9. Hey there, stranger

"Now, I also meant what I said about sex," I said. "But I need to hear you say whatyou said about sex again, too. If you tell me this week is what you need - that you need me to explore with other women, that you need me to sow my oats, in front of you or behind your back - then I won't ask again. If it happens, it happens."

Cassidy put down the wipe and took my hand in both of hers, looking into my eyes. "Robbie Blane. Love of my life. My fiance. I want, and need, you to have sex with the most gorgeous, most adventurous women you can this week. And I will abstain from everything unless you want me to participate. I can see it on your face, you think this is about me wanting punishment, and Ido deserve that."

"But I also know you, and I know you're going to say the guilt and the depression were punishments all along. No, Tiger, this is about rewarding you. Rewarding you for so many years of loving me, even when I didn't deserve it. And for hopefully still loving me, while I forever continue to earn it."

She was right - that line about punishment did sound like me. She wasn't the only person in my life I'd helped talk through some of their depression, so I knew my own words when they were thrown back at me.

"OK," I said, and swallowed. "Then the last thing - no matter what happens on this trip, you are still mine, and I am still yours, and we need to fix this. I don't want to hear excuses anymore, you're going to therapy even if you can't talk abouthow you did what you did. And we're doing couples therapy, too."

"OK," she whispered, nodding.

While Cassidy did her makeup, doing her best to hide the fact that she'd been crying, I googled therapists back in Vegas and called in, booking a couples session for three days after we got back from the trip, as well as an individual session for Cassidy, and one for myself. With that done, Cassidy and I took a breath.

"I love you," she said.

"I love you still, too," I replied.

"I want to keep sitting here in this feeling after the last couple of hours," Cassidy said. "But I think we're running late."

"I know," I sighed, and started the truck again. "Let's get this show on the road."

It was time to see if we could make this work around actual people.

The driveway to the docks wound through a canyon between two massive rock formations that loomed over us on the drive in, then opened up into a flat area that had been gravelled and gridded into a parking lot. The lot was about half full, and down at the far end were three warehouse-like structures, and beyond that we could see the deep blue of the lake.

There was a small crowd of people, and we immediately recognized Cattie amongst them so we knew that was our group.

When we parked I turned to Cassidy and put my hand on her thigh. "Have fun," I said. "You worked hard to get to the level you're at, and these ladies are your equals. You belong here."

"Fuck, how do you know when I need you to say that?" she asked.

"Because you're mine," I said. I punched the urge to say 'I thought' down internally.

"Thank you," she said. "Can I kiss you?"

I nodded, and she leaned over the centre console and kissed me lightly on the lips.

Once I was out of the truck, I started to unload the luggage and cooler from the back while Cassidy did one of those 'girl sees girl' screams and ran to meet Cattie and the women who were with her. I got everything out of the truck bed and slammed the gate shut, then went around to the passenger door and fetched the camera bag out from behind the seats. This, more than anything, was the Important Bag since it held several thousand dollars worth of equipment that Cassidy had collected over the last three years.

"Hey there, stranger," Cattie said from behind me just as I was turning.

"Hey yourself," I said with a smile, slinging the bag carefully over my shoulder and shutting the truck door before turning.

Cattie was the kind of girl people looked at and thought, 'She should be in a magazine.' She had that somewhat elfin look to her face, but with beautiful, styled black hair and perfectly manicured thick eyebrows. With her fair skin, and tendency to affect an alternative look, she came across with just the right amount of gothy edge. Today she was wearing a Megadeth tour shirt tied up to reveal her slim waist and billowing around her impressive tits and daisy dukes similar to Cassidy, along with a plaid long sleeve shirt tied around her waist.

"I'm so glad you could come," Cattie said, stepping into a hug and squeezing me tight. "It's been way too long since the last Con."