Chapter 43

Author’s Note: I’m breaking up some of these chapters into shorter vignettes because I think the content is important and worthy of standing on its own, hence why the chapter count is pushing up a little bit. But we are closing in on the finish of book three. As always, so grateful for the amazing feedback and time you spend reading.

Tuesday night, I crashed hard. It had been an emotional rollercoaster of a day. A good night of sober sleep helped me recover and feel ready to tackle Wednesday. But two other things put a jolt of energy into the day. First, Jess texted to say she would be home by mid-afternoon. Second, I woke up to a message from Rita asking if I was free for lunch.

“Let me cook for you,” I responded to Rita. “Come over whenever you’re ready.”

Being able to throw myself into grocery shopping and making lunch for Rita allowed me to distract myself from the Nicole situation. Nicole, I thought to myself. I needed to check the video from last night. I knew what Gloria had planned. She was going to try to get Nicole to party. I didn’t think Nicole was that dumb if she was going to try to advance her pregnancy scheme, but it couldn’t hurt to check.

Before I went to the grocery store, I pulled up the Hooker House archive on my laptop. I cruised through the previous evening at six-times the normal speed. I picked up Gloria, Alix, and Alyssa at various times going to the kitchen for drinks or cocaine, popping outside to smoke or swim, but Nicole barely moved. She was glued to the TV, legs and arms crossed. She put on a good act. I was about to give up and go about my day when I finally noticed something that barely caught my eye. After Gloria and Alyssa had left for the night, while Alix made a pitstop in the restroom, Nicole went to the kitchen and came back with a bottle of water.

It was almost imperceptible, but I rewound the video and replayed it at one-quarter speed. As she had walked back to the couch with the bottle of water in her right hand, Nicole had reached out and, with remarkable composure and skill, had swiped a bump onto the nail of her left pinkie as she walked by the pile of coke on the kitchen counter. In a swift, fluid motion without breaking stride, she raised the finger to her nose, sniffed, and let her hand drop to her side again. I watched it three times to be sure. It was unmistakable. Nicole was busted.

I made a detour to the Hooker House before grocery shopping. Alix and Nicole were in the front hall, gathering their purses, when I walked in.

“Hi girls,” I said.

“Hey stud,” Alix said, always teasing and flirting. “We were just leaving for the doctor.”

“Don’t bother,” I said.

“Oh, so now you believe me?” Nicole said smugly.

I shook my head. “No, you’re busted, Nicole,” I said. I looked at Alix. “You can take her, but just tell them to run a drug panel.”

“What?” Nicole said.

“Smile, Nicole,” I said. “You were on camera. And guess what? I saw that quick little bump of coke you swiped last night.”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” she said.

“Drop the act,” I said. “I’ve got you red-handed. You know it. So let’s start having some honesty. If you can do that, I might even have a proposition for you.”

Nicole stared hard at me for a few moments.

“So, are we going or what?” Alix said, clearing her throat.

I matched Nicole with an equally stern stare.

“No,” she finally said. “Okay. Fine. I’m not pregnant.”

I smirked and shook my head. “What a shock,” I said sarcastically.

“I’m just desperate, okay?” Nicole said plaintively. “I didn’t have anywhere else to go.”

“Oh, good,” Alix said, setting down her purse. “I’m going to go smoke. Who wants to join me?”

“Nicole will in a minute,” I said. Then I turned to her. “You can come to dinner at my place tonight. Seven o’clock. Don’t be late. Jess and I have something to discuss.”

“Okay,” Nicole said meekly. “Thank you.”

“Come on, girl,” Alix said. “You just gained back nine months of partying. Let’s celebrate. I have some sativa that will knock you on your ass!”

Back in the car, I cranked the volume on some classic rock and drove too fast to the grocery store. Adrenaline coursed through me. A huge weight lifted off my shoulders. Even if my brain and logical reasoning had told me Nicole had to be bullshitting, there was nothing better than having that sliver of uncertainty removed.

I decided to make lunch with Rita about luxury. She liked to eat light. She loved brunch. I got a hundred grams of Petrossian caviar, some excellent Scottish smoked salmon, good potato chips, and creme fraiche. Then I went home and made blinis and prepared the traditional caviar accompaniments. I put a bottle of Bollinger R.D. on ice and waited for Rita to arrive.

She pulled up to the house shortly after noon. I greeted her at the door with a glass of Champagne. She took it, snaked the hand with the glass in it around my neck, and pulled me in for a kiss.

“I missed you,” she said.

She pulled back and looked at me with a little extra adoration in her eyes. It made me feel weak and vulnerable inside.

“I missed you, too,” I said and held her hand as we walked into the house.

I showed her the lunch spread on the dining room table.

“John!” she exclaimed. “This is incredible! My favorites!”

We put down our glasses on the table, and wrapped up in a deep, lingering kiss. I rubbed my hands across her ass. She wore what at first looked like a maroon t-shirt dress, but it actually flared out with a pleated tennis skirt at the bottom. It was fairly short for what she normally wore to work. Her viewers must have gone crazy with lust.

“Do you want to eat?” I said, breaking the kiss and smiling as I looked at her, our noses almost touching.

“I would have been happy just eating your cum, but all right!” she said happily.

We took our time eating and polished off all the caviar and the bottle of Champagne. The conversation flowed naturally, and it was just a perfect break to the frenetic couple days that had just passed. Rita, like Kat and Jess, had a calming influence on me. Being with her made me happy.