I look outside, seeing the big buildings and the many lights. Penny is smiling as she looks at her phone. I see we are leaving Manhattan. Penny sees my curious face.

"You'll love the restaurant."
"Where are we going?"
"Queens."
"Really?"

Penny chuckles and turns a little to look at me. I turn my head and see her face.

"I'm born in Queens."

My eyebrows go up. I had not guessed that.

"I know, it's weird isn't it?"
"Wouldn't say weird, it's more like a surprise."
"I've never been rich, and now I'm just lucky to have Johnny in my life. I just come around with my salary in Manhattan. I was actually planning on living back in Queens."
"Do you want that?"
"Not really, but what else should I do?"
"What does Johnny says about this?"

The driver parks the car in front of a small restaurant. I look outside and it looks really cozy and romantic. The door opens and I step out. Penny follows me and smiles as she looks at the building as well. Then she looks at me, I look at her with a smile.

"It looks really nice."
"Wait until you've tasted the food."

She winks. We went to the door and Penny opens it for me. I step inside and look around, it is not really crowded, but there are quite some people inside. I can see this is a favorite place to many. Look at all those happy and smiling faces. I start to smile about that. Penny sees my face and smiles too. A waiter came to us.

"I made reservation for two, the name is Johnson."
"Welcome back, Miss Johnson, if you want to follow me."

Penny nods and we followed him to a nice table. I sit down. I watch the waiter helping Penny to sit down. I can see she gets treated like a queen here. I guess Johnny and her are coming her often to eat.

"Is Mr. Castle not with you today?"
"Oh no, he has other things to do before our demonstration."
"You both look like a lovely couple."
"We're not a couple. I told you that so many times before."
"I know, but one can wish."
"Keep dreaming."

The waiter chuckles and then looks at me with a smile. I smile back at him.

"And who is this lovely young lady?"
"I'm Frances Houseman."
"You're a friend from Miss Johnson?"
"I'm Mr. Castle's assistant."

The waiter looks at Penny who chuckles about his face. I guess he did not expected that answer.

"Can we have a bottle of that gorgeous red wine?"
"Coming right up."

He walks away and I look at Penny. She smiles as she looks at me as well.

"He seems keen on having you together with Johnny."
"I know, many people seem to do, some idolize us a little too much."
"How does that feel?"

I want to know if there is still something that could spark between them. I do not know why I want to know this, I mean, I should not try to get a relationship with my boss, though I must admit I had a super wet dream the other night. Not the first wet dream either.

"We sometimes play along, it's funny to see people how react."
"I can imagine."

Penny sees my expression and inhales deeply.

"You feel something for him, don't you?"
"What makes you think that?"
"I can see it in your eyes, they get all dreamy when you're talking about him."
"It's not good, he's my boss. I'm trying to get over it and to be professional. I don't want to lose my first job because of some feelings."
"Yes, it wouldn't be good, you're the best assistant he has ever had, or has, please keep staying his assistant, and try to get over the feelings."
"I do my best."
"I know it will be hard, especially once he'll open up to you."
"You think he will do that?"
"Eventually, yes, I think he will, you seem to be able to tell him how it is, how the things go and how they are and that he should shut up when he's going down to his low point again."

I inhale deeply when the waiter came with the bottle of wine and poured some in for us. I take the glass and sip some so I can stretch the time a little. This conversation feels uncomfortable. I do not like to talk about my feelings.

"I do get it, you know, he's very handsome and very sexy. I see women literally drooling over him, look at Amanda."

I snort and start to laugh about that. Penny watches my reaction and starts to laugh because of me. Amanda is not even a good example, she acts fake and over the top.

"I can't help it, really, he has a sweet ass."
"Gosh, Baby, no!"
"He does, I had a wet dream last night."

I look at the tablecloth when I said that. I am not sure why I said that, but I feel like I can trust Penny, like I can tell her everything. Though, I do want to change the subject now. I do feel like I will go too far if we keep talking about Johnny in this way. I do not want to overstep, giving her the wrong ideas.

"Anyway, it will stay with those dreams, don't you worry."
"Good."
"So, tell me how this evening will go, it's my first demonstration I'll be going to."
"Well, I will do a little speech, explaining a bit about dancing and so. Since Johnny isn't really good at holding speeches, I took that part on me, believe me, he tried once, and it was a disaster."

I giggle as I listen to her, yes, that does sound like Johnny indeed. I mean, he is great in explaining a step, in teaching a dance. Really, I have watched both of them, and they are amazing, but a good conversation never seems to go well with him. There is a moment in the conversation where he starts to stumble over his own tongue. It is adorable really, but I should try to make him feel more comfortable with having real conversation.

"After that, we show a few dances, you know, give a demonstration, and then we see if people are interested, and if so, we give them a short lesson, just long enough for them to want more."
"How do I fit in?"
"You'll be the one who will give the flyers away, and you should try to promote the company a little, and see if you can network for getting companies to want to book us for a demonstration."
"I'll see what I can do."

We ordered food, and talked some more about these demonstrations.

I stand aside, watching people looking at Penny, listening to what she is saying about dancing. I see Johnny pacing a little, he seems really nervous. With a little frown I went to him, making him stop pacing, he looks at my face and let out a quick sigh.

"You okay?"
"I'm fine, don't worry."
"You look nervous."
"I always am right before a demonstration."
"You'll do great, I'm sure."

He keeps looking at my face. I see his eyes, they are like two shades darker than normal. He inhales deeply. I give him a nod and a smile.

"Thanks, Baby."
"What for?"
"For being so supportive."
"I'm your assistant, it's what I do."
"Right."

