A Life Less Ordinary (31 page)

“Sexy
lingerie pictures? 
Together?
”

Manny
laughed at Daisy’s scandalized tone.  “I was thinking more about the glam
shots, but if you want to do the lingerie ones, go for it!  Without me with
you, though, because that would just be sick!”

Daisy
laughed.  “I’d love to – even if I don’t like the pictures.  But I’m not sure I
can get away...tell you what?  Let me talk to Max tomorrow and get back to
you.”

Manny
sighed.  “I hope it works out.  I really miss you.”

“I
miss you, too,” Daisy said softly.  “I’ll let you know tomorrow.”

They
said their good-byes, and Manny tossed the phone aside then wearily pressed the
heels of her palms against her eyes.

* * * * *

Manny
stared at her reflection in horror.

This
looked much better in the store.

She
gulped as she turned sideways to check out her butt.

Damn. 
I don’t think that much flesh is supposed to be stuffed into such a little
bitty piece of spandex.

She
turned back to fully face the mirror.

And
these
-
she cupped and raised her breasts -
should be somewhere up around
here
.

She
released her breasts and covered her face with her hands.

What
was I thinking?  I can’t go out to the pool in this!  I’ll cause a riot and not
in a good way!  Jesus H. Fucking Christ...when did I get old?

Are
you done?

Manny
shook her head and refused to remove her hands from her face.

I
was wondering when you were going to show up.

I’ve
been here all along. 
Harvey stood looking impossibly handsome in a white polo
shirt that contrasted sharply with his salt-and-pepper-but-still-mostly-pepper
hair, his dark eyes watching her with an odd mixture of mockery and sympathy. 
Look. 
It’s not that bad.

It’s
bad enough!  I didn’t even mention the cellulite!  Or the thunder thighs!  The
paunch! 
Look
at that stomach!  Oh, God – I need mind bleach! 
She turned her back on
the mirror and fumbled with the clasp of the bikini top. 
Thank God I can
get undressed with my eyes closed.

Chicken.

Her
fingers froze.

What?

The
whole point of this trip is to try new things; get out of your comfort zone. 
Look at you – after everything else you’ve done so far, from ziplining to line
dancing, you’re having a meltdown about wearing a bikini?

In
public
!

You’re
not in public now!  And honestly – okay, yes, you sag more than you used to do;
you may have a bit more ass than bikini bottom – but have you seen the others
at the pool?  You’re no worse than they are and in some cases, you’re better.

We’re in Los Angeles!  They’re all beautiful here!

Harvey
laughed. 
That’s just a myth.

They’ll
all laugh at me
,
Manny whined.

Manny. 
Look at me.

She
reluctantly raised her eyes to meet his.

You
and I both know – they – whoever ‘they’ are – won’t even look at you.  They’re
not going to laugh at you because they’re not even going to see you.

Manny
blinked at him, feeling battered and bruised and wanting nothing more than to
crawl into bed and have a good cry.

I
thought you were supposed to make me feel better.

No. 
I’m supposed to make you feel the truth.

...since
when?

Since
you stopped having me rescue you from pirates and started talking to me
instead.

Damn. 
My fault again.

Indeed.

Manny
took a deep breath as she forced herself to turn around and look into the
mirror again.

Good
girl.

Shut
up.  I still haven’t decided if I’m going to wear this outside this hotel room!

Why? 
Are you afraid Zeke’s going to see you in it, and get even angrier with you? 
Or worse:  laugh until he pukes?

What? 
No!

Sure? 
I suspect you bought this bikini this morning in order to rub his nose in his
opinion that you’re demure, retiring and repressed, and now you don’t even have
the guts to go through with it.

...he
didn’t say I was repressed.

Only
because he caught himself at the last minute.

Manny
sighed and hung her head.

Zeke
had nothing to do with why I wanted to wear a bikini to the pool.

No? 
Then why did you want to?

.
..to
feel...sexy.  And I did feel sexy in the store.  But they must use trick
mirrors or something, because I thought I looked pretty good, for my age.  Now
I just look like another pathetic middle-aged woman trying to recapture her
lost youth.  Just like Zeke said.

