“You’re right. I’m sorry,” Finn sighs, "but this is the last event I want Matthers at. Even if he didn’t know.”
“Done,” Trey’s response stops Finn and I decide I’m done with the conversation too. I need a moment away from Finn’s presence and Trey’s secret language. Without warning I stand and move away from the table, my body vibrating with my frustrations. Finn jumps up to follow me.
“Don’t worry,” I try to calm and reassure him. “I need a bathroom break. I’ll be right back,” I lie.
I do plan to use the bathroom, but I have no desire to rush back to this situation. Finn hesitates next to his seat, but before I make my escape he’s standing right beside me.
“I’ll walk you.” His hand reaches for mine and our fingers intertwine. But there isn’t the calming effect I normally experience. I have so many questions I want to ask him, but now isn’t the time or place so we make our way to the bathrooms in silence.
Before we reach the door Finn is swooped up by a medium build man in a suit whose hair flies in every which direction. He sports the mad scientist image to perfection. Spotting my chance I slip my fingers from Finn’s and motion toward the bathrooms.
The tiled bathroom area is empty even though most of the tables in the main room are filling up with people. With no real need to use the facilities, I stand in front of the long mirror and double sinks the employees will be using in just a few short weeks.
The door crashes into the wall to my right and I jump as the sound echoes in the empty space. Her short tea length gown comes into view before I raise my head and confirm Britney’s arrival to make my night even more perfect.
She walks to the mirror as if she hasn’t noticed me taking up half the space. I move to the side as she leans right down the middle. A container of red lip stick is pulled from her purse and Britney begins to apply another coat, puckering in the mirror for the process. I try to walk away hoping she hasn’t recognized me.
“He’s mine. You know that, right?” Her words stop me two steps later.
I should walk away from her comment without a response, but I am tired of feeling like the odd man out on what is going on. I step back from the high road and head for its lower, more formidable companion. My eyes roll and I huff in her direction before I stoop to her level.
“That’s not what he said.” Yes, it doesn’t get much more schoolyard playground than this.
I try to leave again, but Britney steps in my line of escape. “He may have been yours for a short time, but we’ve been in contact and he’ll be mine again soon. You never forget your first.” She sneers in my direction. It’s not a pleasant look on her and I reconsider taking back my earlier comments on her natural beauty.
I’m horrible in this kind of situation. I can never be snarky when I need to be. Sure, tomorrow a witty one liner will come to me, but right now I have nothing. “Why do you even want him?” Didn’t Finn say Britney was the one who dumped him?
“I’ve realized he has potential after all.” Britney shrugs and returns to the mirror apparently done with our conversation and I rush for the door.
The crowd applauds and my hands clap together, but I haven’t heard a single word said by Trey tonight. Since returning to our table, all I’ve done is run through Britney’s words over and over in my head. She seemed so confident in her predictions. I don’t want to be a tattletale, but I plan to spill what happened in the bathroom on the way home tonight. Finn needs to know his ex is crazy. I now understand what Ben meant when he said there are dangerous people out there. I just didn’t realize they were perky blondes.
A hand falls on the back of my chair and for a moment I tense, worried Britney has come to administer phase two of her get-Finn-back plan. When I look it’s not the she-devil, but a boy a few years younger than me. His jeans and white t-shirt highlight how out of place he is surrounded by men in suits and tuxes.
He and Finn whisper back and forth for a few minutes, but I can’t make out what’s being said over the crowd until Finn throws his napkin on his plate followed by, “Shit."
His head turns and stops when he sees Trey. The company’s CEO is surrounded by people, probably congratulating him on his speech. Finn’s attention returns to our table. “Okay, Nate. I’ll take care of it. Thanks for letting me know.” Finn watches the door close behind Nate then turns to me. “We've had another server crash. I told Trey it was a horrible idea to schedule a launch and this dinner so close together. I need to go take care of the problem, but I don’t want to leave you alone.”
Normally I’d be more upset over Finn’s continued belief I need a babysitter, but I jump at the chance to get away. Away from Finn, Britney, Trey, all of them.
Finn exchanges a few words with Mari, Trey’s date and then walks with me back to the lobby. At the doors we face each other and his arms go around me. It’s the most contact we’ve had in hours.
“Nate is going to give me a ride to our current office. You ride with Jake. I’m sorry our night had to end so soon.” He's still tense and his words are too formal to be from Finn. His arms tighten looking for my acceptance of his apology.
“I understand. You’re a man in demand. This is the part where you have to save the Internet by pressing buttons on your laptop, right?”
Finn relaxes his grip a little at my joke. “Kind of, but I type fast. Some might even say I’m a speeding bullet.”
Even I catch his Superman reference and groan at the horribleness of it, but it’s nice to hear one of his nerdy jokes again. Maybe nothing is wrong after all.
