Page 116 of Voyeur

“Can you put your phone away?” Honor asked.

“Huh?”

“Silver, I’m working, and you’re here with me. Would you mind putting your phone away and trying not to look so bored?”

“Can you give me something to do? I didn’t realize I’d just have to sit here.”

“Sorry, babe; I don’t know what to give you. I have a checklist as long as my arm.”

“Give me something on that.”

“You wouldn’t be able to help; you don’t have the whole plan.”

“You can give me that, too.” Silver slipped her phone inside the inner pocket of her jacket.

“I don’t have time. I’m sorry. Maybe you should’ve just come in later. I wasn’t thinking. I just wanted to see you as soon as possible.”

“I’ll stay off my phone and… walk around.”

“Thank you, babe. I’ll make this up to you, I promise.”

Silver wiggled her eyebrows at her.

“Silver!” Honor laughed as she walked off, but Silver could tell there was nervousness in those eyes she loved so much now.

When the party began in earnest, Silver’s role wasn’t one she was all that practiced with, but she took it very seriously. Normally, at parties like this, she was the one who did the schmoozing and tried asking for money or an artist or piece for a show. This time, she was Honor’s arm candy. And while she didn’t mind that role at all, it was also new, so she wasn’t sure how she was doing, wanting to make sure she did everything right for Honor.

“Mr.Andrews, it’s nice to see you again,” Honor said.

‘So, this is the great white whale,’ Silver thought to herself as she placed her hand on the small of Honor’s back and stood proudly next to her, holding a glass of champagne and taking a sip as if she’d done this with Honor a million times before.

“Well, it’s nice to see you, Miss Wrenley,” he said in that tone that told Silver he hadn’t been born with money, didn’t feel like he fully fit in, and had a practiced fake tone with people at the ready.

“You as well,” Honor replied. “I’d like to introduce you to my girlfriend, Silver Kincade.”

“Silver?” he asked. “That’s an interesting name.”

“It is, yes,” she said and took the hand he held out for her to shake. “It’s nice to meet you, Mr.Andrews.”

“Victor, please. Mr.Andrews was my father.” He laughed a deep belly laugh as if he hadn’t made that same joke ten times already tonight. “So, what do you do, Miss Kincade?”

“I’m an art director at a collective downtown. I’m in charge of bringing in the artists and running the shows.”

“Well, that’s a great job if you’re an art fan like me.”

Silver wondered if he had ‘the dogs playing poker’ painting on his wall above his own poker table and considered that art. He looked like the type, and Silver was very good at reading people. It was how she and Honor were together right now, in fact.

“Who’s your artist?” she asked, testing her theory.

“I don’t have just one,” he said. “I like them all.”

“All of them? Well, I can understand that.” She really couldn’t.

Silver slipped her hand into Honor’s, trying to let her know that she was there for her right now for whatever the woman needed. Honor pulled her hand away, but only to gesticulate toward the room since her other hand held her own champagne.

“What do you think? Quite the party this year.”

“Yes, indeed.” He nodded and looked around then. “Excellent turn out as well.”