Rory sat at the corner table in A.J.’s deli, enjoying a pastrami on rye with spicy mustard while reading the New York Post. Skylar was running very late, stuck in traffic on the way back from the production house, and told her to go ahead and start without her. But the thought of adding her artist’s terrific new logo to their cat food commercial had Rory feeling confident about winning the contest. It would give them an edge, especially since no one else knew the company was searching for a new design. She actually relaxed a bit and sipped a cream soda while enjoying her guilty pleasure, the gossip of Page Six.

The little bell above the door rang, announcing a customer. Rory looked up, expecting Skylar.

But instead she saw Savannah.

Who spotted her, smiled, waved and headed her way.

Oh, no. I’m cornered.

Literally.

Rory forced a smile as Savannah reached her table. “Fancy meeting you here.”

“Hi, Rory. You eating lunch all by yourself today?”

“Skylar’s on her way, but won’t be here for a while.” Oh, hell, why didn’t I say she’d be here in a minute? “Where’s Will?”

“He’s having a lunch meeting with a client so I thought I’d come over here and grab something to go. Hey, since we’re both eating alone, mind if I join you?”

Well, so much for avoiding this. “Uh, sure. Pull up a chair.”

“Great. Let me order something and I’ll be right back.”

Savannah headed to the counter as Rory immediately pulled out her cell phone and called Skylar, who picked up on the first ring. “Hey, what’s up?”

“Where the hell are you?”

“Still on the bridge. It’s a parking lot. Big accident which is blocking most of the toll booths.”

“Oh, hell. Guess who I’m about to be stuck eating lunch with?”

“Uh-oh, this doesn’t sound good. Who?”

“Savannah. Who is not here with Will.”

“Yikes. Sorry, sweetie, wish I could beam myself over there to run interference for ya. But unless you’ve got a Star Trek transporter, you’re on your own.”

“Well, may as well get this over with. I guess it was inevitable.”

“What the hell, Rory, you can finally get the dirt on their relationship.”

“No time like the present. Here she comes, gotta go.” She ended the call and put her phone back in her purse as Savannah returned to her table carrying a soda and sat across from her. “What did you order?”

Savannah pointed at Rory’s sandwich. “Your lunch looked damn good, so I got the same thing.”

“So, the Southern girl has acquired a taste for pastrami.”

“Hell, yeah. Also hooked on the best bagels in the world and a bunch of other stuff I can’t get back home. Though I really don’t get the egg cream thing. No eggs, no cream. What’s the deal?” She shook her head. “I need to stop saying back home. New York is my home now.”

“Well, everyone always has a fondness for their roots. You planning on staying in New York?”

“Oh, absolutely. I’ve got a great situation here with Will, I love the city, and the pace is so fast it’s infectious.”

“Yeah, I’ll bet it’s a lot different from where you grew up.”

“People are just as passionate, but more relaxed.” She popped the top on the soda, put a straw in the can and took a sip. “Rory, I’m glad I ran into you. I’ve been wanting to talk to you about something privately.”

“Yeah, you said you wanted to plan Will’s birthday. What did you have in mind?”

Savannah shook her head. “No, I didn’t want to talk about his birthday. I’m not really sure how to say this, so I’ll just ask... Rory, do you have a problem with me?”

“No. Why?”

She shrugged. “I get the impression I’ve offended you somehow. Just the way you look at me. Like you think I’m strange or something.”

Rory looked to the side for a moment.

What the hell. Tell her.

She turned back to Savannah and exhaled. “Well, I guess you’re probably going to think I’m very old-fashioned and way too conservative, but... I’m being honest. The lifestyle you and Will lead is something that I find... really creepy.”

Savannah’s face tightened. “Rory, I’m a little confused. What exactly do you mean by lifestyle?”

“You know.” She lowered her voice and leaned forward. “The fact that you want to share Will with me.”

Savannah shook her head. “Still confused.”

“Remember when I first met you at the health club? You said you wanted to have lunch and that since we have Will in common we could share him.”

“Sure, I remember. What’s so strange about that?”

Rory looked around to make sure no one could hear and lowered her voice to a whisper. “Savannah... I’m not into three-ways.”

“What’s a three-way?”

“You know... ménage a trois? Sex involving three people.”

Her eyes became saucers. “Excuse me?”

“Look, I don’t know if you meant all three of us in bed at the same time or if we should simply both sleep with Will separately, but I’m simply not into that sort of thing. I date one man at a time, and am faithful to that person, especially if there’s sex involved.”

“You actually believed I was asking you to join in group sex with me and Will?”

“Well, yeah. Isn’t that what you meant by share him?”

Savannah leaned back and started to laugh. “Oh my God! That’s hysterical.”

“What’s so funny?”

“That you think Will and I are into sex with multiple partners. Where in the world did you get such an idea?”

“So... you’re not into... that?”

“Of course not. Good Lord, Rory, what kind of girl do you think I am?”

“So... what exactly did you mean about sharing him?”

“It’s just an expression. You know, you and Will are both in advertising and therefore have a lot in common. Same as Will and I do. I’m sure you’d enjoy spending time together like we do.”

“But you don’t mind my spending time with Will?”

“No. Why should I?”

“Wow. You really must trust the guy, letting him do stuff with another woman.”

Savannah put up her hands. “Okay, you’re confusing me again, Rory. Is do stuff some sort of New York colloquialism I’m not familiar with? Is this the code term for sex?”

“I just mean that with you being his girlfriend and all, I find it surprising you’re actually encouraging another woman to spend time with him.”

“Where in the world did you get the idea I’m his girlfriend?”

“You’re not?”

“No.”

“Wait a minute... so what’s the deal, are you just friends with benefits or have some sort of open relationship?”

