she hugged closed hers too. It was that kind of hug.
The three other women headed off in the opposite direction. Perfect.
Heidi started toward her car. She wore Capri pants. Her high heels made her stagger a little after the drinks, but she handled it with practiced aplomb. She was smiling. Ingrid nodded a get-ready at the stranger. They both did all they could to look harmless.
âHeidi Dann?â
He tried to keep his expression friendly or, at worst, neutral. Heidi turned and met his eye. The smile dropped off her face as though someone had attached an anchor to it.
She knew.
He wasnât surprised. Many somehow did, though denial also worked big-time when the stranger called. But he sensed strength and intelligence in her. Heidi already knew that what he was about to say would change everything.
âYes?â
âThereâs a website called FindYourSugarBaby.com,â he said.
The stranger had learned that you had to leap directly into it. You didnât ask the victim if they had time to talk or if they wanted to sit down or go someplace quiet. You just launched.
âWhat?â
âIt purports to be a modern online dating service. But itâs not. Menâsupposedly wealthy men with disposable incomeâsign up to meet, well, sugar babies. Have you heard of it?â
Heidi looked at him another second. Then she turned her gaze toward Ingrid. Ingrid tried to smile reassuringly.
âWho are you two?â
âThatâs not important,â he said.
Some people fight it. Other people see that itâs an irrelevant waste of time in the big picture. Heidi was in the latter group. âNo, Iâve never heard of it. It sounds like one of those sites married people use to cheat.â
The stranger made a yes-no gesture with his head and said, âNot really. This site caters to more of a business transaction, if you know what I mean.â
âI donât know what you mean at all,â Heidi said.
âYou should read the material when you have a chance. The site talks about how every relationship is really a transaction and how important it is to define your roles, to know what is expected of you and what is expected of your lover.â
Heidiâs face was losing color. âLover?â
âSo here is how it works,â the stranger continued. âA man signs on, for example. He looks through a list of women, usually much younger. He finds one he likes. If she accepts, they start negotiating.â
âNegotiating?â
âHeâs looking for what we call a sugar baby. The website defines that as a woman heâd maybe take out to dinner or escort to a business conference, that kind of thing.â
âBut thatâs not what really happens,â Heidi said.
âNo,â the stranger said. âThatâs not what happens.â
Heidi let loose a long breath. She put her hands on her hips. âGo on.â
âSo they negotiate.â
âThe rich guy and his sugar baby.â
âRight. The site tells the girl all sorts of nonsense. How everything is defined. How dating like this means no game playing. How the men are rich and sophisticated and will treat her well and buy her gifts and take her to exotic overseas locales.â
Heidi shook her head. âDo the girls really fall for that?â
âSome, maybe. But I doubt too many. Most understand the score.â
It was as though Heidi had expected him to visit, expected this news. She was calm now, though he could still sense the devastation. âSo they negotiate?â she prompted.
âRight. Eventually, they reach an understanding. Itâs all spelled out in an online contract. In one case, for example, the young woman agrees to be with the man five times per month. They spell out possible days of the week. He offers eight hundred dollars.â
âEach time?â
âPer month.â
âCheap.â
âWell, thatâs how it starts.