Mystery Of You (Pub 5)

7 - Jerk

Ainsley and Rhys arrived at the Dwyer Mitchell party shortly after Lilli. The brown noser was hard at work when she left. Ainsley planned to leave after him the following night. No one stayed on Fridays, but she had nothing to go home to, except an overweight cat. Maybe she should start dating again.

The ballroom looked like a wedding reception or a charity function without the formal wear. A loop of pictures played on the screen, she smiled at the younger Kurt Dwyer. With a champagne flute in her hand, she mingled while Lilli talked to some of her clients. Lilli's first client, Nancy Gibbons, a loud, hysterical housewife, was entertaining Lilli's friend who just got married. Ainsley stopped by and said hello to both. She made the bride smile by asking about her wedding.

Nancy frowned. "We need to find a man for you."

The older woman looked around and smiled. "He's good looking."

Ainsley turned and froze. Why was the brown-noser here? He glared at her and she mumbled excuses and slipped out the door. From a secluded corner in the hotel lobby, she called Rhys.

"I'm leaving."

"Why?"

"The guy who hates me is in there. The last thing I need is for him to see me talking to Sumners or the others. Tell Lilli, I'm sorry."

"Honey. No! Where is he?"

Ainsley imagined Rhys scanning the men. "He's wearing a dark suit."

"You just describe every man in here except me. I'm an artist. Come back. Hello Mr. Roche." Ainsley hung up as Rhys talked to their boss

She sat on the train feeling sorry for herself. Gunther greeted her, but he just wanted something from her. After she poured herself a glass of wine and took out her tablet, she scrolled through the dating app. A few men had potential. She should run them by Rhys, but feeling sorry for herself reasoned that plan away.

Ainsley was asleep when Lilli texted her. She would talk to her over the weekend. In the morning, she woke determined to beat the party crasher to work. As she stood to cross the street, she missed seeing the mystery man. Even her crush wasn't cooperating. First Josh Roche found a wife and then the puddle guy disappeared. She cringed remembering one of her first words was 'wet', and he said he was dirty. Maybe she should have suggested they get wet and dirty together. He would probably call the police to arrest her for solicitation.

Fist pump. She arrived first. When Henry walked in she was hard at work. He walked over to her. "I saw you last night."

"So." She didn't look up from her screen.

"I know why you left. You were a party crasher and didn't want to get caught."

"Yeah, that's right. It had nothing to do with not wanting to see you. My friend who invited me was disappointed I left. Good thing she doesn't know you."

"I only met players, not nobodies."

"Whatever." She waved her hand. "I have work to do." She already knew the players, but he didn't need to know.

Once he was gone, Nina whispered, "What was that about?"

"He was at the Dwyer Mitchell party last night, so I left. Lilli will never forgive me."

"Yes, she will." Nina chuckled.

She would. Zach would intervene. A reminder popped up on her screen. She forgot they had a meeting. Henry sat across the table in the conference room and glared at her. Their boss, Catrina, came in and Henry smiled sweetly at her.

"With the month closing out, I have a new list of upcoming releases. We have the new Nancy Gibbons's novel."

Ainsley's hand shot up. "I've met her and read her book." I spoke with her last night.