"I'm sorry."
"It's okay. Don't worry, I was just complimenting. I'd never zero in on your man. Men.Plural," she squeaks.
"Still, Im' sorry. I didn't mean to freak." Delaney had a thing for Mateo and went to actual lengths to break us up. Portia would never hurt me like that.
"You didn't. I'm proud you're getting so much dick. They're all seriously fine, but I respect the boundaries of our friendship andof a poly relationship. It's not all a free-for-all fuck fest, despite what most people think."
"How do you know that?" I ask, collapsing into a seat beside her. "Tell me your ways."
Portia laughs, nudging my shoulder. "Babe, I love you, but you're sheltered. You live up to that wholesome girl stereotype entirely too well. Poly's not as uncommon as you think. Besides, I may have been known to dabble," she says casually, admiring her fingernails.
"Get out! Oh thank Christ. I didn't know who to talk to about this. How does it work? Where do we sleep? Do we have sex all at once? How many holes do they use?"
She blinks slowly before turning to face me. "Have you never watched porn? Or a gangbang?"
I chew my lip.
"Okay, I'm sending you some videos."
"Oh, dang, no, that's okay, I don't think that's necessary."
Portia waves her hand, dismissing me, typing away on her phone. I'm thrilled and mortified all at the same time. I'm glad she keeps talking because my throat feels dry and the embarrassment is threatening to melt my cheeks off my face.
"Anyway, how'd this all come about?"
"The guys?"
"Yeah, and with Mateo. Did he know them already?"
"Yeah, they're his best friends. He didn't introduce me before because… well, 'cause he wasn't sure how to explain all this. But after Delaney, we kinda had to face some truths and he admitted a lot to me. I followed him home from work one day."
Postia gasps and turns to face me. "You did not! You told me that was campy and you'd never do it! That was my idea!"
"I know! I was blamin' you, that's for sure. I felt so stupid. I had this big floppy hat, hidin' behind the brim."
Portia snorts then full on laughs. "Oh my dear Lucy. My loveable, adorable Lucy."
"Alright, I get it. Anyway, I followed him and it turned out I was following all three of them. And they go to this sex club in the warehouse district, or Mateo did before we met. Anyway, I caught him there. He swore he wasn't there for sex, he was just there because it was familiar. But then I was there and it was the three of them… one thing led to another…"
"Youaremy spirit animal. I'm so proud."
I blush and nudge her shoulder again. "Alright, alright. It's all very, very new, and I'm still figuring things out."
"Like what goes in what hole?"
I snort, "I deserve that."
"I just sent you videos. Watch them. Anyway, I'll take off, since you're wearing a robe and have this whole sex vibe going. But come to brunch tomorrow. And maybe after…"
I look up and she gives me an earnest look. She doesn't continue, looking unusually pensive. "What is it?" I prompt.
"I was going to say, maybe after, we could do that photoshoot?"
I expect a wave of nerves to shake and rattle, but they don't. Then again, when I looked in the mirror this morning, I didn't expect to have a melt down at the prospect of putting on makeup.
"Can I ask you something?"
"Of course Lu, anything."