"Nobody can have sex like they do in those books." Daniel was irritated; Maddy was amused.
"How do you know?" She grinned, picking up her tiny straw and gesturing with it. "What have you been reading?"
"Nothing," Daniel insisted. "Because books are a dying medium, as anyone with half a brain cell should be able to see."
Maddy let out a guffaw, glancing at me. "He thinks he can read the future in tea leaves, because he's got Eduardo Saverin on his speed-dial. This is the man I married, ladies and gentlemen."
"I don't have Wardo on my speed dial." Daniel was smiling as he glanced at his wife. "I think that was just another one of your fantasies."
"Damn it," she said, offering him a little smile in return. For a moment, they were completely absorbed in each other, sharing some private joke.
"Nice guy," Ben put in, looking over at me. "Oddly enough, he's a lot more cut than he was in the movie. Maybe I should put in our next drink orders now, you think? We might get them some time this century."
I shook my head. "I think I'm done for the night. Thanks, though."
"Really?" He glanced down at his phone. "It's not even ten o'clock."
"Yeah, but I have to get up early in the morning. Gotta get on schedule for my new job."
"Oh, congratulations." He threw back the rest of his vodka. "What set are you on?"
Damn it. I'd already forgotten that Maddy told him I wanted to be an actor. At the moment, I really didn't want to even think about my ambitions, let alone discuss my utter failures with a stranger.
"Oh, some commercial," I lied quickly. "I don't even remember. I think maybe it was a broom, or a new kind of frozen lasagne or some shit. Ads are way too abstract these days, right? It's not like I'm going to know from the copy."
The center of his forehead creased a bit, and I could tell I was laying it on too thick. But I couldn't just admit that I was going to be the Thornes' nanny. Not when Maddy had let my plans spill - I didn't blame her. She had no reason to think I was hiding it.
And I wasn't - I just didn't need to give Ben another opportunity to feel superior.
Not that he was showing any signs of that tonight. At least, I didn't think so. It was hard to tell, with him. Everything about him seemed so disingenuous. Like he was putting on an act. A certain bravado, just saying what he thought I wanted to hear - or what he thought everyone else at the table wanted to hear. He was like a politician. Always pivoting, adjusting, calculating just the right thing to say at the right time. I didn't like it. I wanted him to act like a real person, for just five minutes.
Then again - maybe our encounter in the store was him acting like a real person. Maybe the only modes he had were "politician" and "asshole." He certainly wouldn't be the only one.
"Well, I hope it goes well," he said. "That was lucky, to land something so fast - when did you get into town?"
I shrugged. "God, I don't know, a couple weeks ago? I've lost all track of time, I swear. Things have just been so crazy." I let out what I hoped was a lighthearted laugh. "I didn't start completely from scratch, though. I've got this cousin in the area."
What was wrong with me? Why was I laying down the lies, so thick and fast? Did I really think I could get away with this?
Well, yeah. It's just for tonight. Not like you're going to see this guy again. Even if he's a friend, your job is to take care of their baby when they go out. This'll probably be the last time you all hang out together.
***
The night started to wind down. After we vacated our table, Maddy and I headed to the restroom, and I ended up escaping the crowds around the door before she did. As I rounded the corner of the hallway, I heard Ben's voice, a little elevated - enough to make me stop in my tracks and prick up my ears.
"...and I don't see why you won't at least give it a chance." Ben sounded exasperated.
"I don't do that anymore." Daniel was glancing over his shoulder - not in my direction, thankfully, but I ducked back behind the wall anyway. "At least, not with strangers."
"They're not strangers," Ben insisted. "Don't you miss them? At least come for the social hour. Bring Maddy. I'm assuming she's aware of your tastes."
There was a moment of silence, where I swore I could almost hear Daniel gritting his teeth. "She's not used to...all that. It's private. Between us. Not a fucking social hour."
"I don't know what you're so afraid of." Ben sounded exasperated. I pretended to fiddle with my phone as people pushed past me, as if anyone cared what I was doing. "Give me one good reason why you don't want to come back, and I won't go straight to your wife and tell her what a pussy you are."
I expected to hear the sound of a fist connecting with a jaw. Instead, Daniel's voice was dangerously quiet. I had to strain to hear him. "If you so much as breathe one word of this to her, I'll have you killed. I know the head of Blackwater, and he owes me a favor."
Ben laughed. "Fine. Have it your way. But if she starts asking me pointed questions, I can't promise I'm going to be discreet."
"And I can't promise you'll live through the night," said Daniel, calmly. "Seems like a fair trade to me."
What the hell were they talking about? What tastes?
My head was swimming. I felt like I should tell Maddy about what I'd heard, but why? Ben seemed to think she already knew, even though she didn't know about him. Daniel must have some kind of wildness in his past that he'd tamed, but hadn't completely left behind.
When Maddy finally emerged, we all gathered by the door to say our goodbyes. After Daniel and Maddy disappeared into their town car, I turned to Ben.
"You come here often?" he asked, with a cheeky grin.
"I'm sure I'll see you again sometime," I said, brightly.
He frowned. "It's a big city."
"Yeah, well, apparently we buy our ice cream in the same place."
And with that, I turned and walked away, feeling triumphant.
Chapter Five
Jenna
It wasn't long before I saw him again.
My first day with Laura was a delight. Mostly. She threw a fit when I wouldn't let her eat the corner of the rug, but we mostly subsisted in a state of quiet mutual respect. Despite her serious expressions, she was still a kid who cried at the drop of a hat and giggled when I read her favorite storybook with different voices for all the characters.
After lunch, she seemed a little stir-crazy. She kept pressing her nose against the window longingly, and I decided I could use some fresh air too.