Scanning the room for cameras or any tiny hidden security features, we walk in tense and alert ready to run back into the party crowd if we're captured on surveillance.

Finding none, I head towards the messy desk and take off my mask, the password protected screen a welcoming image and a sly smile tugs at the corner of my lips.

Zander pulls out his phone from the pocket of his tux, unlocking the screen to reveal a photo of us from the park.

It catches me off guard since I've never pictured myself to appear so carefree.

I was laughing heartily, and so was he. Even the sunglasses at five in the morning seemed secondary when you saw how happy we looked - it's there in the photo and that's what attracts your attention.

Recovering from the shock, I draw my eyes back to the phone where Zander's pulled up the password to Randy's computer. We were lucky that Celia's uncle knew a guy, who knew a guy.

Once in, we do a bit of exploring until we find the correct email to send out the samples of photos and the article we've written up, including a few sentences from the matchmakers of C&C.

Submitting a body of text to numerous editors, with the tagline that Randy would be unavailable to answer any more questions or respond back due to a flight, I highlight that and ensure it's explicit.

The last thing we needed was the man himself to return before any of this can be printed. We wanted Randy to come home to editors singing his praises in which he'd be in too deep to claim that none of this is his doing.

Hitting 'send' on the final email, I breath a shaky sigh and give Zander whose walked over to guard the door, a thumbs up.

Is this how spies feel? Adrenaline and relief intermingling?

The mission itself took less effort than getting ready for this extravagant party but I'm not going to complain since there were already unexpected factors involved - Xeno being one of them.

Leaning against the chair, I give one more sigh and then rearrange the desk back to its original chaotic state with papers and photos littered everywhere.

Walking to the door I put my mask back on and Zander cracks it open to spy down the hall, making sure that no one catches us leaving.

"I can't believe we did it!" I exclaimed in a whisper.

Scratching the back of his neck, Zander gives me a pensive smile. "Well, all that's left is for the press to finally come to us for a real interview. One where they're not bought out by you-know-who and I get to finally be given a chance to be authentic."

"That'll be the easiest part of this if Patrick can manage to make it through the night," I said grimacing, watching the man in question stand with a drink in his hand, fixated on Celia.

We've managed to make it down the hall, no one suspecting a thing and back to the main party area. All the tension has worked up an appetite, and I instinctively head for the long train of food tables with platters of catered food.

Zander shares my hunger, topping a plate with appetizers and a generous helping of sushi and I'm about to do the same but nearly drop my plate as my eyes roam and land on the fountain of chocolate and the teppenyaki served at one end by a chef.

Adult parties for the win.

Turning to Zander who's stuffing his face with sushi, I give him a look of determination. "I'll be right back."

Making a beeline for the teppanyaki, I almost collide into the person trying to get a better view of the live cooking performance.

"Sorry," I said apologetically.

"No, I'm sorry as well....Glacinda's sister?"

Biting my lower lip, I try to repress the groan dying to escape. Why did I have to bump into Xeno again?

"Oh, you're that guy from earlier. You said you knew my sister! I never got your name."

Play it cool. Play it cool. You are an international super spy, Catherine.

Yet even as I think this, I start squirming and shift my gaze from Xeno to the teppanyaki plated for guests to eat. He can probably read the lies I've been spewing across my mask!

"I'm Xeno. I met her at work, she was a new hire and then they said she got transferred," Xeno replied, his eyes still on me.

"Yeah...she might have mentioned that. I think it had something to do with the long commute."

Nope. I can't do this. Not cut out for super spying. Spies usually get killed and the longer this conversation goes on, the more likely I'm gonna slip.

"I didn't get your name either?" He asked curiously.

Raking my brain for my own damn name, I internally snicker at myself because if Celia could see me now, she'd eat her words. I'm more than capable of forgetting my own name. "It's umm...Lewis....Suzy Lewis."

I need to get my food and leave.

"Lewis? I don't think that was Glacinda's last name..." Xeno trailed, tilting his head to view me at a different angle.

An arm snakes around my waist and I know it's Zander from his light touch. "That's because she's married."

Closing my eyes briefly, I yank them open and glare up at him wide eyed. If pupils could scream 'what are you doing?' Then I hope this is it. Who did he think he was marrying me off? Pretend or otherwise!

"Oh. So you two are...Erm sorry, I just..." unable to finish from mild shock, Xeno backs away again and skirts to the other side of the teppanyaki crowd.

"Why does he always run when you show up but I can never get rid of him?" I asked pouting, my nerves still on edge.

Zander shrugs with a grin. "It's a gift, what can I say?"

