To Be With You

by Opal Mellon

  He read the FAQ a second time, less afraid that his face was going to melt while doing so. They weren’t prostitutes. Well that solved one doubt that had been crawling under his skin since he’d read her email.

  So it was just dates. That made some sense. It was too bad, though, that the world had come to such a low point that women had to spend money to find a decent date. Or perhaps women just didn’t want expectations. Maybe this was a way to have male company without breaking a man’s heart when he decided he wanted to keep you forever.

  But then he reminded himself that Nicole’s experience proved that many men didn’t feel the same as him. They wanted whatever they could take with no responsibility. He cracked his knuckles.

  He scrolled down on the FAQ till he saw the last question. His hands felt clammy. Maybe it was too hot in here. Maybe he should have turned on the swamp cooler.

  “Q: How do I become a Club Blue Escort?”

  “A: Just contact us using the above form. Tell us a little about yourself, attach a picture, and we’ll get back to you to schedule an interview.”

  He put his head in his hands and sighed.

  ~ ~ ~

  Sean entered the Club Blue main office feeling like beef that was up for quality inspection. The receptionist looked normal. The desk looked normal. But this place was not normal, and no amount of inconspicuous equipment or people would make him forget that.

  “I have an interview,” he said as quietly as possible, over the top of the desk to the blond receptionist who looked like she was still in college. There was no one else around but one couldn’t be too careful.

  “What?” The woman at the desk looked up at him. “I’m sorry, I didn’t hear you.”

  “I said I have an interview,” he said louder, and the girl jumped. “Sorry.”

  “It’s alright,” she said. “I’m always nervous before a job interview too.”

  Sean raised an eyebrow.

  “It’s just a job interview after all.” She reached for a little day planner and flipped a few pages over. “Are you Sean?”

  “Yes.”

  “For eleven?”

  “Yes.”

  She marked something on the note pad and pressed a button on the phone next to her. A buzz sounded in some nearby room. “Not very talkative are you?”

  “Not usually.” He tried to look around to various doors for the source of the buzz. That would tell him where he was going, and Sean liked to know where he was going.

  “Well some women might like that.”

  Sean furrowed his brow. He had no idea what to say back to that.

  A buzz sounded on her phone and she looked down for a moment as if to confirm what she thought she’d heard. ”It’s the first room on the right. They’re waiting for you.” She stood and gestured with one hand.

  He didn’t look back at her. “Thanks for your help.”

  He stopped at a drinking fountain to delay the inevitable. The water tasted metallic. The place smelled like a dentist’s office. He looked at the door handle like it might bite his hand. He let out a deep breath and grabbed it. He won national titles kicking other men in the face. This would be no problem. He opened the door slowly, expecting to see someone seated at the other side of a desk.

  The room was wide and well lit, with large square windows spanning the top half of back wall. The walls were a pleasant beige, the desk in the corner a beautiful mahogany piece. But in front of him, in a semicircle on the luxe taupe carpet, were four chairs. And in three of those chairs sat men that looked like they’d just walked off a cologne ad. In the fourth sat what appeared to be their queen.

  “Go ahead and sit down.” The man who spoke had blond hair, tanned skin and a delicate face that could almost be called girly. He pointed to a chair at Sean’s right.

  “Thank you.” Sean sat.

  “Go ahead and tell us about yourself,” another man said. This one had auburn hair, a tall, blocky body, and a soft voice. He wore a tennis sweater and Sean thought it probably had one of those goofy expensive brand names on the tag.

  A man on the other side of the queen added, “Not the quickest, is he?” in a flat voice. This man was tall, very dark, with black hair and eyes. He stared at Sean like he might have stared at a traffic light that wouldn’t turn green.

  The woman in the middle lowered her eyebrows, then put her hand up over her mouth and seemed to breathe into it. She was tall, black, with silky black hair pulled back in a low ponytail, and a sharp face.

