Bidding War Read online

  "So if I introduced you to, say, SCUBA diving, you'd go out the next day and buy a submarine?"

  She laughed. "Maybe not that bad. But yes. If I liked it, I'd immediately buy everything I needed, take all the classes, and I can be very competitive about it." She paused. "Do you dive?"

  "No, but I've always been interested." I paused. "It's an expensive hobby."

  "Of course. I'm sorry."

  "It's okay. I'm frustrated professionally, but I'm happy with my personal life. I have a nice home and good friends. I'd like children someday, and I don't want to be a single parent, but I have time."

  "Did you finish forgiving Sam?"

  "Yes, I did." I didn't elaborate.

  "That sounded like a mysterious silence."

  "She came over late last night. I fed her chocolate truffles and we talked. I sent her back home with more truffles for Suzanne, although I'm not at all sure Suzanne got any."

  "I'm glad," Gwendolyn said. "You bought truffles as a peace offering?"

  "No," I said. "If anyone was buying chocolates for a peace offering, it needed to be her. I took a cooking class last night and made them there."

  "You made truffles."

  "Yes. It was fun."

  "Will I get one?"

  "Not from this batch. But maybe in the future." I paused. "I'll make you other treats though."

  We talked for a few more minutes before we signed off. It had been a nice talk, and I was looking forward to seeing her on Friday.

  * * *

  Thursday after work was a workout day with Bonnie. When I showed up, I could tell she wasn't sure whether I was going to, but she smiled and seemed pleased to see me. We changed clothes in the changing room where she made a point of inspecting my neck before sighing dramatically.

  I laughed. "Sorry to disappoint. No love bites."

  "Does she have any?" Bonnie asked hopefully.

  "No."

  "Did you even kiss her?"

  "Yes."

  "How was it?"

  "It was all right," I said. I tried to pretend I was bored.

  Bonnie studied my face. "You're not telling me something."

  "I know." I looked away and said quietly, "She tried to. You know. Touch me."

  "Oh no!" she said. "I'm sorry. Oh Pamela, I'm sorry."

  "I let her."

  "What? No way!" Then she narrowed her eyes. "Where did she touch you?"

  "At the restaurant, then at the cooking class, then a little more when she got me home."

  She glared at me. "That's not what I meant," she said. "What part of your body did you let her touch?"

  I laughed. "My arms."

  "You bitch," she said. "You had me going."

  "And other places."

  "I'm not buying it now," she said. "What? Your shoulders?"

  We moved out into the exercise room and sat down on the mats, stretching out together, practicing various yoga poses. It was busy, but the club was big with plenty of room for everyone there.

  "I had a nice time," I said. "I might see her again."

  Bonnie laughed. "Twice more, I am guessing."

  We finished stretching then got up and headed to the exercise bikes. "Or did you want stairs today?" Bonnie asked.

  "Bikes are good." We found two bikes side by side and started peddling. "Bonnie, do you know where she's taking me Saturday?"

  "No. She won't tell you?"

  I explained the conversation. She narrowed her eyes at me. "You're pumping me for information as if you think I'm a leaky sieve. A gossip. A blabbermouth."

  "Guilty."

  "What did Sam tell you when you asked her?"

  "How do you know I asked Sam?"

  "Because she already knew you had kissed Moira good night, so you must have talked to her." She paused. "What did Sam tell you?"

  I sighed. "She wouldn't say a word. But I know you want to."

  "Sorry," she said. "I don't have the vaguest idea where she's taking you."

  I changed the subject, but then we were both peddling hard enough it became more difficult to carry on a conversation. We're both serious about our exercise, and I had a lot of truffles to finish exercising off.

  We spent forty minutes on the bikes. Some days we spend longer, but it was a weights day. When Bonnie saw the weights I was using, she asked me, "Why so little? Muscles stiff from fending off Moira's advances?"

  I laughed. "No. Gwendolyn is taking me dancing tomorrow, and I don't want to be too sore to dance properly."

