The Pleasure Set

by Lisa Girolami

  Sandrine looked up and smiled unenthusiastically. “It helps me think.”

  “Let’s try to think more quietly, huh?”

  “You Homicide dicks are a tense bunch. Always concerned about every little thing.”

  “At least we don’t have to worry about getting paper cuts from analyzing bad checks.”

  She liked Bruce. He was a police officer through and through and held his professionalism in as high a regard as she did. She often talked to him when one of them was waiting for a phone call or taking a break from the chaos. They badgered each other with friendly taunts and regularly shared the details of their personal lives. Best of all, he was one of the few detectives who didn’t call her Frenchy or tease her about her accent. She could trust him, and that realization gave her a glimmer of hope that one day she could become whole.

  “Are you handling the Hollywood Hills murder?” Sandrine had seen the crime scene photos lying on Bruce’s desk when she returned a hole punch she had borrowed from him.

  “Yeah. Beautiful actress type found dead in a gorgeous house on a private winding street way the hell above the cloud line. Who can afford those places anyway?”

  “We’ll never know.”

  “Seemingly great life. Quiet neighborhood. No evidence of a break-in.”

  “Husband?”

  “Wasn’t married. No boyfriend we’ve found either.”

  “Drugs?”

  “She was high, that’s for sure. She’d been crying, too. Maybe for her life. I don’t know.”

  Sandrine started to rock again and Bruce frowned at her. Sandrine grinned. “How’s the wife?”

  “Good. How have you been? Still dating the tall one?”

  Sandrine nodded. “Nothing to write home about.”

  A phone rang across the hall. “That’s me,” Bruce said as he threw a paperclip at her. “Quit squeaking.”

  She continued rocking until her last comment came back to her. She stopped rocking. Nothing to write home about.

  Truly, she didn’t have much to tell her father back home in Giverny, France. Felicia, the woman she had recently begun dating, wouldn’t be the topic of any conversation with him. As much as Sandrine enjoyed her, nothing had sparked between them yet. She doubted it ever would. While things were pleasant, no embers of desire smoldered in her chest.

  She sighed, feeling the full weight of her breasts as they rose and fell, then picked up the recent fraud report. All the loose ends had been tied up and she was even grateful that they had resolved it so quickly, so what was bothering her?

  Leafing through the report, she was slowly turning the pages, seeing only black ink shapes on white paper, when it occurred to her that she was revisiting a persistent but futile notion. Why did she always return to the fantasy that she could ask Laney DeGraff out when the woman was clearly not available?

  *

  Laney walked Theresa to the bank’s main entrance.

  Theresa paused. “What? No toaster?”

  Laney chuckled, then shook Theresa’s hand. “I’m sorry for what’s happened at home.”

  “You’re very kind, thank you. And you, too. Think seriously before you consider letting her back.”

  They both paused. Laney didn’t know why she was drawn to this woman. Maybe because she had talked only to her best friend and Kelly about the breakup, and now this stranger seemed to be reaching out to her.

  After Laney thanked her for her business, Theresa withdrew car keys from her purse. “Laney, I’m meeting some of my girlfriends at the Equinox later. Would you like to join us?”

  Laney opened her mouth but wasn’t sure how to respond.

  “We meet because we’re all in the same situation as you. Breaking up, broken up. It’s sort of like a support group. With limos.” Laney laughed comfortably as Theresa’s hand went up in the air.

  “We’re not only the coffee-and-cigarettes-bitch-about-men types. We also band together to launch new business ventures, and I can assure you, they’re lucrative. We help each other and make our own success happen, and best of all, we call the shots. Plus, I think you and I could be great friends.”

  Laney felt compelled yet hesitant to go. She had experienced an instant camaraderie with Theresa. However, she hardly knew her. Obviously Theresa lived a much more lavish lifestyle than Laney, but the draw between them was powerful.

  Theresa appeared attractive and self-assured, and as Laney began to murmur, “I suppose—” Theresa immediately said, “The Equinox. Nine thirty,” and gave her an address on Sunset and Vine. “Give them my name.”

