Chapter One: A Writer's Romance

Chapter Ten- Old Rivals and a Little Black Dress

 Cliff Edgar

A few days after the balcony incident, Lexi Morgan called letting me know that the welcome party for Ellis would be held in my ballroom-style dining area and entryway in four days' time. I wasn't a big planner, hence why I had an agent that was basically a second mother, so I didn't really do much regarding setting up or anything. I really only helped move some tables out and throw on some tablecloths, and the rest was done by Lexi. This was all completed on Saturday, the day of the party, before Ellis got back to the house from work. See, the welcome parties weren't usually surprise parties, but Lexi and I figured it would be a fun opportunity since Ellis was living in the house.

When Ellis returned, she opened the door to the entryway to see the ballroom area to the right completely decked out in party gear and a few of the authors that flew in early sitting at one of the tables.

"What?" Ellis demanded, looking around in befuddlement. I laughed and she turned to me with an accusative look on her face. "Was this your doing?"

Just then, Lexi stood from the table and Ellis's eyes grew with understanding.

"It was mine," Lexi admitted, walking forward to greet Ellis. "We normally don't do welcome parties as surprise events, but since it was being held at your house anyway..." She shrugged.

"Welcome party?" Ellis asked, still looking confused. Lexi chuckled and strode back to the table to sit down with the three authors that had already arrived.

"To the agency, Miss Clemens," I told her with a wink. "Lexi enjoys keeping all of her authors close, which is great, since authors get along best with more authors. She does admittedly go a bit overboard with her welcome parties, but I think you'll find this one satisfactory."

Ellis rubbed her eyes and sighed.

"Is anyone going to hate me if I take a nap?" she asked finally, after processing and accepting the fact that she'd have to put up with strangers for the night.

"I will," I volunteered, to receive a glare from Ellis and Lexi. "Kidding, darling. I wouldn't want my Elizabeth too tired for her own welcome party."

Ellis snorted but seemed to take this as permission to rest.

"All right. Well I'm just going to lay down for like an hour. What time does this thing officially start? And do I have to dress up? 'Cause I have like... Well, I have work clothes and casual clothes. Nothing between."

"It starts at seven," I replied, and then added, "and your attire for the evening is taken care of."

My housemate looked skeptical, but she didn't ask any more questions, which was abnormal for her. She must have been exhausted from work. After making a stop in the kitchen for an apple, Ellis trudged up the stairs and towards her bedroom.

Throughout the time in between, more and more of the agency's authors arrived, and even though the party hadn't officially started, everyone was hanging around socializing for the greater part of the evening. Ellis stayed up in her room through the entire period of arrival, and I didn't see her again until seven-forty, when she finally came down to the party.

I heard her arrival before I saw it. As she began her descent down the stairs, I heard several gasps and then a round of applause. I turned and took in her appearance, starting from the bottom up.

Ellis was wearing very tall black heels that accentuated her slender legs. She wore no tights or hosiery of any sort, but she didn't need to. The pale skin of her legs glowed with flawless perfection. A few inches above her knees, the bottom of her dress brushed against her thighs. The dress... It was black, and hugged her waist perfectly, making her gentle curves stand out. The top of her dress exposed her elegant shoulders with the high, halter-top neckline. Her hair was up in a manicured bun, rather than her usual messy ones, and she wore just the slightest amount of makeup that accentuated her natural beauty.