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.Igrabbed his wrist and pulled him close to me."Who let the pressin here?" I hissed.He pulled his wrist away."Nice to see you too."I tried to relax, but as the minutes ticked by I grew increasinglyangry.I took a deep breath."Sorry.I just got accosted by areporter, and it put me in a bad mood.Congratulations onwrapping the season and all that.""Thanks." He grinned."Did you hear the news? We just gotpicked up for another season!""Oh.Congrats!" I felt a little better, basking in his glow a bit.Iscanned the room.Then I saw."Holy crap.""What?""Jonathan's here." "Yeah.I mean, you knew I invited him.I felt bad about--"I didn't give him a chance to finish.I wasn't that interested inapologies."Should I go talk to him? Maybe I shouldn't.Thereporter over there is trying to link us romantically.He knowsabout Rooster's.If Jonathan and I are seen together, the rumorswill probably just get worse."Rey held up his hands."It's your call, Drew.I won't get involvedanymore."Sure, now he decided to butt out."Gee," I said.I spent a goodlong moment staring and trying to figure out what to do.Jonathanwas talking to a dark-haired woman and didn't seem to noticeme.Rey was speaking, but I didn't hear him until he said, "Actually, Ithink what I should really do is have an affair with a space alien.""What?"Rey sighed.He grabbed my arm."Please pay attention.Youshould know, Jonny brought a date.A lady date."Of course he did.I turned and looked at Rey."Well, that figures.""It's the teacher he's been seeing.""Ah." Shit."So his beard."Rey shrugged.I closed my eyes for a long time, then openedthem again, hoping Jonathan would be gone.I was almostdisappointed to find myself still at the party.I didn't think I couldget through a whole night with Jonathan so close and not speakto him.When I turned away to look at Rey, he was looking at me with hiseyes narrowed. "What?"He scratched his nose."You're not going to give me a 'How couldyou do this to me?' speech? You're not mad I invited him?""He's your cousin.""He's your ex-boyfriend."It popped into my head that I'd recently read a book in which theauthor overused the word ineffable.It seemed to fit here.Thissituation was ineffable."I'm not mad at you.Aren't we past this?""Okay, good.How are you going to handle the situation here?"I decided I should probably get it out of the way."I think I'm goingto go get my heart trampled on now."Rey patted me on the back."Go get 'em, tiger."I turned to him and raised an eyebrow."Really? 'Go get 'em,tiger'?"Rey laughed."I don't know.Break a leg? Good luck? Come findme after you talk to him.""Yeah, I will."I approached slowly.I decided that the woman hanging onJonathan was pretty enough, if a little plain.I will admit that I had a"What does he see in her?" moment, but of course, I knew: shedidn't have a penis.I also knew she wasn't what he wanted.Butthere she was, hanging on his arm.Her eyes were wide, taking inall the celebrities mingling at the party.I interrupted their conversation."Jonathan."He about jumped out of his skin.He turned towards me, his eyeswide with shock.Then he looked down.He didn't say anything. "Can I talk to you for a moment?" I asked.The woman looked me over."Andrew Walsh! It's nice to meetyou.I'm Lisa."Out of habit, I extended my hand for her to shake."Nice to meetyou.Uh, call me Drew." It was like a reflex, speaking to her,though I really didn't want to.In the back of my mind, I kind ofthought of her as the enemy.She hadn't even done anything, poorthing."This is so great." She smiled.Her gaze passed between us."Iread the article, of course.Have you guys been hanging out sinceit was published?"Actually, it had been a month since we'd done anything.Jonathansaid, "In a manner of speaking." He seemed to be scanning herface, probably to see if she'd cottoned on to the nature of ourrelationship.But she was delightfully oblivious."Are you here to do a storyabout the show?" she asked me."No, but you're not the first person to ask.I'm just here as aninvited guest.I've been friends with Reynolds Blethwyn for years.""Oh, that's funny! How do you know Reynolds?" She giggled asshe said the name, as if she were tickled to be on a first-namebasis with him."We went to school together," I said."Really? You're friends with someone that famous, but you'venever mentioned him in your column?"Was she a regular reader? I guess that was how she knew who Iwas right away."I respect his privacy.You read the column?""Oh, sure.I like the way you write.I was pretty surprised when I saw your byline on the story about Jonathan."I saw Jonathan glance at Lisa.She was all unaware smiles.Isaid, "Yeah, me too.I mean, I was surprised to get theassignment.But you've read some of my columns on Jonathan'sfather, I'm sure."Lisa looked surprised."Yeah.Must be weird, right? Writing aboutSenator Granger and then meeting his son.I can't imaginethere's much love lost between you and the Senator.I mean,you're gay, right?""As a parade." I looked at Jonathan, who was blushing."Very brave of you to be so upfront about it," Lisa said.I was done with the small talk."Lisa, do you mind if I borrow yourdate for a moment? I just need a word.I promise to return him inone piece.""Sure.I'll go find the ladies' room."When she was gone, I said, "So.She seems nice.""Yeah," said Jonathan."She's really great.But I, uh." He trailedoff.He seemed to know better than to lie to me.He could havegiven me some song and dance about how they got along welland he really saw a future with her, but instead he stoppedtalking."I wasn't sure if I should come over here at all." I looked around tomake sure our reporter friend and the guy with the camera werenot nearby.The reporter was harassing someone else a goodfifty feet on the other side of the room, well out of earshot.Thephotographer was shooting overly posed group photos of thecast.To Jonathan, I said, "A reporter at the door bugged meabout you.He asked me point blank if I knew if you were gay." "What did you say?" he asked."'No comment'.It's not my place to tell."I looked at the glass in Jonathan's hand.I figured whatever hewas drinking would have a lot of booze in it and that I neededsome more liquid courage to carry on this conversation.Withoutasking permission, I took and drank from it.It did not taste how Iexpected."Either the bartender is very good or there's no rum inthis Coke.""No rum," he said."Once I saw you were here, I decided I neededto keep my wits about me in case I got the chance to talk to you.""Smart thinking.Was there something specific you wanted to talkto me about?""No, I guess not.Why did you come over here?""I couldn't stay away."And then we both looked at our feet.I took a deep breath as I studied his shoes.They lookedexpensive and new.I wondered if his father had purchased them.It was as I contemplated how shiny they were that I realized I hadno idea what to say."I figured you'd be here," he said.He shifted his feet.I looked up at him.What I said next I said mostly to the top of hishead.I lowered my voice to keep the conversation between us.Idecided to just tell him the truth."I've wanted to call you every daysince the last time we talked.I've considered caving in.I'vemissed you like crazy
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Tematy
IndexGriffin Kate Matthew Swift 03 Neonowy dwór
Griffin Kate Matthew Swift 04 The Minority Council
Andrews Ilona Kate Daniels 04 Magia Krwawi(1)
Andrews Ilona Kate Daniels 04 Magia Krwawi
Ilona Andrews Kate Daniels 04 Magia Krwawi
Griffin Kate Matthew Swift 02 Nocny Burmistrz
Atkinson Kate Jackson Brodie 02 Przysluga
Hartzmark Gini Kate Millholland 1 Linia obrony
Putney Mary Jo Jedwabna Trylogia 03 Przepowiednia
Langan Ruth Korsarska rapsodia(1)