She'll Take It by Mary Carter

tag.”
    Mortified, I look to where he’s pointing. Sure enough the price tag is dangling off my scarf.
    â€œI was just. I wasn’t—” Greg says flustered, stepping back.
    â€œOh. Thank you,” I say, ripping the price tag off. “I’ve had this scarf forever, too.”
    I want to die. We both reach for the emergency phone at the same time and our hands collide on top of the little red phone.
    â€œI’ll get it,” Greg says.
    I remove my hand and step back while Greg talks in clipped tones to a security guard. Within seconds the elevator is moving again, and I can’t help but notice that Greg is now standing as far away from me as he can get. When the elevator opens into the lobby, Greg flashes me the peace sign and heads back up to the presentation. Before I know it, I’m back in the town car heading downtown.
    â€œHow are you today?” the driver says, looking at me through the rearview mirror. I try a discount smile but I can’t even manage 10% off. In less than four hours I’ve broken into a computer, displayed my crotch on a full-size screen for a couple hundred strangers, and accused my boss of sexual harassment. I think I’ve earned a lunch. But first I’m going to kill Trina Wilcox.
    I find her in the women’s bathroom applying blood red lipstick to her snakey mouth. She stops when I enter, and the edges of her lips twitch like a rabbit on cocaine as we stare at each other in the mirror.
    â€œDid Greg get his laptop?” she asks. I tell myself to breathe. “What? Why are you staring at me like that?”
    â€œGreg Parks was mortified in front of a live audience and a cameraman from Side Court TV ,” I begin.
    Trina whirls around, her eyes glowing saucers. “A cameraman?” she whispers.
    â€œDidn’t you know?” I say. “He was being considered for a position as a commentator and they were at the presentation to get an idea of how he comes across on camera.”
    Trina swallows. “ Was being considered?”
    â€œWell I don’t know for sure, but how did you think it was going to look when he brought up that picture? Everyone thinks he’s a sex freak now.”
    Trina stumbles backward into the sink. “Oh my God,” she says. “I must have—”
    â€œSave it,” I say. “You knew perfectly well what you were doing.”
    â€œI wasn’t trying to get him in trouble,” she cries. “Does—does he think I did it?”
    â€œI’m sure after a little investigating he’ll find out who is responsible,” I say. “He mentioned something about a lawsuit too.”
    â€œA lawsuit?”
    â€œYes, against the person who put my picture on the Web site to begin with. He said something about ‘defamation of character.’”
    Trina scrounges through her purse and pulls out a pack of cigarettes. I glance at the smoke alarm. She follows my gaze and shoves them back in her purse.
    â€œLook, Melanie,” she says, twirling a strand of hair around her finger. “It was probably just a joke. If you want I’ll hint around—see if anyone knows anything—see if I can get them to take the picture down.”
    â€œWhy don’t you do that?” I say, making my exit.
    â€œBy the way,” Trina says, following me down the hall. “I don’t think it’s professional that you were snooping on Greg Parks’s computer and asking him for legal advice your first day on the job.”
    I stop and clench my fingers.
    â€œI’m sure Jane would agree with me,” she adds.
    I secretly give her the middle finger and walk faster. “I have to get to lunch,” I say.
    â€œOkay,” Trina says sweetly. “Will I see you tonight?”
    This makes me stop again. “Tonight?”
    â€œSheila’s play. Aren’t you going? Ray and I are.”
    Did she just say she was going to Sheila’s