Page 97 of Start With A Slap

“Well, movie biz secretary by day,” Tiffany said, “executive assistant really, but...”

He arched a brow. “Secretary! You don’t say.”

Ivy rolled her eyes. Next he’d be asking her if she wore pantyhose to work.

Champagne was brought to the table, diverting Sever’s attention, and Tiffany clutched Ivy’s arm. “I’m in love with him. I’m in love. Would it be wrong and slutty if I went home with him tonight?”

The wordsYou can’t have himfilled her being.“Yes.”

“You’ve got your amazing man. Why can’t I have mine?”

“Because he’s my man’sfather, for one?—”

“So what? I’m not gonna marry him! Unless he asks.”

“He’s not what he seems, okay? He’s?—”

“Champagne?” Sever held out a glass, and their eyes met, but not long enough for Ivy to get a good glare in. The revolving rainbow mood lighting wasn’t helping either.

“To happy coincidences,” he said, toasting mainly with Tiffany whooohedall over that.

“To calculating strategists,” Ivy said.

“Huh?” Tiffany was confused. Sever wasn’t.

“You know, Tiffany,” Sever said, moving closer to her than ever. “I happen to need an executive assistant of my own. Would you want to come by and ...interview?”

“Sever!” Remembering that she couldn’t openly chastise him in mixed company, Ivy spoke through a laugh: “Tiffany has agreat job, she doesn’t need a new one. You’ve got to stop trying to recruit all my friends.”

His tongue touched the roof of his mouth — oh, he was enjoying this — before he said, “I’ve only ever tried to recruit you. And you said no. Why don’t you let your charming friend speak for herself?”

“Yeah, Ivy, speak for yourself!” Tiffany said with a dismissive titter. “Color me intrigued, Sever. What exactly are you looking for?”

“Well,” he said. “I’m looking for total dedication. You’d have to move in with me.”

Unable to control her scoff, Ivy smacked her glass on the table and stood. “I’m gonna go call my husband. Oh, hey, Sever, you should come wish him a happy birthday.” Nothing. “Sever?”

He barely looked up. “Uh, yeah. Tell him I said that.”

Wait. What?

Did he not hear the implicit opportunity in her suggestion? She wanted to get him alone. Not to have sex, but that never stopped him from trying.

Was he truly brushing her off forTiffany? Just because she was handy? This was like high school all over again, only this time it was fucking with her on an entirely new level.

She walked away, not sure what to feel. The dark booth next to theirs was empty, so she ducked inside of it, took a seat on the C-shaped vinyl couch, and caught her breath. Looked at her phone. Her shaking fingers typed before she could think it through.

Next booth. Now or I’m gone.

Message sent, Ivy peeked through a tiny sliver in the curtain that separated the booths.

They were laughing and talking, faces way too close together. And she wasn’t even in thevicinityanymore.

As Tiffany kept blithering, he took his phone out of his pocket and gave it a look.

Head down, eyebrows up, he glanced in Ivy’s direction ...and slipped it back into his pocket. Went back to listening, laughing, flirting.

So. This wasn’t a game for him anymore. He was actuallyinto Tiffany.

---