“Sorry, I had a late night.” I tried to avoid the stares that were cast in my direction—they were all disapproving.
“That’s the—what is it, Wednesday? That’s the third one this week.” Mr. Stone shook his head and turned back towards the presenter. “Anyway, you were saying?”
“Sorry…” I mumbled under my breath and tried to figure out what I had missed before I arrived.
I sent Dominic a message thanking him for the previous night, and a few minutes later I g
ot a response asking if I wanted to meet for coffee. I accepted immediately. We hadn’t been able to meet for a coffee-lunch since he got married.
My heart sank into my stomach when I walked in and sat down because the golden band missing from his finger the night before was back. She had come to him in tears that morning, told him she was sorry, and they decided to work through their problem. I lost a lot of respect for Dominic when I heard those words. Nancy was going to have her cake, her pie, and Dominic. He really was wrapped around her little finger. By the time the coffee-lunch was done, the only place I wanted to be was back at the office. I would have been happier if he was alone, but he was right back in Nancy’s adulterous clutch.
“Mr. Stone wants to see you.” One of the secretaries walked by my cubicle and tapped her finger on my desk. “Now.”
“Okay, let me just save what I’m working on.” I pushed my mouse across my screen.
“He said now.” She repeated her words and her stare said everything.
I walked into Mr. Stone’s office with my stomach in knots. I needed my job. I knew I had been screwing up and coming in late, but I wasn’t the only one. The office frowned on it, but I had never heard of anyone getting fired over a few tardies. He had a scowl on his face, like he normally did when he was about to crack the whip on someone. I took a seat across from him and looked at him with a nervous glance. He didn’t say anything at first. His intense dark-colored eyes locked on me and I felt like a child that had just been caught with my hand in the cookie jar, but there were no cookies to at least make the punishment worth it.
“Do you know how far you’ve stretched my patience the last six months?” He tapped his fingers on the desk.
“I’m sorry, Mr. Stone. I know I haven’t been myself lately.” I swallowed a lump that tried to form in my throat.
“So what is it?” He narrowed his eyes at me. “A broken heart?”
“Something like that.” I exhaled sharply. “Maybe a little more complicated, though.”
“You know that I see a lot of potential in you, right? I don’t hire people because they have a pretty face or a padded resume. I hire them because I see intensity.” He leaned forward in his chair. “I don’t see that in you anymore.”
“I’m trying to find it, I promise.” I stared at his desk, feeling like I was in the Principal’s office being scolded for misbehaving.
“There’s a part of me that says I should fire you, but the intensity I used to see was strong enough that I want to give you another chance.” He exhaled sharply. “I’m going to send you home for a week—we’ll call it administrative leave.”
Oh no, that’s just a prelude to termination.
“Mr. Stone, I promise I’ll do better. Please don’t do that!” I looked up at him with a horrified expression on my face.
“You need it. Maybe you don’t see it, but I do.” He opened his desk drawer and pulled out a card. “I’m taking a chance even giving you this, and Human Resources would be up my ass if they knew it, so this has to be between us.”
“What is it?” I watched as he tossed the card towards the edge of his desk.
“It’s called Club Infinite Fantasy. It’s exclusive, but I’ll make sure you’re on the guest list. It’s a place where you can mend broken hearts.” He leaned forward and tapped the card. “If you tell anyone I gave this to you, I’ll deny it.”
“I don’t know…” I picked up the card and stared at it. “This doesn’t sound like somewhere I would go.”
“Well, you’ve got a week of administrative leave. Why don’t you try something new? You definitely need to, because what you’re doing right now isn’t working at all. If you don’t come back in a week as a different person, then I’ll have no choice but to fire you.” He leaned back in his chair. “It’s your choice, but I guarantee you won’t be thinking about whoever broke your heart once you get a taste of Club Infinite Fantasy.”
I had never heard of Club Infinite Fantasy. It definitely didn’t sound like a place for a virgin. I spent the first day of my administrative leave like I spent most of my working days, nursing a hangover while I tried to remember the night before. When I finally got over it and was ready for the evening, I checked social media and saw a post from Dominic. It was a testimony to his wife, a glowing thank you to the man upstairs for uniting him with such a beautiful woman. It made me want to throw up. I looked at the card laying on the table next to me, and instead of walking past it like I had the night before, I grabbed it.
Club Infinite Fantasy, huh? Maybe that is exactly what I need right now.
I gave the address to the Uber driver and then I was on my way. We left the good part of New York where the rich people lived, passed by the middle-class neighborhoods, and then we were in a part of the city I would have never ventured into on my own. I was nervous to even step out of the car. I looked at the card one last time, confirmed we were in the right place, and stepped out onto the sidewalk. There was no sign for Club Infinite Fantasy. It was just a building with wooden doors and two angry looking bouncers standing beside them. When I approached, they pulled the doors open and I stepped inside.
Okay, I guess I’m here.
“Can I help you?” A man in a tuxedo walked up as I walked into what appeared to be a lobby area.
“Uh, yeah.” I held up the card. “Quintin Stone sent me here?”