“Being back in the city makes me feel my age. These blocks were a lot easier to walk a decade ago,” I said.
Nat laughed, the sound light and free. “You always exaggerate. And please, I’ve seen your step tracker. You walk miles daily.”
“I’m actually surprised to see you back already. Last I saw, it looked like you and what’s-his-name were having a lot of fun.” I smirked.
Nat winked. “Oh, he was tempting, but New York has its hold on me. But . . . I wanted to tell you first—I’m actually back for good. My parents wanted me to take over the family business.”
“Holy shit, Nat, that’s huge!” I responded. “What area are you taking over?”
The Beaumonts were a huge figure in New York City. What started as a textile and spice trading company back in the 1800s has since ballooned into an entire holdings company that deals with real estate, antiquities, non-profits, spas, and wellness centers.
“I’ll be overseeing the health and wellness side. I know there’s a lot I could bring to spice it up from everything we learned while traveling.” Nat shrugged. “Who knows what area we end up exploring next?”
“This makes my heart so happy, Nat,” I said. I tore off a piece of buttery croissant and popped it in my mouth. “I’m so glad you’re back. Oh! And since you’re here, you have to come to this event I’m helping with in a couple of weeks.”
I filled Nat in on all the details about the Prism Society and the wine-tasting event I was putting together for Max. I kept what had gone down last night to myself.
“Is he hot?” Nat asked in the middle of me explaining the chocolate taste test Max and I had done to prepare for the event.
“Who?” I asked.
“Max. The dashing, young sommelier.” Nat clarified.
“Oh, uh . . .” I stared up at the ceiling like I had to think about it. “I mean, one might say he is attractive.”
“Oh, ‘one might say,’ huh?” Nat teased, bumping my shoulder. It reminded me of all our times abroad when we would huddle close in a sticky booth at whatever pub we could find and scan the crowd for available guys.
Nat had always been such a good wingwoman for me, reminding me to go after what I wanted, to claim it, and take it. I had missed her energy.
“You were always so good at putting together amazing events, Iz. Remember when you threw that stunning summer solstice party in Greece?” I smiled at the memory. The travel guides had sent out a photographer to use for their next magazine. I hadn’t thought it had been a big deal, but they were still using the photos from that event, even now.
“I can’t wait to see it all come together,” Natalia said, sipping her coffee.
“So I guess you should also know that . . .” I hesitated, trying to figure out exactly how to describe what the Prism Society was like. “The club is . . . adult.”
“Like a strip club?” Nat asked as she brought her coffee cup to her lips.
“No, not like that at all,” I said. “More like a place for people to explore their . . . fantasies. They have different rooms upstairs that members can reserve and use . . . however they want.”
“Oh, spicy!” Nat said quietly. “What kind of rooms?”
I should have known I could count on Nat to be curious instead of judgmental. I smiled and said, “I don’t really know, I haven’t actually been in them. But I hear there’s a sensory deprivation room, one that has a lot of accessories, one that has multiple beds. . . . It’s very posh though.”
Nat shivered with excitement. “Well, maybe you’ll just have to take some PTO just so you can spend some time in the spicy part of the club.”
I shook my head. “Honestly, letting loose in a club my brother works in gives me the heebie-jeebies. He would have to be, like, out of the country or something.”
I continued, “But . . . maybe you could host a retreat at the Prism Society, blending in your ‘specialties.’ I can just see the tagline: ‘Discover your desires and find your center.’”
“As long as I have you to plan it, girl, I’m in for whatever,” Nat added and laughed. “Okay, well, unfortunately, I have to run. I have an actual board meeting to attend.”
“Oh, she’s so fancy!” I teased. “See you soon, love.”
I could smell Nat’s vanilla rose shampoo when she reached in for a hug and I squeezed extra hard before letting go. Something settled in me with Natalia around. It’s like she could ground me with just a simple catch up and it refueled me. Good friends were like that, and I was lucky to have her.
I felt a newfound sense of confidence with the upcoming event knowing Natalia would be there by my side to help with any crisis. Not that I needed the reassurance that moving back to the city was the right choice (okay, so I did need it) but having Nat here was the validation I needed that I was exactly where I belonged.
TWELVE
