the filing-room door.
Ugh! she growled as she threw open the door, utterly humiliated that she had an uninvited audience. That particular scene was supposed to have been a private show. Matthew! What are you doing in there?
He glanced down at the folder in his hand. Uh, working.
You bastard! You heard every word, didnt you!
Since Matthew wasnt a great liar, he shrugged his shoulders and told her, Yeah.
Ugh! You dont even have the common courtesy to lie about it!
Whats to lie about? You broke up with Golden Boy. Im happy for you. You should have done it a long time ago.
What do you know about it? she hissed. And if you heard the whole thing, then you will answer this question
No, I wasnt out with Brendan and Marjorie from human resources last night. Im Ole Relic, remember? It was a nickname the others in their small company had dubbed him. Certainly, not the most flattering of names but Matthew had to agree it was rather accurate. He usually went to bed before ten on weeknights. He often did extra accounting work on the weekends. And on those rare occasions when Rinny could coax him out for happy hour, he only ever had one beer. Heineken. He liked the imported stuff. In summary, he was a C.P.A. who habitually carried extra tissues in his pocket. The very opposite of excitement and perhaps a little older than his thirty-three years would indicate.
That rat!
Exactly, he agreed.
That scoundrel!
Absolutely.
That poor pathetic lonely man.
What?
Rinny reached out to touch his arm. She was a toucher. It was one of the things he loved about her. Dont you see? He hides behind the lies because he doesnt think he has a choice. Deep down, he is this insecure boy who needs the presence of multiple women in his life to make him feel like a man. Virile. Get it?
All Matthew got was that the guy she had just described sounded like a putz with a smallputz. So where did he go?
He went to the, uhthe gentlemens room.
Poor Rinny, probably not the way she planned it. Did you even get to do the sultry look back?
I beg your pardon? she asked, mildly offended.
Come on, Rinny, its me. When you used to visit me in the hospital you always flashed me the sultry look back right before you said good-bye. That look would follow me into my dreams. Its a classic.
I dont know what youre talking about, she lied convincingly.
Matthew just shrugged his shoulders. In an effort to change the topic, he asked, So, where are you going on your vacation?
This topic made her slightly more chipper, and she put aside her pique. Two fabulous weeks on Paradise Island in the Bahamas. Sun. Sand. And single, she finished on a slightly more depressing note. Visions of honeymoon couples frolicking about on the beach danced in her head. Im sure it will be mag.
Yeah. Mag, he repeated. What exactly does that mean?
Poor Matthew, Corinne thought. She didnt know how it was possible, but he was even more lost than she was at this moment. Seeing his tie askew, she absently reached a hand up to the knot to tweak it straight. As she did, she studied the tie and the plain white shirt he wore with it. It certainly isnt this tie. Really, Matthew, youve got to do something with your wardrobe.
He looked down at the tie she was arranging. Its my favorite.
That made her snort. And you need a haircut, she said, running her hand along his neck to corral the few stray hairs that lingered. His rich brown hair, a color he obviously didnt enhance, had always made her jealous. When he started to squirm, she pulled her hand away and thought that Brendans hair was always perfectly groomed. He had a standing appointment with a stylist once a week.
Her name was Sherry. Sherry, who also happened to dance at a strip club for extra money on the weekends.
Corinne couldnt prevent the frown that she felt forming on her lips. She hated to frown. It always showed off the faint wrinkles at her mouth.
A tiny knock sounded behind them and they both turned to the open door.
Is the coast clear?
Corinnes assistant and good friend Darla poked her head into the office. The plump woman with the warm smile and bright eyes looked at Corinne expectantly.
Its clear, Corinne told her.
Well?
It didnt exactly go according to script.
She didnt get to do the sultry look back, Matthew told Darla.
Oh no. But thats, like, your heavy hitter. Its right up there with the playful pout.
I do not have a playful pout. Or a sultry look back. Youre both making this up.
They exchanged a glance that was all too easy to interpret,
but Corinne didnt have the energy to fight them. I just dont understand. Where did I go wrong?
Cheer up, Matthew said, bucking her on the shoulder. And stop thinking about Brendan. You never know. You might meet some fabulous man and have a wild vacation affair.
She lifted her left eyebrow into a perfect arc over her eye. Dont be ridiculous, Matthew. I am a one-woman man. One-man woman. Oh, you know what I mean.
Although, the idea did have a little merit. If she could send back pictures of her and some handsome stranger to her buddies in the office to view, and say Darla happened to accidentally drop one or two on Brendans desk, well then that might be just the thing to push him over the edge. And if that didnt work, she could always literally push him over an edge!