Lauren Weisberger 5-Book Collection: The Devil Wears Prada, Revenge Wears Prada, Everyone Worth Know (36 page)

‘Andy, can we go to Benihana? I've been craving it forever.' She looked sheepish.

‘Benihana? You want to go to
Benihana
? Like, the chain restaurant where they seat you with tourists who have lots of whining children and unemployed Asian actors cook the food right on your table?
That
Benihana?'

She was nodding so enthusiastically, I had no choice but to call for the address.

‘No, no, I have it right here. Fifty-sixth between Fifth and Sixth, north side of the street,' she called to the driver.

My weirdly excited friend didn't seem to notice that I was staring. Instead, she chatted happily about Freudian Boy, aptly named because he was in his last year of a Ph.D. program in psychology. They'd met in the graduate student lounge in the basement of Low Library. I got the full rundown on all of his qualifications: twenty-nine years old (‘So much more mature, but not at all too old'), originally from Montreal (‘Such a cute French accent, but like, totally Americanized'), longish hair (‘But not freaky ponytail long'), and just the right amount of stubble (‘He looks just like Antonio Banderas when he doesn't shave for three days').

The samurai chef-actors did their thing, slicing and dicing and flipping cubes of meat all over the place while Lily laughed and clapped her hands like a little girl at her first circus. Although it seemed impossible to believe that Lily actually liked a guy, it appeared to be the only logical explanation for her obvious elation. Even more impossible to believe was her claim that she hadn't slept with him yet (‘Two and a half full weeks of hanging out constantly at school and nothing! Aren't you proud of me?'). When I asked why I hadn't seen him around the apartment at all, she'd smiled proudly and said, ‘He hasn't been invited over to the apartment yet. We're taking things slow.' We were standing directly outside the restaurant as she regaled me with all the funny stories he'd told her when Christian Collinsworth appeared in front of me.

‘Andrea. The lovely Andrea. I have to say, I'm rather surprised to discover that you're a fan of Benihana … What would Miranda think?' he asked teasingly, sliding his arm around my shoulder.

‘I, uh, well …' The stammering was immediately all-consuming. There was no room for words when the thoughts were bouncing off each side of my head, pinging between my ears.
Eating at Benihana. Christian knows it! Miranda at Benihana! Looks so adorable in leather bomber jacket! Must be able to smell the Benihana on me! Don't kiss him on the cheek! Kiss him on the cheek!
‘Well, it's not that, uh, that …'

‘We were actually just discussing where we would be going next,' Lily stated crisply, extending her hand to Christian, who, it finally occurred to me, was alone. ‘We must've gotten so caught up that we didn't even realize we'd stopped in the middle of the street! Hah, hah! How do you like that, Andy? My name's Lily,' she said to Christian, who shook her hand and then pushed a curl away from his eye, just like he'd done so many times at the party. Once again I had an odd feeling that I could be entranced for hours, maybe days, just watching him push that single, adorable curl away from his perfect face.

I stared at her and at him and became vaguely aware that I had to say something, but the two of them seemed to be holding up just fine on their own.

‘
Lily
,' Christian rolled the name around on his tongue. ‘Lily. Great name. Almost as great as
Andrea
.' I had the presence of mind to at least look at them, and I noticed that Lily was beaming. She was thinking to herself that this guy was not only older and hot, but he was also charming. I could see the wheels turning, weighing whether I was interested in him, if I'd actually do anything because of Alex, and, if so, if there was anything she could do to expedite it. She adored Alex because, really, how could you not, but she refused to understand how two people so young could spend so much time together – or, at least, that's what she claimed, although I knew that it was only the monogamy part that really blew her away. If there was a speck of a chance of some drama between Christian and me, then Lily would die fanning the fire.

‘Lily, it's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Christian, a friend of Andrea's. Do you always stop in front of Benihana to talk?' His smile actually prompted a shooting-sinking feeling in my stomach.

Lily threw back her own brown curls with the back of her hand and said, ‘Well of course not, Christian! We just had dinner at Town and were trying to figure out a good place to get a drink. Any suggestions?'

Town! It was one of the hottest and most expensive restaurants in the city. Miranda went there. Jessica and her fiancé went there. Emily talked obsessively about wanting to go there. But Lily?

