Page 35 of Like It's 1999

“Don’t youwhoame.” Two little palms packing a surprising punch slam into my chest so hard that I stumble backwards. “Just because you snap your fingers, just because you helped me with this little hack, you think I’m going to fall in bed with you?”

I am so confused. I really thought we’d connected again. “Uh… well, I wouldn’t put it like that, exactly. I?—”

“Oh yeah? How would you put it? Piece on the side? Mistress? Concubine?”

“What? What are you talking about?”

“I can’t believe Kate told you I had a thing with a married guy.” Pacing, she kicks at the program scraps with so much rage I’m relieved that she’s taking this out—whatever this is—on something other than me. “Just because I did it once does not mean I’m ever doing it again. I mean, this is notFatal Attraction,but I’m not doing aBridges of Madison Countything, either.”

It takes me a minute to absorb this and put the pieces together in my head. By the time I do, she’s kicked a trash can and is stomping down the hall.

Running after her, more thankful than ever to be in shape, I get between her and the exit doors. “Wait, Alice.” Before she can yell at me again, I raise both palms. “Please.”

But before I can ask if she’s thinking what I think she’s thinking, she bats my hands down. “Incoming Kate at eleven o’clock.”

Blinking slowly, I shake my head. “Eleven? It’s not even eight.”

She rolls her eyes. “I mean she’s heading our way, behind you and to the left.” When I start to turn, she hisses, “My left, your right. At the position of eleven—like on a clock face? Oh, never mind.”

“Ahem.” Kate clears her throat behind me.

Alice’s grimace transforms to a saccharine smile. “Surprise?”

Kate just glowers at us both, long enough for me to feel guilty about putting her on the spot at her own fundraiser, on her tenth anniversary no less.

But then she claps her hands and starts jumping up and down. “It was awesome, you assholes!”

Wiping a hand over my face, happy to not have both women mad at me, I sigh. “I’m glad you’re not mad.”

“Mad? We’re set to blow our end-of-year goal out of the water.”

“That’s awesome.” Alice’s tone doesn’t quite match her words.

“Yeah, good thing since this venue cost extra due to the holiday. But it was worth it. Anyway.” She points a finger at her chest, then at each of us, as she says, “I. Got. You.”

Alice steps away from me. “What do you mean?”

“It may have taken ten years, but I finally got you two together.” Kate seems happier about this than about the money she raised tonight.

I shake my head. “Wait. You knew we were going to switch out the presentation?”

She shrugs. “I knew something was up.”

To Alice, she says, “One of my mentees reached out to thank me for the portrait, but when I called her back to ask what she was talking about, she pretended thatshedidn’t know whatIwas talking about.” Then she aims a superior smirk at me. “When Will asked for Alice’s email address and I asked him why, he blurted your name out.”

I shake my head. “Your husband is a terrible liar.”

She rolls her eyes. “Tell me about it. He can’t even keep our Christmas presents for the kids a secret. They already know how to work him.” She points between us again. “So, what’s going on with you two?”

“Nothing,” Alice squeaks. “Steve just helped me make the video and switch out the hard drives. I swear. I did not sleep with him.”

Kate pushes her lips into a pout. “Oh. I thought maybe you were having a thing.”

“Kate! How could you?” Alice’s fury is back. “I told you I would never do that again.”

Kate looks as confused as I was earlier. “Do what?”

Alice crosses her arms like she’s barely holding back from knocking our heads together. “Have an affair with a married man,” she grits out.

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