  "You're going to get fat at those weights," she said, nodding at the stack I was lifting. She paused. "Moira won't like you if you get fat."

  "Nice try," I said.

  I waited until Bonnie was lifting her stack of weights after my turn before I asked, "Is Gwendolyn really an eleven?"

  She almost dropped the bar. It wouldn't have done any real damage, but it would have made a heck of a noise. She finished the rep, glaring at me and my timing. "Don't do that," she said. "But yes, she is. Thinking of finding out for yourself?"

  "Maybe." That time she did drop the stack, garnering some attention.

  Bonnie glared at me again. "You are so full of shit."

  "What? I heard you were only an eight. But an eleven. I could turn gay for an eleven."

  "It would be an improvement over the fives you date."

  "More like twos," I said quietly.

  She finished her set without any further response then said, "Seriously? Twos?"

  I nodded.

  "You are dating the wrong guys."

  "Prowess in bed isn't my sole criteria," I told her.

  "Hey!" she complained. "That's not fair and you know it."

  "I'm teasing, Bonnie."

  She eyed me before nodding. "Are you teasing about the twos?"

  "No, I'm serious about that."

  "I don't care what other criteria you have," she said. "You shouldn't settle that far. A healthy sex life is important. Ask any psychologist."

  "I know," I said.

  We switched places and I changed the weights again. Bonnie tsked at me but didn't comment. While I was lifting, she eyed me up and down. At the end of my rep, I asked her, "Please, no flirting tonight. Just friends, okay?"

  "I wasn't going to, actually," she said. "I was going to say, you have a great body, you dress well, you're articulate, an amazing cook, and very kind. I don't know why you're still single. You should have guys breaking down your door with proposals."

  "Like you do?"

  "Guys hit on me all the time," she said.

  "I know. But I don't like the guys that hit on you," I told her. "You can have them."

  "Yeah, I know," she said. "But I get it at work sometimes, too. Nice guys you'd like. Don't you get that?"

  "The bank has a strict no-fraternization policy," I told her. "Both with coworkers and clients. My coworkers all know that. The clients don't, and I get an offer now and then, but I have to turn them down."

  I finished my set and we switched again.

  "So anyway," I told her. "I've been thinking I should let you have your way with me. I figured you'd give me at least a six."

  She dropped the stack again.

  "Damn it," she said. "You're doing that on purpose."

  I laughed and nodded.

  "You told me not to flirt, Pamela."

  "You're right. I'm sorry."

  She nodded and began lifting. "First time would only be a four. Once I got you to relax, it would go up. It might take a lot of practice to get you to a nine." She was speaking a few words at a time, cheating on the reps with a little break so she could talk. "I'd never get you to a ten. You're too uptight."

  "Should I be offended?"

  "No. It's who you are, and it's part of why I love teasing you."

  She finished her set and stood up. We wiped down the machine before turning to the next one. She went first the time, but first she asked, "Are we forgiven?"

  "Yes." I paused. "I had better than an okay time, Bonnie."
<
br />   "Yes!" She said, pumping her fist. "I was sure you'd like Moira. I've been trying to get a date with her for three years. I'm deeply jealous." She sat down at the machine, set the weights, and began lifting. "Are you going to give me details?"

  "No." I paused. "Except." I thought about it. "Bonnie. Best. Date. Ever."

  She dropped the stack, but she didn't glare.

  "Seriously?"

  I nodded.

  "You're not just shitting me?"

  "No."

  "Huh. Sorry you've been turning me down all these years?"

  I laughed. "You would love me and leave me, Bonnie. We both know that." I paused. "But you would be back for more from time to time."

  I watched her think about it. "Yeah, you're probably right. And after one taste of Bonnie, you'd be ruined for men at least." She smiled, did another rep, then said. "But probably not Gwendolyn. No one can ruin you for what that woman can do with her fingers."

  "Surgeon's touch," I said.