‘Well, that's weird,' Christian said, obviously buying the whole thing. ‘I just came from a dinner with my agent there. Strange that I didn't see you two …'

‘We were all the way in the back, kind of tucked behind the bar,' I said quickly, regaining a modicum of composure. Thankfully I'd paid attention when Emily had made me look at the tiny picture of the restaurant's bar listed on citysearch.com when she was trying to decide if it was a good date place.

‘Mmm.' He nodded, looking a little distracted and cuter than ever. ‘So, you girls are on your way to get a drink?'

I felt an overwhelming need to shower the Benihana stink from my clothes and hair, but Lily wasn't giving me a chance. I briefly wondered if it was as obvious to Christian as it was to me that I was being whored out, but he was hot and she was determined, so I kept my mouth shut.

‘Yep, we were just discussing where to go. Any suggestions? We'd both just love for you to join us,' Lily declared, tugging on his arm playfully. ‘What's around here that you like?'

‘Well, midtown isn't exactly known for its bar scene, but I'm meeting my agent at Au Bar if you girls would like to come along. He just ran back to the office to pick up a few papers, but he should be there in a little. Andy, maybe you'd like to meet him – you never know when you're going to need an agent. So, Au Bar, how about it?'

Lily was peering at me with an encouraging look, one that screamed,
He's beautiful, Andy! Beautiful! I may not know who the hell he is, but he wants you so pull yourself together and tell him how much you love Au Bar!

‘I love Au Bar,' I said somewhat convincingly, even though I'd never been. ‘I think it's perfect.'

Lily smiled and Christian smiled and together we set off for Au Bar. Christian Collinsworth and I were going to get a drink together. Did this qualify as a date?
Of course not, don't be ridiculous
, I berated myself.
Alex, Alex, Alex
, I silently chanted, both determined to remember that I had a very loving boyfriend and disappointed with myself for having to force myself to remember that I had a very loving boyfriend.

Even though it was a random Thursday night, the velvet rope police were out in full force, and, while they had no problem letting the three of us in, no one was offering reduced admission of any sort: twenty bucks just to get in the door.

But before I could hand over my cash, Christian deftly peeled three twenties from a huge wad he pulled from his pocket and handed them over without a word.

I tried to protest, but Christian put two fingers to my lips. ‘Darling Andy, don't worry your pretty little head about it.' And before I could move my mouth out from underneath his touch, he reached his other hand behind my head and took my face in both hands. Somewhere deep in the recesses of my completely addled brain, the firing synapses were warning me that he was going to kiss me. I knew it, sensed it, but couldn't move. He took my split-second hesitation to move away as permission, leaned over, and touched his lips to my neck. Just quickly, a brush, really, with perhaps a little tongue, right underneath my jaw and near my ear but still firmly on the neck, and then he reached for my hand and pulled me inside.

‘Christian, wait! I, uh, I need to tell you something,' I started, not quite sure whether one uninvited, nonlip, minimal-tongue kiss really demanded a whole long explanation of having a boyfriend and not meaning to send the wrong signals. Apparently Christian didn't think it was necessary, because he had walked me to a couch in a dark corner and ordered me to sit. Which I did.

‘I'm getting us drinks, OK? Don't worry so much. I don't bite.' He laughed, and I felt myself turn red. ‘Or, if I do, I promise you'll enjoy it.' And he turned and walked toward the bar.

To keep from passing out or having to actually consider what had just transpired, I scanned the dark, cavernous room for Lily. We'd been there less than three minutes, but she was already deep in conversation with a tall black guy, hanging on his every word and throwing her head back with delight. I weaved through the throngs of international drinkers. How did they all know that this was the place to come if you didn't have an American passport? I passed a group of men in their thirties shouting in what I think was Japanese, two women flapping their hands and talking passionately in Arabic, and a young, unhappy-looking couple glaring at each other and whispering angrily in something that sounded like Spanish but could have been Portuguese. Lily's guy had his hand on the small of her back already and was looking utterly charmed. No time for niceties, I decided. Christian Collinsworth had just massaged my neck with his mouth. Ignoring the guy, I clamped my hand down on her right arm and turned to drag her back to the couch.

