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We both laugh. Okay, so it seems like we both might actually be on the same page. Still, I need to make things crystal clear.
‘I need to be honest with you,’ I start. I take a deep breath. ‘I had no idea where we were going today, I’ve had no idea what I was doing on any day. Basically, I couldn’t stand the idea of spending every second of Christmas around my over-extended family, so I lied about having all these plans, but my friends are all on holiday, so I had to pullsomethingout of the bag. I hit the button on Matcher, the “feeling brave” one that RSVP’d yes to all the events. There weren’t that many, but I never thought any of them would be sex parties.’
Rocco laughs but he can’t hide his genuine relief.
‘I did exactly the same thing,’ he admits. ‘I hit the button too. The only difference is that I was hoping to spend time with my family but they’re all too busy. I’ve been at a loose end, in that hotel on my own, it felt like a good way to meet people.’
Rocco looks as relieved as I feel to be telling me this.
‘See, I just thought this was your scene,’ I tell him. I’m smiling really widely considering I’m hiding in the bathroom at a swingers’ party.
‘And I thoughtyouwanted to be here,’ he replies. ‘My red flag went up when you didn’t bat an eye at the man in the pig mask.’
I just laugh and shake my head.
‘Honestly, I had no idea what was going on,’ I confess. ‘Why do they call it an Eiffel Tower party? What’s an Eiffel Tower in this context?’
‘You know the thing we saw in the second room?’ Rocco replies.
‘Yeah…’
‘That.’
‘Oh. Wow, I’ve lived such a sheltered life,’ I admit. ‘But I think we can both agree that we should probably get out of here?’
‘We really should,’ he replies. ‘I know this is weird, because we’re standing either side of a toilet at a sex party, but while we’re getting it all out there, so to speak, I was wondering… would you like to have dinner with me? I know we’ve got the bar opening with Leila and Tobias tonight – so relieved they aren’t here right now, by the way, but perhaps tomorrow night?’
I wasn’t expecting him to say that – here or otherwise.
‘Just us?’ I ask.
‘We can order enough food for multiple people but, yes, I’m thinking just the two of us,’ he says with a smile. ‘I think now that we know we’re in the same boat, we’re probably fine to hang out like normal friends, no app events required.’
‘Normal friends,’ I repeat back to him.
‘Oh, not that I’m saying this isn’t normal,’ he quickly adds. ‘I mean normal friends, not Matcher event buddies.’
It’s not that I think he’s judging the swingers, more that he seems to be firmly assigning me to the friendzone, but that’s okay.
‘I’d like that very much,’ I reply.
‘Tomorrow night?’ he says. ‘I’ll book somewhere. The day after tomorrow is Christmas Eve, so it might be our last chance before Christmas.’
‘Tomorrow works for me,’ I say. God, it’s weird to be making dinner plans in a bathroom at a swingers’ party. Weird but great.
‘Now, how do we get out of here?’ I ask.
‘You can get downstairs without going near the living room where Nigel is, and the front door is closer than the kitchen, we can just leave, run for the car, make a break for it?’
‘Sounds fun,’ I reply. ‘I wish I’d told you what was going on with me sooner.’
‘Me too,’ he replies. ‘But I have had more fun than I expected to at these events – this one excluded – and now the fun can really start.’
‘I can’t wait,’ I reply.
Things might be a mess at home, but suddenly it feels like things might be going right for me. I’ll worry about everything else tomorrow.
26