  “Your style isn’t great, but that’s kind of cute,” she murmured to herself. She sat up and looked him over. “My name is Hope. This is Justin.” She pointed to the blond. “That’s Jason.” She pointed to the tennis sweater man. “And this is my business partner, Chandler.” She pointed to the man on her right. “He does our accounts.”

  The guys nodded at him in turn.

  “Justin and Jason are our most requested escorts.” She said. “They check out new candidates and can answer any questions you might have about life on the job.”

  Sean had too many questions to have any questions, so he just stared at them, blinking.

  “Do you know what a host club is?”

  He shook his head.

  “I discovered them on a business trip to Japan,” she said.

  Chandler snorted from the right but was already looking out towards the window with his head rested in his palm when Hope glared over at him.

  “They are nightclubs. The women come in and spend time with the hosts of their choice. The men are good-looking, polite, and a great distraction for businesswomen or other sex workers just looking for company at the end of the night. Of course, we don’t encourage our members to buy and drink alcohol like the Japanese hosts are expected to.”

  The guys nodded.

  “Instead, for our bottom line, we hire out for dates. Many women expressed how much they would like to take one of our men out as an escort, and after talking it over we agreed that it would be beneficial to all parties. The men could work during the days, rather than just in the evenings, and the women could go to reunions and parties as they liked.”

  Sean nodded. There was only one thing he needed to know about this club. Whether Nicole was coming here.

  “Other things you should know? The pay is very good. We’re like a family here and you will be treated with respect. It is hard work, but very rewarding.”

  He nodded.

  “So at the risk of sounding like a normal, boring job interview, why do you want to be an escort?”

  Sean sat for a minute, wishing he had thought of something to say that wasn’t the truth. Wondering if he should tell the truth. He decided on something in the middle.

  “My friend mentioned recently that she was going to hire an escort. I didn’t even know there were agencies like this. I looked it up online. I thought maybe I’d be a good match.”

  Hope studied him.

  “You’d need to update your wardrobe, but we have a huge selection of clothing the men here can choose from, so that won’t be an issue.”

  “He’s tall. Good face.” The blond man said, sitting forward and leaning on his palm. “Kind of awkward though.”

  Sean thought he probably had a point there. Maybe he’d never make it here if he wasn’t fluid and elegant like the pretty boy looking him over.

  “I was awkward at first too, Justin,” the auburn man said, taking off his glasses to polish them with a microfiber cloth. “Not all of us are born to please women.”

  Justin scowled at him. “You’re still awkward, Jason. And a nerd.”

  Jason smiled and turned to Sean. “Your eyes are really blue. Are you wearing contacts?”

  “No.” Sean wasn’t sure how to deal with men checking him out. He’d been expecting sleazy guys, not professional men who looked like models and wore watches that probably cost what his car did. They were professional and sharp, and made him think maybe he should probably go back to the dojang.

  “Good, becaus
e if you were, I was going to say keep wearing them.” Jason put his glasses back on. “The color is astounding.”

  “Oh.” Sean didn’t know if that was good or bad.

  “He’s a bit word-constipated,” Justin said. “Women want a man who can talk, a man who doesn’t sit like a bump on a log. Maybe we’ll have to open him up a little.” Justin sent him a wink and Sean tried to dodge it with his eyes.

  Jason shook his head. “Maybe he’s just what we need to balance out your verbal diarrhea.”

  “Why I oughta …” Justin turned to Jason.

  “We’ll give you a shot.” Hope leaned forward between the men. “Come to this address tomorrow night at 6:00.”

  Sean nodded. He wanted to get out of there, brush the sweat from the back of his neck and forehead and get some air. Maybe he wasn’t cut out for this. “Do I need to bring anything?”

  “Not unless there is something you’d like to bring,” Hope said.

  “Alright.” He stood awkwardly. The other three stayed in their chairs. Justin stopped arguing with Jason long enough to give a small wave, and Jason nodded with a small salute. Chandler mumbled a ‘nice to meet you’ and leaned back with folded arms.