‘Andy! Stop it,' she hissed, pulling her arm free but remembering to smile for her guy. ‘You're being rude. I'd like to introduce you to my friend. William, this is my best friend, Andrea, who doesn't usually act like this. Andy, this is William.' She smiled benevolently as we shook hands.

‘So, may I ask why you're stealing your friend from me, Ahn-dre-ah?' William asked in a deep voice that almost echoed in the subterranean space. Perhaps in another place or at another time or with another person I would've noticed his warm smile or the chivalrous way he'd immediately stood and offered his seat when I approached, but the only thing I could focus on was that British accent. Didn't matter that this was a man, a large black man, who didn't exactly resemble Miranda Priestly in any way, shape, or form. Just hearing that accent, the way he pronounced my name
just like she did
, was enough to literally make my heart beat a little faster.

‘William, I'm sorry, it's nothing personal. It's just that I have a little problem and I'd like to talk to Lily in private. I'll bring her right back.' And with that, I grabbed her arm more firmly this time and yanked. Enough of this shit: I needed my friend.

Once we'd settled into the couch where Christian had placed me and I checked to ensure he was still trying to get the bartender's attention (straight guy at the bar – he may be there all night), I took a deep breath.

‘Christian kissed me.'

‘So what's the problem? Was he a bad kisser? Oh, that's it, isn't it? No quicker way to ruin a good fraction than—'

‘Lily! Good, bad, what's the difference?'

Her eyebrows reached up her forehead and she opened her mouth to talk, but I kept going.

‘And not that it's at all relevant, but he kissed my neck. The problem is not how he did, it's that it happened at all in the first place. What about Alex? I don't exactly go around kissing other guys, you know.'

‘Don't I ever,' she mumbled under her breath before speaking up. ‘Andy, you're being ridiculous. You love Alex and he loves you, but it's perfectly okay if you feel like kissing another guy once in a while. You're twenty-three years old, for chrissake. Cut yourself a little slack!'

‘But I didn't kiss him … He kissed me!'

‘First of all, let's get something very clear. Remember when Monica went down on Bill and the whole country and all our parents and Ken Starr rushed to call that sex? That was not sex. In much the same way, some guy who probably means to kiss your cheek but gets your neck instead does not qualify as “kissing someone.”'

‘But—'

‘Shut up and let me finish. More important than what actually happened is that you wanted it to happen. Just admit it, Andy. You wanted to kiss Christian regardless of whether that's “wrong” or “bad” or “against the rules.” And if you don't admit it, you're lying.'

‘Lily, seriously, I don't think it's fair that—'

‘I've known you for nine years, Andy. You don't think I can see it written all over your face that you worship him? You know you shouldn't – he doesn't quite play by your rules, does he? But that's probably exactly why you like him. Just go with it, enjoy it. If Alex is right for you, he'll always be right for you. And now, you'll have to excuse me, because I have found someone who's right for me … for right now.' She literally jumped off the couch and skipped back to William, who looked undeniably happy to see her.

I felt self-conscious sitting on the oversize velvet couch alone and looked around to find Christian, but he wasn't at the bar anymore. It would just take a little more time, I decided. Everything would just sort itself out if I just stopped worrying so much. Maybe Lily was right and I did like Christian – what was so wrong with that? He's smart and undeniably gorgeous, and the whole take-charge confidence thing was incredibly sexy. Hanging out with someone who just happened to be sexy didn't exactly translate as cheating. I'm sure there had been situations over the years in which Alex had worked with or studied with or gotten to know a cool, attractive girl, and he may have had thoughts. Did that make him disloyal? Of course not. With renewed confidence (and a now-desperate attempt to see, watch, hear, just be near Christian again), I began cruising the lounge.

I found him leaning on his right hand, talking intently to an older man, probably in his late forties, who was wearing a very dapper three-piece suit. Christian was gesturing wildly, hands flailing, with a look on his face that registered somewhere between amused and supremely annoyed, while the man with salt-and-pepper hair looked at him earnestly. I was still too far away to hear what they were discussing, but I must have been staring rather intently, because the man's eyes locked on mine and he smiled. Christian pulled back a little, followed his gaze, and saw me watching them both.