Playing Pretend

by Bester, Tamsyn

  “Then tell us the boring stuff,” replied Annabelle. “Like where you’re from, where you grew up, where you went to school, whether or not you have siblings. That kinda stuff.”

  I sighed, and folded my arms on the table. “I was born and raised in Manhattan, and moved to London when I was seventeen. Then when I was twenty, I moved to Denver, and went to school there before coming back here. I have an older sister I don’t speak to, and that’s about it.”

  “That sucks.” Annabelle pouted, and squeezed my hand.

  “And what about a guy?” asked Aaliyah. “You can’t tell me you’re single.”

  I smiled wistfully, and then felt my stomach dip a little. “I was engaged, but he cheated. It was why I left London.” The half-lie fell from my lips far too easily, but it still felt good to be able to talk about it. I hadn’t made many friends when I was in college, simply because I didn’t have the time, but I’d hoped it would change once I settled in Manhattan. Looking across the table at my two colleagues, I knew I’d chosen wisely.

  “Honey,” Annabelle lifted her brows, “A man who cheats isn’t a man, and look at this way, he did you a favor. It saved you from marrying the prick.”

  “She’s right,” added Aaliyah, giving me a serious look. “Men like that aren’t worth it. That’s why I like my sex with no strings.”

  Annabelle coughed, and almost choked on her drink. “Please, your newest friends-with-benefits arrangement has been ongoing. I’d say you’re dating.”

  “Oh no,” retorted Aaliyah, “Devon knows how it is. I call him when I need an itch scratched, and vice versa. Just because it’s been ongoing doesn’t mean we’re dating.”

  I begged to differ, but didn’t say anything because I wasn’t exactly an expert. I met Baxter shortly after I’d moved to London, and started studying at Brunel University. He was the epitome of an English rich kid from an influential political family, and my father latched onto that within the first ten minutes of meeting him. I was nineteen when we got engaged, and thought I loved him, but he proved me wrong in the worst way possible.

  “I’m not going to argue with you.” Annabelle smiled sweetly at her friend, as if to indulge her disillusionment, and was about to say something to me when someone else caught her attention.

  “Honey!” she squealed, all but dropping her glass onto the table and running to whoever had elicited her excited response. She jumped into the arms of a taller guy who caught her easily, and smiled before she kissed him amorously. The exchange garnered a few catcalls, and whistles from several other patrons.

  Annabelle dropped to her feet, and greeted another man, and then turned to lead them to our table.

  “Brian, this is Kadence, the newest addition at Callahan Industries. Kadence, this is my fiancé, Brian, and the ass behind him is my big brother, Landon.”

  Brian stuck out his hand, and I shook it with a grin. He was good looking, and Annabelle’s complete opposite in terms of stature. Where her hair was black, his was blond, and where she was short and petite, he was tall and very well built. I took Annabelle’s brother’s hand and shook it too, surprised when he scooped Aaliyah up in an animated hug. They looked familiar with each other, and when Annabelle caught me watching them with open curiosity, she explained, “They’ve been best friends since Aaliyah and I were roommates in college. It still weirds me out a little.”

  “I heard that,” said Landon, still holding a smirking Aaliyah. Annabelle mumbled something under her breath, causing Brian to chuckle.

  “I hope we’re not interrupting something,” he said, flagging down a waiter. He ordered some drinks for him and Landon and then settled down with Annabelle in his lap.

  She filled him in on her day, while Aaliyah and Landon caught up, and I couldn’t help but feel like an outsider, like the proverbial fifth wheel. It was a feeling I knew well though, having spent most of my life on the outside looking in, only this time I wanted to change it. I wanted to feel like I belonged here, like this was my home, like these people could be my real friends.

  As if reading my mind, Aaliyah and Annabelle pulled me into their conversation, and we stayed at the bar until the manager had no choice but to ask us to leave so that they could close for the night. Annabelle and Brian insisted on paying for a cab to take me home, rather than let me take the subway so late, and when I finally fell onto my crappy air mattress, I smiled at the feeling that washed over me.