  "Exactly. I have no idea what she's doing different, but if you could bottle what she has. Wow."

  She finished her set then looked at me. "You've never talked to me about this before. You always shut me down."

  We switched places and I ignored her half-asked question. Instead I changed the topic, and anytime she tried to switch it back, I ignored her and changed the topic again.

  Finally as we were getting ready to leave, she said, "Come on, Pamela. Spill."

  "I was always afraid I was encouraging you."

  "Would that be so bad?"

  "Love me and leave me would be hard on our friendship."

  "So you're curious!"

  "No."

  "Liar."

  "Am not."

  "Are too!"

  "Am not!" I stamped my foot, and we both giggled.

  "Seriously. Curious?"

  "Just trying to understand why I had such a great date with Moira and not so much with the guys."

  "It's the guys you go out with. There are reasons we try to chase them away."

  "You do not!" I said.

  "We do. Honest, not kidding. They're assholes. Have you seen the way they look at your best friend?"

  We had stepped outside and I turned to her, pulling on her arm. "Bonnie?"

  "I'm not teasing, Pamela. Dead serious."

  "All of them?"

  She thought about it. "You've had a few that have been okay, but those were the dead boring ones. You seem to find homophobes, Pamela."

  "Please tell me you're kidding, Bonnie."

  "I'm sorry, Pamela. Some haven't been two bad. Some are just uncomfortable around us. A few haven't said anything, but they laugh too hard at our jokes or go out of the way to tell us how they don't mind we're gay, but they do so in a very possessive fashion as if they're worried we'll try to steal you from them."

  "I'm sorry," I said quietly. "Am I that oblivious?"

  "Sometimes. We're probably watching for it more. You love us so much that it doesn't occur to you someone else might not." She paused. "It's okay, Pamela."

  "In the future, tell me. Please."

  "You sure?"

  I nodded. "You have to do it when you aren't teasing me though."

  "If I'm just teasing about him, then I'll be teasing about other things. I'll let you know when I'm serious."

  I nodded. "I'm busy all weekend. I can't work out again until Monday."

  "Dates?"

  "Yep."

  She smiled. "Have fun. Don't do anything I might do."

  We hugged briefly before walking to our respective cars.

  * * *

  Moira called me later in the evening on Thursday. "Hello, Moira."

  "Is it too late to call?"

  "No. I was hoping to hear from you. Have I told you how much I enjoyed Tuesday?"

  She laughed. "Yes. I did too. The weather on Saturday looks outstanding. I will pick you up at seven. Is that okay?"

  "Yes."

  "Dress casual to be outside but pack a bag for dinner and a little dancing. We won't be coming home to change. You won't get home until late."

  "Where are you taking me?"

  "Somewhere."

  I sighed. "I couldn't get Sam or Bonnie to say a word."

  "Good." She paused. "I'm not happy you tried."

  "I'm sorry," I said in a small voice. "I won't do it again."

  "You are forgiven if you are serious about your promise."

  "I promise."

  "If you want to know something about me, ask me."

  "All right." I paused. "I'm sorry."

  "Forgiven." She paused. "Will you tell me about your day?"

  So I did. She shared details about hers and asked if I had any truffles left.

  "Two."

  "You ate them all?"

  "I gave two to Sam and sent her home with two more for Suzanne. Was that okay?"

  "Yes. I gave some to a client and shared one with someone at work. But no making any more and please don't give any to Gwendolyn or any of your boyfriends, until I've had my last date with you."

  "No boyfriends, Moira," I said. "And I won't share with Gwendolyn. This is ours."

  I heard her smile. "Thank you." She paused. "I will be a little stand offish Saturday morning. Don't take it personally. You'll get more of the attention you like once we get where we're going, if you want it."

  "I want it," I told her. "You're being very mysterious."

  "You'll understand by nine," she said. "I just didn't want you feeling neglected."

  "I'll contain my disappointment if you promise it will be short-lived."

