The two women who usually gave me attitude at work, Rachel and Lianne, were now leaning into each other and whispering while staring at me. They also let out the occasional snicker. Ugh. Whatever.
The guys were worse. A few of them kept making passive-aggressive remarks and jokey comments that weren’t actually funny. They seemed to find themselves hilarious, though. Well, at least someone was laughing. The worst offenders had gone to the bar to flirt with some random strangers, and I sure hoped they stayed there.
Hanna adjusted her cleavage. “I don’t think it’s a coincidence that the ones being rude are either guys you turned down or women that Dane turned down. They’re just bitter. And jealous. And having an ego-related crisis because they were rejected in favor of someone else.”
“Hmm-mmm.” I shifted slightly, making the red leather cushion beneath me squeak a little. The sofa was long and stylish, much like many of the others that lined the walls of the bar. Not comfier than the furniture at Dane’s place, though. Speaking of which … “When are you finally going to get over your aversion to my house? Every time Ashley and I try and plan for the three of us to have a girls’ night there, you put us off.”
“I don’t have an aversion to your house. I’ve told you, it would just feel weird to hang out in my boss’s home.”
“It’s my home, too.” I placed my glass on the square napkin beside the lemon wedge I’d fished out of the drink. “And it’s not like you’ll have to hang with him. He’ll make himself scarce to give us privacy.”
“I know, but … I would just find it super hard to relax there. It’s Dane’s haven. He doesn’t even like having people in his office much. I’d feel out of place. Like I shouldn’t be there. Also, I’m not really in a rush to step into the home of a psych—”
“And we’re done.”
Hanna gave a little huff. “Look, if you don’t want to see the dark side of him, that’s fine. But blinding yourself to it won’t change that it’s there.”
“People can have a dark side without also having asocial personality disorder. Now stop trying to change the subject and tell me you’re going to get over your issues to enjoy a night in with me and Ashley.”
Just then, the two obnoxious o-Verve guys who’d disappeared to the bar returned to our group. One of them, Jeff, stumbled backwards, almost knocking into a server who held a tray of colorful drinks above her head.
Laughing at himself, Jeff slumped into the chair opposite me. His eyes hardened when they met mine. “Ah, Vienna, Vienna, Vienna. You know, I really didn’t take you for a gold-digger.”
Wow, he’d really gone there. I mean, he’d been hinting at it all evening in a jokey way, but I hadn’t thought he’d actually come right out and say it.
Hanna flapped her hand in his direction. “Go away, Jeff. You’re an ugly drunk.”
He frowned. “I’m not drunk. I’m just being blunt.” He pointed his beer bottle at me. “I remember I asked you out years ago. You told me you never mix business with pleasure. I should have known you’d break that rule for a guy if he had a big enough bank balance.”
I cocked my head. “Is that what you tell yourself? Does it make you feel better to think I broke my rule for Dane purely because he’s rich, not because I thought he was worth breaking it but didn’t believe the same of you?”
Jeff’s face reddened. “I’m only saying what everyone else in the company is thinking.”
Hanna sat up straight. “I’m not thinking it.”
“Neither am I,” said one of the other guys.
“Nor me,” another man piped up.
Smirking, Jeff dragged his chair closer to the table and leaned toward me. “Don’t listen to them, Vienna. They talk smack about you when you’re not there. All the teams do.”
“If that was the case, it would say everything about them and absolutely nothing about me,” I said.
The guy beside Jeff—who’d made just as many sly remarks as him—put a hand on Jeff’s shoulder and said, “Pipe down. This isn’t worth losing your job over.”
Jeff shrugged off his friend’s hand and snorted. “Dane’s not going to fire me. He was talking about promoting me.”
“And a few words from her could make you miss out on that promotion,” his friend persisted.
Jeff made a dismissive sound. “Like she has any sway over him.” He sliced