Stone Cold Fox (27)
“Gale tells me you went to Duke,” Luke said to me warmly, clearly not wasting any time executing on his marching orders.
Oh, Gale. This man was clearly a paid escort.
“Yes. That’s true, Luke.” I smiled, making an effort to communicate that I saw him. I also knew that a person loved the sound of their own name, except that certainly wasn’t his real one.
“I can’t believe we didn’t cross paths. What dorm did you live in?” he asked me, refusing to stray from Gale’s goals. Fair enough. Everyone’s got to make a living. I tried to exchange a look with Collin, but I knew he wouldn’t get on my level even though we were now adults discussing dormitories and it was all so dreadfully boring, but I had to shell out my prepared answers knowing this exact situation would arise.
“Trinity.” I smiled at Luke.
“My college girlfriend lived in Trinity. Do you know Eleanor Whittier?” Luke slow-blinked at me with a smile like he was battery operated, still with his hands all over Gale. She was reveling in her handiwork. They must have practiced.
“Can’t say that I do,” I replied. “What year were you on campus, Luke?”
“Oh, I graduated in 2012,” Luke said. I could not have been more pleased with the revelation, but I was also offended. Gale must have thought I was their age, but how could she assume I was in my thirties considering my practically poreless complexion?
“Oh, we must have just missed each other,” I said, snapping my fingers. “I didn’t get to campus until that fall.”
“You graduated college in 2016?” Gale nearly growled at me.
“That’s right,” I said cheerfully as the staff came out with the first course. “Oh, I’m starving!” I exclaimed, purposely jutting out my clavicle in Gale’s direction.
“So where did you two meet?” I asked Luke, holding up my glass for a refill.
“Through coworkers, remember?” Gale pointed out.
“I know, but I want all the first-date details.” I rested my head on my hands in anticipation. Collin even caressed my back as a cherry on top. Luke matched the gesture on Gale, but I noticed she shrugged him off ever so slightly. He acquiesced and cleared his throat.
“I took Gale to Eleven Madison Park,” Luke said, not offering much more.
“Very nice,” I nodded.
“And then we went to a gallery opening,” Luke finished, almost with the cadence of a question, looking to Gale for approval.
“Which gallery?” I asked.
“Uhh.” He fumbled, but Gale picked up the ball.
“Mishkin. You wouldn’t know it.”
“Oh, you’re right. I’m hopeless when it comes to art. Collin handles all of it for the house,” I said, twirling a finger through his hair. “He has such good taste.”
“That’s debatable,” Gale said. “Sorry, Coll, but your eye isn’t the most evolved.”
Collin shrugged. “I like what I like.”
“Are you in the art world, too, Luke?” I asked him.
“No, I’m in finance.” Typical. The age-old, no-further-questions-necessary career. Perfect cover for an escort.
“Hedge fund, tech or—”
“It’s boring, I assure you,” he said.
“So who introduced you? Which coworker?”
“One of my buddies buys art, is into art,” he said, more firmly, not missing a beat, but obviously getting annoyed with me.
“But Gale works at a publisher, not a gallery. What do you mean?”
“Luke’s friend is one of the photographers,” Gale said curtly.
“Right,” I said, skeptical. Even Collin’s brow was furrowed in confusion.
“Let’s talk about something else,” Gale said, clearly upset that whatever she had planned with her hired hand for the night went completely out the window. My time at Duke was not brought up again.
I continued to make plenty of conversation with Luke, purely to antagonize Gale and honestly Luke, too, because I was insulted that he thought he could pull the wool over my eyes. I asked him more questions about everything. He performed his duties well enough and doted on Gale in the way a new boyfriend is supposed to in front of friends. But even Collin gathered something was amiss, not that he’d ever admit it. He stayed quiet, letting me drive the bus. Part of me wanted to dish about it with him later, but I knew he’d say I was being unfair to Gale, and I didn’t want to disrupt any proposal plans over a silly lovers’ quarrel, with my nemesis as the kindling. Besides, now Gale was planting the seeds of doubt in Collin all on her own. I admit her plan with Luke had the makings of a good one, but she underestimated her opponent when it came to the execution. With someone else as the lead, she couldn’t adapt, be flexible or light on her feet.
She knew it, too, which is why she implemented a Hail Mary next.
Solo.
* * *
? ? ?
WE WERE ALL set to retire for the evening. The lobster and liquor had been consumed. There was nothing left to say or do. We could finally put ourselves out of our goddamn misery. When I returned from the powder room, ready to bid good night to our guests, Luke was already gone. I silently observed that Gale stood closer to Collin on the veranda, watching the night settle in farther along the seaside.