Champagne

After the MET, Annabelle has me accompagny her to her shopping appointment. We're nearly the same size so when she gets tired of trying things on she has me try them on for her. I have to admit It's kind of fun and the quality of the clothing is nothing like I've ever experienced before. Of course, I check the tag and everything is in the thousand dollar range. I think I found one blouse for under one thousand, but still way to out of my budget.

She insists that I join her for dinner claiming that her husband sometimes cancels for business meetings and she doesn't want to be alone if that happens.

She says, "In Paris I can eat alone and enjoy a smoke and no one cares. Here, it feels like everyone is staring at me and judging me for enjoying my own company."

I laugh and agree, "It is a little intimidating to do anything alone. When I first came to this city there were so many things I wanted to experience but it felt so lonely, especially when people are staring at you like you don't belong."

"You poor thing. I'll have to tell that handsome Cassio Conti to treat you better," she says.

I'd never heard anyone use his first name so she must be pretty important. I quickly say, "Oh no, don't worry. He's my boss, I don't need him worrying about me like that. Plus, I have friends now."

"Honey, he can open doors that I'm sure your friends can't. He's extremely intelligent, trust me, do everything you can to stay close and learn from him. This is a once in a lifetime chance," she says, serious for the first time today.

"I know, but I'm just the second assistant. I want to learn but Jessica is always in the way flirting. I spend all my time trying to run around fixing her messes. It's exhausting," I say.

"Don't worry. After a mistake like today, I highly doubt she'll be around for long."

She takes a sip of her wine when her eyes light up to something behind me. "Darling, you're here! Good thing we didn't order yet," she says as her husband approaches.

We are sitting in a booth so he slides in beside her. I'm busy watching them so it takes me a minute to notice Mr. Conti come up behind Mr. Losange.

He looks at the seating arrangment for a moment and I wonder if he feels as awkward as I do. If he does he doesn't show it on his face, but he hasn't sat down yet.

Annabelle says, "Cassio had good of you to join us. Come, sit beside Alexa."

He nods, smooths his hand over the front of his perfectly fitted suit and slides into the booth next to me. I've never been this close to him and I my stomach is not handling it well. I would like to say I have butterflies but it feels more like a cauldron of bats are flying in there. I'm trapped between him and the wall and his presence, which is always so very imposing is even more so now.

I take a deep breath and focus on the menu. I can feel Annabelle watching me but I can't afford to look up at her right now. I need to focus on breathing and pulling myself together so I can make it through this dinner with my boss sitting inches from me. Couldn't they make the booth any bigger?

Mr. Losange asks in French, "So ladies, how was your day?"

Annabelle jumps into an excited retelling of what we did. I'm watching how the two of them look at each other and I think to myself that they are one of the few lucky couple that find true love and I hopw it lasts. Let's face it, most times it doesn't. Most people can't put each other above everything else, and that's what it takes.

I'm pulled out of my thoughts when Mr. Conti leans in towards me to ask quietly, "Is there anything I should know about what's being said?"

I look towards him and see his eyes shrewdly observing the Losange's speak. This may be a social dinner on the surface but Mr. Conti's brain never leaves work. It's impressive.

"No. We when to the MET and did some shopping. She had me trying on clothes for her in the store, then we came here," I say in summation.

"Why does she have a shopping bag and you don't?" he asks now looking at me.

"I couldn't afford a price tag let alone the actual items they were attached to at the stores we went to," I say sarcastically.

"Come into work tomorrow before you meet with Mrs. Losange. I'll set you up with a company card so you can buy something next time," he says as if it's not a huge deal.

"Sir, you already pay me to work, I can't use the company card to buy close," I say nervously.

"You can and you will. I want this deal to go through and Mrs. Losange likes you. If she wants to spend the week with you as a friend then you need to be able to partake in the activities she's interested in and I'm not making you pay for that. Don't fight me on this," He says sternly at the end. I just nod and turn back to my menu.

"So Cassio, my wife tells me you're assistant here is a real gem. She was like a personal tour guide at the MET and she doesn't even work there. Why is she your first assistant?" Mr. Losange asks.

"As of today she is. I apologize for this morning, we don't tolerate such incompetence. That assistance no longer works for me," he says with a no nonsense tone.

Annabelle looks at me and says, "Congratulations!" Then she waves to the waiter and says, "Champagne, s'il vous plait."