some leftover Chinese food from last night and the next episode of Parenthood —the latest victim of my Netflix bingeing habit.
Suddenly, a couple spills out of a hallway bisecting my way to the lobby. I hop to the side, narrowly missing a full on collision with a model-thin blonde who doesn’t even seem to notice me. I shake my head in frustration and keep my eyes locked straight ahead of me. People can be so rude, that’s why I’d rather be at home having an excited three-way with my friends Ben & Jerry .
But I don’t make it more than a couple steps before someone calls me out by name.
“Sofie! There you are!”
I slow and give a confused glance over my shoulder. When I see who it is, I come to a stop. The couple I nearly collided with is actually Wade and… some blonde. I’d been so focused on dodging out of the way and getting out of there that I hadn’t even realized he was the guy with her.
Wade beams a smile at me while a similar smile on the blonde’s face wavers and then vanishes. He looks impeccable, just as he had during his presentation, earlier. She’s wearing a less-than-professional—according to my standards, anyway—business dress. I get the distinct feeling that she’s nonplussed for him to be talking to me.
Aimee’s words from earlier echo in my ears one more time. But this time they’re more a warning than just a fun fact about the new guy around the office.
“I didn’t think you’d still be here,” Wade says. If he notices the death glares his girlfriend is giving me, he doesn’t give any indication of it.
“I ran into a couple colleagues,” I say, quickly, surprised by how convincing the off-the-cuff lie sounds.
His smile broadens and he says, “New York seems to be a pretty small city tonight. The same thing happened to me.” He glances at the blonde and then back to me. “Sofie this is Rebecca. Rebecca, Sofie.” Following the quick introduction, to me, he says, “Rebecca is an old business associate from my days on Wall Street. We bumped into each other just a bit ago.”
I give her a thin-lipped smile and a whispered, “Nice to meet you.”
“You too,” she says, tightly. She has a distinctly European accent that makes her natural beauty even more intimidating.
“You weren’t leaving, were you?” Wade asks, his tone sounding genuinely concerned.
“I was,” I say. “It’s getting late…”
The wavering in my voice makes the excuse sound even lamer than it already is. Lines appear in Wade’s forehead as he gives me an incredulous look.
“Late? It’s not even six yet. What’s the rush, you got a hot date?”
“No!” I say, defensively. Then I quickly stammer, “I mean… I just remembered some stuff I need to take care of.”
His eyes narrow and I can tell he sees straight through the lie.
“I’m sure it can wait. It’s Friday and we’ve been cooped up in a seminar all day—if that isn’t reason for a few drinks then nothing is.”
My eyes dart to Rebecca and then back to him. She hasn’t said anything, but the scowl on her face is a message received loud and clear.
“I wouldn’t want to impose…”
Wade looks at Rebecca as though he’s forgotten she’s standing there, trying to rub herself all over him.
“Actually, Rebecca was just leaving, she’s got an early flight to catch in the morning.” He turns and gives her a questioning look. “Isn’t that what you said?”
A long moment passes before she responds to the question. She gives me more than a couple suspicious looks, but finally she tilts her head forward in a nod.
“Yes, I should be on my way,” she says, finally.
Wade looks pleased with the response, but I get the feeling that Rebecca is anything but happy to give it.
Wade turns toward her and gives her a hug, saying, “Have a good trip. Let’s get together and catch up when you’re back in town.”
As he goes to withdraw from the hug, Rebecca stretches up on the tips of her toes and kisses him on
Suddenly, a couple spills out of a hallway bisecting my way to the lobby. I hop to the side, narrowly missing a full on collision with a model-thin blonde who doesn’t even seem to notice me. I shake my head in frustration and keep my eyes locked straight ahead of me. People can be so rude, that’s why I’d rather be at home having an excited three-way with my friends Ben & Jerry .
But I don’t make it more than a couple steps before someone calls me out by name.
“Sofie! There you are!”
I slow and give a confused glance over my shoulder. When I see who it is, I come to a stop. The couple I nearly collided with is actually Wade and… some blonde. I’d been so focused on dodging out of the way and getting out of there that I hadn’t even realized he was the guy with her.
Wade beams a smile at me while a similar smile on the blonde’s face wavers and then vanishes. He looks impeccable, just as he had during his presentation, earlier. She’s wearing a less-than-professional—according to my standards, anyway—business dress. I get the distinct feeling that she’s nonplussed for him to be talking to me.
Aimee’s words from earlier echo in my ears one more time. But this time they’re more a warning than just a fun fact about the new guy around the office.
“I didn’t think you’d still be here,” Wade says. If he notices the death glares his girlfriend is giving me, he doesn’t give any indication of it.
“I ran into a couple colleagues,” I say, quickly, surprised by how convincing the off-the-cuff lie sounds.
His smile broadens and he says, “New York seems to be a pretty small city tonight. The same thing happened to me.” He glances at the blonde and then back to me. “Sofie this is Rebecca. Rebecca, Sofie.” Following the quick introduction, to me, he says, “Rebecca is an old business associate from my days on Wall Street. We bumped into each other just a bit ago.”
I give her a thin-lipped smile and a whispered, “Nice to meet you.”
“You too,” she says, tightly. She has a distinctly European accent that makes her natural beauty even more intimidating.
“You weren’t leaving, were you?” Wade asks, his tone sounding genuinely concerned.
“I was,” I say. “It’s getting late…”
The wavering in my voice makes the excuse sound even lamer than it already is. Lines appear in Wade’s forehead as he gives me an incredulous look.
“Late? It’s not even six yet. What’s the rush, you got a hot date?”
“No!” I say, defensively. Then I quickly stammer, “I mean… I just remembered some stuff I need to take care of.”
His eyes narrow and I can tell he sees straight through the lie.
“I’m sure it can wait. It’s Friday and we’ve been cooped up in a seminar all day—if that isn’t reason for a few drinks then nothing is.”
My eyes dart to Rebecca and then back to him. She hasn’t said anything, but the scowl on her face is a message received loud and clear.
“I wouldn’t want to impose…”
Wade looks at Rebecca as though he’s forgotten she’s standing there, trying to rub herself all over him.
“Actually, Rebecca was just leaving, she’s got an early flight to catch in the morning.” He turns and gives her a questioning look. “Isn’t that what you said?”
A long moment passes before she responds to the question. She gives me more than a couple suspicious looks, but finally she tilts her head forward in a nod.
“Yes, I should be on my way,” she says, finally.
Wade looks pleased with the response, but I get the feeling that Rebecca is anything but happy to give it.
Wade turns toward her and gives her a hug, saying, “Have a good trip. Let’s get together and catch up when you’re back in town.”
As he goes to withdraw from the hug, Rebecca stretches up on the tips of her toes and kisses him on
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