"Getting rid of people is a gift?" I asked, raising a brow and take a teeny bit of satisfaction from the frown that develops when his grin drops.

Hehe, even this far into dating, I wasn't going to cater to the guy's ego but I'm also slightly miffed that he's been given that ability and I haven't. I was the one who hated stepping out of the sanctity of her own home.

"Sure it is, darling," Zander drawled, mischief clear in the gleam of his green orbs.

Rolling my eyes, I stick a pointed finger towards his chest. "Hey buddy, the name is Suzy. Get your facts straight."

"Whatever you say, Cupcake."

"Cupcakes? There's cupcakes?" An elderly woman interjects, her neck swerving after overhearing our exchange.

"Now look what you've done Paul. You've given a little old lady false hope. Don't know how you'll be able to live with yourself after this."

The man next to me lowers his head mortified. "The old lady didn't live?"

"THE OLD LADY IS DEAD?" Someone bellowed further down as the question travels.

"Someone is dead?" A woman suddenly gasped.

There's a rupture in the crowd as people begin to mumble. "DEAD?"

"Who?"

"The old lady!" A woman cried.

"WHAT OLD LADY?" A man's voice hollered.

"WAIT! WHERE'S GRAN?"

"OH MY GOSH! IS SHE THE OLD LADY?"

Zander gives me a superior look with crossed arms. "Yeah, I'm the bad one here? You just wrote her off as being dead."

"No! No...I-I-I" I stammered, appalled that these people think an old lady either at the party or somewhere out there beyond the vicinity of this high rise is dead....and all because of me!

"I mean...it's possible..." I ventured feebly.

"Think of your great aunt, what would she say about this Suzy? She would not be impressed."

My jaw drops and I begin to splutter. "You're having fun with this, aren't you?"

"Did you hear about the dead old lady?" Said the old lady in question who started it all, returning with a cupcake.

I guess there are cupcakes at this party.

Shaking my head, I'm reminded that there really is no space in this crammed place to say anything without someone else overhearing and shut my mouth. Zander does the same but still holds onto me so I don't get swept away by the crowd.

Relief instantly descends on us once it's our turn to be served, my stomach grumbling at the scent of soy sauce and sesame oil. I'm so hungry, tears prick the corners of my eyes and we eat in silence before tackling the chocolate fountain.

I'm on my third strawberry dipped in chocolate when Celia marches in our direction. "There you guys are! So?"

"Everything's good," Zander muffled through a mouthful of cake and I raise a handkerchief to wipe off the cream on his lips but he doesn't lose his chance to lick the tip of a finger.

"Down boy. Down," I hissed, rolling my eyes when he chuckles.

"Then don't treat your boyfriend like a child."

"Then don't act like a baby."

"I'll always be your baby."

"Motherhood doesn't suit me," I bit back.

"Babyhood doesn't suit me!"

"Babyhood?" I asked.

"Babyhood," Zander said, enunciating it slowly and deliberately.

Exasperated, I go back to my strawberry and give Celia a reassuring smile to convey that our plan went well for once.

Sighing, the pinched expression on Celia's face eases up. "Thank God! I was beginning to think this entire thing was going to be a bust since Patrick hasn't said more than three whole sentences all evening."

She's grunting out of frustration when Patrick shows up, struggling against the crowd and managing to avoid a waiter with a full tray of cocktails.

"You okay, Pat?" Zander asked concerned.

Sighing, Patrick offers him a thin smile. "Yeah, I'm fine. How'd it go with you know?"

"It went as planned."

Shocked, Celia steels herself and points a finger at him accusingly. "What? So you can talk to him normally but not me?"

"I uh..." Patrick stammered.

"All night you've been going around talking about my hair strands and then referring to my attractive eye balls. Whose gonna believe that a married man says something like that?"

"But you do have...nice eye balls," Patrick stated deadpanned, making me and Zander burst out laughing.

"It's not funny!" Celia whined.

"Your erm...husband is gifted when it comes to giving out compliments," I wheezed, finally finishing off the strawberry.

Placing a hand on his chest with mock hurt, Zander leans in closer. "How come he's gifted and I'm not?"

"Because he's not dubbed as part of the babyhood," I replied tartly.

Celia rolls her eyes and Patrick looks at us entirely lost so I simply hand them a chocolate covered strawberry each because dessert is the answer to everything.

"When can we leave?" Patrick whispered.

Signalling for a waiter, Celia takes one of the cocktails, sipping on her drink and biting into the strawberry in turns. "You want to leave?"

"Yeah, aren't we done?"

