“Good.” Mandy squeezes my shoulder. “It’s not about the money, though. I mean, yeah, the money’s good, but I’m not in it for that.”
No? What, then? There’s only one thing I can think of that Mandy likes better than money.
I throw her a puzzled look. “You’re not saying we’re going to double as prostitutes, are you? Because if that’s the case…”
“Prostitutes?” Mandy lets out a loud laugh. “Shit, no. I like this new direction your brain is going, but no. This piece of meat?” She touches her breasts. “Not for sale. That would take all of the fun out of it. But yes, sex.”
“So you’re going to have sex with one of the guests?”
“Or two,” Mandy answers with a grin. “And I suggest you do, too.”
“What?”
“These are rich men we’re talking about, Leah. First class. Bespoke suits. Million-dollar watches. They smell like Christian Dior. Their cocks probably do, too. If you’re going to lose your virginity- and it’s past time you do- you won’t do better than one of these men.”
I’m still puzzled. “You want me to go with you to this party so that I can have sex with a guest?”
She shrugs. “What’s wrong with that?”
Plenty that I can think of.
“Isn’t that against the rules, too?” I set the dry plate down. “We could get fired.”
Mandy chuckles. “What? Did I forget to tell you? This kind of party has no rules. It’s all just fun.”
Okay.
“My friend, she did it with this guy at one of these parties before, some famous swimmer. He just grabbed her arm and pulled her behind some bushes. She said it was the most amazing sex she ever had.”
I blink. I’m starting to think this party isn’t such a good idea.
“You know what?” I step away from her. “I don’t think I’ll go after all.”
“What?” Mandy’s shoulders sink. “Didn’t you hear what I just said? The most amazing sex. Ever!”
“You said he grabbed her,” I tell her. “I may be a virgin, which makes you think I’m stupid and somehow deprived of something essential to living, but I’m not very comfortable with the thought of being grabbed.”
Mandy’s shoulders bunch up. “Then just say no. There are no rules at the party, but that doesn’t mean the law doesn’t apply. If you don’t want something, no one will force you.”
That makes me feel a little better.
Mandy grabs my shoulders. “But are you really going to say no? Do you really want to stay a virgin all your life?”
No, but…
“Hey!” Ron shouts as he waddles back into the kitchen. “What did I say about getting back to work? I’m not paying you to stand around, either.”
I quickly pick up a wet glass to dry. Mandy bumps my shoulder on her way to the other side of the kitchen.
“Think about it,” she whispers. “This is the chance of a lifetime.”
“No talking!” Ron shouts again.
“What?” Mandy turns to face him. “Are you going to take every sentence out of our pay, too?”
I frown. Please don’t give him any ideas.
Ron points a finger at her. “Don’t tempt me, Missy.”
For a moment I fear she might say more, but she just grins as she walks off. I hear Ron’s footsteps fade as well. As soon as he’s gone, I look at Mandy. She glances over her shoulder and as our gazes meet, her lips open to form four words.
Chance of a lifetime.
I let out a sigh as I turn my gaze back to the glass in my hand, my mind on the decision I have to make.
I’m still hesitant about going. What if Ron finds out and I lose my job? What if they find out I’m twenty-one and they refuse to pay me when the night is over?
Or what if I mess up? What if I break something even more expensive than five hundred dollars? What if I spill wine on someone’s tailored suit? I’ve only been a waitress for three months and I definitely haven’t been serving rich people. What if my nerves get the better of me?
And what if someone does grab me just as Mandy’s friend said? I don’t intend to be a virgin forever, but I don’t want to lose it to some stranger, either, billionaire or not. And I definitely don’t want it stolen. What if I say no and he doesn’t listen?
I shake my head. No. I’m sure he’ll listen. Like Mandy said, these men are the cream of the crop. They’re well-educated, well-behaved. They have reputations to uphold.
Besides, I can’t just ignore the five hundred dollars. That figure is stuck in my head just like one of those Post-its on Ron’s desk. I need that money. And although Mandy may be wrong about some things, she’s right about one- chances like this, even though they’re not exactly once-in-a-lifetime, come rarely enough, especially for people like me who seem to have fallen out of favor with Lady Luck.