A minute or two later, my dates finally stroll in. Even in this glamorous crowd, you notice them. "We thought you ditched us!" Lexie says.
"I try not to talk to the press if I can help it," I say.
"Wish that trait would rub off on her," Brendan says.
"Light of my life, we are celebrities. It's expected of us." She shakes her head. "Anyway, duty done. Let's get in there and party." She links arms with us. "I need some hooch."
The ballroom is packed with the two hundred plus guests milling around, chatting, swilling champagne, eating hor'dervs, or dancing the Charleston over by the twenty-one piece band. Blown up movie posters and fashion magazines from the era line the walls. The lights are dim to give it a speakeasy feel I guess. It just makes me claustrophobic. "I need a beer," Brendan says.
We worm our way to the huge bar. I order my usual ginger ale before we locate an empty table to sit at. I spot my CFO Lane and his wife Heidi and wave. I do the same with Clinton Bell and his fiancée Gwen, who glares at me then pulls him away. He's had a crush on me for years. "So, you want me to introduce you to people or--"
"Rule one of popularity: never go to them, let them come to you," Lexie says, sipping her martini. "Give it a minute."
Not even a minute. Thirty seconds later, Rachel drags Danforth to us. Dan and I nod at each other. "Oh, my God! You came. Danny, this is Alexia, the supermodel. We met at Bitsy's ghastly party. And this must be your husband Brendan. We actually flew to Los Sangre to watch you play last week. Box seats, of course. You're like a tank. We're so lucky to have you on our team."
"Thank you," Brendan says.
Rachel lowers herself beside Lexie, eyes wide with excitement. "I'm so honored you came. Really. I was scared the last party you attended would sour you to the Galilee social scene. I don't know about you, but I was scared out of my wits! I'm not used to that sort of thing, unlike some," she says, glancing at me. I swear I could save a busload of children and nuns, and these people would still thumb their noses at me. "We had to take a trip to St. Barth's just to calm my nerves. My analyst thinks I might be suffering from PTSD. Are you?"
"I missed most of the fun," Lexie says. "I heard the shots and ran for the hills."
"How smart of you," Rachel says, touching Lexie's hand. "Wish I could have. My entire life flashed before my eyes."
"How dull for you," I mutter into my glass. She doesn't hear but Brendan smiles. "Have you seen Bitsy? Is she here?"
Rachel acknowledges me for the first time. "I invited her, of course, but I can't imagine she'd show her face here. Not after what happened."
"Rachel, she didn't invite KitKat there. It wasn't her fault."
"I'm sorry, but how do we know that? I mean, none of us suspected Grace Pickering of being in cahoots with Alkaline, but she was. And I heard Thayer lost millions when the deal with those Germans fell through. They're desperate for money."
"And I heard you had vaginal rejuvenation surgery." Everyone gasps. "Doesn't make me think you wore the thing out."
"How-I-I--" she stammers before standing. "You trash!" She grabs her husband and scurries away.
Lexie, being much more of a lady than I, waits until Rachel's out of earshot before bursting into laughter. Brendan and I chuckle right along with her. "That was freaking brilliant!" she says as she raises her drink. We all clink glasses.
Brendan spots one of his teammates, and insists we go over to chat. As Lexie checks her cell for the fifth time in half an hour, I spot a business associate I'm flying to Independence with in two weeks, and I excuse myself. I mainly come to this crap to network and "foster relations" as Justin called it. I watched him do it for so many years when it was my turn, I was practically a pro. About ten minutes into the discussion, all thoughts of health care reform flee my brain when I spy my ex-boyfriend twirling his new lady love on the dance floor. My mouth dries up.
I've seen Harry in person only a handful of times, but never with my replacement. He picked a good one. Bella Harding is cute with shoulder length blonde hair, big brown eyes, tan skin and curvy figure tonight in a pink flapper dress. She's also more age appropriate, early forties, but doesn't look it. I worked with her on a few cases. She's a good prosecutor. Very detail oriented. I must be staring because when the song stops, Harry zeroes in on me. He looks damn fine tonight in a dark three piece suit, spats, wire rimmed glasses, and fedora covering his brown hair. Shit, now I'm going to have to say hello. Where's a supervillain when you need one?