People were complicated. Life was nuanced. She hoped their daughters would grow up realizing that the rivalry between the Monroes and Monica was purely because they were in the same line of business and had nothing to do with personal matters. If Monica had closed the Château when she married, then Damon and Alice would probably be staples in Warren Manor.
“Did you hear about the Kleins?” Damon must have been hard-up to talk about something because he wasgossiping.“Mrs. Emily Klein is pregnant with her first child, despite allaccounts that her husband Derrick is, ah, incapable in that department.”
Monica pursed her lips. “I heard something about that.”
“The rumor is that the father is none other than Jonas Parker.”
“I think most of us are aware that the Kleins and Parkers have been in a polycule for a couple of years.” It played out regularly at the Château, where Jonas often brought his wife – and girlfriend – to be “entertained” by one of Monica’s employees. “Still, I’m sure it was a bit of a shock to Mr. Klein.”
“So, you know?”
“Like you said, I know everything.”
“I really gotta get better at gossip.”
“That’s how you know you’re getting older, Mr. Monroe.” Monica settled into her seat. “You fill your days with nonsense.”
“Are our kids nonsense, though?”
“I certainly hope not.”
They remained mostly quiet after that, the only sounds in the room coming from the laughter down the hall. For the first time in a long while, Monica felt completely at peace.
Everything is going to be okay.She held onto this moment, proud of making it so far.
Epilogue
The opening of Le Salon’s expansion was a long time coming. Although Monica was never,evertruly satisfied with how her businesses came together, it was good enough. Certainly ready to make its investment back.
Yet Monica couldn’t simply enjoy her party. She was the hostess, this was her big moment, and she was constantly “on.”
As it so happened, that was her happiest place when interacting with the public.
“Don’t look at me,” Henry mused as he followed his wife through a crowd.My tall and handsome bodyguard.“She’s the one who knows what’s going on. I’m the eye candy.”
Her hand was always interlocked with his as they moved through the swelling – but always just under fire-code – crowd. Since the two salons weren’t connected, Monica arranged with the building owner to allow the use of the hallway for the party. Right now, she and Henry moved from Le Salon to Le Etendue, where a throng of their VIPs waited fortours and demonstrations from some of Monica’s mountaintop employees.
“Hey!” Jasmine flung her arms in the air, tipsy with a glass of something in her hand. Soon enough, her arms were thrust around Monica, bringing her in for a hug while Ethan watched on from behind her. “This party isso lit!Holy cow, Monica, you always know how to throw an elegant rager!”
They kissed on the cheeks before Monica was called away again. This time it was Judith, who was stuck in Le Etendue while Madison kept an eye on Le Salon.
“There are way too many people here,” Judith’s boyfriend Seth said as he hid behind her. “This is not good for our immune systems. Isn’t Mrs. Klein here? She’s pregnant!”
Judith put her hand over his mouth with an admonishingshh!“Everything’s great here. Although we already have an issue with one of the curtains constantly falling. I’ve taken the liberty of putting it in the closet for now. Everyone can see our business here. Just FYI.”
Monica made a note of that before thanking Judith. By the time she made it to the main sitting area of Le Etendue, it was time for the show to begin.
She had hired two of the region’s premier demonstrators to show what one could accomplish in the expansion. Mira put her female sub Blair through her paces, which allowed Monica to show off how one could adjust the lighting on the sunken stage in the living room. This was as much about enticing some of the biggest spenders in the area to start reserving nights for the summer season as much as it was about entertaining them at her party.
What most didn’t realize was that Blair was a Salon employee.And now an Etendue employee.Blair would only work the expansion with her Domme, but they were definitely available for bookings. To the point that Monica was currently workingout anexclusivitydeal with Mistress Mira.That will piss Damon and Alice off.Right now, Mira and Blair were monthly headlining acts at The Dark Hour. They drew people in and raked in the tips – a mutually beneficial situation. Yet Monica wanted themhere.Henry had joked she was possessive over Blair (and that it was rather hot, he thought,) but Monica just saw it as good business.
“Don’t make eyes at them like that.”
She wasn’t surprised that Damon leaned over the back of her seat, whisky on his breath. Henry glanced at him before turning his attention back to the riotous show exploding on the sunken stage. Mira was getting the audience involved and made itclearthat this was everyone’s chance to see the “lovely, charming, and ridiculously sexy Blair out of her sheer kimonos.” Half the room had been hosted by Blair at some point and were dying to see her naked.
“They’re mine, Monroe. I’m about to sign the dotted line with Mira tonight.”
“Like hell you are.”
