Page 23 of Healing the Heart

“What about now?” the little blonde inquired.

“I just want to put it all behind me and move on.”

“You’re not coming back?” Esme asked, her expressive face reflecting her concern and disappointment.

She shook her head. “It’s not my kind of crowd.”

“Only because you haven’t gotten to know them. Look at me,” Val said, holding her arms wide. “For most of them, I’m old enough to be their mother.”

“Isn’t Eric older than you?”

“He’s a man,” Esme sniffed. “It’s different, and most unfair.”

“That’s a problem for another day,” Val said with the wave of her hand. “One of many reasons I wanted you to get to know the submissives better is because we have the inside track on the doms. Who likes what, who’s been with who, and, most importantly, who to avoid at all costs.”

“Jordan fell into the last category, I take it?”

“He had his own class:avoid like the plague,” Esme quipped.

Val shot her a glance. “I thought we voted to change that to,run like your hair is on fire.”

“More like ass,” Fiona drawled. “Take it from someone who knows.”

At the horrified look Esme gave her, Fiona laughed. When Val looked at her with a mix of sadness and sympathy, she laughed harder. It was probably the stress, and very inappropriate considering the topic, but she couldn’t help it.

Two customers shopping nearby gave her odd looks and scurried like frightened mice down the sidewalk and into the next store.

This tickled Fiona all the more, and she doubled over with laughter.

Esme whispered to Val. “Is she having a nervous breakdown?”

“No, I think she’s letting off steam. Or at least, I hope so.”

Winding down, Fiona held her belly. “Ooh,” she moaned. “I laughed so hard my stomach hurts, but it feels good to let it out.”

“It’s been a rough week, huh?” Val asked, smiling for the first time since they’d joined her.

“You have no idea.”

“Yeah, we kind of do,” Esme replied, “which is why you need to come back to the club and, this time, join our sub group.”

“Thanks. But I don’t think so.”

“Don’t let one bastard scare you off.”

“It wasn’t just him. I didn’t gel with anyone.”

“We can help with that. Tell her, Val.”

“We’re starting a new service for members just like you, who want to find someone but are having trouble making a connection.”

“Like a dating app?”

“Exactly. You fill out a questionnaire, and we match you with a club member with similar kinks and interests.”

“What do you have to lose?” Esme asked.

“That’s what I told myself about Jordan.”

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