Backstage at the Opera -- Part 5 of 5

This is part 5 of a scene from Where Love Once Lived that takes place in the green room after an opera. This is fiction, of course, but based on my experience.

She tried to make it sound like the normal thing to do, but
sometimes she wondered how she got into these situations.
“Interesting.” Tony nodded his head toward Brian. “By the look
on his face, that’s something else about you he didn’t know.”
“No reason he should,” she said.
“And your best friend?” Tony asked.
Karen smoothed her skirt with both hands. “Cathy Baker. We’re
close. We talk every day, and she’s the only person who knows all
my secrets.”
“Secrets? Did you hear that Brian? She has secrets.” He said it
with a dramatic ghostly whisper.
“I heard,” Brian said, trying to match the sound of Tony’s voice.
Tony and Brian laughed.
Karen didn’t. She wondered what they’d think if she told them
her secret right now. It wouldn’t be so funny then.
“Everyone has secrets. You’ll never know mine. That’s why they
call them secrets. Well, it’s time to go.”
Tony grabbed Karen’s hand as she started to stand. “I’m sorry. I
touched a nerve there. Don’t go.”
“No, it’s not that. I think we have stayed long enough. Brian
made dinner plans for us.”
She hadn’t convinced Tony there was nothing between them,
but she didn’t care about that now. She wanted to leave—too many
memories with these guys.
Tony stood, still holding her hand. “Okay, dear. Promise me we
can finish this conversation because I have more questions for you.
If you want another friend to share secrets with, I’m your man.
Promise we can talk?”
She pulled away from him. “I promise. It’s been a joy to see you
again. Don’t forget, I want to see your next opera. Okay?”
“I’ll make sure you get the tickets.” Tony nodded toward Brian.
“You can invite him if you want to, or bring Cathy, or your new
boyfriend. And I hope you come to the next Combine meeting.”
He kissed the air around her in a flourish and said goodbye.
Maybe he did understand about Brian and her.
She wasn’t sure why, but sometime during the meal with Brian
that followed their green room visit, Karen agreed to go to the next
Combine meeting, which was actually a meal out somewhere with
the old gang. She also agreed to go to dinner with him again next
week. She hoped he didn’t think her feelings for him had changed,
but she was curious when he told her about Matt’s new restaurant
called the Quarry.