Page 17 of Back Up Plan

Ari looked back to her menu, hoping to hide her blushing.

“So, are you a sound tech alone? Or do you take other work?” Ari tried to ask, but her avoidance of Cass’s gaze set off alarms for her.

Cass considered the question before answering, “I used to do other stuff but honestly, I majored in Film in college and fell in love with it. So, I stopped taking other work when I got the job at LS.”

Ari nodded without asking any further.

“Is there a reason you’re curious?” Cass pushed, moving her head lower to intercept Ari’s gaze.

She shrugged and said, “We’re supposed to know each other right? I should know if you have multiple jobs.”

Cass nodded, her suspicions growing even further, “And what about you? Any extracurriculars?”

Ari nodded with a forced laugh, “No. I hardly have enough time in the day to take a shower, let alone have a hobby.”

“And that’s why you’re single?” Cass asked.

Stammering, Ari tried to answer.

But, Cass added, “You’re just the whole package from my perspective. Well-off, hard-working… gorgeous.”

“Thank you,” Ari said after she managed to swallow the lump in her throat.

Cass laughed, “That’s normally when you’d tell me I was beautiful.”

“Yeah, well you are,” Ari added, trying to recover.

“So, why don’t you know how to flirt?” Cass asked.

Ari chuckled, “You’re so forward.”

Cass looked her in the eye, “Maybe you should try it sometime.”

Before Ari could answer, the waiter arrived at the table, a white cloth draped over his arm.

“Good evening, what can I get for you?” he asked.

Ari turned her body to him and started, “Could we get a bottle of wine, whatever the chef recommends?”

He responded without writing it down, “Absolutely. And for dinner?”

“I’ll take seared Branzino, and…” Ari said, gesturing to Cass.

“I’m going to give the scallops a go,” Cass said with a smile, handing the man her menu.

He nodded, and took the menus, “Right away.”

“Thank you,” they said in unison.

Ari sighed, “I was with the same woman for eight years. We broke up when I got my assistant position at this agency. She said I didn’t have enough time for her. But, really, I think she was bored of me and wanted time to… explore.”

Cass nodded.

“And then I was actually too busy. When you’re the assistant, you have to be on call at all times. And answering a client call from Cubbyhole doesn’t exactly sound professional.”

“Got it,” Cass said, the puzzle piece of Ari’s professional command and her personal meekness starting to fit together.

Ari looked around, “But, now I’m expected to have a partner at all of these upscale events, but when was I supposed to have the time to build that?”

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