  Before Theresa came into the bank, Laney had barely felt like getting to work and managing lunch with Hillary. Her breakup had sucked all the wind out of her. Though Theresa and her unexpected invitation had interested Laney, what she needed to do was go home after work, take a bath, wrap herself in a thick robe, and stare at the TV until sleep engulfed her.

  *

  “Go.” Hillary was sharing an appetizer of edamame with Laney at Patina. Hillary was Laney’s age and they looked almost like sisters, though Hillary dressed as a young, full-time mother, not a businesswoman, like Laney.

  “Why would I want to sit around with a bunch of women and listen to them bitch about their husbands?” Laney hadn’t expected Hillary to encourage her to go to the Equinox tonight.

  “Because it’ll be good to bitch along with the rest of them.”

  “You don’t bitch about Cheryl.”

  “Miles difference. Cheryl’s an angel of a partner and doesn’t fool around on me.”

  Laney nodded. “There is that quality, yes.”

  “More to the point, business deals can come from those kinds of bull sessions. Plus, it’ll be good to express your anger at Judith.”

  “I am angry, you know that.”

  “But you haven’t shown it. You’re too friggin’ nice all the time, Laney. She really mistreated you and you took it. And by the time you found all those e-mails to that other woman, they’d been at it for months.”

  “The irony, huh?”

  “You bet!” Hillary almost cackled. “Throughout your whole relationship you said sex was almost nonexistent. Then when you did have it, she was pure vanilla.”

  “I didn’t say pure vanilla.”

  “I’m summarizing. The point is, Laney, you had a boring sex life, and then all of a sudden, she’s slamming another woman.”

  “For a mother of my beautiful little godchild, you sure are crude.”

  “Blame my five brothers. Listen, she abused your trust, she abused your kindness, and she abused your body by not using it. Sexually, I mean.”

  “I know what you mean.” Laney blew out a long breath. “I’ve never really had a relationship where the sex was, you know, great. So I can’t say she withheld passionate sex from me.”

  Hillary leaned closer. “Laney, I know you never felt passion for Judith. But even just regular sex or making love wasn’t part of your relationship. Not for four years, as you yourself said.”

  “She never even tried. She was always too busy or too tired.”

  “You’re too darn cute to put up with someone who doesn’t want you in every way. And now we know that she used you, because it obviously wasn’t about her not liking sex.”

  Laney grimaced. “I don’t want to think about it.”

  “Well, it happened and you need to shout about it. Or at the very least, forget about her and go have a blast. Go out with your new friend. She’s inviting you to the Equinox, for Pete’s sake! You know you can’t just walk in there. You have to know someone.”

  “Yeah, I think it’s one of those underground Hollywood places.”

  “It is. And it’s so exclusive, you become automatically cool just stepping past the threshold.”

  When the server brought their salads, Hillary slapped Laney on the top of her hand. “So go for me and then tell me all the details!”

  Chapter Two

  What am I doing here?

  Laney had debated
whether to go out. Surely, a little time away from the disruption of what used to be her comfortable home would be a good thing. She didn’t relish staring at the evidence of her absent relationship, because that would only remind her, for the thousandth time, how angry she was at her ex.

  Why was she questioning an invitation to meet a straight woman at the hippest club in Hollywood? Because she usually didn’t accept them from straight women? Because lately she had felt frumpy and unattractive? Yes. And yes.

  Certainly she’d accepted offers of nights out with many business acquaintances in the past. Her position as president of the family bank necessitated that she build those relationships. Money, her father had told her, doesn’t just walk in the door without some cultivating.

  So why the big deal?

  But as she reached the nondescript door of the address Theresa had given her, on a rather seedy side street off the famous corner of Sunset Boulevard and Vine Street, she finally admitted to herself the obvious if not absurd reason she was about to walk inside.

  Theresa Aguilar was very attractive.

