“You’ve been seeing them for a few weeks now,” Katie continues. “Where does this go?” Katie’s the most practical one of us. Trust her to ask the question.
“Glad you asked,” I sigh. “I don’t know.” I tell them about being invited to Daniel’s company gala. “What does it mean?”
“Why don’t you ask them?” Wendy suggests.
“I did. I asked if there was an expiration date to the threesome, and they said no.”
Piper wolf-whistles from her corner. Jasper starts at the noise, looking indignant and preparing to jump off and seek a quieter corner for his nap. Then he stretches slowly, and settles back down on Piper’s lap. Piper shakes her head at his antics. “Cat,” she mutters in mock irritation. “So let me get this straight. You are in a threesome and it’s a proper relationship? What’s that like?”
“Surprisingly normal.” I blush. “Well, aside from the sex, of course.”
Wendy chuckles. “Tell us about the sex, Bails,” she sing-songs. “Leave no dirty detail out.”
“I’m not going to kiss and tell.” I grin at Wendy’s sigh of disappointment. “But Daniel and Sebastian are so hot that they’ve replaced most of the regulars in my mental slide-show of masturbation material. Sorry, Clooney and Pitt.”
“I know.” Katie fans herself. “I saw Sebastian Ardalan’s new cookbook in the stores the other day. The cover stopped me dead in the tracks.”
“Why?” Wendy asks.
“Because he’s bare-chested in the photo,” Katie giggles. “He’s all muscled and ripped and hot, and the book’s called Heat.”
“Don’t forget the tattoos,” Gabby grins. She’s seen the cover too. “I couldn’t get a clear look at them in the picture. What are they, Bailey? You’d know, wouldn’t you?”
I make a rude gesture in her direction. “He hates that cover,” I tell them. “His agent made him do it.” I frown. “She’s creepy. I don’t like her. Do you know she’s already warned me away from him?”
“What?”
“Yeah. She followed me one day to the bathroom and told me to stay away from Sebastian. She told me that he had a brief period to take advantage of the Michelin star, and I was a distraction.”
“The bitch.” Gabby sounds incensed. “What did the guys say when you told them?”
“I haven’t. It’s not that big a deal, really. She just shoots me these death glares from time to time. I’m a big girl. I can handle Juliette.”
“If you insist.” Gabby doesn’t sound convinced. Then her expression turns mischievous. “And then there’s the hundred and fifty million dollar gift. Have you guys heard about that?”
“What?” Everyone shrieks again, and three sets of heads swivel to me.
“Thanks, Gabby,” I say dryly. “That was really helpful. It wasn’t a gift, you guys. It was an endowment to the NYU.” I fill them in on the details, and once again, they hang on my every word. We all have dating adventures to discuss from time to time, but a threesome is still outside the norm.
“You’re frowning,” Wendy points out. “Why?”
“I don’t know,” I sigh. “They are so out of my league, you know. And the threesome thing, is that really practical? Besides, in a few months, I’m going to Argentina. I just feel like I’m setting myself up for a world of hurt. ”
Katie snorts. “Bailey, you went to Siberia for a year. I wouldn’t exactly describe you as practical. Does it really bother you that this isn’t very conventional?”
I think about it. “I don’t think so,” I tell them. “I guess I’m just kind of pinching myself. They are really gorgeous, they are really nice, and they want me. It feels unreal, you know? I keep waiting for reality to kick in.” I down the rest of my mojito and Gabby helpfully refills it. An empty glass rarely stays that way on drinking night.
“You know,” Gabby says. “As much as I distrust all guys on principle, I have to acknowledge that good guys exist. I mean, Adam’s amazing.”