Claire took a big breath and jumped up through the top with her arms held high above her head to much enthusiastic applause.
The honoree of the party was always seated directly in front of the cake and, taking a moment for her eyes to adjust to the light, Claire started to focus on that seat. Slowly blinking her eyes and hoping that she was seeing things, Claire became aware that Jason’s friend Harold was standing in front of the chair of honor with Jason standing on his right. Harold was laughing and applauding, and his friends around him were all clapping him on the back, everyone except Jason, who seemed to be studying her intently as if she were someone he was trying to place in his memory. Harold seemed to have no clue as to who she was.
The time that she was required to remain standing seemed endless as she tried to keep her head averted and avoided looking directly at Harold or Jason. She tried to act normal but was desperate to leave the spotlight before she was recognized. Claire turned to the side and signaled to Brian and Max to lift her down on the left side instead of the normal front position.
They were confused at the change but quickly positioned to assist the dismount. Claire walked to the left of Harold to give him a hug from behind with the usual congratulations. She tried to exit the area as soon as possible to avoid looking in Jason’s direction. Finally, a path parted for her and Claire made her way to the restroom with the sound of applause following her.
~~~
Jason was completely and utterly dumbfounded. Unless his eyesight, and possibly his mind as well, was playing tricks on him, his assistant had jumped out of a cake at his best friend’s bachelor party wearing next to nothing. He had been paying very little attention when the cake had been rolled out and only just glanced over when the sound of the top of the cake popping open had caught his attention.
If not for seeing Claire at Harold’s with her hair arranged much as it was now, he might have possibly missed what his eyes seemed to be telling him. His demure, mostly genderless assistant was actually a drop-dead bombshell, and even if it took his mind several minutes to accept it, his body knew as soon as he laid eyes on her.
How in the hell had he been so blind to her all of these years and, more importantly, how did one not know that their assistant jumped out of cakes at bachelor parties after hours? Claire lived a whole other life outside the office, which might be normal for everyone to some degree; however, this seemed a little extreme. His little mouse of an assistant was a stripper?
He was sure seeing her with two heads would have surprised him a lot less. Harold didn’t seem to recognize her at all and was at present receiving well wishes from the others at the party and comments of the more lewd variety were flying about Claire. For some reason, he wanted to protect her virtue and start punching someone in the face. He stalked angrily towards the direction he had seen Claire disappear to.
~~~
Claire leaned against the restroom stall shaking in reaction. How could this have possibly happened and why didn’t she make a connection that this could be Harold’s Party? Julie had said the name was Winthrop, and she’d never given it another thought. She hoped against hope that she was wrong and Jason hadn’t recognized her. Claire began undressing and vowed to stay in the kitchen the rest of the evening no matter what.
Dear God, she would lose her job with Jason over this; he would never understand why it was necessary to work this job as well as for Danvers. Panic started to set in, and she was shaking so hard her fingers were fumbling trying to unsnap the garters. At just that moment, Claire heard the door open.
“Julie, give me a few minutes, I’m having a hard time with these darn snaps.” Not thinking anything of the silence, she continued on, “God Julie you will never believe what just happened, my boss
The honoree of the party was always seated directly in front of the cake and, taking a moment for her eyes to adjust to the light, Claire started to focus on that seat. Slowly blinking her eyes and hoping that she was seeing things, Claire became aware that Jason’s friend Harold was standing in front of the chair of honor with Jason standing on his right. Harold was laughing and applauding, and his friends around him were all clapping him on the back, everyone except Jason, who seemed to be studying her intently as if she were someone he was trying to place in his memory. Harold seemed to have no clue as to who she was.
The time that she was required to remain standing seemed endless as she tried to keep her head averted and avoided looking directly at Harold or Jason. She tried to act normal but was desperate to leave the spotlight before she was recognized. Claire turned to the side and signaled to Brian and Max to lift her down on the left side instead of the normal front position.
They were confused at the change but quickly positioned to assist the dismount. Claire walked to the left of Harold to give him a hug from behind with the usual congratulations. She tried to exit the area as soon as possible to avoid looking in Jason’s direction. Finally, a path parted for her and Claire made her way to the restroom with the sound of applause following her.
~~~
Jason was completely and utterly dumbfounded. Unless his eyesight, and possibly his mind as well, was playing tricks on him, his assistant had jumped out of a cake at his best friend’s bachelor party wearing next to nothing. He had been paying very little attention when the cake had been rolled out and only just glanced over when the sound of the top of the cake popping open had caught his attention.
If not for seeing Claire at Harold’s with her hair arranged much as it was now, he might have possibly missed what his eyes seemed to be telling him. His demure, mostly genderless assistant was actually a drop-dead bombshell, and even if it took his mind several minutes to accept it, his body knew as soon as he laid eyes on her.
How in the hell had he been so blind to her all of these years and, more importantly, how did one not know that their assistant jumped out of cakes at bachelor parties after hours? Claire lived a whole other life outside the office, which might be normal for everyone to some degree; however, this seemed a little extreme. His little mouse of an assistant was a stripper?
He was sure seeing her with two heads would have surprised him a lot less. Harold didn’t seem to recognize her at all and was at present receiving well wishes from the others at the party and comments of the more lewd variety were flying about Claire. For some reason, he wanted to protect her virtue and start punching someone in the face. He stalked angrily towards the direction he had seen Claire disappear to.
~~~
Claire leaned against the restroom stall shaking in reaction. How could this have possibly happened and why didn’t she make a connection that this could be Harold’s Party? Julie had said the name was Winthrop, and she’d never given it another thought. She hoped against hope that she was wrong and Jason hadn’t recognized her. Claire began undressing and vowed to stay in the kitchen the rest of the evening no matter what.
Dear God, she would lose her job with Jason over this; he would never understand why it was necessary to work this job as well as for Danvers. Panic started to set in, and she was shaking so hard her fingers were fumbling trying to unsnap the garters. At just that moment, Claire heard the door open.
“Julie, give me a few minutes, I’m having a hard time with these darn snaps.” Not thinking anything of the silence, she continued on, “God Julie you will never believe what just happened, my boss
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