He presses his lips a little tighter on each other. I watch him taking a deep breath, his eyes tell me something else. I am not quite sure what they really say, but there is something in his eyes that I have not seen before, or I may have missed it.

"I'll be going, spreading these flyers and networking a little."
"Good, I hope we'll get more costumers."
"I have let these made. I'll be giving them to those who are really interested to book you and Penny."

I take out a little silver box. He looks at it and I open it to show him the business cards. I see his eyebrows going up. I smile at him, he looks at my face. Did I just saw a little admiration there? I must be dreaming. He takes one card to have a closer look at it.

"When did you do this?"
"Only on my second day of my employment."

He scoffs a little and I roll my eyes.

"You're a great assistant, Baby."
"Stop the sliming, now, prepare yourself."

He nods and I see that smile appearing again. I take the business card and put it back in the box. I smile as I put it back in my purse. I turn to get a staple of flyers. He is still watching me.

"Baby?"
"Yes?"
"I would like to learn how to network."

I look at his face as I stop right in the middle of my next step. He nods and puts his hands in his pockets.

"I'll gladly teach you."
"When?"

Hmm, yes, that is a good question, dad has his summer charity event next weekend, maybe that will be a good opportunity for him.

"You're available next weekend?"
"What's next weekend?"
"My father's summer charity event."
"Did you organize that one?"
"Yes, I always do. A few things still need to be arranged, and I'll be there to make sure everything will go well, that things keeps running."

Johnny thinks about it, waggling a little on the balls of his feet.

"I'm not invited."
"Well, normally my father does the invitations, but don't worry, I'll get you inside and a good seat at a good table."
"Really? You would do that for me?"
"Yes, of course, and dad would like to meet you, he's bugging me about that."

He chuckles about it and shakes his head. I smile as I watch him. I can see him opening up a little. I think I just made him feel a little welcome and accepted.

"Go, spread those flyers and get us more customers."
"Aye, aye, boss."

With that I went to the crowd, who is standing in front of the little stage, still looking at, and listening to Penny. He looks after me with a smile. Yes, he smiles a lot, most often it is his smug smile, or a teasing grin, but I see him smiling his true genuine smile whenever someone show anything else than sexual interest. I see a few potential customers and I went to them to have a little chat.

Penny announces that she would show some dances, when Johnny came onto the little stage, someone whistles. I roll my eyes at it while I watch the two. I see Penny's surprised face when she sees his smile. I bet she has not seen that smile in a long time.

"Wow, they are really good."

I look at the man standing next to me, he is watching Penny and Johnny dance, like everyone else is doing. It is time to take some actions now people are intrigued.

After a few minutes, when they have danced a few dances, they look at the crowd and see the people clapping. Johnny is looking for me and sees me talking to some, nodding, and smiling, handing out the flyer and a business card. He starts to smile a little more. Penny looks at his face and turns her head, she then sees me and looks back at him with a frown.

"We'll take a little break now, five minutes, and then we're going to give a short dance lesson to those who are interested."

With that, she takes his hand and pulls him off the stage, she turns and folds her arms. He sees her face.

"What?"
"Are you kidding me?"
"I'm not sure about what you're talking."
"Baby."
"What's with Baby?"

He turns his head to look where I am.

"This, this is what's with Baby."

He looks back at her, she folds her arms again after she pointed at his chest. He puts his hands in his pockets while he looks away from her face. He knows exactly what she means now.

"Pen, there's nothing going on between me and Baby."
"Baby and me."

He let out a deep sigh.

"You like her don't you?"
"Well, yes, I do, but as my assistant."
"Then what's with the look when you look at her?"
"What look?"
"Johnny, you know what I mean."
"Nothing is going on, really, trust me, I'm not going to do that again, she's too valuable."
"And I hope you'll never try either… look, I like Baby a lot, and I can see she's good for you and to you, but she wants to keep this job, so please do me a favor and try to get over the feelings you're getting for her."

He looks at her face and then nods, she grabs him into a hug, and he hugs her back at the moment I arrive. They look at me and I smile brightly.

"Guess what?"
"What?"

I giggle about their synchronous reply.

"You'll be having a demonstration at the sport convention in the Marriott hotel two months from now."
"Wait, what?"

I see their surprised expressions and I giggle again. I hand out a business card to Johnny, he takes it and looks at it. I see his eyebrows going up.

"Is this a joke?"

He looks back at me and Penny takes the card from him while I shake my head.

"How did you do this?"
"Networking, besides, I kind of used my father's fame too."

I wink at them and turn to go back, but not before I took a new staple of flyers. Penny looks after me and then back at the business card. Johnny smiles as he looks after me, she looks at him and let out a deep breath.

"She's amazing."
"Yeah, she is, she's taking me to her father's charity event next weekend."
"Really, why?"
"Because I want to learn how to network."

He puts his hands in his pockets again as he smiles at her, she sees the little change in his eyes. A little more change than the expression he had a moment before I came to them. She gives him the card and folds her arms again.

"Pen, believe me, I know what's at stake when I even try."
"It doesn't mean you don't have feelings."
"True, but I know what I'm doing."
"I hope you do."

He puts the card in his pocket and turns to get the bottle of water to drink some. Penny went to the stage and looks at the crowd, who are waiting for the next thing to come. She sees me in the crowd, talking to people, smiling, and even giggling a bit, then handing out a flyer, talking some more, and then she sees the exchange of business cards. She could not help but to admit that neither she nor Johnny could do what I am doing now.

Johnny came to stand next to her. She looks at him and he gives her a nod. They step onto the stage to do the short lesson, and boy, I tell you, the looks on their faces when they saw how many people wanted to try out. I bet they never had so many people being interested.