  “Good to meet you Sean,” Hope said.

  Sean opened the door, let it swing behind him. He walked outside, oddly floaty, the day a little too bright, the colors too saturated, the sounds of people’s voices garbled as if they were underwater. He wanted to get home and fall in bed. Maybe if he went to sleep he’d wake up and find it was all a dream. Just one email to write first.

  Dear Nicole,

  I’m sorry if I was a jerk before. It’s been hard seeing you hurt. I want you to be happy, however that is.

  If hiring escorts is what you know to be the answer to your problems then do it and don’t worry about me.

  Just be careful who you choose when you get to this Club Blue place. Pick someone who isn’t a slimer, please? Don’t just pick your usual blond, tanned jerk. Don’t forget to write me; it’s really interesting. I didn’t even know clubs like that existed.

  I hope things are going well with your writing. Things are good at the dojang. I have two new teachers so I’m just not needed as often. Which I suppose is success, but you know me. I like teaching.

  Anyway, keep in touch.

  Sean

  Chapter Two

  Nicole approached the large wooden doors knowing that Club Blue had to be behind them. She wrapped her hand around a handle, took a breath, and then pulled, hard.

  She stared around the room as it opened up in front of her. Gray granite sparkled in flecks of silver across the floor. Deep blue walls rose to a glass ceiling with the night sky displayed beyond it. Blue blown glass lamps in exotic shapes hung from the ceiling by invisible tethers, floating like jellyfish in the sea. And the back wall opposite her was one long glass window, from which she could see the city, all lit up and quiet. Just this view was worth the price of membership.

  “It’s tinted,” said a voice to the left.

  Nicole shifted to look over at a blond man reclining languidly on a blue velvet settee. His face was sharp and beautiful, and his feathered hair shone silver in the blue light of the club.

  “No one can see you up here.” He stood, beckoned her with his hand, and walked over to the window. “But you should see the view. It’s absolutely beautiful.”

  She joined him. “It is.” She turned from the window to the man next to her. “I hadn’t expected it to be so beautiful.” She meant the club, but she could have been talking about the man sitting before her. He was androgynous, almost ethereally beautiful.

  “My name is Justin,” he said. “There’s only three of us here tonight for your preview. Me and another top host, and a newbie we’re training. Of course I’m number one.” He winked at her. “Should we go meet the others?”

  “Sure.” She followed Justin to the front of the room. Next to Justin’s settee was a couch. An auburn haired man with glasses sat balancing a Kindle on his knee beside a tall, dark haired man that stole her breath. He looked up at her and she wasn’t sure if his eyes were really that blue or if the club’s lighting was playing tricks. He had smooth, coffee skin and straight, hard features. Both looked up at her as she approached. The man with the Kindle gave her a soft smile, and the dark haired one crumpled his forehead and sort of frown-smiled. Nicole grinned back, but there was something about the dark one that made her feel off-kilter.

  Justin waved at his settee. “Go ahead and sit here. I’ll grab a seat with—”

  “John.” The black haired man said, standing up and cutting Justin off. He reached his hand out for her to shake it. “I’m John.”

  “I’ll sit with John.” Justin sent John a look she couldn’t interpret.

  The man with glasses stood up and came over and held out a hand as well. “I’m Jason.”

  “I’m Nicole,” she said, scooting back against her settee, both to be as far as possible from all of them and to get the best look. The blond was her type. Jason was the type you’d take home to mom. And John seemed familiar somehow. Somewhat like Sean, the same way the Hulk somewhat resembled Bruce Banner. Just a very slight resemblance.

  “So what do you do Nicole?” Justin asked.

  “Read. Not much,” she said, pulling her eyes back to the rest of the group.

  “Jason, you hear that?”

  “What do you like to read?” Jason asked.

  “Everything. Trashy romance novels in particular.” She smiled and rested her chin on her fist.

  Both men just stared at her for a moment, as if waiting to see if she was serious, then laughed.

