Blue Angel (30 page)

“Isn’t it gorgeous? I can barely take my eyes off of her. Or my hands . . .”

Mallory elbowed him.

“Um, Mallory, first of all, I want to apologize for the way things happened at the firm,” Patricia said stiffly.

“Oh, don’t worry about it,” Mallory said. “I wasn’t cut out for a career at a place like that.”

“No, you weren’t,” Patricia said. Poppy and Alec looked at her sharply. “What? I’m just being honest.”

“It’s fine! You did me a favor. Really.”

“But what are you going to do for work?” Patricia said.

“I’ll figure it out.”

“Come on—I need a cocktail,” Poppy said.

“Okay, I’ll walk right behind you.”

“Trust me—no one is watching us here,” Poppy said. They walked away, debating their own visibility.

Mallory laughed.

“Ah, young love,” Alec said.

Before she could respond, her BlackBerry buzzed.

I’m not going to make it. On my way to Paris with Z. Don’t be a stranger. Xoxo Bette

“I just got a text from Bette—she won’t be here tonight.”

“I’m not surprised. Billy will be disappointed, though.”

“I think he’ll survive,” she said, nodding in the direction of Billy, who had with his arm around the hot actor.

“Do you want a drink?” Alec said.

“I do. But first I have to make a quick trip to the ladies room.” They exchanged a long look. She had visions of him pressing her up against the wall of glass. “Why don’t you join me?” she said.

“I’d love to,” he said with a wink. “Let’s give the whole city a show they won’t forget.”