  Progress.

  “I HAVE THE PERFECT dress for you.” Aaliyah disappeared into her closet while I wandered around her SoHo apartment. It was beautiful, with light wooden floors, and big bay windows overlooking a bustling street.

  The last week had been a blur, and there had been an excited hum amongst the executives on our floor as we prepared to host the first of many events on Callahan Industries’ extensive social calendar. I’d had no plans to attend the event myself, but Macy thought it would be a good experience to ‘rub shoulders’ with the Board of Directors, and other influential investors who would be in attendance at the annual Shareholders Gala.

  When I’d told Aaliyah I had nothing appropriate to wear, she offered one of her gowns, and no matter how many times I’d refused her generosity, she wouldn’t take no for an answer. That’s how I ended up at her place, only hours before I had to be ready for the Gala.

  Aaliyah reappeared holding an ivory tulle lace mermaid dress; the bodice had a sheer effect with lace appliques on the front and back. It was exquisite.

  “Wow,” I sighed. “I can’t wear that.”

  “Of course you can. It’s never been worn, and I think it deserves a night out.”

  I took it from Aaliyah’s hands. “Are you sure?”

  “Yes,” she groaned dramatically, “It’s perfect for you. You’ll wear it way better than I ever could.”

  “Thank you.”

  JUST OVER AND HOUR later, I left Aaliyah’s apartment to get ready at mine, and fetch my car. I wanted to drive home after the event rather than take the subway. I spent an hour drying and curling my hair, and applied some mascara and a light pink lipstick. I had a clear complexion, so spending exorbitant amounts of money on make-up wasn’t necessary. My mother was a natural beauty, and I was blessed with those same genes; something my sister had always been envious of.

  Brushing those thoughts aside for the time being, I finished getting myself ready. Thankfully the traffic had been somewhat forgiving, a small silver lining if you asked me, and before long the Callahan Industries buildings were in sight. It stood so tall, and so proud, office windows glittering like diamonds amongst it’s much smaller neighbors. I parked my car in the basement at Callahan Industries, and walked across to the Waldorf-Astoria hotel. Park Avenue was lined with limousines, and I made my way to the banquet room to meet up with Jennifer. She wasn’t thrilled to see me, let alone to be working with me, but I ignored her and focused on taking in as much as I could. We stood at the doors to the banquet room, and welcomed the guests, taking their invites at the door. They were dressed to the nines, the men in their expensive suits, and the women in their designer gowns. I knew all about these types of events, from when my parents used to attend them, but it was the first time I got to experience the ostentatiousness of it all for myself.

  The room was large with white and gold drapery. Round tables surrounded a small stage, and dance floor, all embellished with ornate table settings and unique centerpieces, created to showcase the culture of the crème de la crème of New York’s social scene. As much as I’d resented what this lifestyle represented, I was fascinated by it, albeit begrudgingly.

  The room soon filled, and once we’d closed the doors, the string orchestra started playing off to the side, while waiters started plying the guests with glasses of Dom Perignon and the finest hors d'oeuvres that money could buy. Caleb had stopped at nothing, and I was impressed.

  I greeted my colleagues, and stepped towards the bar in the far corner of the room to order something to drink.

  “You clea
n up nicely, Kavanagh.”

  I smiled when Aaliyah stepped up to my side. She looked amazing in her black satin gown, her hair clipped to the one side.

  “As do you. No date?”

  “Not tonight,” she replied. “Although I wouldn’t complain if I ended up going home with a rich sugar-daddy.” Her shrug was cavalier, but I saw the mischief in her brown eyes.

  I laughed. “So in other words, you’re on the prowl?”

  “Always,” she responded.

  “Drink?”

  “I’ll take a scotch, on the rocks.”

  I felt my eyes widen in surprise. “I didn’t take you for someone who liked the hard stuff.”

  Leaning back against the bar, she replied, “I grew up with four older brothers so I learned to drink early on.”

