Seven Women: An Erotic Private Investigation

Chapter 16…

“Hey,” Amelia says with a smile.

I don’t think they notice the truth.

Sheila and I return to the table. Lisa is gone, to the bathroom we’re told. I want to laugh, wondering if she went in there with some man; I try to picture this. As far as the others seem to know, Sheila and I were out on the floor all this time. I see that the number of people in here has increased. In retrospect, my liaison with Sheila was quite brief. Memory and alcohol, and other things, can fool you.

Sheila and I are good at pretending there is nothing between us but a dance. A dance, yes.

“This place is too noisy,” Tasha says. She leans close to me to say this. I flinch, afraid she might smell the sex on me — I can still smell it. But what do I care? We’re not married anymore, we’ll never get back together. It is at this moment that I know I still love her. This makes me sad — something I’d rather not feel. I finish my drink. Tasha adds, “We were thinking of leaving, what do you think?”

“This is girls’ night out,” I note. “Do I have any say?”

“Well, you seem to be part of the entourage now.”

“It doesn’t matter to me.”

Lisa returns and we discuss it. We decide to leave the club.

“Why don’t we go to my place,” Holly suggests.

“I’ve never been there,” Amelia says.

“It’s big and roomy and quiet,” Holly says. “Also, my bar doesn’t charge high prices.”

“Speaking of high prices,” Cara says, “I’m running low on cash — how much is a cab to your place?”

“Not a lot,” Holly says, “but we can all try to cram into a single cab. What do you think?”

“All of us,” Lisa says, “into one? I don’t think so.”

“I’ve done it before,” Amelia says. “It takes coordination.”

“And you have to find one of those older, larger cabs,” Sheila says.

“Well, heck, it sounds like fun,” Cara says.

I see my ex-wife make a face.

“It’s always worth a try,” I tell her.