Swingin' in the Rain by Eileen Davidson Page B

need someone who knows the ropes, Alex.”
      “I’ll be meeting Patti there.”
      “Yeah, but you don’t know what she’s up to, do you?”
      “Patti? She’s not a danger to me.”
      “Did you ever think of her as bein’ a swinger? Or knowin’ your ex?” She had a very valid point.
      “Well, no . . .”
      “I think you need somebody to watch your back. Do you want to tell your boyfriend where you’re goin’?”
      “No!” I said. “I don’t want him to know quite yet. He’d probably try to stop me.”
      She smiled and asked, “He wouldn’t, maybe, want to go with you?”
      “Well, if you mean for pleasure, no,” I said. “He’d never be into that.” That made me think. Would he? He’s not very good at sharing and actually, neither am I. “If you mean as a cop, then again, no.  I think he’d make me stay home and go meet Patti himself. I’m not so sure I’d want him going there without me.”
      “Then you need me,” she said, “to be your partner in crime.  And . . . to help you get dressed.”

 
    CHAPTER FIFTEEN
     
     
      We talked a bit about who should watch Sarah. Tonja said she sometimes worked with a teenaged girl while programming computers, but I thought maybe I had a better idea. I said I’d let her know and she left with the promise of returning around 8:00 so we could get ready together. I told her I’d call her before then about the babysitter.
      Then I called Georgie.
      “I have a better idea,” he said.
      “What?”
      “I’m going with you girls.”
      “Georgie—“
      “Who’s always been your best wing man, Sweetie?” he asked.
      “You, but— this isn’t your normal kind of club, George.” I hesitated because I wasn’t sure what I should say to him. Patti and George worked together and I was pretty sure she wouldn’t want him knowing about her “secret” life. “Look, stay where you are. I’ll get right back to you.” I disconnected the call before he could say anything and then I called Patti.
      “Make-up,” she answered.
      “Hi, Patti, it’s Alex. I was hoping you’d still be there.”
      “What’s up? Still coming tonight?” She didn’t sound too thrilled to be hearing from me.
      “Oh, yeah. Here’s the thing. A girlfriend of mine saw the napkin you gave me and told me what kind of a club Trois ou Plus is.” I waited for a response and just got silence. So I went on. “I don’t want to make things uncomfortable for you but, uh, George wants to come.”
      “Oh my God! Did you tell him about the club, too?”
    “No! I mean, not yet. I wanted to talk to you first.”
      I waited for her to say something but all I heard was her breathing on the other end. “I promise we won’t say anything to anyone about this, and your, uh, ‘lifestyle’ if that’s what you’re worried about.”
      “Wait a sec.” She must have put her hand over the mouthpiece because I heard muffled voices. “I’m taking the phone into the hall.” She was whispering now. I heard her take a deep breath. “Fuck it. I’m screwed. Go ahead and bring him, but no one else.”
      “Well, I kind of have to bring my friend. She knows about the club and I could use the help. If you know what I mean.”
      She took a beat before answering. “Fine. I’ll see you at ten.”
      She hung up on me. That was weird. But so was everything else about Patti, lately. I called George back.
      “You have got to be kidding me! Patti? The most professional person on the planet, a swinger? I never would have guessed it!” I waited for him to get off the ceiling before answering.
      “She said I could bring you, George, but I don’t know. I don’t want to make her feel more uncomfortable than she already does. We all work together and I’m sure she doesn’t want this getting out. Talk about embarrassing. And it could cost her her job.”
      “I won’t say a thing. You know me. I’ll keep it zipped.”
      “I don’t