  I ordered her scotch and another fruitier bubbly drink for myself, all of which was paid for by the company, and then mirrored Aaliyah’s stance. We had the perfect vantage point to survey the room without being too obvious. I recognized a few of the faces in the crowd, most of which were older gentleman and their trophy wives. You could spot the women who weren’t born into this society a mile away, with their bored expressions and their overt need to ‘stand out’ with flashy everything. The seasoned pro’s, however, worked the room, networked with all right people, and could hold their own no matter the topic of conversation. However subtle those nuances may be, they were still enough to separate those who would remain in these circles for generations to come, and those who would never truly be welcomed.

  When my eyes landed on Caleb, I felt my muscles stiffen. His black suit hugged him, stretching over his broad shoulders, wide chest, and well-muscled arms. His hair was cut a little shorter on the sides, and longer on top and his face was freshly shaven. The women gravitated towards him like bees to honey, and the men immediately straightened, as if trying to match the authority that naturally emanated from him.

  It was then I noticed the tall brunette on his arm, her gold dress shimmering beneath the chandeliers. She was smiling at him, laughing at something he said. The discomfort that unfurled in my belly had me turning my attention elsewhere, and I tried to tamp it down. I had no business being bothered by seeing Caleb with someone else, but deep down I knew it was because part of me still clung on to the tiniest of possibilities that he would remember the night he stole my first kiss.

  I felt Aaliyah’s gaze heating the side of my face, and when I looked at her she was regarding me with open curiosity.

  “What?” I asked, sipping my drink.

  She sighed, and turned to face me, resting her elbow on the bar. “I’ve been wondering…”

  I raised my eyebrows in silent question.

  “Do you know Caleb?”

  “Of course,” I replied a little too quickly. “Everybody does.”

  “I mean personally.”

  “What? No. Why would you think that?”

  Shit.

  Aaliyah’s eyes were far too assessing, but I knew if I looked away it would reveal too much.

  She shrugged. “Call it hunch.”

  My gaze dropped in silent contemplation, and it wasn’t the first time I’d chastised myself for blatantly staring at him, although the last time I chalked it down to an immature infatuation with someone too far out of my reach.

  “Your hunch is a little off,” I said, trying to sound confident. “You can’t blame me for looking though.”

  “You’re deflecting, but I’ll drop it because you have no reason to trust me yet.”

  “There’s nothing to deflect, but I am curious about the dynamic between you and Caleb.”

  I’d noticed that Aaliyah, and Caleb were close, and he relied on her for a lot. She managed his time, set his appointments, took his calls, got his lunch, and I thought it was beyond the scope of her responsibilities. But I also noticed that she cared for him as a friend, and when he came into the office in a particularly surly mood, she was the first to check on him. No one else in the office seemed to pay much attention to it, but I did.

  “Caleb gave me a chance when no one else would.”

  Aaliyah’s response surprised me, and the lilt in her voice told me there was more to it than she was letting on. I wasn’t one to pry, so I didn’t, but I asked the least personal question I could think of.

  “How long have you been working for him?”

  Aaliyah swallowed the rest of her drink, and placed the glass on the bar.

  “Four years.” Her expression revealed just how carefully she was formulating her answer.

  She was protecting Caleb by not giving away too much.

  I did the math in my head. She started working for Caleb shortly after he was forced to take over as C.E.O of Callahan Industries. I knew from several reports in the media that it was because his father had fallen ill. That was only half the truth.

  “You care about him,” I said. “I’m glad he has you.”

  “There you two are.” Annabelle approached us, unknowingly ending the silent conversation between Aaliyah and me. “What are doing hiding at the bar?”

  “I’m avoiding Jennifer,” I replied. “For some reason she has it out for me.”

  Aaliyah, and Annabelle replied at the same time with, “She’s jealous.”

  My brows puckered. “Of what? I haven’t done anything, and I’ve only been here for two weeks.”

  “Exactly,” said Annabelle. She took a hearty sip of her cocktail, and then continued, “It’s obvious that Macy likes you, and Jennifer is threatened by that because when she started working here no one wanted to give her the time of day. Macy will be on maternity leave in less than three months, and Jennifer wants Macy’s job. I won’t even get started on the fact that she still carries a torch for Caleb.”

