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In a signature move, she plants her hands on the hips of her cobalt dress and says, ‘Maybe it doesn’t have to be all or nothing between you two.’
* * *
As I step onto the sidewalk and my driver pulls back into the street, I catch sight of Kit and his wife, Madge. They are holding hands as they walk into the glass tower that now hosts Jerome’s new rooftop bar, Black Velvet. I speed up my pace to catch them as Kit pushes the revolving door and motions for Madge to step in ahead of him.
‘Kit. Madge.’ On the inside of the building, I shake Kit’s hand and kiss Madge on the cheek. ‘It’s been too long, Madge. You look amazing.’
She rolls her eyes but needlessly straightens her black dress. ‘It feels strange to be out of shirts and sweatpants covered in baby puke.’
I take her hand, encouraging her to twirl under my arm. ‘I can see why Kit wants to keep you locked up.’
She’s gone all out. Her hair is curled and resting on her shoulders. I’d guess she had it styled in a salon earlier today. She has a full face of makeup, for the most part subtle, with fiery red lips.
‘Are you hitting on my wife?’
I drop an arm over Madge’s shoulders, not much below the height of mine in her high heels, and we head to the elevator.
‘Always.’
‘You’re such a smooth talker,’ Madge tells me, leaning her head against my black, button-down shirt. ‘I hear you’re going to get your name on the door at the firm.’
I let her go, and she moves to Kit’s side in the elevator while I hit the button for the rooftop.
‘That’s the plan.’
‘I’m proud of you, Sparky.’
My lips curl at her use of the name she used to call me in college. Back when there was a group of us who would play pool and drink beers most nights. When Kit was too busy chasing every girl on campus to see the best one was sitting right under his nose.
We step out of the elevator onto white marble floors. I run my hands around my shirt to make sure it’s still tucked into my gray slacks. We’re met by two women in black suits: pencil skirts so tight, they might be sprayed on.
We follow the women through black and chrome double doors that open into the bar. Chill anthems are playing, rather than heavy beats. The sound is classy and slick, like all of Jerome’s places. It’s a dark space, lit by blue-white lighting that catches the crystal chandeliers. Drapes made of crystal hang floor to ceiling around the padded booths that line the periphery of the space, all facing the wall of windows that slide open onto the roof terrace. Directly in view is the Chrysler Building, bursting with light. The first thought that comes to me is,Jerome has done it again, the place is amazing. My second thought is,Becky would be awed by this view.
I spot Jerome in one of his shiny suits, looking as dapper as ever and turning on the charm with a woman who looks like Press. I point Kit and Madge in the direction of the booth Jerome reserved for me and hold up a hand across the room when I spot Marty, Sarah, and Brooks already sitting around a bucket full of champagne bottles.
After spending ten minutes blowing smoke up Jerome’s rear – some of which is warranted – I head over to the others. Edmond has now joined the group. As I reach the booth, a waitress switches out an empty bottle of Dom Pérignon for a full. She bumps into me as she backs away from the table and offers fluttering lashes with her apology.
‘Don’t worry about it,’ I tell her. She waits a beat too long before remembering she was leaving.
‘Jeez, how does he do that?’ Kit asks, shaking his head.
‘Some men are born great and get greater, Kit,’ I tell him, brushing my shoulder for effect.
‘And some men get fatter,’ Brooks says, patting Kit’s stomach. ‘When are you going to get your lazy ass into my gym?’
‘Brooks, I keep telling him. I could find myself a Harrison Ford if he isn’t careful,’ Madge says, completely straight faced.
‘I like my food. Right, Edmond? And I like a drink. I don’t see any of you guys drinking water.’ Kit downs his champagne. ‘Plus, Madge can joke all she wants about Harrison Ford. I know she loves something to grab hold of.’ He does some scary action that involves wiggling brows and plants a kiss on Madge’s cheek.
‘It’s a good thing I love you. I’m not sure we could find another home for you.’ She reaches across the oval table and places her hand in Brooks’s. ‘Baby steps, Brooks. We’ll keep wearing him down.’
‘You know, I could always think of other ways to work out, Madge,’ Kit says, again with the wiggly eyebrow thing.
‘Yeah, that’s worked out so well in the past,’ she says. ‘We bore devils.’
Laughing, I tell Sarah to scoot around so I can join them in the booth.
I drop a kiss on her cheek when I sit. ‘You look a million, as always.’
