would attend, but as soon as I woke up this morning, I’d changed my mind.
This was exactly what I needed. To be among like-minded kinksters without the pressure of getting involved in a scene. The munches were more of a social event for talking, getting to know each other, and exchanging information out in the vanilla world.
I’d never been to the diner before, but apparently the owner was a member of the club and reserved the back section for us to use.
When I entered, Heath was the first person I saw. He spotted me and excused himself from the two familiar men from the club he was talking to.
Today Heath was dressed down in jeans and an unbuttoned blue flannel shirt over a white T-shirt. He didn’t have his nose ring in either. Hard to tell this man was a dungeon master.
“Hey, I’m glad you showed up.”
He gave me a hug, and I squeezed him back. Maybe I’d been wrong in staying away, and this was what I needed to reduce my anxiety.
“I wasn’t sure I’d make it,” I confessed.
“Doesn’t matter. The important thing is you’re here. Want to find a private booth and talk before we join the others?”
I shrugged, knowing this was Heath the psychologist and friend talking.
“Okay.”
We took a seat away from the others. Ridge sat on a stool, laughing with a group. He was one of the few who wore his collar. I wanted to ask Heath if he’d upgraded the boy’s collar but didn’t want to pry.
“You haven’t been back to the club.” Heath was straight to the point, as always.
“Couldn’t. I needed to sort through some stuff.”
“Like what?” He tapped his right temple. “Tell me what’s going on up here?”
“I wish I knew. I never had Dom drop before, and since it started, it won’t stop.”
“That wasn’t just Dom drop, August. That was so severe you blacked out.”
“It was terrifying. I can’t work a scene again with a sub until I get rid of it.”
“You been suffering from anxiety again?”
I stared at my hands, gripping them tightly. The anxiety had started when James resurfaced. Heath had helped me through it.
“A little.”
“Anything new going on with you? I mean, you’ve been under a lot of stress lately. Summer disappearing, your fathers meeting, Owen dating again and marrying. And I didn’t help things by putting you in Ridge’s path either.”
He didn’t know the half of it. The biggest change in my life right now was Charles.
“Is there something else?” Heath didn’t give up easily.
I shrugged and sat back in my chair. “Well, the whole job-hunting thing isn’t going so well.”
“What? I’ve seen your résumé.”
I quickly explained what had gone down with Brody Schmidt. Heath was one person I could trust with this.
“That low life piece of shit.”
I smiled, relieved I’d shared this burden. If only I could spill about Charles as well, but it wouldn’t be a secret anymore if I told him about whatever Charles and I had.
“Yes, he’s a sleazeball. Unfortunately, he doesn’t seem to be lying about his influence. He’s the sort of scumbag who might keep dirt on people just to use it later. All the top-tier companies I’ve tried to score interviews with have all been a bust. The worst thing is not knowing if they say they have no vacancies, it’s the truth.”
“Are you going to tell Owen and Declan?”
“Of course not. I don’t want them involved.”
“Well, whatever it is, it might be adding to your stress too.”
No kidding. At this rate, I’d have to drop my expectations and apply to some lower-income-level companies.
“I’ll figure it out.”
“Maybe one of the guys here can help you.”
I shook my head. “Thanks, man, but I can handle this.”
He frowned at me. “You know, that’s a serious problem you still need to work out in therapy. You not being willing to take help from anyone while doing so much for everyone else.”
I groaned, feeling somewhat better already by just talking about the job situation. I was ready to mingle with everyone and just relax for the hour or so we’d all be hanging out together.
“I’ll make an appointment.” I got to my feet. “God, I missed this.”
“We’re your family.”
They were. We headed over to one of the booths where five people were already crammed. They scooted over to make room for us. No one said anything about what had happened the last time I was at the dungeon, and that put me at ease.
An attention-seeking Ridge strolled over and plopped his ass in Heath’s