Daniel and Julie rode with us to Pennsylvania for the tri-state conference that Friday afternoon. Daniel had called Nathaniel earlier in the week to ask about traveling with us. Nathaniel told me later he thought riding with us would help alleviate some of Julie’s fears.
“Who are your kids staying with this weekend?” she asked not long after we left Wilmington.
“Lynne. It’s her first time keeping them overnight while we’re away.”
“Is that hard?”
“Yes, but I don’t think it ever becomes easy to go somewhere and not take your kids. Even when they stayed with Nathaniel’s aunt, they were on my mind a lot.”
Julie had met Lynne when she came by the house a few days ago. I didn’t tell her Lynne was also a submissive, though Nathaniel and I had discussed letting her attend a group meeting if she wanted to. If she decided she wanted to go, Julie would learn then.
“Lynne seems to get along great with the kids,” she said.
“Yes, and they love her. It’s working out so well. Even having her living with us twenty-four/seven.”
I had worried about having a live-in nanny. All the worry had been for naught, though. Lynne fit into our household so seamlessly it was already difficult to imagine what it would be like without her. I’d feared she’d be introverted and sometimes she was, especially around Nathaniel. But not when she was with Elizabeth and Henry; she was clearly happy and relaxed with them. She was so natural with the kids, and I was so glad we’d found a way to help her achieve her dream of being a teacher.
“I’m glad it worked out for you,” Julie said. “Dena’s been struggling trying to decide what to do when the baby comes.”
“She told me. It’s a hard decision.”
“Last time she discussed it with me, she said she was leaning toward quitting.”
“Really?” I asked.
Julie nodded. “I couldn’t believe it, to be honest. She’s always loved her job. But the more I thought about it, the more I really couldn’t see her still working. I think she’ll stay home, at least for a while.”
“Makes sense. I don’t see her giving up law forever.”
“The one thing I know won’t happen, though, is her becoming a judge like her father wants.”
“I hope he comes around after the baby’s born,” I said, thinking about what a help Nathaniel’s family was.
“I wouldn’t count on it. He’s still pretty upset she married Jeff.”
I didn’t say anything else. How would it have been if my father didn’t approve of Nathaniel? My mother had died years ago and my father still lived in Indiana where I grew up. We had a nice relationship, and he visited a few times a year and we went to see him when we could.
“You would think he’d suck it up for a grandchild,” I said.
“You would think.” Changing the subject, she asked, “Did you and Nathaniel stay overnight when you came to the conference before?”
“No, we just came for the day. Nathaniel said there are rooms in a side building to stay in overnight. Kind of like a hotel, but not really.”
“When’s he giving his talk?”
“Sunday afternoon. Tonight and Saturday night, if it’s like last time, there’ll be a party in the courtyard.”
“That sounds like fun.”
“We watched it from a balcony last time we came. It was fun, but it’d be a lot more fun if we stayed in the courtyard,” I said. “We wouldn’t even have to play. I’d be fine with dancing.”
“I’d love to dance. It’s been ages.” Julie’s eyes grew large. “Oh! I heard there’s a chance the owner will be building a similar space in Wilmington.”
“You haven’t heard the latest?” I asked, and she shook her head. “He is building a similar space. He’s going to start when he finishes the remodeling of the club in New York. Nathaniel’s going to be a partner.”
“Really? That’s so exciting!”
I nodded. “I think it’s going to be exclusively for the Partners in Play group.”
“That’s even better. I mean, I don’t mind having everyone over for meetings and parties, but after a while …”
Because he had the largest house in the group, plus a stocked playroom, and a guesthouse, most of the group’s meetings were held at Daniel’s house, so I knew where she was going and completed her sentence, “It gets old.”
“Very. I know Daniel will never say anything. He feels like it’s something he should do.”
“It’s a big responsibility and really too much to expect one couple to handle all the time.”
“At least now I know it won’t be forever and our time’s limited. That’ll help.”
Before too long, we were pulling through the iron gate. We stopped while Nathaniel gave our information to security.
“I like how safe this is,” Julie whispered.
“Me, too.” I knew anything Nathaniel was involved in would also have top-notch security in place. “In fact, Nathaniel’s going to bring up security with Daniel on Sunday morning when they meet to discuss changes to the group.”
Both men had agreed to set aside a few hours to discuss potential changes for the Partners in Play group. I was looking forward to the new regulations. Hopefully, they’d make everyone feel more secure.
The guard let us through and we took the driveway that led to a big stone building. But Nathaniel didn’t stop. Instead he drove around it to the separate facility we’d be staying in overnight.
The place was spotless. Painted with a light grayish blue and with a small fountain in the far corner, the building felt light and airy and calming. The floors were a light gray stone. It certainly didn’t look like any BDMS club I’d been in before.
“Master DeVaan said to apologize that he’s not here to welcome you personally,” the front desk clerk told us. She looked over all four of us as she checked us in. I wondered if she was in the lifestyle. I didn’t try to guess what role she took. I’d learned through the years, I guessed incorrectly most of the time. Currently, she looked as though she could fall on either side with a black T-shirt, hair pulled back into a neat ponytail, and her fingernails filed short and painted a neutral color. “There was a snag with the evening’s entertainment and he’s taking care of that.”
“It’s no problem,” Daniel assured her. “We’ll find our way around.”
The clerk nodded and lifted a folder. “Master West, I put a schedule in your packet. Your talk is highlighted with the time and location.”
Nathaniel thanked her and we made our way up to our room, telling Daniel and Julie we’d see them later. The color scheme from the lobby carried through to the room, which was similarly decorated in blue-gray. It was a good-sized room and held a king bed. Nathaniel pointed out the hidden loops at the corners.
“For tying people up,” he said.
Of course there would be ties. It was a BDSM club.
“Want to go look around?” he asked.
“Sure.”
He took my hand and for the next hour, we explored the property. My favorite area was the courtyard outside our balcony. A redbrick patio was done in a herringbone pattern and surrounded by willow trees. The branches swayed in the light breeze. At one end, a long buffet was being set up with tables and chairs nearby for eating. The other end, however, had a much different purpose.
While we watched, a handful of men were transforming the patio by adding benches, whipping posts, and a St. Andrew’s cross. I closed my eyes, imagining playing on some of the equipment while others looked on. I really hoped Nathaniel decided to play in the courtyard. It would be filled with people and, if it was the same as the last conference, hypnotizing music. To play in public with that atmosphere would be so much fun.
“Did you reserve a balcony?” I asked.
“No, we have one in our room. I didn’t see the point in reserving one.”
His answer was matter-of-fact and didn’t really tell me what I wanted to know. I sighed and opened my mouth to ask him if we could skip the balcony in favor of the courtyard, but he shook his head and put his finger over my lips.
“I’m not telling you my plans. Don’t ask me.”
He hadn’t collared me yet, so I thought about asking him anyway, but decided to trust him instead.