CH 2

What Daniel didn't realize was that after a completely lousy night, and a very unusual morning, his day was about to get even weirder.

He sat at the booth, holding up his hand to the waitress to order "Scotch...on the rocks, please. What are you drinking, Gio?"

Gio shrugged, "Well usually I'd say beer, but...what the hell, I'll have what he's having. Thanks, sweetheart."

Daniel laughed, as he watched Gio smile at the waitress and ogle her backside as she went to get their drinks.

He leaned down, "So...you like Betty, huh? When did this happen? Wait a minute, you're the guy who pretended to be her boyfriend before at Wicked, aren't you? That is before she...took off and chased Egg Salad down. You were...kind of obvious. Trying that arm around her thing…"

"Man, you really were watching her awfully close. As I recall, you were busy putting the moves on the older chick at the time. What do you care if I WAS putting my arm around her? At least I wasn't making out with her onstage like Eggy!"

Daniel smiled as the waitress returned quickly with their drinks and lifted up his glass in a toast, "To no more Egg Salad!"

Gio nodded, as he clinked his glass against Daniel's, "Hell, yeah!"

"So..what did you have in mind to get rid of him?"

Gio shrugged, "What do you mean, get rid of him? He's leaving in a few months, to go live with his kid and baby mama. So what's the point? I think I just have to ride it out, right?"

Daniel made a face, "Ride it out? Are you serious? I thought you were like me and couldn't stand the guy? I mean, if he's supposedly Betty's boyfriend, where was he last night, when she was in danger?"

Gio looked at him in surprise, "Well, forgive me if I'm wrong, but from what you told me, that whole fiasco was sort of…"

"My fault? Yeah...actually, you're right. It was totally on me about Renee last night. I guess he couldn't have known Betty was going to put herself in harm's way at my place."

"Yeah, I don't really understand why she did that! If she and Christina knew how dangerous this Renee was, why in the hell did she go to your place, and confront her like that?'

"I don't know either. Betty always thinks the best of people. She probably didn't believe Renee was that bad. I don't know that we should just wait for Egg Salad to decide when or even IF he's leaving, do you? What if he changes his mind?

He's already done that once, and come back. I don't trust the guy any further than I could throw him. And he's supposedly ripped underneath all that...nerdiness!"

Gio raised his eyebrows, "Really? Great! The guy's tall AND ripped? Not to mention smart?" he shook his head, "Shit!"

Daniel put his hand on Gio's shoulder, "But Betty likes you, too. That's why I fired you before. She was so annoyed with you...it was kind of cute. I think you really get under her skin. She talks about you a lot."

"Really? Thanks, but...if she talks about me so much...how come you didn't even know who I was, then?"

Daniel shrugged, "I'm just like that. I'm a little… self-involved sometimes, I guess. I don't mean to be. I'm working on it. Thanks to Betty."

"Yeah, I can definitely see that. I suppose I would be, too, if I was the "Bachelor-of-the-year in New York City! Props, dude! You're kind of a dog! Must be nice!"

Daniel grinned, looking slightly embarrassed, as he tried to seem modest, "Yeah, but...it's not all it's cracked up to be, really. They're all kind of...well, boring!

Just once, I'd like to actually meet a nice girl I could have a conversation with and enjoy an evening with, and laugh and talk, without it being all about them and their hair or their clothes or how hot do I think they are, or...blah, blah, blah! It's like I have nothing to say to them, so we...jump into bed to avoid having a simple conversation!"

Gio took out his "tiniest violin" and rolled his eyes, "Wah! Wah! Poor baby! You're sleeping with models and actresses, dude! Suck it up! Or…"

Daniel put his hand up, dismissively, "Yeah, yeah, I get it! I know. That's what I used to think, too. But after a while, it's like...a roller coaster, if you'll pardon the pun. They're all over the place with their emotions and you never know what to say or what is going to set them off, being pissed at you for no reason.

I've spent so much damn money at Tiffany's buying I'm sorry jewelry that I'm on a first name basis with the guy who works there!

And half the time, I don't even know what the hell I'm supposed to be sorry for! Not to mention, Betty got me buying flowers for them, ever since she got my underwear thrown at her head that time looking for my watch!"

"Excuse me? Enlighten me...how did Betty get YOUR underwear thrown at her head?"

"Well...her antennae, actually. It was when she dressed up as a cute little butterfly for Halloween that time. And stupid Marc dressed up as Betty! He's such a idiot sometimes!"

"Details, please. Betty was a cute butterfly, huh? How did Egg boy get involved in this one?"

Daniel thought for a moment, "It was their first official date. He took her out for lunch to have sushi, which she hated. But that day, I couldn't remember where I had left my watch, so I asked Betty to go look for it. At...well, a list I gave her of possible places."

"All women you slept with and wanted to forget about?"

"Yeah. Exactly! And poor Betty got….yelled at and one chick threw my boxers at her antennae! Betty never let me live it down! She yelled at me and told me to start sending them flowers.

She got my watch back, but yelled at me some more and told me to be more responsible about who I was sleeping with and that if I thought I wasn't hurting these women I was wrong...you know. The same old stuff…anyway, now when she gives me "that look", the one I know means she disapproves of my "bad boy" behavior, I call it her "judgy all-knowing butterfly" look!"

