“So the second time was just as good?” she says.
“Better.” I can’t stop the ridiculous smile that’s pasted on my face. I look toward my full hamper. Time to do some laundry. I need clean clothes to take to Braden’s. Which reminds me… “Oh, by the way…”
“What?”
I gather items from my hamper. “He kind of…destroyed your dress.”
“What?” she says again.
“He ripped it off me. Literally.”
No response for a few seconds. Is she in shock? Then, “When you say “literally” you mean literally.”
“Yeah. I’m sorry, but he’s going to replace it. I just need to know where you got it.”
“Ross, I think.” She sighs. “It looked better on you than me anyway. Tell him it was Chanel and I’ll take the cash.”
“Tessa…”
She laughs. “For God’s sake, Skye, I’m kidding. Don’t worry about the dress. If it helped you let go and get laid, I’m happy to donate some clothes to the cause.”
“You’re the best, Tess. I’m really sorry.”
My phone beeps at me. “I’ve got another call. Hold on.” I look at the screen. Addison.
“It’s the boss,” I say.
“Braden?”
I guffaw. “Of course not. It’s Addie. I’ll see you at lunch tomorrow.”
I click on the next call. “Hey, Addie.”
“I guess you had quite the time last night.”
“It was okay. The post is doing well. I just checked it.”
“The post is fine. What were you doing there with Braden Black?”
Huh? How did she know? “What are you talking about?”
“Please. Photos are up on the MADD website. There’s a doozy of you and Braden sitting together at a prime table.”
I throw a dirty sock to the ground in irritation. “Braden was at the benefit. We said hello. Remember? I met him at the office that day?”
“You looked pretty cozy.”
I walk to the kitchen and put my Bluetooth in my ear. Then I fire up my laptop at the kitchen table and find the website. “We were just talking at a table.” And why is this any of your business?
“I told you he’s a douche, Skye.”
“He seems nice to me.”
Bingo! I find the photo. The caption reads, “Braden Black and friend.” At least the dance-floor lighting makes me look glam. I don’t recall anyone taking a photo, but of course, several photographers were working the ballroom.
“Are you sleeping with him?”
My cheeks warm and I actually feel my nostrils flare. “What kind of question is that?”
“A direct one.”
No kidding. “Who I sleep with is my business.”
“That answers it for me. He’s bad news.”
“I don’t even know him, Addie.” True words. But yeah, I’m sleeping with him.
“Take my advice,” she says. “Keep it that way. See you tomorrow.”
That’s it. She ends the call. I get up from the table and upend my hamper onto the floor. I’m mad as hell, and now I have to do fucking laundry. But first, I need to talk to Tessa again.
“She’s obviously jealous,” Tessa says into my ear after I call her back. “I can’t say I blame her.”
“I don’t think so,” I say. “She can’t stand him.”
“She says she can’t stand him.”
I consider Tessa’s words. Yeah, Addie and Braden have a history, but I’ve been working with her for more than a year and never once has she mentioned him despite his face being plastered all over the media.
“That’s probably it,” I lie. “See you tomorrow.”
Whatever Addie’s beef is with Braden, it’s not my problem.
…
Addie isn’t in the next morning when I get to the office. Monday mornings are always busy answering emails and checking all the posts for comments I may have missed over the weekend. I’ve got my nose buried in paperwork when someone enters the office.
“Good morning,” a female voice says.
I look away from the computer screen. An attractive brunette stands in front of my desk.
“Hi there,” I say. “May I help you?”
“I’m Kay Brown from the Boston Babbler.”
The Boston Babbler—our local tabloid rag that follows Addie around as if she were the Grateful Dead. “I’m afraid Addison isn’t in. Did you have an appointment?” I quickly access Addie’s calendar.
“No, I don’t.”
“I’m sorry. I’m not sure when she’ll be in.”
“I’m actually here to talk to you, Ms. Manning.”
I jerk in my chair. Did I hear her right?
“I’d like to talk to you about the photo of you and Braden Black at the MADD gala.”
“My name wasn’t on the photo.”
“It only took a bit of research to identify you.”
“A bit of research?”
“You’re Addison Ames’s assistant. You aren’t hard to find.”
“Exactly how—”
“I don’t disclose my sources. Suffice it to say I know everyone in this city.”
I nod. Including the event organizers, no doubt. “I don’t have anything to say to you.”
“So you’re not dating Braden Black?”
I stand. “I believe I said I don’t have anything to say to you.”
“That is you in the photo, though?”
“No comment.”
“Ms. Manning, you’re going to be outed sooner or later. I’d like to be the first to get the scoop on Braden Black’s new paramour.”