Page 26 of A Shade of Myself
6
Cam lookedbeautiful in a simply cut black dress, her blond hair brushing her shoulders. She said something animatedly to Laurent, and while he shook his head, his lips quirked up in a half smile. Laugh lines crinkled around his intense green eyes as he led her to the far side of the speakeasy with his hand on the small of her back.
The shifter had donned a suit that clung to his shoulders and hugged his thighs, the deep navy fabric almost iridescent.
They were a gorgeous couple. Or just gorgeous friends.
Like he and I were friends? I twisted my linen napkin into a tourniquet around my fist. I’d had a couple longish relationships since my divorce ten years ago, and while I’d been hurt when those ended, I hadn’t felt the betrayal that washed over me now. I hated how pathetic and small I felt, but his obliviousness toward my feelings was cruel.
Someone kicked me under the table, and I blinked, finding Emmett giving me a curious look. “Order already.”
“Gin and tonic,” I said. “Double.”
Laurent and I had fooled around exactly once, minus any penetration. We hadn’t made each other promises of monogamy, but there had been future “intentions,” for lack of a better word. He’d bought condoms and I’d been masturbating like an adolescent boy while waiting. Of course, he had every right to change his mind about us, but I deserved some common courtesy before he showed up with his new girlfriend.
She was Laurent’s girlfriend, right? I’d never had a platonic male friend go out for a fancy dinner with me, but maybe our five-year age difference came with a generational gap? I shook my head. It didn’t matter what she was to him because this wasn’t about Cam, it was about me, and the basic level of respect I deserved.
After making a big production asking about seventy-two different drinks, Emmett settled on a Whiskey Smash. The waiter didn’t ask him if he wanted anything to eat. Did he already know that the golem only drank? How often had Tatiana brought Emmett here? Talk about playing favorites. I’d only ever gotten a single breakfast from her in this place.
Once our server left, I folded my hands on the table. I’d come to the Bear’s Den for work and didn’t care that Laurent was pulling out Cam’s chair when all I ever got from him was grief. However, just like his aunt, he had mastered the art of appearing caught up in something when he was taking in the entire room and committing the details to memory.
I smirked in anticipation of the moment he saw me. No longer the mountain urchin, I looked sophisticated and sexy. Even better, I felt it.
No one was going to make me feel invisible ever again. More importantly, I’d never make myself feel that way.
Emmett slung an arm along the back of the banquette. “Ballet, huh? You got mangled feet?”
Jeez, tact much? I kicked his leg and he made a “what?” face at me.
“Big-time,” Giselle said.
He glanced down, then leaned forward, his eyes gleaming. “Can I—ouch!” The golem glared at Tatiana, who smiled sweetly. She had totally pinched him. Wait. His arm was hard clay.
She rubbed the tines of her fork off with her napkin. Wow. Stone cold.
Cam’s tinkly laughter floated across the room, accompanied by Vikram’s gruff guffaw. The owner had stopped by their table to present them with a bottle of champagne. How cozy.
Good thing I was a professional and didn’t let minor aggravations like this get to me.
I yanked my knife out of my sourdough roll. “New York is quite the way to come to engage Tatiana’s services,” I said. “I guess you wanted the best.”
I had no idea if Tatiana was the best or the only magic fixer option, since she hadn’t made me the orientation package that I’d requested, but a little flattery was never amiss.
My boss squeezed lime into her drink, giving me an amused look. “I didn’t realize you weren’t local, Giselle. If I do decide to take on your case, I’ll have to make sure I’m not stepping on Kadeem’s toes.”
I perked up, my fingers twitching in my desire to start a list. So, there were other fixers.
Giselle rubbed her thumb over the wineglass rim. “The thing is,” she said with a sigh, “I’ve already talked to Kadeem about this. He didn’t think I had a case.”
The server placed our drinks in front of Emmett and me. I immediately sucked half of mine back.
“Was I your second choice or have others refused you?” Tatiana said mildly.
“Oh boy,” the golem muttered and took a healthy swig.
I glanced around checking for exploding organic material, like plant life or body parts.
Laurent watched me through narrowed eyes, not even pretending to be studying the menu in front of him. Cam, however, was engrossed in hers, her lips pursed. To be fair, there were a lot of delicious options.
