Page 132 of If Ever

Paige finds her way to us and after quick hugs, gathers our coats. “Great dress,” she says admiring my little black number. “Welcome. The bar’s around the corner.”

We’re handed drinks and whisked around the apartment meeting too many people to keep track of. There’s plenty of spouses and girlfriends and boyfriends, which makes keeping people straight even more difficult.

Tom is pulled away and I’m cornered by a frizzy-haired woman from wardrobe and her pals, then handed a cosmo by a couple handsome young guys from the ensemble. Turns out that being Tom's girlfriend makes me popular. I’m asked about Celebrity Dance Off, how I like New York, and will I be auditioning for anything soon. I down my drink and respond with great, great, and never.

Finally, Tom appears and saves me from Ms. Cauliflower Breath. We escape to the bar. “You’re quite the hit.” He gives me one of his steamy smiles, caresses my bare shoulder, and whispers, “You’re gorgeous in that frock, but it’ll look even better pooled on the floor when I get you home.”

My breath hitches and he kisses my neck.

“Excuse me, you’re blocking the bar,” a testy voice says.

I jump away from Tom. He smiles boldly. We’re both a little juiced. “Sorry, Tanya. Do you remember Chelsea?”

She looks me over. “Sure. How are you?” she asks, but doesn’t even look at me.

“Fine. How are you?”

“Fantastic. Tom, can you order me a G&T? You know how I like it.”

He orders her drink and another cosmo for me.

Tanya scans the beautiful furnishings in the spacious apartment with a critical eye. “Paige and Greg have a great place. He must be making bank to afford a place like this. I wonder why Paige keeps working.”

“Here you go,” Tom hands Tanya a drink and ignores her comment.

She takes a sip and leans in close. “You know, it’s been too long since Paige called out and I got to play opposite you.”

Tom evades her. “Yes, well. Paige is a consummate professional. Oh, look. There’s Greg. Chelsea, you haven’t met Paige's husband yet. You’re going to love him. He works in publishing. Catch you later, Tanya.”

We grab our drinks and escape to the other side of the apartment. “Is she intense, or is it me?”

“She’s been under the illusion that she and I are going to be an item someday.”

I gulp my drink and do a double take. “Oh. I hope she’s wrong.”

“Me too. I can’t imagine waking up to that,” he snickers and escorts me to a tall thin man with curly short hair holding court with the stage manager I met earlier.

“Chelsea, I’d like you to meet Greg Hamilton, Paige's husband.”

Greg offers his hand. “Great to meet you. Paige has told me so much about you.”

I glance at Tom, who smiles, and then back to Greg, wondering how much Paige knows about me. “Thank you for having me tonight.”

“I thought you might like meeting someone who works in publishing." Tom says to me, then turns to Greg. "Chelsea is a big reader.”

“Actually, I own a literary agency, so I’m more in the pre-publishing stage of things.”

“That’s amazing. So you get to read the great books before anyone else?”

“When I’m lucky. Finding a best seller is a lot like trying to find a grain of salt in Central Park.”

Greg asks what I read, which I reply with everything. Tom is pulled away at some point, but Greg and I are deep in discussion and I barely notice. He asks what I do for work now that I’m off Celebrity Dance Off. I explain my degree in international business and that I’ve been applying for jobs and I’m not exactly sure what I want, which is an unsettling feeling. I’m relieved to have been rejected by the investment bankers.

“You speak any foreign languages?”

“French and German. Not that I’ve had much use for either.” They were part of a misguided effort to be more worldly like my dad. “It turns out I’m not interested in international finance after all.”

He laughs. “I can see why, but you have some valuable skills.” Paige appears and asks him for some help in the kitchen. “We may have something coming up. You should send me your resume.”

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