Lauren followed her daughter’s gaze through the floor-to-ceiling-windows and into the apartment’s spacious living room. There, speaking with their gracious host, were Tony and Tommy, both with wide grins, pumping Jack’s hand.
“Mine? Seems to me you and my neighbor hit it off quite well at the pool.”
Caroline rolled her eyes. “Well, duh. I mean, mm-hmm, just look at him. He skis too.”
“And a gymnast.”
The girl’s grin got bigger. “Even better.”
After grabbing drinks and saying hello to other guests, some they didn’t even know, the young men made their way to the balcony, thrilled again to see the sexy mother and daughter leaning against the railing. Lauren began to fidget. Caroline did not yet know the connection between her mom and the two boys…and she preferred to keep it that way.
Like before, the confident studs were cordial and polite. No leering or innuendos, just pleasant small talk. After a while, Caroline and Tommy began talking slopes and equipment again, and eventually drifted off under the auspices of getting more drinks. Tony took the opportunity to lean on the iron railing and pulled Lauren to him.
“So, you know what happened the last time we were at one of Jack’s parties,” he smirked.
Lauren squirmed a bit but left his hands on her waist. “Yeah, and we made a mess of his bed.”
“Guess we better be more conscientious this time.”
She laughed at his confidence. “This time? You’re sure of yourself, aren’t you?”
“Is there anyway else to be?”
“Well, that isn’t happening. My daughter is here, in case you haven’t noticed.”
Tony nodded at his friend and Caroline through the windows. They had roosted at the bar inside and were very animated, laughing at something hilarious. “Well, I prefer the original, but my boy certainly has noticed the dot one release.”
Looking out at the balcony, Caroline happened to look up and see Lauren and Tony hugging each other. The boy had both arms wrapped tightly around her mother and from the contented smile on her face, she had no intention of fleeing. The quick picture taken by the younger women went unnoticed by the couple outside. A pang of nostalgia poked ominously at Caroline’s heart. As she reviewed the photos, for just the briefest of moments, it was her father there holding her Mom, not Tony, and the 1995 version of Lauren was laughing at his stupid jokes like she had for decades. That was the mom she and Amelia knew. But that was then and this is now. It reminded her of an old Don Henley song, Don’t look back, you can never look back.
Downing the rest of her drink, she opened the message and typed a message. She added the photo of Tony and her mom. Hesitating for just a second, she hit the send button.
At the party. Great view, great drinks, special people!
WHOOSH.
On the balcony, Lauren was wiggling out of Tony’s grasp. “I have to pee.”
The frat boy watched intensely as pushed him away and cut through the crowd, her mature trim hips bouncing up and down in fine fashion.
That is one hot piece of ass.
+++++
Corey stoked the fireplace with another log and slid behind his home office desk to flesh out a to-do list for selling the house. Anything to forget that his wife and daughter were heading out to some stupid party eons away. They had looked really hot and ready to party, and although there wasn’t any evidence it was anything more than a standard girls’ night out, he had to admit he’d let his imagination get the best of him when he jerked off to Lauren’s picture earlier.
Ding!
Another message from Caroline.
Pics of their dinner, no doubt. Why do kids do that?
Choosing between his spreadsheet and opening the message, he gave in and grabbed his phone.
Oh, man.
There were photos, that much was certain, but they were not of sushi rolls and sweet deserts. They were of something far more sinister. And rousing. The first was a candid shot of Caroline with that cocky neighbor kid Tommy. The second showed Lauren on a veranda in the arms of his cocky buddy, Tony.
A sickness grew in Corey’s stomach. Normally, this sort of thing would excite him. But not involving his princess, no way. He’d been young once and knew guys like these punks wanted only one thing. And it wasn’t wholesome conversation.
Why baby? Why would you send me these?
The WHY was key here. Lauren didn’t seem to be aware the picture had been taken, so either Caroline was trying to be helpful and warn him of some pending infidelity…or…
No. Surely not. That would mean she knew. The possibility that she’d one day find out had crossed his mind a time or two, but he’d always suppressed it. Had Lauren let it slip like she’d done with Zane? Was his baby girl angry? Hurt? Or conversely, complicit?
There was no way of knowing for sure, of course. Not tonight. Corey lay his head down on the keyboard and closed his eyes. The burning logs crackled to match a funny flutter in his chest that had recurred over the last couple weeks and just wouldn’t go away. A cardiologist might have recommended that he seek medical attention, but he chose to ignore that possibility. It was just him in that big house, all alone with the drafty rafters, a raging fire, and a picture of his smiling wife’s ass being groped by a snot-nosed kid.
Fuck me.
+++++
“You smoke?” Tommy asked the older Caroline, revealing a small vape pen in his palm.
“I live in Colorado, what do you think?” the girl grinned. “Fire it up, let’s see what Miami has to offer.”
“Not here,” he warned. “Too many boomers. Never trust anyone over thirty.” He’d heard that somewhere and it seemed apropos in the midst of Jack’s older acquaintances.
“Hey, I’m almost thirty!” Caroline protested. “Don’t you trust me?”
Grabbing her hand, Tommy pulled the brunette to her feet and headed for the stairs. “We’ll see.”
At the top of the highly polished chrome steps, Caroline looked down the second level hallway and paused as they passed by an open door to a sitting room. Beyond that was a lavish master bedroom, replete with a large round bed and red velour comforter. An odd feeling of deja vu seized her, although she knew she’d never actually been there before.
Strange.
“Down here,” Tommy tugged at her elbow, guiding them into a smaller, less opulent room with a simple overstuffed sofa. Ducking inside, he took out the pen and took a hit, handing it to the smiling tourist. “It’s not Rocky Mountain weed, but it’ll do.”
+++++
Lauren flushed the toilet, washed her hands, and checked her makeup. To say she was a bit uneasy about the situation was an understatement: at a party with two former wet-behind-the-ears lovers, one of whom was chatting up her daughter. It was not something you’d find how to handle in any parenting handbook, ever. Knowing the boys’ reputations, Tommy wasn’t going to settle for talking about the latest skiing trends, and Tony wasn’t just going to disappear. It was time for another drink.