  *

  Elegant 1960s music suffused the Equinox as Laney gave her name to the maitre d’. While he checked a leather-bound notebook, Laney looked around. The interior ambience was nothing like the rough exterior. She had seemingly climbed into a time-travel machine and landed squarely in the suave year of 1968. Retro modern furniture and décor infused the place with a hip vibe, and chic people densely populated it.

  Theresa was sitting in a room at the back of the club with about ten beautiful women. Their couches and plump armchairs formed a circle around a kidney-shaped retro coffee table that held drinks of all shapes, sizes, and colors.

  Theresa waved her over, whispered briefly into the ear of the woman next to her, and when the woman got up to leave, Theresa took Laney’s hand, pulling her down onto the couch in the newly vacated spot.

  “Laney. I’m glad you came.”

  “Thanks for inviting me.” Laney felt like a kid who had just been accepted into the secret tree house.

  “Kay,” Theresa leaned toward the woman sitting on the other side of Laney, “this is Laney DeGraff.”

  Kay had movie-star good looks, which Laney realized was appropriate because Kay was actually Kay Kitterman, the movie star.

  “Hi, Laney.”

  “Pleasure,” Laney said, a little starstruck.

  “Theresa told us your girlfriend left you. I’m so sorry, honey.”

  “Actually, I kicked her out.”

  “Good for you.” Kay leaned her head back on the couch, obviously comfortable. “My stinking-ass boyfriend decided to shack up with his leading lady while he’s shooting his current movie.”

  “You mean Rance Edwards?” Laney couldn’t believe she was conversing with a movie star. Sure, she’d seen many while living in L.A. and even spoken to a few that banked with her, but Kay Kitterman was a huge star.

  “The very one. I’m sure it’ll be in People magazine by Friday.”

  “Ouch.”

  “Yeah, it sucks.”

  Kay nudged Laney’s shoulder with her own. “May I buy you a drink?”

  “Tonight I get that pleasure, Kay.” Theresa had placed a hand lightly on Laney’s knee.

  After they ordered, Theresa nodded toward nothing in particular. “This is called the back room. It’s reserved exclusively for people who don’t want other people to pay attention to them—actors, studio executives, producers, and their husbands, wives, boyfriends, whatever. That woman in the slinky black dress is Morgan Donnelly. She’s married to the head of Kingdom Crossing Studios. I’m sure she’s going on and on about her husband being a pompous prick.”

  “That’s Morgan Donnelly?” Morgan bought and sold many businesses in Beverly Hills and Hollywood and was considered one of the big shakers and movers in town, but Laney had never seen a picture of her.

  “Yes, it sure is. Her husband separated from her a few months ago, but he’s probably regretting it now that she’s hired the best attorneys in L.A. He’d be better off to stay married to her and continue his affairs on the side. Lord knows, she does.”

  “Theresa.” A woman came up behind Theresa and placed a hand on her shoulder.

  Theresa turned. “Laney DeGraff, this is Candace Dooring.”

  Laney recognized the famous TV actress right away. She was a well-covered celebrity and often appeared on entertainment shows and in magazines.

  “Hello, Laney.” Candace squeezed her hand.

  “Hi.”

  “How are things?” Candace said to Theresa, and right away Laney picked up how stiff they were toward each other and how obviously they lacked warmth.

  “Well, Candace. Very well. I owe you a lunch.”

  She turned to Laney. “How do you know each other?”

  “We met at my bank. Theresa opened an account there.”

  Candace’s eyes darted to Theresa and then back to Laney. “That’s good to hear.” She smiled at Laney and added, “And you’re as cute as a bug’s ear.”

  Theresa’s laugh didn’t sound sincere. “I’ll call you about that lunch.”

  “Very nice to meet you, Laney. I’m sure I’ll see you again.” Candace nodded curtly, then blended into the crowd behind Laney.

  “Don’t worry about her, she’s not a happy person lately.”

  “Why not?”

  “No good reason.”

  For a while, they fell into casual conversation. A few women interrupted them to say hello to Theresa and chat briefly. When Theresa leaned away to speak with another woman, Laney stopped to take stock of her circumstances. She was definitely out of her league.