Well,
you can let yourself worry you’re as pathetic as Zeke seems to think – and
become just as demure, retiring and repressed as he says you already are...or
you could just say fuck it, I feel great in this bikini, and anyone who judges
me can bite my luscious ass.  What’s it gonna be?

~~~~~

Manny
yawned and let her book droop down into her lap.  She lifted her face to the
sun, closed her eyes and concentrated on the feel of the sun on her face and
shoulders, her exposed stomach and legs.  She felt soft and warm, and – oddly –
snuggly.

Snuggly?

Cuddly?

From
his position on the lounger beside her, Harvey laughed his low, seductive
laugh, his expressive dark eyes hidden behind sunglasses, his bare chest
gleaming in the sun.

Gleaming
in the sun?  That’s almost as bad as saturnine.  You have
got
to stop
reading all those romance novels; I’m really beginning to worry about you.

Manny
grimaced. 
Oh, shut up.

“Wow
– I expected to find you looking happier than this!”

Manny’s
eyes popped open and she gaped at Daisy and Rebecca standing by her lounger
with huge grins on their faces.  She screamed and jumped to her feet, throwing
her arms around first Daisy and then Rebecca, all three of them laughing,
squealing and bouncing with excitement.

“I
have to say,  I’m a little freaked out right now about being hugged by a broad
in a bikini,” Rebecca laughed.

“Ah,
you love it!” She turned to Daisy.  “You sneak!  You planned this all along!”

Daisy
nodded rapidly, grinning.  “Of course!  Did you honestly think I’d pass up a
chance to attend a real, live red carpet Hollywood premiere of the latest
Robert Downey Jr. movie, plus sit in the California sun for a week?  Are you
nuts
?”

Rebecca
said, “We have a list of things to do that’s as long as your arm.  Some of them
would be more fun in the presence of the delicious Mr. Powell.  That is, if
you’re talking to him again.”

“I
haven’t seen him today; we spoke briefly on the phone this morning, but it was
mostly words of one syllable.  Besides, he’s been working the last couple of
days.”

“But
you are talking to him again?” Rebecca pressed.

Manny
sighed.  “Probably,” she muttered.  “Like I have a choice.”

“Good,”
Rebecca said, ignoring the last part of Manny’s comment.  “Let’s find out if
he’s done working, so we can go shopping -”

“Shopping?”
Manny blurted, her eyes suddenly wide.

Rebecca
nodded decisively.  “Shopping.  And I don’t know about Daisy, but the first
place I want to go is wherever you got this bikini.  It’s gorgeous!  And you
look great!”

Manny
flushed, then grinned.  “Even though I have more ass than suit?”

Rebecca
airily waved away her comment.  “
Everyone
has more ass than suit – it’s
the way they’re designing the things nowadays.  Now pack up and let’s go.”

Manny
laughed as she quickly slipped her sandals on and got into her cover-up. 

“Say,
do you guys want to share my room?” she asked as they headed back into the
hotel.  “It’d be just like a pajama party!”

“We’re
already there,” Daisy replied.

“Say
what?” 

“Good
thing your buddy Lionel owns the hotel.  He made all the arrangements for us.”

Manny
groaned, then laughed and shook her head as she led the way back to their room.

~~~~~

Zeke
kept a neutral expression on his face as he opened his door.  He was grateful
Manny had called first to see if he had time to see her.  He’d been in the
midst of writing a scathing blog about her ill-advised decision to change her
look and style, and he’d wanted to finish and send it off to Leah before he saw
Manny again.  He hoped writing the blog would help him calm down; he had to
admit he did feel a little better, but he was wary about what stunt she was
going to pull next.

“Hi,
Zeke – remember us?”  Daisy said brightly, a grin very much like her sister’s
on her face.

Zeke’s
jaw dropped.  “Daisy!  Rebecca!  What – when -?  Wow!  You guys look great!”

“Sure,”
Rebecca said as she moved past him into the room, “
we
look great.  Manny
gets a lecture!”

Zeke
flushed as Daisy followed after Rebecca, nodding in agreement.  Manny was last,
a rueful look on her face.

“Do
you tell them everything?” he growled at her.

“Pretty
much, yeah.”

“Look
at her!  She looks great!” Daisy insisted.  “I have no idea how you could have
objected to this!  She looks at least twenty years younger!”

Manny
sputtered a laugh.  “You’re such a liar,” she grinned, “but thanks.”

There
was a moment of awkward silence.

“So...?”
Rebecca drawled.

“So?”
Zeke asked.

“Are
you going to kiss and make up with Manny – and therefore, by extension, us?  Or
do we have to inflict ourselves on this poor city without you?”

“Kiss
and make up?” he squeaked.

“
It’s a figure of
speech,” Manny sighed.  “Asshole.”

“
With the three of you,
it never hurts to be sure,” Zeke fired back.

“
He has a point,” Daisy
said thoughtfully.

“
That he does,” Rebecca
agreed.

“
So, hop to it, Mr.
Powell,” Daisy said firmly.  “Apologize to the lady and let’s get the hell out
of here.  We have things to do and places to see.”

Zeke
stared wide-eyed at the two women standing firmly in front of him.  They were
like forces of nature, he thought, amused and bemused, and about as difficult
to resist.  He turned his attention to Manny.  She’d been out in the sun, he
noticed.  It was still unsettling to see her with short, breeze-tousled hair
rather than with her sleek bun or long, straight curtain of hair hanging down
her back.  This new haircut made her face look rounder, softer somehow – and
Zeke realized Daisy hadn’t been exaggerating very much:  Manny really did look
years younger.

“Before
I do anything -” he paused as all three women groaned loudly, “I just want to
know what you ladies have planned.  Maybe I should stay behind in case you need
bail money.”

Rebecca
raised an eyebrow.  “Quick learner, this boy,” she murmured to Manny.

“Not
always,” Manny replied drily.

“Good
point.  Zeke, come on.  You were a dumbass, and you know it.”

Zeke
straightened to his full height and glowered at Rebecca.  “I had an honest
reaction.  What was she thinking?”

“I’m
standing right here,” Manny snapped, “and I was thinking it would be fun to
have a makeover.”

Zeke
turned his glower on her.

She
glowered back.

He
threw up his hands.  “All right!  Fine!  You’re right!  I’m sorry, I
over-reacted.  The haircut is...fine.”

Manny
rolled her eyes.  “Fine as in looks good, or fine as in you approve?”

Zeke
hesitated.  “Fine as in looks good,” he said, reluctant to give in but knowing
Leah would skin him alive if he let the three women go off on their own and he
didn’t get at least a couple of blogs out of the experience. 

The
three women glanced at each other.

“Good
enough?” Daisy asked.