell. Whatever. I’ll take care of it.”
Her smile slides from sinister to self-congratulatory. “Such a team player. I’ll be sure to mention your respectful attitude to Wallace. See you at four.” She saunters off, and I’m struck by how much I wish one of her high heels would break while I watch. I’m also struck by a wadded up ball of paper on the back of my head.
I roll my eyes and turn around. “Good date?”
Garrett grins. “Nah. Just thought you needed a distraction from eye daggering Madi’s back.”
“Gee, thanks. So, are you going to tell me about your date?”
“I hate her, but I love her fake nails. They match her personality.”
“The store-bought illusion of sharpness? Agreed. What happened with your lunch?—”
“So, has Trent called yet?”
I narrow my gaze at him. “Why aren’t you telling me about your date? Since when don’t you share?”
Garrett pauses, then joins me right by my desk. With an open floor plan office, it’s hard to get anything resembling privacy, and we don’t even have cubicles. When I’d asked Wallace about it, he said they interrupt the look of the place. But really, it was an excuse to monitor everyone.
He quietly says, “I’m less inclined to discuss this in front of everyone, because people can get weird about things. I know you’re fine about these things, but other people might not be. My date was with a man.”
“I don’t think anyone here will care.”
He shrugs and glances around. “You never know, and I don’t want to rock any boats just yet.”
“Well, how’d it go?”
He smiles. “Good. Really good. We’re seeing each other again this weekend.”
“That’s awesome.”
“We really click, you know? I mean, it was just a first date, so who knows, but I like what I’ve seen so far.”
“I’m happy for you, Garrett.”
He almost flinches when he asks, “So, seriously, Trent?”
“Why does everyone keep bringing him up today? First Callie, now you. I’m done with Trent. Forever.”
“Oh. Okay. Well, there’s more fish in the?—”
“Not for me. I’m done with all that.”
He folds his arms. “You’ve seemed done with everything lately. What’s up with you?”
Shaking my head, I don’t even want to get into it. But Garrett’s a great guy, and I could probably use more than one person to talk to. Maybe his perspective would help. “I just … I thought once I was a lawyer, I’d have everything all figured out, you know? I’m staring down the barrel of thirty years old, and I feel just as lost as when I was a teenager.”
He chuckles. “When I was a teenager, I wanted to be a pilot. What about you?”
“A lawyer. But not really. TV lawyers had all the money, so I went with that. What I really wanted to do was photography.”
“What’s stopping you?”
I laugh. “A mountain of school loans. The usual.”
“And now, you help venture capitalists dodge taxes?—”
“Find appropriate places to store their otherwise taxable income,” I parrot the party line, and we both roll our eyes. “Yeah. Not exactly a dream job.”
“Could be worse.”
“How so?”
“You could be Madi.”
I snort a laugh. “Uh no. Not in a million years. Could you just imagine me in her heels? It’d be like a foal trying to walk on its first day.”
He laughs, too. “I’d pay to see that.”
“I wouldn’t hate everything here if maybe the clients were decent people, trying to catch a break. But I cannot describe a single client of ours that way. Here, it’s multimillionaires, their questionable actions, and their shell corporations. Yuck.”
“At least today is one more day off your retirement calendar.”
“Yeah, I guess so.”
We part ways, and the next few hours are a blur of meetings and proposals until I realize eight o’clock came and went. By nine, I’m on my way home. TGIF never felt as real as it does now, and I feel it in my bones by the time I turn the key to my apartment. Just as I step inside, my phone blows up with Callie’s number. “Hey, what?—”
“Daniel stood me up!”
“Oh shit. What happened?”
“Okay, not exactly stood me up, but damn near. I’m all dressed up with no place to go, because one of his kids is having a dental emergency and Daniel’s ex-wife can’t deal with oral surgery, so he has to be there for them. He feels bad, so he sent a limo to pick me up and take me wherever I want to go tonight. So, now, I have a limo, two tickets to a ball, and no date. Be my date. Pleeeease?”
I am so tired that I want to cry, but I can’t disappoint Callie. It would be like scolding a golden retriever. How could I ever look her in the eye after that? Plus, she never asks for favors. I can’t say no. After a deep breath, I gently try to get out of it. “That sounds amazing, but Callie, I don’t have a dress nice enough for a ball.”
“Everyone has a little black cocktail dress, June.”
I laugh my retort. “Guess I’m no one, then.”
“We’ll figure something out. It’ll be fine.”
“None of my fancy shoes have a heel the right height for formalwear?—”
She laughs. “Is that the best you can do?”
No. The best I could do is to tell you no. But even I’m not that heartless. Still, I don’t want to do this. “It’s been raining all day.”
Silence. Nothing but silence.
“Callie? You still there?”
“It’s been raining all day is your excuse for not going to a ball tonight? I distinctly recall you barreling down the sidewalk for lunch today in the middle of a downpour, June.”
“I was very hungry, and if I don’t hurry in the rain, I get it on my glasses, which you know I hate.”
She giggles. “Here’s what we’ll do. Since you’re obviously reluctant to go, I’ll come over and we’ll go through your closet together to find a suitable outfit. If I can’t find one, then we will order in and watch your favorite scary movies?—”
“You hate scary movies. You only like James Bond films.”
“Yes, well, other adventure movies, too, but I am willing to suffer for you, if you’re willing to suffer for me and go to this thing. But you have to give an honest opinion about the outfits I pick for you. You can’t just say you hate everything.”
I shrug. “I don’t hate what’s in my closet.”
“Good. I’ll be right over.”
“Wait, um?—”
But she’s already hung up. There is no stopping Callie on a mission, and I know I’m getting roped into this. A ball. For fuck’s sake, I’m going to a ball. Mom will be so happy when I call her on Sunday and tell her I went to a ball. I should probably at least talk to a guy while I’m there, so I can give her some hope of grandchildren.
The thought unsettles my stomach, so I grab a ginger ale and crackers before Callie arrives. Then I’m off to my closet to pick something before Callie arrives. The sooner I get in a dress, the sooner this night is over.
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