Chapter 9

There was a line waiting to get into Carnavale Soho when Cat and Hall arrived even though it was just before seven on a Tuesday evening. Standing outside the front door, looking in, Hall said, “It looks popular.”

“Good thing we have a reservation, then.” Cat laid a hand on her husband’s shoulder. “How do I look?”

“Ravishing,” Hall gave her the charming, faintly self-deprecating smile that had first attracted her to him and opened the door. The muffled music they’d been hearing from outside tripled in volume. “It’s going to be hard to talk about much tonight.”

Cat leaned in closer to speak unheard. “We don’t need to talk about everything tonight. We just need to layer onto the impression you’ve already made. You did well on Sunday.”

“You would have done better,” said Hall. “I feel like I miss ten opportunities to network for every one I manage to grab onto. I don’t think I’ll ever have your charisma.”

In heels, Cat didn’t have to stretch to kiss Hall on the cheek. “You are a very charming man. And Nick is a fan of yours. If I’d come over Sunday, I would have been in the way. And, I would have had to make my first impression dressed to move furniture. I wasn’t about to wear this.”

“This” was a green and black evening dress that nicely enhanced Cat’s mossy green eyes and dark, curly hair, hugged her generous curves, and left her back mostly bare. With the aforementioned heels, a gold necklace supporting an irregular onyx centerpiece, and carefully-applied makeup, she felt like she was as beautiful as she could get outside of her own wedding.

Hall kissed her temple. “Nick’s going to love you.”

Cat gave him her best wicked smile, but she was quietly worried. The year and a half since she’d first really spent time with Hall had been amazing. Even having lost Casey to the ordinary world, she’d met the attractive, funny, intelligent, successful man, fallen in love, moved in, and gotten married. Before Hall, she’d assumed that her inappropriate appetites would keep her on the fringes of polite society at best. She’d certainly never expected to get married. But, Hall loved her for who she was or, at least, who he thought she was. But, it had been a very good year and a half. Hall had never really seen her fail to charm or even seduce whoever she set her sights on. “We’ll see.”

When they told the hostess they were with the Coyle party, she led them back to the private room herself, swinging her hips in time to the music. She wore a feathered headdress and a bright yellow sequined outfit that showed a lot of skin. When they got to the table, she leaned in and said something to Nick that Cat couldn’t hear over the music. But, the words didn’t really matter. The eye contact she made and the bright, wide smile were as clear as a jungle bird’s mating song.

Cat gave her own bright smile as well. But, she knew she wouldn’t have her usual advantage in this room. Nick pumped her hand and the way his eyes moved over her body told Cat that he saw her, but she knew she was the least attractive woman in the room.

It wasn’t an entirely alien role. She’d lived in LA for three years and rubbed shoulders with movie stars and would-be movie stars. But under most circumstances, she could rely on being thought beautiful. Throughout school, she’d largely been able to make the rules for her relationships and people would go along with them just to be with her.

But, there were three women with Nick who had made a career out of being beautiful. Emily, the blonde on his left, had the body of a movie star from the fifties. Risi, the brunette on her left, was cut from a similar mold. Across from Nick was his cousin Jazz, a petite, exotic young woman with the most amazingly soft-looking lips Cat had ever seen.

Even the hostess had a tight, sexy little Brazilian beach body that most women would find enviable. But once the brightly-plumaged woman left, Cat thought she might actually have the smallest chest in the room. That was an entirely alien role.

“Cat, it’s awesome to finally meet you.” Nick said. “Apparently, I’m a big fan of your work.”

“Oh?” She glanced at Hall, who gave her an amused smile.

“I had a print of Wood Nymphs Go To War on my bedroom wall for most of high school,” said Nick. “I didn’t know it was your work until Hall told me. I was hoping you could sign it at some point.”

Cat gave another bright smile. “I’d love to. I understand you live close by here?”

“It’s not far. My friends are planning to walk over,” said Nick. “But, I should make sure I actually have the poster there before I bring you on a wild goose chase. My father couldn’t figure out which one I was asking for, so I think he just brought everything. I have a bunch of tubes in my apartment that I haven’t gone through. I’ll definitely get to it before the party, though.”

Cat was trying to find a way to tactfully say that she’d be happy to come over after dinner when Hall broke in. “You should see his place, Cat. They were just putting in a pool table when I was there on Sunday.”

“Oo. I haven’t played pool in a while,” said Cat. “I used to be pretty good.”

Unfortunately, Nick didn’t answer because the hostess was back with a young man and another pretty blonde girl. The young billionaire gestured them over. “Max, this is Cat Easton. She did that badass poster I had in my room back home with the wood nymphs and the worgs.”

“Nick loves that poster. He has it up right next to the big convention one of Casey made up as Sylvanas Windrunner.”

