Chapter 27: Are You Jealous?

“OMG! It was amazing.” Laura was practically speechless getting home after date number three ended on Sunday while talking on the phone with Caitlin. “Three guys and three amazing dates. This has been the best week of my life.”

Caitlin was going to come over and catch up. Before that Laura had some downtime to herself. She still could not believe it.

Because she had spent so much time away from home, she had neglected practicing for the orchestra and string quartet and preparing for her students. She decided that challenging music and consistent lesson plans were the best remedy for a return to earth from cloud nine. With an hour until Caitlin arrived, she could spend 20 minutes on each and then have some girl time with her bestie.

Caitlin arrived right on time bearing pizza, brownies, and diet soda. “Hey girl, long time no see,” Caitlin said to Laura as she searched for an empty space on the dining room table to put the food and drink on.

“Yeah, yeah. I have kind of skipped on the cleaning,” Laura said apologetically.

“Uh huh...” Caitlin gave Laura a hug followed by a knowing glance.

“So, what have you been up to?” Laura got plates and glasses for their meal.

“What have I been up to?” Caitlin laughed in disbelief. “You’re the one with three men and have been M.I.A. for at least a week and you want to know what I have been up to?”

“Okay, okay. So I have been a little busy. Where should I start?”

“Well, you could start with your 24 hour pajama party, or dates with Bachelor #1, Bachelor #2, or Bachelor #3. Have you checked these guys out?

“I don’t want to bore you with a rehash of the boring details. And no, I haven’t checked them out. But I bet you have.”

“Please, bore me, or just tell me the non-boring parts, Lor.”

“Why don’t you tell me what you found on your internet search, Kit-Cate?”

“I thought you would call me but a week passed and you never did. A best friend can get a complex, you know?” Caitlin made a sad face.

“Ok. Sorry. Forgiven?” Laura pleaded. “Let’s cut to the chase. What did you find out?”

“Sit down and prepare to be overwhelmed,” Caitlin stated. She always had a flair for the dramatic and this situation was no different.

“Cut the drama. Tell me,” Laura demanded.

“They’re loaded, Hun. I think I lost track of the zeroes but each one is a multi-billionaire,” Caitlin exclaimed.

“Stop. You don’t have to invent a story just because we have not gotten to hang out together this week. Just tell me the basic truth,” Laura pleaded.

“I am serious,” Caitlin stated.

“Is that why you were hot and heavy flirting with one of my boyfriends?” Laura fiercely took ownership of one of her three beaux.

“I did not mean to hurt your feelings, I was just chatting them up with small talk so that I could get enough information to get a background check because I knew you wouldn’t. A girl has to be safe.”

Caitlin had worked for the local sheriff’s office and had mad research skills since her job there was to perform background checks for new hires. She still had her code but used it for good and not for evil on prospective boyfriends before she got too attached.

“If this is one of your jokes, Kit-Cate, I swear...”

“Girl Scout’s honor. This is the truth. I brought the reports with me. They’re in my bag.”

“Gimme now,” Laura stated, about to lose her patience, but also oddly grateful that she had a friend with this kind of information about the three guys.

Caitlin had each thorough background report in a separate folder. Laura was in a state of disbelief after skimming through each folder and slid back down in her chair at the dining table. She began to put the pieces together: the lavish dates, the homes, the cars.

“All three are billionaires and friends?” Laura demanded of Caitlin.

“Hey, you can do your own search. No prison, not gay, no children, but very, very comfortable. You hit the mother load. So which one is it going to be?” Caitlin asked matter-of-factly.

“Well, I think I’ll go with—Wait a minute. What’s in it for you? More than mere curiosity I imagine?” Laura protested angrily.

“You can only have or keep one, so I thought I’d become a girlfriend for one of the rejects. Like Don.” Caitlin picked up his folder and thumbed through it approvingly.

“Caitlin!” Laura shouted.

“What? I’m just being honest. How long do you think they’ll keep letting you play this game of three for one, anyway?” Caitlin inquired.

“They are the ones who suggested dating all three. The trouble is the more time I spend and the better I get to know them the harder it becomes to choose just one.”

“Lor, this is a whole different side of you.”

“How dare you try to lay a guilt trip on me. You know if it was one billionaire bachelor and three girls you’d have no qualms and he’d be having the time of his life. Why not extend the same courtesy for me and wish me well? Do you want to hear about my week of dates or not?” Laura asked.

“Not,” Caitlin protested angrily. “You keep having the time of your life with your three billionaires, and get a therapist if you want someone to listen to you brag about your filthy rich boyfriends. Maybe one of them will pay for it. You’ve changed.”

“As have you, Caitlin,” Laura retorted, “You used to listen to me complain about Luke and that was mostly negative. Why can’t you take the positive?”

“Why can’t you choose one billionaire? Poor baby. Having to pick only one billionaire.”

“I don’t like this side of you. I think you need to leave. Green is not a pretty color on you.”

“You think I’m jealous of you?”

“Well? What is it then?”

“Some of us are trying to get one guy. You have three. Why should you get to make such a choice? Or even still, want me to help you pick one of your three while I have none, billionaire or not. They’re probably just playing with you while slumming.”

“Get out!” Laura shouted.

“Gladly.” She grabbed the pizza box with its leftovers, the diet soda, and all of the brownies then stormed out.