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reconstruct their sentences.”
    Rose chuckled. Rebecca walked out of her, oops, I mean our office. “What’s so funny?”
    Rose glanced at me as if we were children caught talking during a movie. “Alex was just saying how he’s enjoyed his first week.”
    Rebecca’s eyes volleyed between us. “He did very well… so far.” She glared at me and stressed the last two words as if to warn me.
    Rose and I followed Rebecca to the elevator bank in silence; children behaving after getting caught doing something bad.
    Since the weather was agreeable, we decided to walk the seven blocks to the restaurant, rather than try our luck with hailing a cab at such a busy hour. What would have taken me twelve minutes to walk, took us twenty. I suspect it was because Rose didn’t walk as fast as Rebecca and I. We were seated immediately.
    “Ah, Ms. Stratford, your table is ready.” The maître ‘d ushered us toward the back of the room.
    The lighting was dim. It made reading the menu difficult. Rose squinted even with her freshly donned reading glasses. From across the table Rebecca’s fair skin glowed in the soft light. Instead of reviewing the choices from the menu, I found my focus on her eyes scanning the tri-fold booklet. Long lashes fluttered over large, amber pupils. She chewed her bottom lip as she contemplated the choices. A wave of heat coasted through my body.
    “Know what you’re having?” she asked Rose.
    “I think I’m in the mood for the salmon,” our chaperone said.
    “What about you, Alex?” Rebecca looked up at me and broke the trance I was in.
    “Um, I think I’ll have the Penne alla Vodka.”
    “Oh, it’s so yummy here.”
    Yummy? That wasn’t a word I expected from Rebecca Stratford. It sounded playful and relaxed. Was she relaxed with Rose and me? It was nothing I remembered seeing at staff meetings or the business functions that I recently joined her on. And it certainly wasn’t the mood she set in the office on a regular basis. Within the walls of Stratford Literary, it was all serious business. Fun was frowned upon. But I liked her use of this word. I felt a smile spread.
    “Something funny?” she asked.
    “Um, no.” I felt my smile melt and I looked down at the menu.
    Rebecca ordered a bottle of Chablis with dinner. Although I’m no connoisseur, I knew that a three hundred dollar bottle of wine must be good.
    I decided to break the awkward silence that hung in the air after the waitress took our order. “Rose, how long have you worked at Stratford?”
    The older lady sat back in her chair and thought about her answer. “Let’s see, I started the year after Rebecca bought out her predecessor. It must be eight years now, right Rebecca?”
    “Has it been that long?” Rebecca was stunned. “It’s true what they say, ‘time goes by…’ I feel as if I just started out on my own last week.” She smiled. Her whole face lit up when she did. She was a beautiful woman. The clingy silk dress hinted at her full breasts and the thin belt accentuated her small waist. She was curvy and smart, a dangerous combination. My cheeks felt hot as I wondered how she’d feel in my arms. “And, I was a mess until you got there, Rose.” She winked at me.
    Rebecca turned the conversation. “What made you come to our little company, Alex?”
    Never good with the focus being on me, my cheeks got hot ter. “Ever since I was little, I’ve wanted to be an agent.”
    “Really?” Rebecca leaned in and propped her elbows on the table. She rested her chin on her laced hands and gave me her undivided attention. Uncharacteristic of her, just like her use of the word ‘yummy.’ Her eyes were on me. They ignited a small fire in my stomach. I felt its heat rise up.
    I took her focus as a sign to continue speaking. “My mother is a librarian. Books were a very important part of my upbringing. I’ve always loved them.” Now I had both Rebecca and Rose’s attention. I kept talking. “When I was in college, I