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"I wasn’t sure about telling you lad I did"

"Me, too," I say

"To be honest, I was surprised as hell to see Giselle here Blaine told her that he didn’tup would eo out of her way to piss off her best client"

"No kidding," I say, but I’ve realized nohat Tanner meant If Damien is Giselle’s best client, then the accusation that Bruce hired me to make his wife happy alleries ," Evelyn muses "Maybe Giselle’s the one who’s jealous"

"Of me? Why?"

"You’re with Damien," Evelyn says "And she’s not Not anyht of revelations "Dao They were an item for a few months before she and Bruce tied the knot Now there’s an interesting story"

"Damien and Giselle?" That’s a story I’m not sure I want to hear

"Giselle and Bruce," Evelyn says with a small shake of her head "But that’s dirt for another day" She tosses back the last of her drink, then slalass onto the tabletop "Ready to head back into the fray?" she asks, standing

"No," I adh I stand as well Because it’s not people that I want right now It’s just Daone, then h the party A few people s a step to one side as if silently inviting me to join their conversations But I pass by; I have no tih the croith singular determination

When I finally see hi to a story told by a stout wo at hi aroundbut blurs of colors, the conversation little more than white noise We are the only two people in the roo, mouth suddenly dry It is as if thisparticipant to the enchantment

I want to bask in the heat that radiates between us I have been so cold today,tides I want to stay here, lost in tis to do--things to say And so I force le step forward, and the world around lasses clinking But y and forgiveness And also in invitation

Then, withwildly in th not to turn and look behind e the task I head back into the kitchen, then follow the short hallway that leads to the service elevator I get in and descend one level to the second-floor library That floor isn’t available to the party guests It is Dae, I know that I belong there, too, and I smile as I step off the elevator and into the small alcove that houses a computer workstation This area cannot be seen by anyone cliical, sparkling lights And ht now

Iuntil I co are no less ile, and I takebut dots of diffused light fillout into vibrant prisain, and soon I’ on cales of this house I love The tattered cover of a Philip K Dick novel that Dauests, or what little I can see of them, as they seem to float above me From here, I cannot make out voices And I can see only the head and shoulders of the feho venture close to the landing