"I see! Man, are you sure you don't want to trade places, just for one month? Actually, make that a week. I'd have to pace myself or I'd put myself in the hospital!"

Daniel laughed, feeling slightly better, just getting out of his own head and talking to someone. He could see why Betty liked this guy. He was funny. And smart. He liked his smart-alec and self-depreciating sense of humor. He wouldn't MIND so much if Betty dated Gio. But Henry? Why THAT guy?

Daniel put his hand on Gio's shoulder, "You know. Betty would be so much better off with a guy like you, Gio. You're normal. Henry is...no good for her! He's just going to break her heart again.

She doesn't need that! I mean, she said something the other day about throwing a damn baby shower for that skanky ex of his! Who does that? It's nuts!"

Gio laughed, "Nuts? I thought that was the taboo word of the day? I see...you get to break your own rules, eh, Prince Charming?"

Daniel rolled his eyes, trying not to laugh, "Don't call me that! Jesus! My friend Becks calls me that!"

"You have friends? Is he rich, too?"

"Sort of. He's a photo-journalist. He comes sniffing around Mode every year for Fashion Week. We have this stupid bet to see who can get the hottest girl there. What a nightmare that was this year, though!"

After another hour of Daniel filling Gio in on the events leading up to Alexis' coming out and the behind the scenes details of the headlines surrounding that day, and they were both beginning to feel the effects of the expensive Scotch they had been drinking as they talked.

But what Daniel wasn't thinking about was Renee. He found himself telling Gio one story after another about Betty.

All of which made him feel better much about losing Renee. And better about losing Betty to Gio. Well, not losing Betty, really. She wasn't his to lose. Whatever. He was a little drunk to think straight.

Anyway, he liked Gio. He was a good guy. He would take good care of Betty. Daniel decided he was going to help the guy get Betty to look at him, and forget all about Egg Salad! He really hated that guy!

They both rose...after a few unsuccessful tries and steadied each other as they walked out of the bar. Daniel squinted, as he looked at his cell phone, and ended up calling Betty, "Hey, can we get my car, please? We need to go home!"

"Daniel? Why do you sound drunk? Who's we? Who are you with?"

"Betty? Is that you? Why are you answering my phone? I was calling my driver. None of your business. You're with Egg salad, anyway. Why do you care who I'm with. It's none of your beeswax!"

"Daniel! What the heck...wait, did you just call Henry Egg Salad? Are you with Gio? Why? And why are you drinking in the middle of the day? Are you still upset about Renee?"

Daniel made a face at the phone and handed it to Gio, "Here, you talk to her, lover boy. She's all yours. She's yelling at me for getting drunk with you. I don't think she likes us calling Eggy Egg Salad or something!"

Gio looked pained and slightly panic-stricken as he looked down at Daniel's phone as if it were a snake at first, but steeled himself after he gave Daniel a dirty look for throwing him under the bus with Betty, "Why are you getting me involved? Oh...uh...hey, Betty! How's it going? I just was talking to your boy Danny here, trying to cheer him up after that whole crazy Renee disaster last night, that's all! How are you, by the way?

Jesus, you could have gotten yourself killed you know! What the hell were you doing running over to Daniel's place with that psycho killer pyro there, huh? I have half a mind to take you over my knee and spank you for being so stupid, sweetie! I mean...Betty. Sorry, are you with HIM?"

He held the phone away from his ear and looked at Daniel, squinting, and handed it back to him, "Here, I think she's pissed at me. She's your assistant! I'm going back to work, after I throw up. Some of us have to earn a living! It was nice getting drunk with you, Danny boy! Talk at you later!"

Daniel looked at his phone hesitantly, as his driver pulled up, and held it by the edges as if he was afraid to hold it. He gingerly spoke into it as he held up his hand for Gio to wait, then signaled his driver to do the same, "Hang on a minute, Betty. You can yell at me in a….um...minute.

Hey, Gio, wait! Are you sure you don't need a ride back to work at least? Thanks for the company. You're right. I'm not even so upset about crazy Renee anymore. I'm just mad at Egg Salad for hurting Betty all the time. So...do you want my help?"

Gio smiled, and shrugged, "Sure...sounds good. Thanks for the ride, but...it's not that far. I think maybe I should walk back to my place first, and take a shower, it'll help sober me up before I get back to work. I'll see you around. We'll talk again about...strategy. Glad I could help out a fellow dog….be nice to Betty. Tell her I'm sorry."

"What for?"

"Who knows? Doesn't matter. I find it's just always best to say you're sorry when you're talking to a beautiful woman. You just know you did something to piss them off. Whether you realize it or not. They like it when you apologize. I'm reading this book right now. It's pretty good."

"Okay. See you around. Oh, by the way, it's not Daniel it's Danny! I mean...you know, the other way...you know, never mind. We'll talk later. Bye!"

He looked at the phone and smiled, "Hey, sweetie. I mean Betty. How's it hanging? I mean how's Egg Salad...I mean...you know, Eggy boy!"

"Oh my God! Not you, too! Daniel, why in the world are you getting drunk in the middle of the day with Gio of all people? You two have nothing in common! And now, he's got you calling Henry…"

Daniel grinned, nodding, as he climbed into the back seat of his car, "Yep! Mr. Egg Salad...hold the mayo, please!"