Page 127 of Girls Will Be Girls
This restaurant is the most extravagant place I’ve ever seen, and I stood in the lobby of the Plaza once.
The entrance has tall ceilings, antiques, and classic art, a chandelier above that is probably worth more than my apartment, and it opens up into a large space with high-top tables, a bar on the side, and lots of white jacket waiters handing out canapes.
This is definitely not a world I’ve been a part of before. Sure, in my previous job, and atLure,I’ve gone to some fancy events and parties, but clearly, the people in politics do it up big.
Before we’re fully in the room, Noah appears and drags us to the bar.
“Thank god.” They sigh. “If I have to pretend to laugh at one more joke about how they’re trying to fatten up people’s wallets by fattening up their stomachs tonight, I am going to voluntarily give myself an aneurysm.”
“Having fun, then?” Lou teases.
Noah grabs the flute of champagne they ordered and downs it in one.
“You two want anything?”
“Just a water,” Lou says. “Driving.”
“I’ll have one of those if you are.” I point to the empty flute in Noah’s hand.
Noah hands me my drink, and then their facial expression turns from defeat to conniving in an instant.
“How was the date?” Noah asks.
“Oh.” I look over at Lou, who’s smiling at me, obviously leaving me completely on my own to answer and reveling in my blush.Dick.“It was really good,” I say quietly, sipping my drink.
“Did he tell you the story about the injured deer he saved yet?” Noah sips their drink too.
“The what?” I smile up at Lou. “No, he didn’t.”
“Ah.” Noah beams. “Saving the big guns for later. Gotcha.” They wink at Lou.
“You’re the worst.” Lou shakes his head and sips his water.
When a few others join us, some of whom I recognize from the picnic, I lean into Lou and just listen to them all talk about news pieces they’ve read recently. I don’t know half the people they’re talking about, but I do make a joke about the diva of politics George Santos, which gets a solid laugh.
Lou’s hand never leaves my side, his fingers always trailing along my waist or down my arm. Even when he’s talking, his touch never wavers. When I excuse myself to the bathroom, Lou kisses me softly in front of everyone, telling me to hurry back.
I never knew being possessive could be a turn-on, but here I am wishing he took it up a notch and dragged me out of here screaming,“She’s mine!”before doing me dirty in the car.
On my way to the bathroom, I notice Otto talking animatedly with someone near the hallway. I have zero interest in talking with him tonight or interacting with him in any way ever, but I can’t help that journalistic curiosity peeking in, wanting to know what he’s saying.
As I round the bend, I notice that it’s Senator Diane Flores who Lou’s doing the feature on, who seems to be trying to calm Otto down with the most insincereI’m so tired of this man’s bullshitsmile on her face. I only hear a snippet when I walk past of the Senator saying,“It’s decided, Otto.”.
I hurry off into the bathroom before Otto can turn around and spot me.
When I come out of the cubicle — the champagne having flowed straight through me — I’m surprised by who’s at the mirror.
“Diane,” I say. “I mean, Senator.” I stumble. “Hi.”
“Hi.” She smiles. “Louisa, right?” She draws my name out a little, trying to remember it.
“Yes, hi.” I smile. “Nice to see you again.”
“You too.” She dries her hands on an individually rolled hand towel — fancy. “Having a nice time?”
“Yes, great time,” I say. “Did I-” I stop myself for a moment, hesitating. “Did I see you talking to Otto just now?”
She almost rolls her eyes. “Yes, unfortunately.”
