the time I got back. They hadn’t, and they continued peppering me with questions I had no answers to until it was time to clock out.
“Wanna come to Martin’s with us?” Norma asked. “Two-for-one oysters and a bartender who pours us doubles ’cause he has a thing for Judy. And seeing how you say you’re still single, you probably won’t have Valentine’s Day plans, right?”
“I can’t,” I said. “I do have plans, but not a date. Not anything like that.”
“Uh-huh,” Norma said.
* * *
—
I was furious at Teddy for putting me in the typing pool’s crosshairs. Why had he done it? What was he getting at? I made up my mind to ask as soon as I saw him, but lost my nerve when he greeted me with a glass of whiskey and a toast to a job well done at the Mayflower.
“You did good, kid,” he said, clinking my glass. “There are a few things we need to work on, but you did a damn fine job. Anderson’s pleased. We think you’ll be ready for the field soon, for a real mission coming down the pipeline.”
“Got it,” I said, knowing not to ask for details but not knowing what else to say. “And thank you.” I could tell Teddy wasn’t sure if I was thanking him for his compliment or for the white rose. An awkward pause opened between us.
“By the way, you didn’t say anything,” Teddy said, breaking the silence.
“About?” I asked dumbly.
“The rose.”
“The typing pool was quite enthralled.”
“But you weren’t?”
“I don’t…I don’t really like being the center of attention.”
Teddy laughed. “The talent you were hired for,” he said. “But really. Sorry about that. People here latch on to a rumor like a dog to a mailman.”
“A dog?”
“I mean, I’m sorry. I thought it would be nice.”
“It was nice…it’s just that…do we want people knowing we know each other?”
He scratched his chin and leaned forward. “Maybe it could work as a cover. If people think we’re dating, they won’t suspect anything out of the ordinary if they see us together. Nothing serious—no harm done, right? Unless you have a real boyfriend who might get upset?”
“I don’t have a boyfriend, but—”
“Perfect,” he said. “Wanna start now? We could get a drink at Martin’s. Don’t they all congregate there?”
“I don’t know.”
Teddy held up the now empty glass. “Let’s just stop by for a minute.”
“Isn’t that the kind of thing that’s frowned upon in the workplace?”
“Pardon my French, but half the Agency wouldn’t get laid if we didn’t date each other. Besides, we’re not really dating, are we?”
* * *
—
Teddy took my hand as we crossed the threshold into Martin’s. The bar was crowded with K Street lobbyists—Teddy said you could pick them out by their finer suits and shoes so new they still squeaked on the waxed floor. They took up real estate at the bar while their poorly dressed government counterparts occupied the tables. Law interns mingled at the buffet, loading up on oysters. And the typing pool was still there, sitting at a booth to the left of the bar.
“How ’bout we sit there?” I asked, pointing at a two-top across the room.
“Let’s grab a drink at the bar first.”
“They have waitresses, I think.”
“This’ll be quicker.” We squeezed ourselves in and Teddy signaled for the bartender to bring us two whiskeys. He paid and held up his glass. “To new friends,” he said. And just as we clinked, I felt a tap on my shoulder.
“Irina,” Norma said. “You finally made it to Martin’s. Come on over and join us.” She looked at Teddy. “You, too, Teddy.”
“It was a last-minute sorta thing,” Teddy said. “We have dinner reservations at Rive Gauche. Just stopped in for a drink.”
“Rive Gauche? How’d you land that on Valentine’s?”
“Friend owed me a favor.”
“Why don’t you join us for your drink? There’s plenty of room at our table.”
We looked over at the table and the girls looked away. “Sure,” I said. “Why not?”
“Look who the cat dragged in,” Norma said, escorting us to the booth. The girls scooted around to make room. I took a seat, but Teddy remained standing. “Excuse me for a moment, ladies.” We watched as he went to the jukebox and started feeding it change.
Judy elbowed me. “Nothing going on with you two, huh?”
Norma gave Judy a told-you-so look. “White rose on the desk in the morning? Rive Gauche at night?”
“Rive Gauche?” Kathy said. “Fancy.”
Teddy returned just as the jukebox clicked on a record. He took his jacket