Nick looked pained. “Casey’s going to be at the Fourth of July party. Can we please never mention to her that she’s been pinned to my bedroom wall for the last four years? It’s a little creepy.”

“Poor Nick has to deal with his fantasy girls coming to life,” said Max. “It’s hard being you. Isn’t it?”

“Asshole.” Nick laughed, then turned to the blonde. “You know this guy’s an asshole. Right?”

“I like my guys a little salty,” said the blonde. As Nick shook her hand, she said, “You don’t remember me. Do you?”

Nick looked puzzled. She rolled her eyes. “I’m Paige. I was the assistant director on Lingerie Models Play Dungeons and Dragons with a Billionaire. In between scenes, I tap danced naked on the conference table.”

“Paige, of course.” Nick looked chagrined. “I didn’t recognize you without the tap shoes.”

“You’re lucky she likes assholes.” Max guided Paige to a seat at the table.

Nick gestured that Hall and Cat should sit across the table from him. Cat took the seat directly across from him. He might be Hall’s fan, but she doubted he’d mind looking at her whenever he raised his head from his food.

The next group were introduced as Arwen, Lev, and the twins, Dennis and Simon. Dennis and Simon didn’t look much like twins - more like an outlaw biker and his public defender. Lev looked like a GI Joe come to life, but it was Arwen Nick drew attention to. “Hall, Arwen was hoping you might have a chance to run a session for her while you’re here. She’s promised to play in her underwear.”

Arwen shot Cat a worried look. “Ignore him. I did not say I would play Dungeons and Dragons in my underwear with your husband.”

Cat laughed. “If you do, I’d like to paint it. I take it your parents are Tolkien fans?”

“My mother was. My father’s in thrall to a wicked enchantress who thinks elves are demonic and that I should call myself a proper Christian name.”

Cat shared a wicked smile. “I could paint you with the ears.”

Arwen laughed. “Nick, I like her. Can we keep her?”

“Hall beat us to it,” said Nick. “But, I would pay for her to paint you as an elf if you sent it to the Wicked as a Christmas present.”

“Done.” Arwen turned to Cat. “Get it in writing before he remembers he’s rich and shouldn’t say things like that.”

Cat raised an eyebrow to Nick, who just shrugged as if to say, “She got me.” Cat felt a little thrill. If she really had just made a commission, it could give her and Hall a reason to be around for weeks. Plus, it seemed like Arwen and Lev were a couple. Cat wouldn’t mind getting to know them better.

A waitress approached the table. “Are we ready for drink orders?”

Nick looked around. “I should text Kiki and see if she’s close, but go ahead.”

At Cat’s right, Simon ordered a caipirinha. The waitress asked him for ID. He leaned across the table. “Nick, I didn’t they carded billionaires. Do they know who you are?”

Nick gave him an exasperated look. “If they do, they know I don’t name drop to get people to break the law. Have a soda. There’s plenty of booze back at the loft.”

“It’s not really name dropping if it’s your own name,” complained Simon, but he did as Nick suggested.

Cat would have liked a drink, but ordered sparkling water out of solidarity. Drinks had arrived and people were coming back from the buffet when Cat heard a familiar voice behind her. “Nick, you’re sure you don’t mind if I join you?”

Cat twisted in her seat. Standing behind her were a Japanese girl in a faux kimono top and Casey looking even more beautiful than usual. She made eye contact with Cat, but didn’t say anything.

“Please,” said Nick. “It’s good to see at least one of the models from that shoot is still uninjured.”

“We were just talking about you actually,” said Max.

“Good things, I hope,” said Casey.

“Well, the last time I saw you, you were stabbing me to death,” said Max. “So, all things considered, they weren’t bad.”

Risi looked up from her drink and asked in Russian-accented English, “You stabbed him?”

“It was a game,” said Casey. “I only play-stabbed him.”

“Ah, yes,” said Risi. “I maybe know this game.”

The Japanese girl, introduced as Kiki, went around the table to sit on Nick’s lap and kiss him deeply before taking a seat at his side. Some people seemed surprised, others less so. A waiter brought Casey a chair, placing it at the foot of the table, too far away for her to speak privately to Cat or Hall.

Just as the waiters started to circulate with their big skewers of meat, the manager came out from the kitchen with the waitress who’d carded Simon in tow. She held two pitchers in each hand. As she placed them on the table, the manager said, “On the house, sir.”

“I’m really sorry about the mix up,” said the waitress, close to Nick’s ear.

Nick said loudly enough for both the manager and Simon to hear. “There was no mix up, but thank you. That’s very generous.”

Once they’d left, Nick shot Simon a dirty look, but his friend unrepentantly poured himself a tall glass of the mixture. “Hey, man. You’re a king now. Be a king.”

