Beneath This Man(126)

I pool on the stool, sending him a telepathic message to take me home. Basking in the sun on Central Jesse Cloud Nine has resumed. I'm in my element.

Drew and Sam throw their orders at Mario, but he's already halfway to the fridge to collect their beers. I scoop our cocktails up and pass one to Kate, catching her nodding over my shoulder. I frown at her, so she repeats the jig of her head, and I realise what she is signaling - she wants a cigarette. I lean into Jesse, and he drops his conversation with the boys', instantly turning his face to me.

'What's up, baby?' He looks worried.

'Nothing, I'm just going to use the ladies'.' I lower myself from the stool and grab my clutch from the bar. 'I won't be long.'

'Okay.' He kisses my hand.

I walk away and join Kate. 'I need a fag.' she spits urgently.

'Really? I thought you wanted to drag me upstairs,' I flip as she leads me out. My casualness with regards to upstairs must be a result of Mario's Most Marvelous. 'I'm going to the toilet quickly, I'll meet you outside.'

'The front.' she calls, making her way to the entrance hall, while I head in the other direction towards the toilets.

I find the ladies' empty and let myself into a cubicle. I've not attempted the task of using the toilet in this dress yet. I could be a while. I negotiate the dress up to my waist with relative ease and make sure I hold it all up before I sit. I don't know why I'm worrying; the toilet floor is spotless. I hear the door open and a few voices chatting happily.

'Have you seen her? She is young for our Jesse.'

Oh no!

I freeze mid-wee and hold my breath. Our Jesse? What? Did they share him? I sag on the toilet and release my bladder. I've started now, I can't stop.

'He's all over her. Fucking hell, did you see the diamond around her neck?' Voice number two gushes.

'You can hardly miss it. It's obvious what she's after.' Voice number three pipes up.

How many of them are there out there? I finish up and start pulling my dress back down while contemplating what I should do. What I want to do is go out there and put them straight on the whole money business.

'Ah, come on, Natasha. Jesse is beyond a f*cking God. The money is just a bonus.' That's voice number two, and now I know that voice number three is Natasha, the incorrigible flirt. And he's my f*cking God!

'Well, it looks like we've made all this effort for nothing. I had heard, but I didn't believe, not until I saw it with my own eyes. It looks like our Jesse has been whipped from under our feet.' Voice number one laughs.

I stand in the cubicle willing them to leave so I can escape, but I can hear the pops of lips from the reapplication of lipstick and the spray of perfume going on.

'It's a shame, he's the best I've had and I'm never going to get to try it again.' Voice number three - AKA Natasha - muses.

My hackles rise. He has slept with her. I look up at the ceiling, trying desperately to gather some calming thoughts, but it's impossible, especially with three tarts out there having a good old chinwag about my God's sexual capabilities.

'Oh, me too.' Voice number one adds, and I stand there with my jaw on the toilet floor, waiting for voice number two to pipe up and make it a clean sweep.

'Well, I don't know about you two, but he was too good to give up trying.' Voice number two totally finishes me off.

I can't listen to this shit. I flush the chain, silencing all three, and make sure my dress isn't tucked into my bodice before I swing the door open and walk casually out of the cubicle. I smile politely at the three women, all with some sort of make-up suspended in front of their faces, staring completely flummoxed at me as I make my way to a mirror at the other end of the bathroom. I calmly wash my hands and dry them before topping up my gloss, all in silence and under the wary eyes of the three brazen hussies at the other end of the ladies'. I waltz past and leave the bathroom without a word, my dignity still firmly intact.

My heart is jumping and my legs are slightly shaky, but I make it to the entrance hall still standing. That was horrific, and while I knew that Jesse has dabbled, did I really consider the extent of it. Hearing those women talk about him like that has me more upset than mad. He really has put it about...everywhere...with a lot of women. I think I need a cigarette too.

I know I audibly groan when Sarah steps out from the doorway that usually serves the restaurant. She's been waiting for this moment all night and after what I've just endured, I'm feeling even less tolerant of her than usual. I'm facing the fourth woman in as many minutes - no, probably seconds - who Jesse has f*cked. I feel sick and in no mood for Sarah and her viper gob, but I also don't want to have a catfight in my stupidly expensive gown.