“Rory... Will and I are not boyfriend and girlfriend.”

“So, you just live together and have sex?” She put up her hands. “Forget I said that. I’m sorry, that’s none of my business what you two do in the privacy of your bedroom—”

“Whoa, hold on. Rory. Will and I don’t live together, don’t date, don’t sleep together. But please explain how you got that impression.”

“Well, before I met you I saw you two together a few times. Once in a restaurant on a Saturday night. You were both really dressed up and you reached over and held his hand. I also saw you both at the health club pool. And you told me you moved to New York to be with him. I simply assumed—”

“Rory, I work for Will. I’m his assistant. That’s why I moved here. As for us being together at the pool, he knows I’m a gym rat and got me a health club membership as a perk of employment. We sometimes go for a swim together to relax. And the dinner was a reward for what had been a very busy work week for me. A lot of times if we both have nothing going on during the weekend we’ll go to a movie or have dinner. We’ve become good friends.”

“So, if you’re not his live-in girlfriend, who is?”

“No one. Will lives alone, Rory.”

“Hold on a minute. I distinctly remember the day we partnered on that client and he said he couldn’t go to lunch because his current roommate was sick.”

She furrowed her brow. “Current roommate... oh, I know what he was talking about. It was one of those cats he was fostering. The cat needed medicine three times a day, so for about two weeks he had to run home on his lunch hour.”

“So he hasn’t had a string of live-in girlfriends?”

“Far as I know, he’s never lived with anyone. When he says current roommate he was obviously referring to the many cats he’s taken in.”

“Okay, so if you’re not his girlfriend and don’t live with him, what’s this deal you have about torturing him?

“Huh?”

“When we were doing the pitches for the cat food, Will said you were finding new ways to torture him and had been riding him pretty hard.”

Her eyes went wide. “Oh my God, you think I’m some sort of dominatrix who does kinky things to him and...” Savannah began to blush.

“That’s what it sounded like.”

“Rory, you apparently took everything literally. And I do mean everything. I tease Will a lot, and he always accuses me of torturing him by doing that. As for riding him hard, I’ve been working on his, shall we say, social graces. Bottom line, Rory, I’m not his girlfriend, we’ve never dated, he doesn’t live with anyone, I don’t dress up in leather thigh-high boots and tie him up, and neither of us has any desire to engage in sex with multiple partners. And as for seeing us together, we enjoy each other’s company even though he’s my boss. And that’s as far as it goes. We’re good friends. He’s been totally respectful of me as his assistant. Never even a hint of hitting on me. Not a touch, not a suggestive word, no dirty jokes. He’s a perfect gentleman to me. He treats me as an equal and our business relationship is totally professional. We just happen to be platonic friends as well. You did note that he was trying to fix me up with that cop the other day.”

“I thought he was looking for... another partner... for you. And when you said it took a lot to satisfy you, I thought it meant...”

“At this point I can pretty well guess what you thought it meant.”

Rory stopped and shook her head. “I thought I’d never be more embarrassed than I was at the Halloween party, but now...”

Savannah smiled at her, reached across the table and took her hands. “Don’t be embarrassed, Rory. Actually, it’s pretty funny. Boy, talk about a series of misunderstandings.”

“I think that’s an understatement. I need to ask you one more question, if you’re haven’t been offended enough.”

“I’m not offended, Rory. Like I said, it’s funny.”

“Damn, you Southerners are polite. I can’t believe you’re not upset.”

“Hey, honest mistake. Wait till I tell my sister another woman thought I was a dominatrix engaging in group sex with my boss. Now, what was your question?”

“Skylar went to college with Will and said that he... well, that he was the biggest jerk she’d ever met. And the first time I met him, he was sort of rude. But ever since he’s been a perfect gentleman. So if I can make one more assumption... are you responsible for the change?”

She beamed as she nodded. “Yep. I am currently putting Will through intensive charm school. And the fact that you said he’s been a perfect gentleman tells me that my efforts have been successful. Y’know, since I’ve been riding him hard as far as manners are concerned.”

Now it was Rory’s turn to blush. “Okay, I get it. You don’t have to rub it in.”

“That’s what Will means about torturing someone. I’m teasing you. It’s something I do to people I like. But anyway, Rory, at least now I know why you always seemed uncomfortable around me. So I’m glad you told me all this and I could clear it up.”

“And I’m glad I know the real story. Savannah, I am so, so sorry that I misjudged you. And obviously Will, as well.”

She waved her hand like she was shooing a fly. “Pffft. Don’t worry about it. Water under the bridge. So, I guess now that all the cards are on the table, we can actually be friends.”

Rory nodded. “Absolutely. And I’m going to start by buying your lunch.”

“You don’t have to do that.”

“No, I insist. I should pay your rent after what you just went through.”

“You’re funny, Rory. You know, I shouldn’t say this but... Will does talk about you a lot.”

“He does? Now that I think about it, I’ve been kinda rude to him on a few occasions. I’ve been sort of keeping him at arm’s length since I didn’t want to get involved in the... group sex... that you’re... not having.”

“Yeah, he mentioned you were acting a bit standoffish. But he’s still got a major crush on you.”

“Really?”

“Your fault, Rory. He was already interested in you but that kiss you planted on him at the Halloween party took it to another level. A guy doesn’t forget something like that.”

“He’s never mentioned it. And he’s never pursued me after it happened.”

“Because you basically told him it never happened. And you blamed it on the alcohol. You made it quite clear you were not interested in him. And as I’ve taught him, when a woman wants to be left alone, leave her alone. If anything is to ever happen between you two, well, the ball’s in your court, Rory. You would have to be the one to make a move. But I tell ya, I’ve pretty much got him fixed and well-trained. The girl who ends up with Will Prescott will have quite a catch.”