“You didn’t know she’d be here?”
“Nope. I’m not sure Nia could’ve been aware that we know each other, but still… What a coincidence, huh?”
“I suppose, this kind of service is pretty expensive, and only some people could afford it, and then, an even smallergroup would be interested in it, so maybe it’s not so much a coincidence; it’s just that you both belong to that group.”
“She’s dating someone,” Helena said.
“Who?”
“Becky. Last time we talked, she had a girlfriend. She’s been with her for years. I’d know – it was another reason I hired her. She had someone long-term, so it made me feel like she knew relationships. What is she even doing here?”
“Well, you have to be single or in an open relationship to come to these, so maybe she and the girlfriend broke up.”
“Maybe. But, God!” Helena flopped back onto the bed and set the cards aside. “I liked her.”
“Becky?” Jennifer asked as if she were trying to keep up.
“Yes. I really liked her. Every terrible date she seemed to send me on, Becky and I would end up talking about, and yeah, we became friends, but I really liked her. I didn’t say anything, obviously, because she had a girlfriend, but it got too hard to have her set me up with women when I wanted her to set me up with– Well,her.”
“Ah.”
“And now, she’s probably having sex with that young, attractive Carrie, and I’m in here with you, being a jerk because I’m making this about me and not about us.”
“I can imagine this is a little shocking.”
“Yes,” Helena said. “I came here to maybe meet someone, yes, and I’m still hoping for that, but I also wanted to have sex this week.”
“Me too,” Jennifer shared. “I mean, love would be great. I’m about to start a new chapter of my professional life, and I was hoping for a new chapter in my personal life as well, but I also wanted to just… fuck, if I’m being honest.” Jennifer laughed a little.
“I get it. I had a date last night, and I still have no idea what happened in the end. We had sex.” Helena’s eyes went wide. “Don’t worry; I was safe.”
“I’m not worried.”
“She technically made me come, but barely. Then, she got upset with me because I didn’t want her to go down on me and left.”
“She got upset because ofthat?”
“Yes. And I couldn’t go down on her, either, obviously, because I was coming here, and I wasn’t exactly feeling our chemistry, but I wasn’t unwilling to return the favor, if you know what I mean. I had to get myself off in the shower just to calm my clit down, and I cannot believe I just said all of that to a total stranger. I’m a freaking mess.” Helena shook her head.
Where was all this coming from? She’d never been the kind of person to tell a stranger her deep, dark secrets. She hardly even told her friends her thoughts and feelings unless she’d known them for a long time and knew that she could trust them.
Jennifer laughed and asked, “Are we a good match?”
“What?”
“I’m getting the vibe that you might be into this Becky woman a little more than you thought you were, considering how you’re acting at the thought of her sleeping with someoneelseright now.”
“God, sheis, isn’t she?” she asked herself. “She’s probably single, or she wouldn’t be here, and she has no idea that I like her. Why am I so stressed out about this?”
“Want an orgasm?”
“What?” Helena turned her head to Jennifer, wondering where that had come from.
“That’s why we’re here, right? Are you and I going to ride off into the sunset together?”
“I don’t know; maybe. I don’t know you, but that’s how most things start with people. They meet someone and find out if there could be something there. We should probably do these cards. That’ll help us figure that out. That’s the point, isn’t it?”
“You like someone else, Helena.”
