This comment educed an enthusiastic round of applause. One of the naked surfers/snowboarders even raised his glass to me from across the room.
“So settle into this evening,” Vic said. “Find your seat, relax, and embrace all we have done to leave you feeling nothing short of thrilled.”
“Nice,” Avery said appreciatively as he tipped his chin to Vic. “Working a crowd like that. Pipe dream for me. One day, maybe.”
I followed him through the crowd to the table by the fireplace that he’d pointed out as being reserved for us. I winced a little inside—this was the last place I wanted to spend any time. “Are you familiar with the concept of verbs?”
He made a face while he gestured for me to take one of the white chairs. “I’m sure that’s a really great insult, but I don’t know grammar. So it doesn’t even work on me.”
I sipped from a glass of wine offered to me by one of the hired staff. The thought came to me unbidden, but I couldn’t help noting Kai would have appreciated my joke. Kicking off my ghastly heels, I tucked them out of sight and reached for a plate of food to begin my emotional eating.
But moments after I’d successfully pushed him out of my mind, Kai returned and with a vengeance. TiffanTosh had found their way to our table, settling themselves on one of the cozy couches. I sat next to them in a wing chair, while Avery took one of two seats on another couch. We had been given very clear marching orders from Margot that Avery and I should spend a good part of the evening in close proximity, but we were not to act like a couple. When I reminded her that would not be an obstacle, as we were not, in fact, a couple, she shrugged.
“These things are fluid,” she said. “There’s no harm in letting people wonder.”
Avery and I had begun a discussion about the food on the table and what each dish might contain when a server approached our table and stood behind our only empty chair. “Miss,” she said to me, “are we still waiting for this gentleman?”
I glanced up from a plate of figs and goat cheese. “Which gentleman?”
The server consulted her electronic tablet. “My guest list indicates we are to expect one more in this party. Kai Malloy.”
I swallowed. Avery stopped talking midsentence.
“No,” I said coolly. “I’m afraid Mr. Malloy won’t be joining us tonight.”
“All right,” the girl said, drawing out her words. Her forehead creased. “I’ll mark it down here then. Change to party of four.” She looked doubtful, as though she suspected I was in the habit of lying about seating arrangements.
“That was weird,” Avery said, his voice forcibly perky. “I thought you told Margot about the change in reservation a few weeks ago.”
“So, party of four then.” The server still hovered by the empty chair. She appeared to be having trouble with her stylus and kept tapping the tablet with increased irritation.
“Party of five.” Tova sat down in the empty space on Avery’s couch in one, sparkly motion. “You don’t mind, do you?”
I was pretty sure Tova’s eyelashes were fake, but I was entirely certain there was a reason she was batting them at Avery’s surprised face. I’d merely have to hang around long enough to find out.
“Yes. I mean, no. Of course we don’t mind. I certainly don’t. Do you?” Avery’s question, I supposed, was intended for the rest of us, but he kept his eyes on Tova as if they were meeting for the first time.
“Tova,” I said, my mouth full of chocolate hazelnut bread pudding. “Where is Donny?” Let’s get that underwear model over here to fill that chair!
“Oh, Donny,” she said with a one-shouldered shrug. Already the name sounded foreign on her lips. “He’s talking shop with a Victoria’s Secret model.” Tova appeared to be much less bothered by that statement than the average American woman.
I was grateful when the overhead lights dimmed a few minutes later. I sank back into the cushions of my chair and willed myself to stop looking at the empty chair directly across from me. Time to watch our crowning achievement, I said to myself. Look alive. Look happy. Look like you’ve earned this moment.