Page 14 of Desperate Haste
Party starts at 8 and goes until closing. Specials will be available to benefit Creighton’s House and there *is* a costume contest. Buy in is $5 and the winner gets $300. The rest of the money goes towards supporting the cause.
Hank:
We will ALL be there buddy – right Conrad?
After a long pause and I’m sure several eyerolls from the grumpiest member of our group, the nickname I’d given Conrad—which he hates—pops up on my phone once more.
Connie:
Yes, we will all be there.
10
OPHELIA
Ihate Wednesdays.
They’re not the start of a new week, but they’re not yet Friday either. The only plus to them is they’re a great excuse to have a glass of wine at the end of the day which is exactly what I plan to do as soon as I get home. The bottle of pinot I special ordered is calling my name. Kind of like Dale is right now on the other side of my desk.
“So the design team is working on next month’s launch campaign for the skincare brand and the copywriters are on track to launch the web campaign for the concert series happening next summer. Wedidget a lead on a major client based out of New York who wants to work with us for the New Year’s Eve campaign they’re launching in Times Square. I forwarded you that email this morning.”
We’re having our mid-morning check-in like we do every day. He’s sitting with one leg crossed over the other and is swiping through an iPad with an Apple pencil, rambling off the notes he’d taken before our meeting started. Looking smart, he is wearing a green pinstripe suit with a bright fuschia shirt and matching bowtie to finish the look. With his legs crossed, you can see his pink argyle socks poking out from under his brown loafers that compliment the soft pink frames that sit on the bridge of his nose. As they say, on Wednesdays we wear pink.
“I did see that earlier, thank you for passing that on. How are we doing with our long-term clients?”
“I checked in on them yesterday and they’re all happy as can be with the work we’re doing for them. Everyone has high praise for Miss Ophelia Sommers and the team she leads.” He gives me an encouraging smile and tips his head back to his tablet to keep reading. “Now, there is the issue of the graphic design team falling behind with their?—”
“Hold on, Bailey’s calling me,” I cut him off. Feeling my phone buzzing in my blazer pocket, I pull it out to find her name rolling across the top of the screen. A picture of the two of us from her wedding makes me smile before I swipe my thumb across my screen to answer.
“Well if it isn’t my beautiful best friend calling me in the middle of the day, to what do I owe the pleasure?” Dale rolls his eyes at me with a grin as I answer the phone. He knows that Bailey is like the sister I always wanted but never got and that we came as a package deal.
“Hi, Ophie,” her cheerful voice rings out on the other end of the phone and I feel my cheeks start to press into my eyes. Bailey has always been a happy-go-lucky person but ever since meeting Hank it’s like she has the entire sun shoved up her ass. She radiates joy and energy, and I couldn’t be happier for her. “What are you doing for Halloween?”
My eyes glance to the calendar sitting on the corner of my desk and I realize Halloween is next weekend. “Uhh, probably nothing. I might go out, I might stay in. I haven’t decided yet.” Halloween is one of those take it or leave it holidays for me. I could be down for a good time but it isn’t something I look forward to every year.
“Okay, well, now you do because you’re going out with me and the group. There’s a charity thing at Butcher and Block and we’re all dressing up and going. It’ll be so much fun, you have to come too.” Her words are coming out hurried and if I’m not mistaken, her Southern drawl slips out with a few of her vowels like it does when she gets riled up.
“Butcher and Block?” I question, my brows getting closer together on my face as I say it. “As in, the Butcher and Block Malcolm works at?” I hadn’t been back to the bar since the night I met Jason there. I’d seen a few men since but whenever they suggested we go there for drinks, I kindly asked to go somewhere else. I didn’t want to give Malcom any other opportunity to sabotage my dates.
There is a long pause on the other end of the line before she speaks again. “Yes?” Her voice pitches up and I roll my eyes, knowing exactly what my best friend is trying to do.
“Bailey Brown, are you trying to set me up with your husband’s best friend?”
“I don’t have to set you up with him when you’ve already slept with him,” she exclaims on the other end before I hear her start to laugh.
“Exactly, I’ve slept with him. One and done, that’s the rule. Remember?”
“Oh I hate your stupid rules. But whatever, just tell me you’ll come out with me,please? I’ll come over and get ready with you. And if it’s okay, I’ll bring Magnolia with me. Poor girl is struggling right now and I think she could use the girl time.”
I sigh heavily before relenting. “Fine, I’ll come. And I would love nothing more than for her to come over. I want to get to know her more since she’s now part of the little boys’ club you’ve started.”
“You could be part of that club, too, ya know? Remember how Malcolm asked about you? I think there’s something there.”
“Bailey, darling, there’s nothing there other than one night of fun. He and I are the same and prefer it that way—one and done. No feelings, nothing more.” I try to wrap this up as Dale is now sitting in his chair tapping his watch with one finger. “You and Magnolia come over around seven and we will get ready together. Sound good?”
“Yay! You’re the best Ophie. We will be there!”
“I know I am, have fun at boys’ club tonight,” I quip, knowing she’s going to be with Hank and his friends for their weekly game night. She’s been going for over a year now without fail.
