Chapter 192

“So, Wanda and Terra are both going through some stuff,” I said, trying to find the right way to explain things to Cattie. “They wanted some female perspective on things, and are talking with Cassidy, Becca and Heels.”

“Oh,” Cattie said, her fingers stilling on my foot as she frowned slightly.

“Catherine,” I said, pulling my foot from her and sitting forward, taking her hands in mine. “Cassidy suggested bringing you in too, but the girls weren’t sure if you wanted to talk about your stuff going on or would feel pressured to do so if you weren’t ready.” It was a lie, but not much of one - I’d reworded Becca and Wanda’s feelings, not changed them.

Cattie sighed and nodded, running her thumbs along my palms as I held her hands. “I ... get it,” she said. “From what I know of what’s going on, I maybe wouldn’t want me in the mix either.”

“I’m sorry,” I said.

“I know,” she whispered, then shook her head a little and took a deep breath. “It’s OK. Everything going on is awkward right now. I just- I need some space from Heather and some girl time would have been nice. Tiger Time is nice too, though.”

“Please don’t say ‘Tiger Time’ to Cassidy,” I chuckled. “It will catch on way too fast.”

Cattie snorted and nodded. “OK, Robbie.”

“Do you want to talk about your stuff?” I asked. “Or do you want a distraction?

“My gut says distraction, but my head says talk,” Cattie said. “And my heart ... I don’t even know right now. I’m all fucked up.”

“That wasn’t much of an answer, Catherine,” I said.

“Talk,” she said more definitively. “I want to talk.”

“Here, or somewhere more private?” I asked.

Cattie looked around the top deck, which was still empty except for us. “Here is good,” she said. “Heather would freak if we went to one of the cabin’s together. Not that I would blame her for that. But here is fine.”

“OK,” I nodded.

Cattie looked down at her hands in mine, smiling softly, then let go and leaned back, motioning for me to raise my foot again. “If I’m going to emotionally vent on you, I might as well make up for it.”

I smirked and raised my foot to her and she took it in her lap, but then I leaned over and grabbed her opposite foot and pulled it up into mine. We started mutually rubbing each other’s feet and she quickly started mirroring whatever I was doing to her on me.

“So,” I said. “Where are you at?”

Cattie sighed and pressed her lips together. “Facts? I’m dating Heather. We’ve been together for almost three years. Our lives are pretty enmeshed. Things weren’t going great about six months ago until we got into some light Dom-sub play, and that refreshed things, but I got busy and started pulling away and not wanting the D/s stuff for a bit. This week was supposed to be us reconnecting. It ... hasn’t happened that way.”

I just nodded, encouraging her to continue. I knew all of that already.

“After the way she acted on the first day, I was ... annoyed. Even frustrated that I had to apologize to you and Cass for her. But I think I was so used to her being ... I don’t even know what to call it. ‘She’s just like that’ isn’t a good enough excuse.” Cattie looked down and chewed on her lower lip for a moment. “I kind of wish I hadn’t asked her to come on the trip,” she said.