“EXPLAIN TO ME AGAINWHAT we’re doing here.”I smoothed the skirt of my ladies who lunch suit and snagged a mimosa I was sure was more carb-laden orange juice than champagne from the tray of a passing waiter.
“I’m here to make nice with future clients, and you’re here because you love me, and you don’t have anything better to do.”Elena hit me with a smile that dared me to contradict her, her hazel eyes lighting up mischievously.
She’d pulled her light-brown hair back into a smooth twist and she wore the Chanel suit like she’d been born for it.I knew better.She’d been raised by a single mother in a house it would be generous to call modest.The veneer of wealth she wore like a second skin was earned, not her birthright.She’d paid for it by having exquisite taste and the ability to transform a space into something both beautiful and uniquely suited to its inhabitants.She might not have the pull or the client lists of some of the older, more established interior design firms yet, but she would.With her drive and skill, I didn’t have any doubts that it was only a matter of time before she ruled the city.
“I have lots of things to do.”She arched an elegantly groomed eyebrow at me and I didn’t bother trying to hide my smirk.“Okay, maybe not, but I do love you.”
It was odd not to have to go to work every day.I’d gotten used to logging in a generous number of client hours every week, but my business was more than that.I spent easily twice as much time on marketing and coaxing potential clients to take the plunge and hire me.Glancing around the room at the polished to within an inch of their lives women, I wondered if any of them had benefited from my services.I hoped so.Every woman deserved her orgasms the way she wanted them, but with the cease-and-desist hanging over my head, it was hard to think of any of that.
“So what do we do?”I might not be able to think about my own business, but I could at least help my friend.“Divide and conquer?Thin the weak from the herd?”
“Sure.Nothing says high-end interior design like hunting metaphors.”Elena set her half-empty glass on the nearby tray.She clearly exercised more restraint when it came to carbs than I did.“Just be nice.Charming, if you can manage it without hurting yourself.Being seen at these things gives me credibility when I’m asking people to trust me with their homes.They feel more comfortable if someone they know recommends me or they recognize me from one of these things.Until I score a big job like something on the Garden District Home Tour, this is my best advertising.”
It made sense and despite my current emotional state, I ought to be able to manage friendly and approachable, if not charming.I followed Elena to a table with two empty chairs and shared smiles with the women already seated.My friend quickly fell into a conversation with the woman sitting next to her.It wasn’t exactly awhat do you do for a livingkind of crowd and I searched my brain for an opening line.Thankfully, I was saved by a size-zero blonde in a simple sheath dress I was sure cost more than most people’s mortgage payments, tapping on the open mic.
“Hello,” she said with a nervous giggle as the mic amplified her voice.“I’d like to thank you all for coming today to support such a noble cause.Before we get started with the rest of the program, I’d like to introduce one of our most important benefactors, Counselor Erik Jensen.”
I glanced from the mimosa I was sucking down to the head table to see who was the unlucky dude in a room full of bored rich wives, and the breath caught in my throat.
Mr.Tall, Dark, and Dangerous was making his way to the microphone.Good Lord, my memory hadn’t done him justice.If anything, he was more delicious than I remembered.His custom-made suit—the man had seriously fine taste in clothes—was charcoal this time, with a scarlet silk tie I was trying not to picture wrapped around my fist.Or tied around my wrists.When he stretched out his arms to grab the podium, I got a glimpse of tanned wrists and small onyx cufflinks.
For someone who made a living from others’ fetishes, I had remarkably few of my own, but if I had to name one, it was a man’s wrists.I loved how strong they were, how different from mine, how they looked against my pale skin.Add a good watch and I’d go weak in the knees.Mr.Tall, Dark, and Dangerous was wearing a very good watch.
I had to stop thinking of him like that.I had a name for him now.Erik Jensen.And then he opened his mouth and my good intentions died.
“Domestic violence is an important cause to me, perhaps the most important,” he said, his melted caramel voice washing over the room.“There are few sins a man can commit worse than mistreating a woman or child.I’m grateful to be able to support an organization that works so hard to protect the women of this city and their families.Thank you for having me and thank you for the work you do.”
Unless you were talking about signing a check, I doubted that any of the women in the room did any actual work.That didn’t stop them from applauding loudly at Mr.Jensen’s compliment.They were still clapping as he made his way from the podium and out the door.The disappointment in the room was palpable when the other women realized he wasn’t coming back, but for me, it was the first time I could catch my breath since he’d taken the stage.
He hadn’t noticed me.There was no reason for him to recognize me.I was sure he’d made more of an impression on me than I had him.That didn’t stop my heart from trying to double time its way out of my chest.What was wrong with me?I spent my days with men, being tied up by men.I thought I was long past the point when a simple attraction could knock me off my game.There was something about this man, something I couldn’t put a name to that was different from all the others.
With an increasingly familiar mixture of regret and relief, I turned my attention back to making conversation with the woman on my right.
––––––––
“YOU’RE AWFULLY DRESSEDup,” said Charlotte hours later, tapping her pale-pink lacquered nail against her desk.
I hadn’t bothered to go home to change after the benefit.Although after the overworked chicken mousse quenelles and baby vegetables, I’d been tempted to go for second lunch.In a city known for its food, it had been a disappointment, definitely not worth the calories I’d have to burn off later, which wouldn’t have stopped me if Elena had been willing to grab a po’ boy or beans and rice somewhere.But if we’d done that, I’d have told her about meeting Erik Jensen—if I could even call it that—and I wasn’t ready to do that.I didn’t like how unsettled he made me feel, and I didn’t want to try to explain it to anyone.At least not yet.
“I had aladies who lunchthing with Elena.You said you had news?”Please let it be that all of this was a big mistake and I could get on with my life.I’d been playing every possible doomsday scenario in my head since I got Charlotte’s message.Dropping to the couch, I held my breath and waited for my friend to tell me everything was going to be okay.
She leaned forward in her chair, and my pulse kicked up about a hundred notches.“Our motion to dismiss was denied.I expected it to be.”She hurried on before I had a chance to swallow my tongue.“We didn’t really have any grounds to dismiss, but I had to try anyway.It would’ve been foolish not to.”
“So what happens now?”I asked, sucking in a breath and trying to get my racing heart to slow the fuck down.
“The court has scheduled the case management conference for Monday.After that, we’ll have a better idea of what to expect.The big thing right now is to keep them from being able to subpoena your client records.”
She may have said more but I couldn’t hear over the ringing in my ears.If they were able to get the names of my clients, it wouldn’t matter what happened with the lawsuit.I’d be out of business before it ever went to trial.Discretion was essential to my work.
“Hey, don’t worry,” said Charlotte, coming out from behind her desk to sit on the couch with me.“I won’t let that happen.Things are moving faster than they usually do.I’m not sure why but it’s not a bad thing.And regardless of what the other party wants, the court wants us to settle.”
I didn’t know whether to find that reassuring or not.I wasn’t sure what settling would mean.I’d managed to squirrel a small amount of money away in savings, but if I had to change the name of my company or my brand, it would be like starting over from scratch.Worse.No one would take a chance on me if they had any inkling their identity might be exposed.
“What time on Monday?What do I need to bring?”I asked when I could breathe again.
“Nothing.You don’t need to be there.I can handle it myself.”
“I want to be there.”I couldn’t imagine sitting at home waiting to find out what was going to happen to my future.
