Chapter 1: Introduction
Matt Baker pulled into his suburban home around 6PM that night and noticed a different car in the driveway besides his wife's minivan. "Oh", he thought, "It's Violet." Violet is his wife, Laura's, best friend. They have been tight since college and she recently went through a break-up with her long-term boyfriend so probably over for some support. Matt grabbed his briefcase and stepped out of his sleek silver Audi, his shoes crunching on the gravel driveway.
As he approached the front door, he could hear laughter spilling out from the living room. He paused for a moment, taking a deep breath. He opened the door to find Laura and Violet sitting on the leather couch, their heads thrown back in laughter. Laura looked up first, her brown eyes sparkling and her long black hair cascading over one shoulder. She smiled at him, a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.
"Hey, you're home early," she said, her voice light and airy.
Violet looked up next, her blonde hair falling in waves over her shoulders. She flashed him a smile that was a little too bright, a little too knowing. "Hey Matt," she said, standing up and walking towards him, a glass of wine in her hand. She leaned in to kiss his cheek, lingering a little too long.
"Hey, good to see you. How you doing?" he asked Violet.
"I'm doing better, thanks for asking." She replied with a wink and retreated back to the couch. He turned his attention to Laura, who was still sitting, her legs crossed elegantly. "Where are the kids?" Matt asked, looking around the otherwise empty room.
"Sophie's at Cindy's, and Max has a late practice," Laura replied, taking a sip of her wine. "Would you be a dear and pick him up at 7, since Violet and I decided to start the weekend early!" she said with a laugh.
"No problem. What are you both up to?" he said putting his briefcase down.
"Well, Violet just informed me that the weekend trip she had planned next weekend with Carl is obviously off. But the tickets for the resort are nonrefundable and she asked if I would go with her." Laura said, her eyes twinkling with a mix of mischief and something else that Matt couldn't quite put his finger on.
"Oh, that sounds like fun. Where are you guys headed?" Matt asked, trying to keep the conversation light and casual.
"It's this new luxury resort spa up in the mountains, Sybaris Springs. I've heard amazing things about it. Massages, thermal pools, hiking, and apparently a very happening bar scene." Violet chimed in, a wicked grin on her face.
"After everything that happened with Carl, a girl's weekend would be a good way to put the past behind her. " Laura added.
Carl was Violet's boyfriend of two years and they had a messy break-up. Carl cheated on her with a co-worker for months before Violet found out. Carl was an idiot, Violet was a sexy blonde with long hair, blue eyes and a great body from hours of Yoga a week...he was not going to do any better than her.
But, Matt was not one to judge. A year ago, during a business trip he had a drunken one night stand with an old High School flame when they met up unexpectedly at a bar. It just about cost him his marriage when Laura found out. It was, by far, the biggest mistake of his life and he regretted it ever since. Violet was there for her when she left him for a couple of days after she heard. Matt always thought Violet never really approved of Laura marrying him, that she could do better. But Laura loved his personality and character after years of dating assholes. So, when Matt had his indiscretion, she was devastated and almost divorced him. But, she took him back and Matt has been on best behavior ever since. Still, Matt has not quite felt she totally "Forgave & Forgot."
"Yeah, that would be a great idea for you two. I will take care of everything here. You two deserve some time away." Matt said, a genuine smile spreading across his face.
"When are you two leaving?"
Laura looked at Violet, who shrugged. "Next Friday morning. The drive is long, so we want to get a head start. The resort's all booked up, so it's now or never."
Violet smiled at Laura, who nodded in agreement.
"Sounds like a plan," Matt said, trying not to let the slight twinge of jealousy he felt show on his face. He knew he had no right to be jealous, not after what he did, but the thought of Laura and Violet, two stunning women, off on a weekend getaway together, made him feel a bit uneasy.
“Yeah, I was telling your wife I should’ve dumped his ass a while ago. Him stepping out on me, I really should’ve seen coming a while ago. Now, instead of a romantic weekend with that clown, I’m spending it with my girl and enjoying ourselves like we used to in college!”
“You seem to be good after this. I am glad. You deserve it. “ Matt said to Violet.
Matt actually meant that too. Violet’s always been a great friend to his wife. He always thought she also was too very sexy. Whenever he had fantasies about any potential threesomes with his wife, Violet was always the go to on that. Maybe because she never married or maybe the fact that she was sexy as hell and a little bit of a wild child also. When they got drunk together, they would often allure to the good times they had in college, but would never elaborate further.
