Page 49 of A Real Good Bad Thing

Ah, so that explained the art in the club. “Is that where Eli is tonight?” I asked. “At the gallery?”

Willow waved away my leading question. “Oh, he got called away to the club. Had to check on a security issue there. You can never be too careful, you know.”

A security issue, hmm? Willow was a blessed fount of information. Pull the string and she talked. “Of course. Better safe than sorry,” I said.

Willow patted my knee. “He’ll be back soon. He won’t want to stay away long when he knows I’m shopping for newfriends.” At my blank look, she wiggled her well-groomed eyebrows at the array of vibrators.

No. Just no. I needed air. And maybe a way to rewind my night to a time when I didn’t know about the battery-operated friends invited to Eli’s bedroom. “Excuse me for a minute. I need the ladies’ room.”

“Just head through there and down the hall.” Willow gestured, the ring on her left hand sparkling.

Following her instructions, I passed through the kitchen and turned down a long hallway. I glanced over my shoulder to make sure the coast was clear. It was, but that cat was following me. At least, it felt that way. As I walked she, or he, stayed several feet behind, stopping when I stopped. Cats were so weird.

I glanced in a few doorways, noting the layout of the house. If I were a safe, where would I be? “Do you know?” I whispered to the cat.

The pretty animal stretched its front legs, downward dogging it. The collar jingled, then shone in the light. Jade was her name. The jewel theme ran strong in Eli. What a coincidence that he’d found my mother, a woman who’d named her daughter after a jewel too.

“Any idea where it could be, Jade?” I asked again.

She yawned.

Well, then. The cat wasn’t going to turn over. Not a surprise.

Opening one of the doors that lined the hall, I leaned in and scanned the shadowed room.

When I straightened and closed the door, footsteps sounded behind me.

I jumped, like a teen camp counselor in a horror movie. My pulse did too, and I put my hand flat over my chest. It was the sex-toy mistress, who’d been coming down the hall from the living room. The cat was gone.

“Hi, Ruby,” she said.

“Hi…” I fished in my memory for her name.

“Monica,” she supplied with a smile. “I was just getting some more goodies from my car. I didn’t expect them to sell so quickly.”

“I guess you can never have too many pearl-encrusted dildos,” I said, somehow keeping a straight face.

Monica smiled. “If you decide to buy something, I’ll happily give you a discount, as you’re the daughter of the house.”

“Stepdaughter,” I said reflexively. “But thank you. I’m good though.”

We stared at each other for a long moment, each clearly waiting for the other to move.

“Were you looking for the bathroom?” Monica pointed to the door across from where I stood. “It’s that door there.”

“Thanks.” I didn’t have a reason to delay, so I ducked into the half-bath, taking my time, giving the saleswoman an opportunity to get to her car and back to the living room.

But when I opened the bathroom door, Monica was there in the hall, waiting to walk with me back to the party but this time, she was holding a large white box in her hands.

Did she think I couldn’t find it on my own?

“Here,” the woman said, reaching into the box and taking out a black velvet bag. “A party favor for you.”

I shook my head. “Oh, no. I can’t.”

“Please,” she urged, staring at me intently over her glasses. “Willow wants everyone to have a gift.”

Like her fiancé. They were both big gift givers, evidently. And it seemed easier to accept than to protest. “Thank you.”

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