He takes a panicked step toward me."Listen, Siri.I'm sorry.Really.I should have told you exactly what kind of party this is, but you wouldn't have come.I only need you to walk through the door with me.It's a couples thing."
I slip the key into my purse."What the fuck kind of cocktail party is this?"I ask him.
"A cock and tail party," he answers.
"It's a sex party?"I stare at him, gobsmacked!
"Yes."He nods."Swingers.Once we are in, you don't have to stay.You can leave."
I roll my eyes and shake my head."I should have fucking known!Well …" I look at the open door."Let's do this."
He almost cries with relief."Thank you!"
"I'm not doing this for you.I'm doing this for Mandy."
I hook my hand in the crook of his arm and tell him as we approach the door."But just so you know, you're the one who's going to get the surprise of your life."
What I see when I enter the house leaves me speechless.It's incredibly beautiful.There is not one but two spiral staircases on each side of the grand room, with a huge chandelier in the center.There is a balcony at the top with an elegantly carved banister that runs down both staircases.The landings at the bottoms flare.
Exquisite!Dramatic!Classy!
My heels click on the black marble as we walk in.There are four other couples, and no one is breathing!
Everyone is frozen right where they were when we walked through the door.
Shock and tension fill the air.
I'm used to making a dramatic entrance, but not one like this.They obviously didn't know I was coming in place of Rachael.
I cut my eyes at TD.
He looks like a kid who got caught with his hand in a cookie jar in a candy store.Too excited to be really worried about the consequences.
"You've got balls, buddy," I whisper out the side of my mouth."Bringing me here without telling me is one thing.Bringing me here without telling them is another."
He looks back around the room.Everyone is still staring.The blood completely drains from his face.
"I suggest you grovel an apology to him."I nod at Darren Martin as he approaches.
Darren owns a nationwide chain of restaurants.He's a handsome man and reminds me of Christian Bale.
When he arrives, he nods, "Siri," then speaks to TD.There is an edge of anger in his voice."Why isn't Rachael here?"
"She had a last-minute emergency at work and canceled on me late yesterday afternoon."
"This is highly irregular."Darren glances at me and then locks his eyes on TD."You should have notified someone immediately."
"My bad, but a month is a long time to wait."TD's eyes dart to Mandy over Darren's shoulder."I knew everyone was looking forward to tonight, and Siri was the perfect solution.Everyone knows her, plus she is beautiful.So I thought, 'Hey!She satisfies the requirements, and it would be a nice surprise.'"He addresses everyone."So I asked her, and she agreed."
I cut my eyes at him."That's not exactly the way it happened."
"Regardless," Darren says."You're in the door.You must sign a confidentiality agreement."
"Of course," I state as I put my hand in his.When he turns us to walk away from TD, arrows fly from my eyes.TD rubs the point of his arm that I nailed before we came in.
Darren puts my hand in the crook of his arm, and we walk across the room.He looks down at me and says quietly."Don't worry.The form is simple.Nothing complex."
I look into his face.His smile is open and genuine, but there is undeniable tension in his eyes.I glance to either side of the room.Everyone is nervous, and it pisses me off.TD was callous with their secret.