"But I haven't tried the macarons yet! There's a patisserie giving them out with espressos!" I wailed, wiping the drool from the corner of my mouth.

"This is still all mid range stuff, I'm sure they'll be better parties."

Gasping simultaneously, Celia and I overstep into Patrick's personal space shocked. "This is mid range?" I gawked.

Celia was used to this scene but I wasn't. She simply wanted to make her rounds for the food while downing her fair share of drinks before heading home.

Zander has to peel me away, and acts as a protective barrier for his friend who's out of sorts from being lovestruck.

"Can we please leave?" Patrick grunted, not liking his world being tipped upside down.

Gulping down the last bit of a cocktail, Celia grabs his arm."No! We can't! I think I found a new client! C'mon hubby, you have someone you need to befriend."

Groaning, Patrick's eyes plead for help but we wave him off and wish him luck as Celia drags him away.

"Want a drink?" Zander asked.

"Yeah, champagne please!"

He leaves me briefly for what feels like only three minutes but within those three minutes, I'm swarmed by several men asking me questions faster than I can process them.

Blinking, I look up at them at a loss for words feeling cornered and grimace as the stench of alcohol on their breaths hits my face.

Making a face, I clear my throat and say the most threatening thing I can think of. "I know karate."

They smirk, continuing their firing of questions and I wince before mumbling, "I'm married?"

This does nothing to deter them and an elderly man even pinches my cheeks to my horror, forcing me to make one of the defence stances I've been taught. One of the men tries to lay a hand on my shoulder, and I smack it ruthlessly, causing him to snarl.

"You touch this expensive dress and I'll knock your teeth out," I fumed, forcing them all to take a step back.

Zander returns, planting a kiss to the top of my head and silently places the glass of champagne in my hand. He wordlessly scans each of the figures who instantly vaporize.

"You do have a gift," I gasped, awed.

"I really hoped you'd kick them."

"You were watching?"

"I trust you can fight your own battles, especially when design labels are involved."

"I'd totally sue for psychological damage if a single thread came out of place."

Grinning, he takes my free hand and we shove and duck our way to the one free spot not taken up - next to an oversized houseplant.

I take a sip of the champagne, and comment on the one thing that comes to mind. "Hmm tastes expensive."

"I'll buy you one that really is."

Confused, my lashes flutter over the rim of the glass. "For? What's the occasion?"

"For us officially going public?" Zander said lightly.

"You think they'll ever figure out where I am?" I asked quietly, smacking my lips once I've finished the champagne.

He steps closer and it's just us, here in this moment. Zander's body heat next to mine. "The press? They won't. Remember how we went to that park way out of town?"

Looking up, I nod my head. "Yeah."

"They'll think you live out in that area. Don't worry no one will find you even if they know your face. I won't make a promise I can't keep but every precaution has been taken."

"You're telling me you managed to think of that even when you were goofing off with Xeno and stripping?"

Chuckling, Zander makes a hurtful face. "Harsh Ms. Lewis. No need to use such strong language."

"Well?"

"Well, he was getting in the way and was determined to bother you so I figured removing him out of the picture was necessary....until Pat brought up Desmond."

"Meaning?" I asked faintly.

"Meaning, he only sees red when Desmond is involved."

"So you're telling me you sacrificed your sanity to basically...go with the flow?"

"Pretty much," Zander said sighing, rubbing the side of his jaw.

His face colours and I give him the benefit of the doubt. He's trying to forget an embarrassing moment so I drop it and return back to my initial worries. "So I really have nothing to worry about then?"

"We'll get you a PR expert to help prep you for the interview. Between that and all the self defence classes you've been taking, you'll be okay, Cat. There won't be any video taped interviews either. They'll need to sign an agreement of confidentiality."

"I really don't have anything to worry about?" I repeated, the champagne combining with all the apprehensions of the past few weeks.

"No, they're pretty straightforward as long as you're in command. You can even be honest about most things."

My brows shoot upward, and I lean in further wrapping my arms around Zander. "Honesty?"

Inclining to get a better look of my face, he gives me a soft smile. "What're you thinking?"

"That this entire thing started off with me attempting to conceal the truth. Trying to hide everything about myself as a matchmaker." I close my eyes briefly, the noise surrounding us almost a murmur.

"And now?"

"I guess now I tell them what really happened."

"Which is?" Zander asked puzzled, genuine curiosity lighting his features.

"That the matchmaker met her match," I beamed, grabbing his bow tie and forcing him to bend for a kiss.

Observation: Sometimes, you should just go ahead and open the door when the President's son comes knocking.

You might end up falling in love.
***********************

~The End~