Skinny Dipping

by Kaye, Alicia M

“Lovely to meet you Artie. So Artie, Matthew, Josh.” Carol looked at all the men, revelling in the attention and throwing her head back almost haughtily. “I don’t have enough champagne here, but the three of us girls are going out to celebrate. Would you like to come with us?”

  This was news to Sophie, and she shrugged her shoulders at Matthew’s bewildered glance.

  “So what do you think boys? Did you want to come dancing? I’m so much on a high. The director has put my name at the door at Tonteria. It’s apparently the royal hot spot for Prince Harry. Quite a big deal.”

  “Well I’m definitely in,” Sophie said, knowing Carol was on an adrenaline high.

  “Me, too,” Mickey stated firmly. “Are you ready to go?”

  Carol shrugged. “Almost.” She widened her eyes questioningly at Matthew while he looked around the dressing room. “Matthew? You coming?”

  “Of course.” He nodded. “So Carol, are you front and centre again tomorrow?” Matthew asked, turning to face Carol.

  “I’m not sure. It’s Saturday night tomorrow, so my director said he’ll see how the lead is doing; if she’s feeling up to it, she’ll dance the Swan Queen. The life of an understudy. Remember, I’m almost thirty, almost fifteen years older than most of the brats that dance here.” There was bitterness in her voice.

  Matthew’s smile stiffened, a flash of worry came over his face. “You certainly don’t look old,” Matthew stated. “Or act old.”

  “Besides, it’s experience that counts. Right?” Mickey chimed in, approaching Carol and giving her a rub on her back. She passed the champagne bottle back to Carol.

  “You’ve danced the lead in Swan Lake and no one can take that from you,” Sophie said brightly.

  “No, I suppose they can’t,” Carol agreed, and she took a swig of the champagne. “Except one of those little backstabbing bitches will certainly try and get the spot tomorrow night if the lead’s not back.”

  “Forget them,” Josh said harshly. “They’ll ruin your night if you keep thinking about them.

  Carol agreed, pasting her smile back on her face. “Yeah you’re right.” She shrugged, acting nonchalantly. “We better make the most of it. I guess I’ll never know when I’ll be chucked out into the back with the ensemble again. So we should simply go and make the most of it?” Everyone agreed unanimously.

  ***

  Excitement soared through Sophie as the group of six approached the trendy, Mexican-themed Tonteria nightclub in Sloane Square. A queue of people snaked down the street, into a small alleyway. The crowd of hopefuls were all waiting to get into the club, apparently a local hangout for the Royal Princes.

  Carol marched to the front of the line, and spoke a few words to the bouncer. Carol’s director delivered on what was promised, because almost like a sleight-of -hand, a VIP rope slid back. The six were ushered, inside through a side door like a magic trick. Now you see us, now you don’t. Immediate access. Superstar treatment.

  Sophie followed the group inside, sliding her shoulders back and lifting her chin a little higher. The club wasn’t big, and was almost an underground cavern. Although being Saturday night, Sophie could almost smell the sweat from the number of people rammed inside. For some reason, the crowd didn’t matter. Dancing bodies seemed to bob to the electrifying music pulsating throughout the club, creating an infectious, party atmosphere. Sophie’s gaze darted round the crowd, celebrity-spotting. She couldn’t miss a chance to clamp her eyes on Prince William or Harry, could she? Carol beamed, a satisfied expression like the cat who’d gotten the cream. At least she was happy to be out, and not too worried about being back in the chorus.

  The group found a booth and settled themselves in, Carol almost sitting on Josh’s lap, while Matthew slid into the seat next to Sophie. He shot her a cheeky smile. “I love Mexican.” Matthew grinned. “My kind of place.” His thigh was dangerously close to hers.

  “We’ll probably end up having tequila shooters.” Sophie laughed.

  “That was fun the other night wasn’t it?” He raised his eyebrows pointedly at her. “Especially the way you were patting down my jeans looking for your mobile phone at the end of the night, like an airport security guard.”

  Sophie blushed and snatched a menu from the middle of the table, burying her face in it. A waiter approached.

