[Ben & Rita] The stars align for you and I tonight

[intotherough]

He wasn't, strictly speaking, an industry party type, but he did okay. Marginally better than Victor, who'd done marginally better himself, since Georgios Kattalakis' princess had stepped into their little place. Zoë could gather a crowd around her like bees to honey - particularly dangerous bees with particularly deep pockets.

Business was good, he had to say that much for it all. And that wasn't all that was good lately, Ben thought as his eyes lit on a slim figure in scarlet across the room. That was another woman who could play a room like a violin. He'd thought that the first time he'd laid eyes on Ms. Rita James, lately of upstate New York. At least that's what she said, and the only reason Ben had to disbelieve was that everyone was telling some sort of lie. It put them all on even footing.

"We should get you a cocktail," he said as he came up behind her and eyed her glass of wine. It had bubbles. Fine for champagne, not so much for pinot noir, but their hosts weren't known for being wine connoisseurs, to say the least. "I'm fair certain they'd have a hard time ruining a daiquiri."

Comments

[butneverbreak]

Lies weren't the worst thing in the world. Yes, some were certainly worse than others, but overall, they did seem to keep everyone happy. To keep lots of people in this delicate line of work safe.

So her Mandarin and Cantonese both come off with a Portuguese accent. It's not hurting anyone. And really, to this day, her English has the edge of a New York accent to it. That's not hurting anyone either.

Benjamin Mackinnon might well be hurting someone, but that's not something she has to know, is it.

"They tend to use lime rum here. It's a bit overwhelming." It's an easy thing to sigh about as she lifts her cheek expectantly in his direction. "Besides, wine makes me look classier than rum, doesn't it?"

[intotherough]

"Darling, the day you dinna look classy is the day I'll be expecting Godzilla to come over for a holiday from Japan." He'll be sticking with his scotch, at any rate, which he may have brought himself.

It's a light kiss he presses to her cheek before he offers her his arm. It's a wonder how anyone could think someone with such manners could ever be doing something bad, really. When his mama raised him up so well. "What brings you to this little...thing?" He asks, giving her a half-smile. "I was shanghaied into providing moral support."

[butneverbreak]

His arm is duly taken, fingers squeezing comfortably around his wrist just a moment. There's something to be said for having a habitual arm to be on again, really. Particularly such a polite one.

"Moral support? How in the world can you be doing that if you're here flirting terribly with me?"

Actually answering questions the first time around? Who does that?

[intotherough]

No one of their acquaintance, that's for certain. Ben hasn't gotten a straight answer out of someone since he finished university. "I think Victor'll be alright," he says lazily, tipping his head in the direction of the tall Irishman leaning against a pillar. "We've a signal system, you see, when people start to become annoying."

Admittedly, said signal system was the well-known and occasionally loved There Will Be Death Victor Fox expression

"Am I really flirting terribly? I'll have to do better."

[butneverbreak]

To be fair, most people in their line of business connections had had a predilection for half-truths and misdirections since long before entering the actual work. It just attracted a certain personality type.

And skill set.

There's a bright flash of white teeth for Victor, of course, because that's the polite thing to do when glancing off-hand at someone across the room. "You've certainly done better in the past. Perhaps you've just set the bar too high for yourself, doll."

HA A TAG. I only fail a little bit.

[intotherough]

"It's a problem," Ben admits. He doesn't smile at Victor, in part because Victor seems to think that's the first sign that Ben has a Plan, and Ben with a Plan is sometimes but not always an incredible thing. It's the not always part that tends to worry people.

"I suppose I'll just have to put my mind to achieving my previous heighs," he says. "Or beyond. Do you think that's too much to hope for?"

/flies into arms again

[butneverbreak]

"Beyond? Really?"

She has to lean away slightly to give him an appraising look, but it means leaning back all the closer, cheek briefly comfortable against his shoulder.

"It's dangerous, but that's always attractive in a man."