  Aaliyah shot Annabelle a dirty look, and when I caught it I blurted out, “What happened between them?”

  Aaliyah exhaled through pursed lips, and shook her head at Annabelle in disapproval. “As far as anyone else knows it’s just office gossip, but apparently Caleb got a little too drunk one night and ended up sleeping with Jennifer. She thought it meant more than that, but Caleb wasn’t interested.”

  With a scoff, Annabelle said, “You and I both know it’s not just idle office gossip, Liy.”

  “Even so, we shouldn’t be talking about it. Caleb’s personal life has been documented for tabloid fodder far too many times already -” I put my hand on Aaliyah’s arm when I noticed that she was getting aggravated, and she stopped to look at me.

  “I won’t say anything,” I promised, pleading with my eyes for her to believe me. Before the conversation could continue, I decided to change tack and lighten it up a little instead.

  “Now,” I turned to face the room. “Speaking of gossip, there has to be some dirt on the people in this room. Anything particularly juicy you think I should know before I throw myself to the wolves?”

  Both Annabelle and Aaliyah’s eyes lit up, their disagreement all but forgotten, and they launched into a Page-Six worthy report on the scandals that were currently taking place amongst our guests. I had no idea how they knew so much, and I didn’t dare ask either, but it was both comical and diverting all the same.

  Once I’d been ‘schooled’ on who was having an affair with whom, and who’s latest bout with recreational drugs landed them in rehab, I took a turn around the room and made sure that everyone in attendance was enjoying themselves. I purposefully avoided approaching Caleb, keeping my eyes on him from a distance, and after grabbing another flute of champagne I decided to find my table.

  Macy intercepted me, looking ravishing in a turquoise gown that complimented her fiery red hair, and flawless complexion, and smiled. “I’ve been looking for you. Do you think you can give this to Caleb?”

  I took the folded up piece of paper from her outstretched hand. “Sure, what is it?”

  “It’s his speech. Silly man left it in his office. I’d give it to him myself, but my husband is waiting to introduce me to someone.”


  Just then, Macy was swept away by her husband, leaving me to find Caleb on my own. He wasn’t difficult to spot, and I found myself walking towards him on slightly shaky legs. He was talking to a tall, older gentleman, and the brunette on his arm all but sneered at me when I walked closer.

  I cleared my throat, and three pairs of eyes snapped in my direction. The only pair I noticed though were the ones filled with shards of blue ice.

  “I’m sorry to interrupt, Mr. Callahan, but -”

  “I’m sorry dear, Mr. Callahan is a little busy. He’ll have to sign your little piece of paper later,” said the brunette, cutting me off mid-sentence.

  Bitch.

  She thought I was a groupie.

  I met her disdainful glare with one of my own, a little tired of being made to feel less than. Between Jennifer and this bimbo, I was starting to get a little pissed.

  “Sorry, dear,” I mimicked her tone, aware that Caleb’s brows had shot up in, was that amusement? “But I’m not looking for an autograph. This is Mr. Callahan’s speech for tonight.” My gaze traveled over to Caleb, and I couldn’t tell if he was displeased with how I’d spoken to his date or not. “Macy asked me to give this to you.”

  He took it from my hand, ignoring the way his date harrumphed beside him, and I saw his lip twitch slightly. “Thank you, Ms. Kavanagh.”

  I gave him a brisk nod, and then politely excused myself. I finally found my table, only to see that I was seated beside Caleb. With the place card in my hands, I moved to the opposite end of the table, and swopped my name for Jennifer’s.

  “What do you think you’re doing?”

  I froze.

  Oh dear.

  That voice. It rumbled, racing across the exposed skin of my neck, and back, leaving chills in its wake.

  With a slow pivot, I faced Caleb and his impetuous grimace.

  “Someone must have made a mistake with the seating arrangements,” I said. “They put me next to you.”

  “You have a problem sitting next to me, Ms. Kavanagh?”