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“Carlos, we might become great friends if you can return my serve.” I write down my number. “Text the details. See you guys later.” I practically skip down to the hall. Joan runs after me.
TESS: Where?
MIKEY: Red Rooster 30 min.
TESS: Am I being summoned?
MIKEY: Yes, for an audience with the Pope of Greenwich, Connecticut.
“Hey. Where are you running to? I need tea, come.”
“I suddenly have lunch.”
Joan gets really loud. “THANK FUCKING SWEET BABY JESUS! I thought you made up this man, so I’d stop riding your ass about getting your ass ridden. Spill it.”
“DC guy.”
“You really did sex it up in the capital?” She pushes the elevator button.
“No. His schedule is packed. Lives in LA. We hooked up in Atlanta, Tallahassee, and tried to at the Dallas airport.”
She groans. “The airport fuck machine’s not the lunch date?”
I push the button again. “No. Mikey works with him. They own a media company together. His husband lives in New York.”
“That’s a lot to process without Oolong in my hand.” But she squinches up her face like she’s thinking. “When do you see this—”
“Alex.”
“When do you see this, Alex, next?”
“Not sure. He has a political podcast. He’s all up in the midterms. After the election—”
“Holy shit. Alex fucking Bishop. You’re fucking Alex fucking Bishop.” My eyes go wide as she says his name. “The hot as hell dynamo who worked on the Hill for six years. I offered him a tell-all deal last year. He didn’t bite. And shit, you’re meeting Michael Day? Will Ari be there?”
My eyebrows are almost in my hairline. “You listen to the podcast?”
“We travel and play bridge with Michael’s parents. I’ve known that cutie forever.”
“Damn, tiny world. He did say we had people in common, but I didn’t realize he meant my people. I’m meeting Mikey for lunch right now. Come with me.”
“Nah, give Michael my love. His mom loves your books. I’d love to give her the new one when we go to Croatia in June for a beta read.”
“I don’t know what to do with this information.”
“My not so subtle way of telling you to get your ass in gear and produce pages.”
“Next week, I promise. I’ve been—”
“Phonetime Fucking.”
“Bye.” I kiss her cheek and take off for Harlem, a bit nervous.
MIKEY: If I were Alex, you’d already be here with your top down.
TESS: It’s already down. Order me a drink. ALSO, JOAN! I’m with JOAN!
MIKEY: I ordered domestic chard. And tell that saucy minx I said hello.
