Paul confronts Daisy with a secret

Daisy headed toward the bar. If she was going to dance at five in the afternoon, she knew she needed some liquid courage. The guys from the office were still lurking around over there, and that girl was still hanging off of Paul's neck, though it looked like they'd come to some kind of agreement already. The other boys cheered when she walked up to where the bartender was waiting for her.

"I got this one," said Terry, who was known both for being the biggest flirt in the office and the least charming one. He still got laid decently often, since his dad was one of the partners. Not Mr. Johnson, thankfully. Terry tossed the bartender a twenty and the bartender waited for her order.

"Whiskey sour!" she shouted over the music. She wasn't about to acknowledge Terry's gift, no matter whose kid he was.

That was how it went for the next little while. She was paired up with Paul's beau as the only other woman in the group. The girl was named Lisa, and she worked for one of their affiliates in Montreal. She was in town for some networking. That was exactly what she was going to get from Paul, Daisy thought. A good hard networking.

The guys paid for their drinks so long as the girls were cuddled up close to each other. Daisy didn't mind. There was strength in numbers, especially where guys like Terry were concerned.

After about a half hour Paul seemed to remember something and looked to Daisy. "I forgot, can I talk to you about something? It's about Pelly," he said.

"Don't stay away too long, babe," Lisa said as she batted her eyelids. Daisy's heart fluttered and she wondered which one of them the girl was talking to. Daisy and Paul got up to find a quiet(er) spot near the bathrooms.

"I'm not on the Pelly file!" Daisy shouted to make herself heard.

Paul leaned in close. That way he could talk into her ear without raising his voice. "I know," he said. "That's the problem. How come you're making ninety-two K when you aren't on any important files?" he asked.

She froze.