“Let me guess,” the bartender asked, setting the glass of water in front of me. “You’re here looking for some company.”
She stared at me expectantly, a slight smile on her glossy-pink lips. I smiled ruefully at her, taking a sip of the icy liquid. “Gee, what gave me away?” I meant it sarcastically, because anyone in the bar could see what I was after, especially another woman. The little black dress gave me away, one of those sparkly knit gowns that clung to every curve, just short enough to make you appreciate a hint of thigh and wonder just how far my legs went up. Or maybe it was the heels, best described as “fuck me” pumps in glossy black patent leather. Combined with the carefully arranged hair and the makeup, I made quite a package for some lucky male to pick up. Problem was, the bar seemed devoid of lucky men, save for a few older men who knew better than to press their luck.
The bartender shrugged and proceeded to polish some glasses while talking with me. “Well, tomorrow is Valentine’s Day, and I assume you’re here on business. So your partner isn’t here, and you’re looking for a little entertainment to pass a holiday that’s best not spent alone. Especially here in Las Vegas, the city of sin herself,” she laughed. I was amazed, because she really had hit my situation right on the nose. I was here to teach seminars to new real estate recruits, and was miles away from my husband. Not that being home on Valentine’s Day would have mattered anyway, because the bastard would probably be wooing his mistress on the side. Our marriage had deteriorated down to one simple fact: I wasn’t divorcing him because it would cost me too much hard-earned cash. So he played his field, and I played mine, and we basically put up with each other.
“Pretty much right,” I acknowledged, raising my water glass to her. “How’d you know?”
“Past experience,” she confided. “I was sitting in this very bar about three years ago for the same reason, and the bartender working then asked me the same thing.”
“And did you find what you were looking for?” I asked. She found this very funny, exploding in a sudden peal of laughter that had me raising my eyebrows. “Oh, I found it alright,” she grinned. “A nice little lass from the front desk took me home with her that night, and introduced me to a whole better ballgame.” I nearly choked on my water at her answer, staring at her with slight shock. This bartender really didn’t seem the lesbian stereotype. She wasn’t masculine in her features, and she didn’t seem like some of the feminist lesbians I’d known in college.