Page 101 of Catfish

She violently shakes her head and places one of her hands above her heart. “No, I got it.”

I lift a brow. “You good?”

“They were...mean.” She wrinkles her nose, obviously taken aback by a bunch of broads who were hired by one of Councilman Malcolm White’s buddies.

I’m actually a little disappointed, I was expecting waitresses who were topless or, judging by his age, a girl to pop out of a giant cake or something.

“They wanted to make some money,” I allude with a weak shrug. “You just cockblocked them.”

“At a retirement party?” Sadie snaps.

“Here—” I pick up my abandoned tray and hand it to her. “—go throw these on the table with the rest of the expensive cheese and crackers. And do you mind checking with the band and asking them if they could announce when they want to start taking requests? Mr. White has been bugging me about it like I have nothing else better to do.”

Sadie’s mouth curves into a smile, relieved. “Absolutely, that's the easy stuff.”

So checking the bathrooms and coat closet is out of the question for Sadie.

I check on last-minute things to save myself a headache for later, making sure the bartender is fully stocked, that the waitresses make sure to feed the band, that the stock rooms are locked, so no asshole goes in drunk and starts eating away at shit.

On my way to the bathroom, I’m flagged down by two middle-aged women who begin to bitch about how there are only two stalls in the bathroom.

“I mean, there are more than two people at this event, correct?” the heavy-set one argues. “I just don’t understand why there are two stalls.”

“There’s another bathroom by the front entrance,” I allude, pointing in the direction of it. “I believe that one has—”

“But I’d have to go across the whole room to get to it, in heels.”

Then take them off?

“I’m sure the women will be done shor—”

“We’ve been out here for at least five minutes,” the other woman divulges. Her cheeks redden in agitation while my five fingers are ready to make a starring appearance across her face.

“Again,” I state. “There are bathrooms by the—”

“Front,” woman number one interrupts. “Honestly, hiring good service these days is like pulling teeth.”

Do not say that she can kiss your whole ass.

“I didn’t construct the building, ladies,” I conclude. “I can only work with what I’m given.”

“But you chose the event space, did you not?” woman number two gripes.

No, bitch, I didn’t.

They don’t wait for me to respond before walking away like I’m the scum of the Earth, the help. I’d be more than happy to assist them outside and the hell out of my party.

“Well, you handled that...differently.”

Ever have the wind knocked out of you so hard that it feels like your lungs literally just broken in half?

That’s how Governor Wade Lockwood’s voice sounds when he speaks. It absorbs all the air and leaves you desperate for that element.

Hesitantly, I turn around on my heels, coming face-to-face with the governor standing with his hands shoved inside the pockets of his navy slacks. His matching jacket and vest fills out his tall, barrel-chested body as I pull my eyes to his face.

Still impassive of any emotion.

“Governor,” I address, straightening my spine.

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