Enigmatic: Sapphire City Supers

Chapter 17: Not Another Night at the Museum

"Remind me again why you're having a literary agency event at a museum?" Lexa asked as she rifled through her makeup bag. It had been a week since I'd told Enigma about myself, and I'd only seen him a couple of times. We did pretend as though nothing had happened, or at least I did since I still didn't know if he'd felt the same way. He certainly hadn't come so close to me again.

I shrugged in response to Lexa. "Because it's a cultural hub of the city? It's a networking event with Tristan's marketing firm and Ewan will be the museum's host so at least I won't be sticking to Grace like glue the whole time."

She tapped my nose with the handle of her makeup brush. "Don't move your shoulders like that unless you want a random streak across your face. Man, this friend group really has a stranglehold on arts and media, don't we?"

I grinned guiltily up at her. "Sorry, I'll keep still. Thanks again for making me pretty! And yes, yes we do. Birds of a feather, right?"

"I think we both know you're already pretty, goober. I'm just adding decoration, which, you're right, I am damn good at." She grinned back as she inspected her handiwork. She'd also brought me over an amazing dress to wear since this was a black tie event and fashion was her livelihood.

"Well, I only seek out the best, of course," I said loftily.

"Okay, let's see you in the dress, my beauty. I think you'll need help getting it done up at the back."

She was right; it was high in the back sheer fabric covered in a delicate lace pattern, with a hidden zipper. It was also a bit hard to move freely in, but it definitely looked great on.

Lexa clapped her hands in delight. "Yup, that's the good stuff, my friend."

"I would hug you tightly but I don't think I can..." I laughed. "How on earth am I going to get myself out of this later?"

"Well, dahling, never fear because I have that all sorted already. What you're going to do is bring a change of clothes in a bag and tuck it away somewhere, maybe behind the front desk. Then when the night is finished you can get Grace to help you change in the bathrooms and voila, you go home in comfy clothes! It pays to hire a professional, you know." She looked triumphant.

"Ah, beauty and brains!" I exclaimed reverently.

"Well, you're lucky I'm not making you wear a sign advertising me to those marketing sharks." She looked thoughtful, "although ... do you have a sandwich board kicking around anywhere?"

"Shockingly, I do not. How about I just rave about you to anyone who'll listen?"

"Okay but don't be weird about it, I don't want to scare them away," she peered at me suspiciously.

"I am extremely offended that you would ever think I could be weird," I huffed with faux outrage.

"I would never," she said sarcastically.

"Seriously, though, you should talk to Tris if you want to work on a marketing campaign for your firm. He'd definitely mix something up for you."

Lexa gave me a sly look. "He'd definitely do it for you, sure."

I glared at her. "He'd do it for you too, don't be silly. It's not like that anymore, as if it ever was."

Shaking her head, she chuckled. "What a dumbass teenager he was."

That made me smile. "Amen, sister. But it was probably for the best. Now we get to be friends without any awkwardness." Then I thought about his recent attempts to shmooze with me. "Well, only a little awkwardness."