Hungry for Love (42 page)

It was like one of those aha moments.  Chrissy decided why sell her equipment.  She could rent a storage unit
,
so after the workout she drove toward a place that she
’
d often passed and went inside.  It was perfect.  There was even electricity inside some of the units and that way if she needed to plug in
,
she could.  Handing Bill
’
s credit card to the guy
,
she said
,
“
I
’
ll take it for a year.
”
  Then she watched as he ran the card four times until he looked at her and said
,
“
Sorry
,
Miss
,
this card has been cancelled.
”

That rat!  That skunk!  That Malomar eating
,
cheating cheapskate.  No wonder she
’
d cheated on him
,
no wait
,
he
’
d cheated on her.  Who was that palimony lawyer
?
  If only she could remember the name.  For now though Chrissy knew what she had to do and glumly she drove toward the address Wimp had given her.  She pulled into the parking lot and walked inside
,
quickly making an arrangement to sell her equipment in a few hours to a congenial guy.  It had been easy and since the guy would be meeting her at Bill
’
s
,
she would be safe.

Chrissy walked back to her car
,
knowing she couldn
’
t remain at the hotel.  Even though they
’
d run Bill
’
s card successfully when she checked in
,
surely they would reject it when it was time to leave.  As Chrissy didn
’
t want to waste her little bit of money on a pricey hotel
,
she was about to dial the number of her old roommate when her attention was drawn to something next door. 

Hypnotic music played softly and there were people entering in brightly colored robes.  They looked so happy and serene.  In front of the building was an easel holding a framed poster proclaiming
,
Meet Guru Majee Today.
  And there in the picture was a knowing Indian woman with one of those dots on her forehead.  How interesting.  Chrissy looked at the sign above door and it said
Temple
of the Slender Thread.
  How phenomenal
,
she thought
,
and in the door she went.

Ben and Clint walked along the sidewalk toward Angie
’
s deli
,
Colette between them for what was supposed to be a get acquainted lunch. 
“
Gosh I hope you and Angie like each other
,”
said Ben to Colette
,
who had instantly become one of his best friends. 

“
No
,
no
,
no
,”
she said rather adorably
,
“
That would be a huge mistake.  Huge.  She has to hate me.  I
’
m the enemy.
”
 

“
I know.  I get it.  I understand your plan
,
but I
’
m just not sure it makes any sense.  It just seems too duplicitous.
”

“
Dude
,”
said Clint
,
“
This is shock therapy.  Colette is right.  Sometimes girls have to see a guy with another girl
,
realize they could lose him.
”

“
But does it really make sense to trick her into falling for me
?
  Not like she hasn
’
t had plenty of time to do it on her own.
”

Colette put her hand gently on Ben
’
s arm. 
“
We
’
re not tricking her.  We
’
re helping her snap out of her psychosis and wake up to the reality she really wants but doesn
’
t know it
,
the guy she was meant to be with but never realized.  It
’
s not a trick
,
it
’
s a kick in the pants.
”

Ben smiled at Colette then looked toward Clint.  It was rather odd that he was tagging along
,
wasn
’
t it
?
  Maybe their other plan was working too. 
“
What if I act like I
’
m head over heels for you then Clint steals you away from me
?
  Then Angie would feel sorry for me.  Maybe that
’
s a better script.
”

“
Dude!  Do you really want to be the runt puppy that nobody wants except some old lady with one bad eye
?”
  Clint scowled at Ben as though he were pathetic. 
“
For a smart guy it
’
s like you
’
re too clueless to be real.
”

“
Forget about scripts
,”
said Colette. 
“
Just go with it.  Just react to what I do.
”

“
And I
’
m just there cause we
’
re friends.  I
’
m not some girl stealer.  What kind of a rat do you think I am
?”
asked Clint.

“
Okay
,
okay
,”
said Ben. 
“
Once more unto the breach…imitate the action of the tiger.
”

Clint looked perplexed for a moment then seemed to relate and said
,
“
Exactly
,
dude
,
eye of the tiger.
”

“
Men!
”
said Colette
,
hoisting her heavy tote from Clint
’
s arm and onto her shoulder as they entered the deli
,
which was quite full with a happily dining lunchtime crowd.  There was just one empty table
,
designed for only two
,
which Colette pointed toward as Angie emerged from the kitchen to greet them. 

Ben examined her carefully.  Had the embarrassment of the morning registered on her
?
  She seemed rather subdued and he wondered did she wish they didn
’
t already have these plans.

“
Hey guys
,”
said Angie
,
seemingly nonchalantly
,
“
And you must be Colette
,
nice to meet you.
”
  She smiled and even hugged Colette who hugged her back.

“
Mmm
,”
said Colette particularly sweetly
,
“
Bacon!  You smell like bacon.  Yum!
”

Angie squinted and scowled a bit then said
,
“
I wasn
’
t cooking bacon.
”

“
You mean it
’
s your natural scent
?”
asked Colette sweetly
,
“
How piggylicious.  No wonder my honey loves you.
”

Angie was aghast.  People thought she smelled like bacon
?
  This was supposed to be a compliment
?
  Who was this girl
,
anyway
,
and what was Ben doing with her
?
 
“
If you just wait a couple minutes I
’
ll be able to give you a bigger table and we
’
ll all sit
,”
she said a bit frostily.

“
Don
’
t be silly
,”
said Colette
,
“
My honey pie is hungry
,
aren
’
t you honey pie
?”
She looked toward Ben and tickled him under the chin.  Then she pushed him toward one of the two empty chairs
,
dumped her bag on the ground and lowered herself into his lap
,
wrapping her arms around his neck. 
“
Could I do this at a bigger table
?”
  Then she laughed lustily and said
,
“
You betcha.  Oh don
’
t you just love this man!  Think of the babies we
’
re gonna make.  Maybe tonight!
”
  As Ben
’
s eyes opened wide with astonishment
,
Colette put her hand on his face and turned it away from Angie and toward her and kissed him tightly on the mouth several times. 
“
Better than lunch!
”
she said.