Emily leaned in. “Hall, I’m helping Nick with his social media presence. But, I’m mostly on Instagram I’ve managed my accounts manually. How do you manage all your Twitter followers?”

Hall poured himself a drink. “Manually, I’m afraid. I tried one of those services, but I was rubbish at using it.”

“Cat, do you use anything?” Nick asked.

Cat shook her head. “I only have thousands of Twitter followers. Most of my presences is on Deviant Art.”

Risi piped up. “You are deviant?”

Cat didn’t miss a beat. “All the most interesting people are. Don’t you think?”

Risi gave a little nod and raised her glass. “Yes. To deviants.”

“To deviants,” agreed Kiki, raising her glass. It became a general toast.

Cat knew they were joking, but she allowed herself to enjoy the moment. She’d heard that word used as an insult far more often than as a toast.

“Wait. Who’s a deviant?” asked Arwen from down the table.

“I put a lot of my work on the website Deviant Art,” said Cat.

“I love that site,” said Arwen. She and Cat fell into a conversation about fantasy art and fantasy novels. Arwen’s knowledge of the genre was about as broad as you would expect from a girl named “Arwen.”

“I wish I could paint like that,” said Arwen wistfully.

“Well, if you’re serious about sitting for me, I could give you some pointers,” said Cat.

Fingertips gently traced across her bare back. She looked up to see Casey gesturing towards the bathrooms. As a result, she didn’t hear Arwen’s response, but it sounded positive. She excused herself and rose to follow Casey.

The ladies room was more like a lounge with people constantly coming and going, an attendant, and faux Victorian red-upholstered couches. Standing in the antechamber, Casey turned to face her. “You’re looking amazing, Cat.”

Cat dared to reach out and touch her cheek. Casey didn’t pull away, but closed her eyes and leaned into Cat’s hand.

Cat said quietly, “You look really good too, Case.” The young model was wearing a little black dress and she wore it very well.

Casey finally took Cat’s wrist in both of her hands and guided it away from her cheek. She met her one-time lover’s eyes. “Is there any way can go back to how things were before you and Hall started dating?”

Cat gestured with her wedding ring. “It’s a little late for that.”

“No, I mean the way it was for the three of us,” said Casey. “It was ... amazing before things changed.”

Cat’s heart leapt. She wanted to agree immediately, but she needed to know what she was agreeing to. “Before things changed, we only saw each other at cons. You don’t do cons anymore.”

Casey pinched the bridge of her nose. “I know. I mean ... the three of us see each other sometimes, but nobody talks about making it permanent or me moving in with you two. I just want to enjoy being young for a while.”

“And we stay your dirty, little secret?” Cat asked.

Casey shook her head. “It doesn’t have to be a secret. Just maybe I don’t tell my parents.”

A moment later, Cat’s hand was cradling the back of Casey’s head. The model stiffened for a moment, but then relaxed and let Cat draw her in for a kiss, which she returned first in a controlled way, but then with more passion. She still looked around to see if anyone had been watching after the kiss broke. But, this being New York, everyone pretended they hadn’t been.

When Cat got back to the table, she drew Hall into a single deep, demonstrative kiss, then leaned in to whisper in his ear. “I don’t know what you said to her, but I think we’ve got Casey back.”

Hall hugged her close. “I hardly said anything. I’m sure you did the real convincing.”

Cat decided not to correct him. She didn’t mind her husband thinking she was an unstoppable sex goddess for as long as it lasted.

Kiki had a lot of fun with Nick and his ever-widening circle of friends at Carnivale Soho. She flirted with everyone and fell in love with more than a couple of them, but Nick didn’t seem at all possessive. Maybe he didn’t have to be, though. No one showed any sign of wanting to step in on his territory. The assumption of possession rankled less than it would have if Nick had made any overt move to claim her beyond what she’d offered of herself.

She ate more than she meant to, but not as badly as the people who were complaining by the end of the meal. The coffee they had in lieu of dessert helped cut through some of the drinking she’d done. It didn’t make her sober, but it did make her alert.

Out on the sidewalk while they waited for the car service to come pick up Emily, Hall hailed a cab. After he and Cat climbed in, Casey followed. She gave Kiki a quick look. Kiki flashed her a thumbs up. No one seemed to register anything unusual about the arrangement as they drove off.

“Ride with us?” Nick asked as the car pulled up to the curb. Kiki nodded and helped Emily with her crutches as she climbed into the car.

Emily yawned as soon as the car started moving. “Sorry. Connie started me on some new exercises early this morning and I’m not much of a drinker.”

Kiki almost asked about the pain pills, but it wasn’t really any of her business. Instead she cuddled up to Nick. “I hope you didn’t overdo it on the meat.”