  “High standards to live up to,” Justin said. He stood up and went to a counter at the other side of the bar. “Would you like a drink?”

  “What do you have?”

  “Just soda, some juice. No alcohol on the job, and we had trouble with having hot drinks in here so no coffee.”

  “No thanks.” Nicole looked over at John, who was looking everywhere but at her. She surprised herself by moving over to his couch. She felt drawn in by him. So big, and so nervous.

  “So you’re new, hmm?”

  “Yes.” He spoke in a low voice and avoided her eyes.

  “You know, you remind me of someone I once knew.”

  “Yeah?” He looked at her this time, blinked long, dark lashes.

  “Yes,” she said. It had to be Sean. No one could have such blue eyes. But Sean was still in Idaho, wasn’t he? And Sean would never trick her like this. And that little baby-faced boy couldn’t possibly have grown into this huge man. Impossible.

  “Who?” He picked at his cuticles.

  “A boy I grew up with. A dear friend.”

  “Oh,” he said. “Sorry. I’m not him.”

  “Are you sure you aren’t?” She looked over his face. A long, straight nose, small mouth, wide jaw. It was too hard to say. She wished she had a photo of little Sean to plug into an age progression machine.

  “Pretty sure,” he said, turning his attention to the arm of his couch and picking at the velvet.

  Justin came up and perched on the other arm of the couch by Nicole. He put an arm up behind her, startling her. “So Nicole, what do you think of Club Blue so far?”

  Nicole fought off a shiver and looked up at Justin. She didn’t like people that close when she hadn’t invited them. She fidgeted.

  “You’re making her uncomfortable.” John reached behind her and pushed Justin with one hand and toppled him off the couch and onto the floor.

  “Ouch.” Justin stood up, rubbing his backside. He glared at John and then faced Nicole.

  “Sorry. Next time just tell me to stop, if only to save me from that oaf.” He looked her way, fluttering long lashes. “Do you forgive me?”

  “Of course.” She laughed.

  “Stop being an idiot.” John made another swipe at Justin who moved out of reach.

  “Stop being a grump.” Justin folded his arms.


  John growled.

  “Both of you stop embarrassing yourselves,” Jason cut in, looking annoyed at being pulled from his book. “What would you like to do Nicole? Would you like to tell us about yourself? Ask questions about us?” He flicked a switch on the Kindle and set it beside him. “Would you like us to tell you about a typical night at the club?”

  “Sure,” she said. Justin went back to the settee and John slumped over the arm of his side of the couch. Like she had a disease he didn’t want to catch.

  “Well, typically you’d come in just like you did,” Jason said. “It’d be a bit lighter, and there’d be between five and ten men, and maybe 20 women, depending on the night. Coming to the club to hang out is a great way to get to know the different guys. We play games and talk. Very relaxed.”

  “We also flirt,” Justin said.

  Nicole smiled. “I don’t have a problem with that.”

  “Except John,” Justin said. “He doesn’t really. But that actually works for him.”

  “Strong and silent type.” Nicole nodded.

  “Sure,” Justin said.

  John lived up to his stereotype by not responding.

  “That’s how it works here,” Jason said. “Every guy is kind of different. Not that we are acting, it’s just how we are. I’m bookish. Justin is flirtatious. John is John.”

  “I’ve only been here a week. Stop talking about me like I’m a pro,” John muttered.

  “Definitely spices the place up,” Justin said. He stood up and came around to John’s side of the couch. “So fun to mess with too.” He put his hand in John’s hair and ruffled it and John grabbed the hand and maneuvered it behind Justin at an awkward angle till Justin yelped. “Alright! Alright, I’m sorry!”

  Nicole could see why other girls were okay with John’s stoicism. He didn’t take crap from anyone, which made a girl feel safe. But he looked a bit like Sean. Then again maybe it had been so long since she’d seen him that she was just looking for him in other men. The Sean she trusted would never lie to her like that.