  “Welcome to Tonteria,” the waiter said, and Sophie dared to look up from what she was reading, seeing the little man bow his head slightly. “We have sharing drinks which are excellent to get the party started.”

  Her gaze collided with Matthew’s. She looked away quickly, unable to stop herself from grinning like a teenager.

  “That sounds like fun,” Carol enthused, slapping her hands on the table. “Are we all in for that?”

  The group nodded eagerly in agreement and again Sophie’s gaze caught Matthew’s. He winked at her and heat travelled up the back of her neck.

  “There are many different sharing drinks on the menu,” the waiter informed. Carol snatched the menu from Sophie and raised a manicured eyebrow. Then pursing her lips, Carol looked around the club. “What are in those drinks… the ones in the skulls? Is that a sharing drink?” Carol pointed to a nearby table, where about six people were leaning into a drink, sipping out of straws.

  “Yes, that’s a sharing cocktail. It’s called ‘Day of the Dead.’ A margarita cocktail,” the waiter informed.

  “Margarita, yummy,” Mickey interjected.

  “Do we dare?” Matthew questioned, looking intently at Carol and then his gaze was back, settling itself firmly on Sophie. She swallowed.

  “We certainly do,” Carol said to the waiter.

  “What about cigarettes?” Josh asked the waiter pointedly. “Do you sell them here?”

  “It’s best you ask at the bar. But I can bring you the ‘Day of the Dead’ cocktail,” the waiter continued.

  Josh lobbed off his seat. “You’ll want to smoke, Carol,” Josh stated. “Come on boys, they’ll take forever making a cocktail. Lets get some real drinks, and find some cigarettes for Carol.” Matthew and Artie jumped up in agreement.

  Carol’s stare followed the three guys, and when they were out of earshot she leaned over toward Sophie. “So….?” Carol hissed. Her eyes darted around, double-checking they were out of earshot.

  “So, nothing.” Sophie smiled mysteriously. “And they’re just right over there.”

  “Whisper then. What’s going on….?” Carol insisted.

  “Nothing.”

  “What do you mean ‘nothing’?” Mickey exclaimed. “Matthew kissed you right in front of Derek? The kiss was so long I thought you’d forgotten we were all at the theatre and not just the two of you alone in a hotel room.”

  “What?” Carol shrieked. “Derek was there? You made out with Matthew in front of Derek? What have I missed?”

  Sophie squirmed uncomfortably in the booth. “It wasn’t a proper kiss….”

  “It bloody well was a proper kiss. I saw you both swapping spit.”

  Sophie felt her gaze darken at her friend, hoping she would stop egging Carol on. “It was no big deal, just a kiss. Derek showed up with his girlfriend, the long-legged blonde we both saw at the shops that time. Matthew pretended to be my boyfriend for about a second.”

  “Bloody, Derek, not the best timing with a first date with Magical Matthew.”

  “Magical Matthew,” Sophie chuckled, that was a new one. “What’s so magical about him?”

  “Oh Sophie, if you can’t get lost in his eyes, then there’s something wrong with you. Just looking at him makes me feel kind of dizzy – almost woozy,” Carol teased. “You’re lucky Josh is just as delicious, or I’d be all over him like everyone else seems to want to be, look at the bar.”

  Mickey snorted. “Look at them over there, he’s already surrounded by women fluttering their eyelashes at him. He is very good looking.”

  Sophie followed their gaze and noticed a pretty girl accidentally spill her drink on Matthew. Accidentally on
purpose. Matthew gathered a wad of napkins from the bar top. He mopped the drink up, as he seemed to apologise profusely to the girl swooning over him.

  “Were you worried about Derek, or did you focus on the kiss with Matthew?” Mickey continued as she rolled her eyes at the scene at the bar.

  “Admittedly I was a little nervous about Derek being there... okay, I wanted to make him wildly jealous,” Sophie started. “But after kissing Matthew, I was more worried about him and whether he’d care about seeing my ex and all that. Matthew’s a great guy. But he’s my client, too. It’s complicated. I’m not sure if I should go there. I think we should stay in the friend zone. Keep things simple.”

  “Hmm…You sure? At least there’s been a little bit of progress.” Mickey nodded in encouragement.

