As I shook hands with the two guys, I noticed that they both took the opportunity to check me out, which made me feel good. But when I shook hands with Marie, I thought I saw a hint of jealousy in her eyes. “I bet she was hoping that Alex would ask her to go with him,” I thought, and felt a little smug that I was the one on his arm.
After a few more minutes of conversation, the three of them waltzed off to the hors d’oeuvres table to refresh their plates, and I seized the opportunity to pull Alex to one side. “So what was all that about something big happening at your office,” I asked.
“Oh, gosh, I almost forgot to tell you the big news. Mrs. Grissom called me into her office today, and I was sure she was going to give me the axe. But instead, she told me she loved the manuscript I gave her. She thinks it has real potential!”
“That’s wonderful, Alex!” I said excitedly. “I can’t believe it – your gamble paid off.”
“And that’s not all,” he went on, “she told me she really admired my initiative and my willingness to take a risk. She said that was the kind of senior editor they need. So instead of getting fired, I got a promotion and a big raise!”
“Oh, Alex, congratulations!” I exclaimed, and threw my arms around him. He returned my embrace, and it felt really good until I suddenly felt him stiffen.
“What is it?” I asked.
“It’s Glenda, my ex,” he said in a low voice. “She’s coming this way. And that’s Connor James with her. He’s the guy she was cheating with.”
“Why are they here?” I asked.
“I should have guessed she’d be here, but I didn’t even think about it,” he said. “Her firm does a lot of legal work with the publishing industry.”
I turned to see a pretty blonde woman in an evening gown, accompanied by a man in a tuxedo. The scowl on her face made her look like she had eaten something sour. She didn’t wait to reach us before she began speaking in an angry voice.
“I can’t believe you would show up at an event like this wearing that stupid Halloween costume, Alex! You’re making a complete fool of yourself.”
Alex folded his arms across his chest, and I could see the tension in his posture. “Why are you so upset, Glenda? What do you care what I choose to wear?”
“You look ridiculous in that padded suit, and it’s embarrassing to me for you to be here looking like that with all these important people.”
“It’s too bad you’re embarrassed, but I’ll wear what I want to wear, whether you like it or not,” Alex said, and then added, “And for your information, the suit is not padded.”
Reflexively, Glenda reached out and touched his bicep, then jerked her hand away in wide-eyed embarrassment when she realized what she had done. Clearly trying to change the subject, she glanced over at me.
“You haven’t introduced me to your little companion for the evening,” she said tartly.
“I beg your pardon,” he said in a sarcastic tone of voice. “Glenda Preston, allow me to introduce Elle Finn. She’s the reporter for The New York Times who wrote the story about me in the Sunday magazine.”
She looked at me with a sneer. “How appropriate,” she said, “a junior editor at a publishing house and a reporter for a newspaper: two losers from two dying industries.” Then, before either of us could react, she grabbed her date’s arm and said loudly, “Come on, Connor, let’s get out of here.”