Ex-Rated Wedding

"Here's the poor guy," Tom said.

"I'm the poor guy? You're the one who got married," I laughed.

"I feel bad, Mark," Tom said. "Here you come to the wedding without a date, have to watch your ex-wife flaunt her new boyfriend around, and then when you finally do find the only other single female at the party, she winds up getting sick and passing out. Tell me this wasn't the worst wedding ever."

"Actually Tom, I had a fantastic time, much better than I could have hoped for." I looked directly at Ellen and she blushed again.

"Well," said Tom, lowering his voice to a conspiratorial tone, "Next time bring a date so that at least you have a better chance of getting laid."

"Oh, I don't know about that. I seem to do pretty good all on my own."

I leaned forward and gave Ellen a hug and a kiss on the cheek, thanking her for a lovely time.

"Anytime dear," she said and looked me straight in the eyes, "Anytime at all."

Just then Jane came out behind Ellen and joined us. She saw Kate at the counter and waved her over.

In that one moment, I stood, looking at these three women. I was completely dumbfounded. Time seemed to move in slow motion as each one caught my eye and smiled at me in a secret, alluring way.

The spell was broken by the man behind the counter calling my name. I turned around and he was holding something up.

"Housecleaning just found this earring in your room," he said. "Perhaps a companion of yours lost it last night?"

I watched in horror as all three women absently touched their ears, looking at each other in slowly gathering shock.