  "I promise," she said. I could tell she was grinning. "Will Gwendolyn have kissed you by then?"

  "I am seeing her tomorrow night."

  "Good. Otherwise I was going to postpone."

  "No need."

  We flirted for a while longer on the phone before hanging up. I went to bed thinking about her.

  * * *

  Friday I got home early again. I primped for Gwendolyn. I wrote a black dress with a long, flowing hemline. I liked the way it moved when I danced. I finished getting ready then hovered nervously in the living room waiting for her.

  She arrived a few minutes late. I let her ring the bell before walking to the door, lest she know I was watching for her.

  "I'm sorry I'm late," she said, stepping inside.

  "Only a few minutes."

  "Medical emergency," she said. "We were lucky I didn't have to cancel." She paused, looking at me, and smiled. "You look nice."

  "Thank you. So do you." She was wearing black slacks and a white blouse, and she looked nice. We hugged, then I took her hand. "Want a tour? It's small."

  "It's cute," she said, looking around. "My house is big, but sterile. Yours is a home."

  I led her through the house. When I got to the kitchen I told her, "This is my favorite room."

  The house was small, but the kitchen was fabulous, and I was proud of it. "Do you cook a lot?" she asked.

  "When I have someone to cook for. I invite the girls over a lot, especially when I want to test something new on them."

  She smiled. "What do they say about it?"

  "They get mad because they need double workouts after eating my food."

  She laughed. "I'll consider myself warned."

  I showed her the rest of the house. When we got back to the front door, she said, "You have a nice home, Pamela. Thank you for showing it to me."

  "Thank you," I replied. "You are amazingly gracious."

  She frowned. "This is a home. It shows your character. I think perhaps my house also shows my character, but if it does, it makes me sad."

  "Fix it."

  "I wouldn't know how. I hired an interior designer, who pulled her hair out trying to figure out what to do. She put a bunch of plants in, but they died due to lack of attention. It looked better with the plants."

  I smiled. "You can hire companies to take care of them."

  "I thought about that after they
were all dead," she said, laughing at herself. "I've thought about replacing them, but I think the design needs more than just plants." She paused. "If we become real friends-"

  "I'd love to help," I said. "But not until I know your personality better." I paused and handed her my pashmina, then turned around for her to drape over my shoulders. She brushed her fingers across my skin, lighting me on fire. I looked over my shoulder and smiled at her.

  "Too much?"

  "Absolutely not," I told her. "You're taking me dancing, Gwendolyn. Slow dancing."

  "Seriously?"

  "Well, not all the songs."

  We stepped outside and I locked the door, then I took her arm as she led the way to her car. She didn't open my door for me, and I realized this would be a different date from Tuesday's.

  I climbed in and buckled up. She did the same then looked over at me. "Oh hell."

  "What?"

  "I am still in work mode, sort of."

  "All right," I said. "Why does that make you swear?"

  "Did that bother you?"

  "No. Puzzled me. Did I do something wrong?"

  "No. Neither did I, exactly. But I missed an opportunity to do something right."

  I reached over and brushed the back of her hand. "It's okay. Please be yourself."

  "You mean feed you a hurried meal and lure you back to my home for a night of sex?"

  I laughed. "If you treat me like you did on Saturday, I will be ecstatic."

  She started the car and backed out of my driveway.

  "Where is dinner?" I asked her.

  "Do you like sushi?"

  "Yes." I smiled.

  "It's a drive, but there's a great sushi place on Grand Avenue in St. Paul. We have reservations."

  "Wonderful."

  As I had with Moira, I set my arm where Gwendolyn could readily touch me if she wanted to. She noticed right away and smiled. She wrapped my hand in hers and drove one handed most of the way to the restaurant. I asked her about work.

  "Two bypasses this morning, and I was only assisting on the first one. Consultations this afternoon. How about you?"

  "I assisted with two closings today and wrote loans for three others." I paused. "Neither of us are good about talking about our jobs."