Initiative (Suncoast Society #31)(43)

“Really?”

“Really,” Grant said. “Actually, X-rated cosplay isn’t too far off the mark, sometimes.”

“And Rusty and Eliza will be there,” Darryl reminded her. “You already know them.”

“True.” Wednesday night’s game had been amazing. They’d quickly worked her new character into the campaign and she’d had fun relearning the rules and getting to meet everyone.

And it’d been so much fun to see Rusty and Eliza similarly unchanged by the years. He was still the big goofball he’d always been, and Eliza was still reining him in.

Literally, now, but it wasn’t a stretch for Susie to see how their dynamic had always been like that. Even as kids it had reminded Susie of a knight and his Lady, fitting since they’d been in SCA. Just because Rusty was submissive to his wife didn’t mean he was a wimp by any stretch of the imagination.

Just like the last word she’d think of to describe Darryl would be wimp.

She’d been to Sigalo’s before. It was a Sarasota staple of fine dining. Not the most expensive place, but a few notches up from Pizza Hut, for sure.

Walking between her men, with them each holding a hand, they led her inside and to the back of the restaurant where several tables had been pushed together. Eliza immediately stood and swooped in to hug her. They’d saved them three seats next to them, and she staked claim on Susie sitting next to her so she could talk to her and introduce her to several others on that end of the table.

Grant ended up in the middle between her and Darryl. She felt a little badly about that, until Darryl leaned in and kissed her. “Hey, it’s cool, because we both get to share Master,” he whispered, smiling.

True. This poly stuff was still new to her. She was eager to have as much time with both men as she could, but she couldn’t forget they’d been friends the entire time she’d been out of the picture, and in a relationship for a couple of years already.

Directly across from her sat a woman, two men to her right. “This is Tilly,” Eliza introduced. “And that’s her husband, Landry, two seats over, and next to her is Cris. He’s hers, too.”

“Her what?”

Tilly smiled. “Exactly. The jury’s still out. Depends on my mood, usually.”

Cris, without even breaking the conversation he was currently in with someone across the table, reached over, grabbed a handful of Tilly’s hair, and tipped her head back. “Your mood, hmm?”

“I’m thinking today I’m feeling kind of subby,” Tilly said.

Cris kissed her, and hell, even Susie wanted to go climb Grant or Darryl like a damn tree when the man finally let her up.

“Subby?” Cris asked.

Tilly swallowed hard. “Dammit, that’s so not fair. I’m still on London time. You’re using a shortcut to undermine my defenses.”

Landry turned toward them. “Cris, are you tormenting our poor girl?”

“Of course, Sir.”

“Excellent. Carry on.”

Tilly let out a squeak, which made everyone close enough to hear the exchange roar with laughter.

Even Eliza looked amused. She leaned in so she could whisper. “She wasn’t supposed to be back for a few weeks yet. They’ve been without her for a month. I’m surprised they even let her out of bed to come here tonight.”

“They’re…”

Eliza nodded. “Like you guys. Well, sort of. No one’s like Tilly.”

“Thank god,” Rusty playfully muttered on Eliza’s other side.

Tilly, who’d been released by Cris after another kiss, stuck her tongue out at Rusty. “Just be glad she doesn’t let me beat your ass, barbarian.”

“Oh, believe me, I am.”

Ed and his wife, Hope, arrived and they made room for them around the table, too. It was a little uncomfortable for Susie, at first, until she realized everyone at the table knew her attorney far better than she did on a personal level.





When Susie excused herself to go to the bathroom, Grant caught Ed’s eye and motioned for him to take a walk. He and Darryl went out to the foyer to talk to the man.

“How is she?” Ed asked.

“She’s nervous as hell,” Grant said. “But we got her here.”

“I was shocked when you called me this week. I can’t say the circumstances surprise me. If I could have figured out a way to get her involved sooner, I would have. But I couldn’t break my promise to John not to say anything about knowing all of this.”

“She said there’s another letter,” Grant said.

“Yes?” It was more a question than a statement.

“Is there, or isn’t there?”

“There is, but there are also certain parameters that have to be met.”

“I’m collaring her in four weeks.” Grant looked at Darryl. “That’s the next Sunday you have off, right?”

“Yeah.”

“We’re doing it that Saturday night. And that gives us a few weeks to make sure she’s really okay with all of this.”

“Good,” Ed said. “We’ll be there. And then you and I can talk the next week about…your question.”

“Seriously? You’re going to make me wait that long?”