  The waiter turned up at the table. He placed a skull cup about the size of a fish bowl in the middle of the table, in front of the girls. There were about twenty straws sticking out of the cup, and the three girls sucked down, tasting the margarita. The three guys practically hurdled their way over the crowd, although they each had their own drinks in hand and plonked more onto the table for the girls.

  Josh grumbled the club not allowing them to smoke inside. Artie sipped at something which looked like a gin and tonic and Matthew slid into the seat, next to Sophie, again.

  “Shall we start… skulling?” Matthew joked.

  Sophie groaned and she shook her head. “Nice one, skulling.” She chuckled. He was trying really hard to make her laugh.

  Carol’s gaze darted to Mickey and she stood up from her seat. “Let’s get this party started! Let’s have a dance-off.”

  “Sure,” Mickey enthused, sipping hard at one of the straws in the skull cup and then leapt up, tugging Artie’s sleeve.

  “Come on, Josh,” Carol insisted, and with a bossy tone she turned to Matthew and Sophie. “You two stay here. Mind the table and the skull of death.”

  Matthew shrugged. “We’re happy to look after the skull of death… Sophie do you dare skull with me?” His gaze fell onto Sophie, and seemed to undress her. She suddenly felt a rush of untamed desire. She looked around, helplessly as her friends left her. She was completely alone with Matthew, and he was sitting so close. So terribly close to her.

  “It’s just you, me and the skull of death.”

  The booth seemed practically empty with just the two of them. He reached for one of the straws, brushing her hand as he did so.

  Tingles flew up her spine. She swallowed, they were clients. Possibly friends. But just friends for the moment. Her tongue was thick in her throat as she darted a glance at him. He seemed to mock her with his dimpled smile. Her heart practically flipped over in her chest. She leaned over toward a straw and almost causing the skull fish bowl to rattle. Thankfully it wasn’t possible to knock that sort of cup over.

  “Sorry.” Why was she so clumsy when she was nervous?

  “It’s okay,” he said, pausing. He put an arm on the side of the booth, resting it behind her. In spite of the conversations and the music all around them, it seemed like all she could hear was their breathing. The silence was excruciating, as she wondered what he was thinking. He was her client. He was her client. He was her client. He was her client. She shouldn’t go there. His stare settled firmly on her. His hand brushed a stray hair from her face. She stiffened, head turning toward to the dance floor, suddenly unsure of what to do. Should she submit to her desire or stay strong?

  “Um…” she started, feeling a little awkward. She looked around at anything, anywhere, other than him. “I’m a little worried about Carol, you know,” Sophie said, saying the first thing that came into mind. She dared a glimpse at him.

  His blue eyes darkened. “Why’s that?” he asked politely. He pulled his arm back and rested it onto the table.

  “She thinks she’s getting on, becoming an ‘old dancer,’ you know all that stuff she was saying about the brats trying to take her spot,” Sophie said, watching his gaze slide from her, toward Carol on the dance floor. “The dancing injuries are no mystery to anyone. She’s never complained before, but tonight was her big night. She was really worried before the show.”

  “Hard line of work to be in. All that effort for such a short time.”

  “She’ll have to start thinking about other careers, I would think,” Sophie continued. “She’s a natural performer. So maybe something with performance.”

  “She’s great, isn’t she? I’m glad you invited me along tonight.” He passed her a straw, and cocked his head to the side. “Shall we put a dent into this margarita?”

  She smiled tightly and nodded her head vigorously. Drinking from the skull cup, her lips close to his, separated by straws. It was unlikely he’d kiss her over the skull cup. So she was a safe distance, wasn’t she?

  “Ready.” He started. “Set. Go.”

  They both drank. After sucking down some of the cold liquid, Sophie pulled back.

  “Um. Matthew,” she said nervously. “I didn’t get to thank you for earlier on.”

  He looked up from the skull cup, and he gave her his full attention. “What do you mean?”

  “Asking you to pretend to be my boyfriend. Sorry about that. Not very professional,” she swallowed. “Nor friend-like, to put you on the spot like that.”

  “Ah,” he said, nodding his head. He released a large sigh. “But you must admit it was a definite perk?” He tilted his head to the side, a question crossed his face.

