The door to Ted’s office was flung open. He was on the phone wearing a headset, his back facing her. While he was talking, his hand brushed across his black hair. Ted wore a French-cuffed shirt the color of a pale blue hydrangea, a darker blue woven silk necktie, navy silk braces, and gold love-knot cuff links that Ella had given him for Christmas.
Ted was aware that Casey was standing at his door. He could see her reflection on the glass covering the elongated engraving of the Brooklyn Bridge. Not bothering to turn around, he motioned for her to come in. Then he drew his pointer finger across his neck to indicate that the call was soon ending.
Casey kept a respectable distance from his desk. Only after he glanced at one of the pair of empty chairs did she sit. Ted liked obedience, and she would not deny him this pleasure.
Ted pressed a button, turning off his phone.
“So, you made it.” In her suit, she looked like anyone he’d gone to college or B school with. Her bruises had healed nicely, or she’d covered them up well. She wore lipstick—a shade between cinnamon and claret. He liked it. There was an expression the cannery boys used for girls with talent you didn’t marry: worth fucking for practice.
Casey ignored his once-over and asked him demurely, “Shall we go now?”
“Coffee?” he asked.
“Thanks, but I thought we should get to the interview.”
“It’s actually in fifteen minutes. I only said ten o’clock because I didn’t know if you were an on-time kind of person. Can’t have you making me look bad.” He smiled. His teeth were straight and even, but the lower half was stained lightly with nicotine.
“Thanks. Truly.”
“Want to look up your friend?”
She acted as though she didn’t understand.
Ted stuck out his left hand. “His office is just down the hall.”
“Hmm.” She nodded. There was a gorgeous color photograph of Ella tucked in a round silver frame. Her expression was wise and maternal, even though she couldn’t have been more than nineteen or twenty at the time. Beside it was a black picture frame and, beneath the glass, a white envelope with “Teddy” scrawled on it in thick pencil like the writing of a child. When Ted caught her looking at the mounted envelope from his father, he turned it away from her sight.
“Just say a quick hello.” Ted raised his left hand in a seemingly careless gesture. “Go on. I don’t mind.”
“I’m fine right here,” she said.
“You sure?” Ted asked. “We could surprise him. Or I could phone him and ask him to swing by my office. I can make people do that.”
“I bet you can.”
“You think I’m an asshole.”
“On occasion. Absolutely.”
Ted laughed out loud. It was the first time he liked her.
“Jay Currie is not here today. He’s down in Austin assisting with a roll-up.”
“I was told that you did not work with Jay.” It hurt to say his name. But on hearing that he wasn’t there, Casey was at once relieved and disappointed.
“I haven’t had the pleasure. Yet. But I did check him out.”
“I’m flattered by your interest,” Casey said, her voice even. “Are you done?”
“Funny. I’d never noticed him, and I’d been in that room dozens of times. Figures.”
Casey exhaled through her nostrils, then held out for his verdict.
“Standard-issue white guy who dates Asian girls. Everything pale, generic looking. Not much personality there. Hmm. Heard he’s some kind of stud due to some recent twin babe exploit.” Ted coughed, amused with himself. “I am a little disappointed in you, Casey. I had you figured for the alpha type.”
Casey looked at her watch and got up from her seat. “No, Ted. Ella likes the A types.”
“You mean type A.”
“No, I don’t.”
Ted laughed with pleasure. This was fun.
“Now, are you done?” she asked. His comments stung her, but she priced this mocking as payment for the favor. He was the sort of Korean guy who was angry about Korean girls dating white guys. She wanted to argue, however: But it wasn’t as if you or your buddies were ever asking me out. Should I have just stayed home? To a Ted, she was too tall, too plain, and too much of a talker. Her family had no money. He had made his view of her clear. He believed that her present circumstances were justly deserved.
Ted grinned at her angry face. She was kind of sexy when she half pouted like that. He felt a little sorry for her.