word Cassidy would have chosen to describe it. An array of other adjectives popped into her head. Topping the list were low-cut , tight , and inappropriate .
She tried to mask the look of surprise she knew was on her face.
This is the girl Harper likes?
Classy, conservative Harper?
Vanessa broke the embrace and turned toward Cassidy and Danielle with a smile. “Hi, I’m Vanessa.” She looked friendly enough, but it was hard to get past her outfit.
They all shook hands, and then Danielle grabbed Cassidy’s arm. “We were just going to mingle, so we’ll catch you two later.” She quickly pulled Cassidy toward the other side of the room. “Yowsa, that was a lot of boobage,” she whispered as they walked away.
Cassidy nodded. “She’s the opposite of what I’d expect for him. I wonder what’s going on there.”
“To each his own. Maybe underneath that slutty outfit, she’s a peach.” Danielle looked up at the ornate ceiling. “I forgot what a great space this is. I haven’t been here in ages.”
Cassidy’s eyes followed hers. “I’ve never been here before. I love that about New York. There’s an endless supply of fun new spots to go have a drink. In Palo Alto there are like three bars, and it seems like everyone’s in college.”
Danielle sipped her wine. “I remember exactly the last time I was here. It was a couple years ago, for a coworker’s going-away party. I got schnockered and ended up going home with this random guy who lived in White Plains.”
Cassidy stared at her. “White Plains? As in it-takes-an-hour-to-get-there White Plains?”
“The one and only. Mind you, I was hardly in a state of mind to be thinking rationally. So I went home with him, and the next morning we took the train to Grand Central together. It was beyond awkward.”
“He came back into the city with you?’
Danielle nodded. “The party was on a Thursday, so we both had to go to work the next day. It was the longest train ride of my li fe.”
“Did you ever see him again?”
She waved a hand in front of her. “Oh God no. I think he was as mortified as I was. I can only imagine what the people around us were thinking. There I was, still in my going-out dress and rat’s-nest hair. I’m sure it was superobvious that we had hooked up the night before.”
“I love it! You totally took a train ride of shame.”
Danielle nodded. “I did indeed. I also took a nap on the couch in our employee lounge that day. It wasn’t one of my finer moments.”
Cassidy sipped her wine. “I’ve taken the subway ride of shame, but I haven’t reached train-ride status yet.”
“It’s an elite club. We take our membership seriously.”
Cassidy laughed. “I should put that story into one of my books.”
Danielle grabbed her arm. “If you do, be a dear and call me Elena, will you? I’ve always loved that name.”
“Deal.” Cassidy looked around the room, which was growing more crowded by the minute. “I wonder how many of these people will be doing the subway ride of shame tomorrow.”
“I’d say about a baker’s dozen. Or given how many finance types are here, perhaps a banker’s dozen. Want another drink?”
Cassidy looked at her half-full wineglass and shrugged. “Sure, why not?”
On the way to the bar they were stopped by two men wearing suits and ties. Both had baby faces and looked like poster boys for a fraternity’s young alumni organization.
“Hey now, slow down,” the taller of the two said with a grin. “What’s the rush?”
Danielle pointed to her empty glass, then to the bar. “Do I need to explain further?”
The shorter of the two put a hand on his chest. “This round’s on me. What are you drinking? I’m Evan, by the way.” He smiled at Danielle and appeared to be a bit smitten.
Danielle squinted at him. “You realize it’s an open bar, right?”
Evan laughed but was clearly nervous. “Uh, yeah, that was supposed to be a joke.”
Danielle shrugged. “OK, not bad, not
She tried to mask the look of surprise she knew was on her face.
This is the girl Harper likes?
Classy, conservative Harper?
Vanessa broke the embrace and turned toward Cassidy and Danielle with a smile. “Hi, I’m Vanessa.” She looked friendly enough, but it was hard to get past her outfit.
They all shook hands, and then Danielle grabbed Cassidy’s arm. “We were just going to mingle, so we’ll catch you two later.” She quickly pulled Cassidy toward the other side of the room. “Yowsa, that was a lot of boobage,” she whispered as they walked away.
Cassidy nodded. “She’s the opposite of what I’d expect for him. I wonder what’s going on there.”
“To each his own. Maybe underneath that slutty outfit, she’s a peach.” Danielle looked up at the ornate ceiling. “I forgot what a great space this is. I haven’t been here in ages.”
Cassidy’s eyes followed hers. “I’ve never been here before. I love that about New York. There’s an endless supply of fun new spots to go have a drink. In Palo Alto there are like three bars, and it seems like everyone’s in college.”
Danielle sipped her wine. “I remember exactly the last time I was here. It was a couple years ago, for a coworker’s going-away party. I got schnockered and ended up going home with this random guy who lived in White Plains.”
Cassidy stared at her. “White Plains? As in it-takes-an-hour-to-get-there White Plains?”
“The one and only. Mind you, I was hardly in a state of mind to be thinking rationally. So I went home with him, and the next morning we took the train to Grand Central together. It was beyond awkward.”
“He came back into the city with you?’
Danielle nodded. “The party was on a Thursday, so we both had to go to work the next day. It was the longest train ride of my li fe.”
“Did you ever see him again?”
She waved a hand in front of her. “Oh God no. I think he was as mortified as I was. I can only imagine what the people around us were thinking. There I was, still in my going-out dress and rat’s-nest hair. I’m sure it was superobvious that we had hooked up the night before.”
“I love it! You totally took a train ride of shame.”
Danielle nodded. “I did indeed. I also took a nap on the couch in our employee lounge that day. It wasn’t one of my finer moments.”
Cassidy sipped her wine. “I’ve taken the subway ride of shame, but I haven’t reached train-ride status yet.”
“It’s an elite club. We take our membership seriously.”
Cassidy laughed. “I should put that story into one of my books.”
Danielle grabbed her arm. “If you do, be a dear and call me Elena, will you? I’ve always loved that name.”
“Deal.” Cassidy looked around the room, which was growing more crowded by the minute. “I wonder how many of these people will be doing the subway ride of shame tomorrow.”
“I’d say about a baker’s dozen. Or given how many finance types are here, perhaps a banker’s dozen. Want another drink?”
Cassidy looked at her half-full wineglass and shrugged. “Sure, why not?”
On the way to the bar they were stopped by two men wearing suits and ties. Both had baby faces and looked like poster boys for a fraternity’s young alumni organization.
“Hey now, slow down,” the taller of the two said with a grin. “What’s the rush?”
Danielle pointed to her empty glass, then to the bar. “Do I need to explain further?”
The shorter of the two put a hand on his chest. “This round’s on me. What are you drinking? I’m Evan, by the way.” He smiled at Danielle and appeared to be a bit smitten.
Danielle squinted at him. “You realize it’s an open bar, right?”
Evan laughed but was clearly nervous. “Uh, yeah, that was supposed to be a joke.”
Danielle shrugged. “OK, not bad, not
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