  “Ha, ha.”

  “You can’t tell me you’d never imagined it?” he said. “I quite liked it… our kiss… Did you?”

  “Oh,” she said suddenly flustered. Heat on her cheeks, and up the back of her neck. She wasn’t sure of how to respond. For a girl who was supposed to be good with words, she was suddenly at a loss. He was so forward. So direct. So straight to the point. She usually preferred a softer approach. This all felt a little confronting. “I guess you’ll have to let me know if you ever want me to pretend to be your girlfriend.”

  He bit his lip, and his eyes almost turned black. “I just have one thing to ask before we pretend anything further… Are you still hung up on Derek?” He did it again, was so direct, so personal.

  She held onto the straw so tightly, she practically broke it. She focused on the drink, her lips coming around a straw and she sucked the liquid quickly, trying to think fast.

  This was Matthew. Yes, they had kissed, and the kiss had been incredibly nice. Admittedly he’d been rather touchy feely, holding her hand a little longer than he should have afterward. But it was all an act, for Derek. Wasn’t it? What did he want from her? The truth? A relationship? Both?

  She didn’t know what was going on between them. His head came down to the skull cup and they were both sucking on their straws, his words penetrating her thoughts. She continued to drink, wanting the alcohol to relax her emotions, free the right words, so she could make everything normal. She stopped slurping for a bit, and took a breath.

  “Ah, you see. Well… Derek,” she said, trying to phrase that although she had felt her heart beating quite quickly when she saw Derek was at the ballet, she didn’t care about Derek anymore. No one who loved her, treated her in the manner Derek had. The longer she thought about it, the more she realised, he treated her very badly. She didn’t deserve that. She was now open to seeing other people. Maybe she should tell Matthew that. Somehow. Just be honest. That wouldn’t confuse things would it?

  “Yes, Derek,” he replied, and shook his head. “I get it.” He sighed, and almost as if she imagined it, the spark around them disappeared. His blue eyes were blank, like the glittering stars had forgotten to shine. His mood evaporated.

  He turned away, looked out toward the dance floor. He moved away from her, sitting almost at the edge of the booth. “Derek sure doesn’t know what he lost, you’re a real ten-out-of-ten type of girl,” he muttered.

  “Oh,” she said. “Well… I don’t know what to say. I mean, about Derek.”

&nb
sp; He waved his hand. “It’s okay, you don’t have to explain and I don’t really want to talk about Derek tonight.” He then sucked hard on his drink. “We might as well finish this off.” He avoided eye contact with her.

  She suddenly felt the urge to explain. The need to explain. She was getting over Derek, of course it had been a shock to see him, but she was healing.

  The skull cup emptied and in silence Matthew played with the straws, made an animal shape. “Why are we custodians of the table again?” he grunted.

  Without waiting for a reply he stood up, exiting the booth and walked to the dance floor, leaving her sitting alone, at the table.

  Matthew danced with almost every girl in the club, except Sophie. He didn’t even bother to say goodbye to her at the end of the evening. She felt a pang of regret. Would she get another opportunity to explain over Christmas, or had she left it all too late?

  Chapter 24

  Sophie felt flat as she loaded her red Volkswagen Beetle with presents for Christmas at the cottage. Things had been very tense, every time she spoke to her mother, since the discovery of Roger’s redundancy and Sophie’s involvement in covering it up.

  The only consolation was, at least the news was now out in the open. The family could move on.

  Sophie had left driving to the cottage until the last minute. Carol’s departure to her parent’s place the night before had left Sophie feeling alone as Carol chatted excitedly to Josh on the phone. They were together, and so very happily in love.

  Sophie felt quite single. Single and alone because Christmas was, after all, a day of rituals, a day of family. It would be tiring. Also, since she was almost thirty without a boyfriend in sight, her single status was surely to be a hot topic of conversation. She hadn’t told her sister Edith about the split with Derek yet; and her niece Annie would definitely quiz her on what happened. And while there was nothing really stopping her, she just wanted to avoid the endless questions. They all treated her life like she lived some dramatic romantic comedy. But there was never a happy ending. Sophie preferred to avoid the topic altogether, if possible.