Carrie looked back down at the cards and couldn’t believe that this was how the event was starting for her. She’d never been with a woman before, and she didn’t want her first time to be with someone who was in love with someone else, who also happened to be at the same event.
“Um… No. I don’t think I do.”
“I’m sorry.” Becky sighed and sat up. “I didn’t mean to ruin your night. If Nia invited both of us in some sad attempt at getting us together, why would she put us with other people on the first night, you know?”
“I don’t know, but you should probably askher,” Carrie suggested. “I’m okay. I…” She looked around the room. “Could use a walk anyway.”
“Hey, if this doesn’t work out for you, let me make it up to you. I’ll offer you my services free of charge for three months. Iamgood at what I do; just like Nia.”
“Okay. Sure. I might take you up on that.”
Becky stood then and said, “Okay. Have a good walk. I’ll see you tomorrow, Carrie.”
She left almost as quickly as she’d walked in, and Carrie flopped back on the bed, staring at the ceiling fan above her, regretting spending so much money to end up alone in her room.
CHAPTER 14
Becky
“What the hell, Nia?” Becky asked when she saw Nia in the hallway.
“Okay. Calm down. Let’s go to my room if you’re going to be upset with me.”
“Your room? You set me up!” she said loudly.
Nia took her by the hand and pulled her into an unoccupied room. Closing the door behind them, she motioned for Becky to sit at the small table with two chairs tucked into the bay window.
“You got the best room, huh?” Becky asked.
“This way, I don’t play favorites,” Nia returned and sat down in the chair. “Sit.”
“You invited her,” Becky stated, going right back to it when she sat down opposite her.
“I did.”
“Why?”
“Because you love her.”
“And yet, you pairedmeup with Carrie, and Helena with Jennifer.”
“Yes, I did.”
“Why?”
“Because Iwantedyou to get somewhat upset, and Carrie seemed like someone who would understand and be a good person to talk to. Last you and I spoke about Helena, you’dconvinced yourself that it wouldn’t go anywhere. Helena, it turned out, had applied for my services. When I found that out, and you were still single and clearly into her, I decided to invite you here. Technically, Carrieissomeone you could possibly be with, and Jennifer is someone Helena could possibly be with. That’s how this works.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Well, for starters, I knew you wouldn’t come. The other reason is that it’s a confidentiality thing. I couldn’t tell you that someone applied or that I’d selected that someone for this event.”
“So, you just invited me here to do what, embarrass me? Make me hurt, for some reason?”
“No, I brought you here because I know you still have feelings for her and because I knew that there was a chance you could leave with Helena or you could leave with someone else here, too. Carrie is nice. She’s sweet.”
“She’s young.”
“She’s notthatyoung. There’s maybe ten years between the two of you. That’s nothing.”