Matt thought he had a good relationship with Violet, but he also knew that she was on Laura's side and saw his indiscretion as a black mark against him. He understood that too.
She'd always been a bit of a wild child, and her recent breakup probably had her feeling like she needed to cut loose. He was just glad she had Laura to help her through it.
“Well, I’ll man the fort down here. You two girls go out and have a blast next weekend.” Matt said, trying to sound encouraging while the image of them having “a blast” together stirred something within him. He quickly pushed the thought aside and grabbed his car keys. “I should head out and pick up Max now. You two want anything from the store while I’m out?”
Laura shook her head. “We’re good. Thanks, Matt.” She raised her glass at him, a small smile playing on her lips.
“Nah, we’re all set. Thanks, Matt.” Violet chimed in, her eyes sparkling with amusement.
Matt headed out to go pick up the kids. His mind full of thoughts about his wife’s trip next weekend. They’ve been together for over 14 years and this is the first time she’s taken a trip like this. She’d have a girls night or weekend here or there, but that would be the extent of it, but he knows he could not say a single word about it.
He was in no position to tell her what she could or could not do. He knows he was fortunate to have her back after the affair. Hell, he was lucky that she even entertained the thought of forgiving him.
As Matt drove into the school parking lot, he couldn't shake the feeling of unease that had settled over him. He had never been a jealous person, but the thought of Laura and Violet gallivanting off to some posh resort together was stirring up all sorts of emotions inside him. He tried to push them aside, focusing instead on the task at hand.
The next week passed uneventfully leading up to Laura’s trip with Violet.Matt and Laura maintained their usual routine; he would leave for work early, and she would pick up the kids from school, run errands, and make dinner.
Matt was hoping they would have at least one night of sex before she left. And it had been a while. Ever since she took him back from the affair, sex has been sporadic at best. They had, what he thought, was a pretty healthy sex life prior. She was an absolutely ideal partner in that regard. Beyond being sexy as hell, she was always very vocal and demonstrative when she had sex. Moans, groans, trying new things in the bedroom were always part of the deal however, the very few times they’ve had sex since she took him back. It has been very robotic and lacking a lot of passion. He was hoping as time went on she would go back to her old ways.
But, it was almost like she was trying to punish him. He would sometimes try to initiate something, but she would always find some excuse to say no. He didn't want to push it, though. He understood that she was still hurting and needed time to heal. Still, he couldn't help but feel a pang of disappointment each time she turned him down.
The day before Laura and Violet's trip, Laura came home with a fresh manicure and pedicure…bright red. Matt noticed it as soon as she walked in the door, her toenails peeking out from her sandals.
“You look nice, did you get your nails done?” Matt asked, walking over to give her a kiss on the cheek.
“Yeah, Violet and I went today. She talked me into bright red. What do you think?” Laura spun around, showing off her toes.
Matt smiled, “I like it. It suits you. You both excited for this weekend?” Matt asked, trying to keep the conversation light.
Laura's smile tightened slightly, "Yeah, we are. It's been a while since I've gotten away like this. I'm really looking forward to it."
Matt nodded, "Well, I'm glad you're excited. You both deserve a break."Matt said, putting his arm around Laura's waist and giving her a squeeze. He could feel the tension in her body, but she didn't pull away.
Laura looked up at him, her green eyes searching his face and gave him a peck on the lips. “It will be good for all, I think” she added.
Matt smiled. “ What are the plans for the trip?”
“We are leaving right after the kids get on the bus tomorrow morning. Probably about 3 1/2 hours to get there. And then we have a very late check out Sunday so I don’t anticipate being home before 8 PM. I’ll text you updates.” Laura said, her voice soft. Matt could tell she was trying to hide the excitement that was bubbling beneath the surface. He nodded, trying to hide his own feelings of unease.
"Sounds like a plan. Just promise me you two will be safe and responsible."
Laura rolled her eyes playfully. "Matt, I'm not 16. I think I can handle a girls' weekend without you worrying about me."
He chuckled, "I know, I know. It's just... I care about you, that's all."
Laura's expression softened, and she leaned into him. "I know, Matt." She gave him a lingering kiss on the cheek, and he could feel her breath on his skin. It sent a shiver down his spine, followed by a pang of longing.
The next day carried on as normal: they got the kids on the bus, Matt gave a kiss to Laura before he left for the day at work. She made sure to promising that she would be updating a lot during the weekend. He told her not to worry about it just have fun, but she insisted.
His work day commenced as normal. He got a text from Laura around noon with the picture of the beautiful resort and the caption that they had just arrived.
Matt just assumed it would be a quiet night.