  Sure, she was the president of a bank on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills, but truth be known, the bank was one of the smallest in town. Though Laney was used to wealthy customers, she had never really rubbed social elbows with any. Certainly, business functions kept her in the network of the elite, but none wanted to simply hang out with her like Theresa did.

  What could she offer these high-powered women? She hadn’t married into money and didn’t have servants at home or pictures of herself in magazines. She downed her second drink a little too quickly and coughed.

  As if Theresa could read Laney’s mind, she reached behind her and took Laney’s hand in a reassuring grasp.

  Theresa turned back around to face Laney. “Nervous?”

  “What? No. Well, a little.”

  “Why?”

  Laney jiggled her empty glass, wishing it would refill itself again. “This is all so exclusive. I’m a working stiff who doesn’t go out to private clubs.”

  “Don’t give me that blue-collar shit. You’re the president of a bank.”

  “It’s a small family-owned bank. I draw a good salary, but the rest goes back into the business. Rather blue-collar.”

  “We’re not that different, then. Customers aside, this business is rather blue-collar.”

  “This place?” Laney was confused.

  “The Equinox. It’s a business that has to be run like anything else. Employees, inventory, taxes.”

  “You own this place?”

  “Well, we girls do.” Theresa made a circling movement with her head to indicate the women sitting around her. “It’s a hush-hush kind of thing. None of our husbands or boyfriends know because we engage in financial opportunities of our own, without anyone else controlling or manipulating us. We simply like to run things our way and turn a profit on the side.”

  Laney knew her mouth had dropped open, but she was truly amazed. “You said opportunities. There are others?”

  “Yes. It’s quite a little racket.” Theresa laughed.

  “After I work hard all day at the bank, I usually go straight home. That’s about all I have in me most days. And after a long day as an attorney, you have the energy for this. That’s amazing.”

  “None of us does this alone. We help each other in our businesses. Combined, we have the acumen and experience to make things happen.” />
  “And you do so in a fantastic club that you own. Now that’s what I call a clever enterprise.”

  “It is, but these women are no more or no less normal than anyone else walking down the street. Everyone goes home alone sometimes. Right now, we’re a group of women who have difficulties in our relationships. Some choose to stay in them and be lonely, and others get dumped on their ass. But everyone needs support. We just also happen to make money on the side.”

  “I’d like to be part of that, Theresa.”

  “I hope you do. There are a lot of opportunities out there. We formed this group so we could take control of our lives. Together we’re powerful, and we have a hell of a good time.”

  “I feel a little guilty having so much fun while making new business connections.”

  “Guilt tastes bitter, Laney.” Theresa raised her glass to Laney’s and clinked it solidly. “To you and me and our new partnership, whatever that will be. And as far as anyone not liking the way we live our lives, fuck ’em.”

  As they talked and laughed, Laney realized she hadn’t thought about Judith in several hours. She was surrounded by women who encouraged each other and promoted confidence. She relaxed on the couch a while longer, watching the next part of the evening pass in a montage of curious impressions. The women all seemed very close, and because Laney was intrigued she simply absorbed things as they happened.

  Theresa threw an arm around her at one point, immersing her in an intense conversation, their faces just inches apart, a lot closer than she was used to. Another woman sat on Theresa’s lap as she introduced herself to Laney and explained that her boyfriend was out of the country on a philanthropic trip. Again. Two other women huddled in a seemingly deep conversation periodically punctuated with loudly clinking glasses. And the few other women that were too far away to talk to gazed at her with what looked like smiles of approval.

  Clearly these women were all moneyed or positioned well in Hollywood, but they seemed extra close. Maybe it was akin to the Hollywood kisses everyone gave each other in this town. Chic pecks between business associates and friends or even distant friends were a common practice. And while the responsible part of Laney tried to convince her to take the opportunity to do some bank networking, she was enjoying herself too much to disturb the evening’s vibe.