Manhattan Miracle (8 page)

~ * * ~

Carpenter turned to Soriano. "Did you hear that?"

She nodded.
"Yes, but I'm not convinced. We don't have to make a decision for several more weeks, so let's wait and see."

"
Okay, but I can tell you right now Brad isn't going to change his mind."

"
Hold on, I want to hear what Amber has to say"

~ * * ~

"I never thought about it, but you're right. Women have more freedom in style and clothes to be themselves."

"
Exactly."

Amber placed her hand on Ginger
's. "You know when Brad first convinced me your switch was real, I was crushed. I felt as if I lost my best friend. But now, instead, I feel as if I've gained a new friend."

"
You have. Any friend of Ginger is a friend of mine. Now, what was your second question?"

"
Despite the fact that your mind is Brad's—"

"
Wrong."

"
Your mind isn't Brad's?"

"
Yes, but that's only part of it. I'm Brad in every way in Ginger's shell. Being, spirit, soul, core, essence—whatever you want to call it, all of me, including my mind is in Ginger's body. And so it is with Ginger, in my shell."

"
I think I get it. Anyway, you and Brad/Ginger seem so comfortable together. I know it's only been five days, but are you falling in love with Brad?"

"
I don't know. If feeling like my life began when I woke up and found out I was Ginger, then yes, I could be. But truly, with so much happening, it's impossible to tell."

~ * * ~

"See she loves him. Venus says she does, too. And she thinks Brad loves her."

"
You brought Venus into this?"

"
She's the 'Advocate of Love'."

"
Yes, but I didn't want to bring anyone else into this until we finalize things."

"
You don't want an expert's opinion until after you finalize the arrangement? Excuse me ma'am, but isn't that putting the horse behind the cart?"

I suppose, but I do wish—
"

"
Don't worry ma'am, I swore Venus to secrecy."

"
Let's hope she keeps quiet. In the meantime, I have an idea."

"
Oh. What's that sir…I mean ma'am?"

"
You'll see, Carpenter. You'll see."

~ * * ~

"Sorry, I'm late, girls." I slid in and kissed Ginger. "I had a big deal going that I had to close, before I could leave."

Ginger wanted to know more,
"Oh yeah, who with?"

I placed the napkin on my lap.
"Some mutual fund manager named Ernest McGivens. I didn't know him, but he seemed to know me."

Ginger, rolled her eyes.
"Well, you better get to know him. He was one of my best clients."

"
Well at least he wasn't one of my best customers when I used to be you, like that Carlson guy." 

Amber
's mouth fell open. "One of Ginger's clients is also one of yours?"

Ginger and I both nodded

"Oh, how funny."

"
I'm going get a list of my clients together for Brad. Don't be surprised if one or two of your johns pop up."

Amber grinned.
"Let me see it when… Quiet, here comes the waitress.

The waitress set down a
bun-less burger and iced tea in front of Ginger and refilled Amber's iced tea. "Hi, what can I get you?"

"
I'll have a turkey club on whole wheat with cottage cheese and iced tea."

She picked up the last menu.
"Coming right up."

When she left, I turned to the girls.
"Have I missed anything?"

"
Not really. I was just re-acquainting myself with my roommate and best friend since my first year of college, who, like you is a new person inside." Amber leaned forward and gazed at me. "Ginger did tell me something interesting though."

"
What?"

"
She claims, it wasn't just your mind that switched bodies."

I stared at her.
"No! Tell me more."

"
She said that your whole essence, your whole being changed places."

I nodded.
"That's true. We don't know what happened, but I feel like the entirety of me moved into Brad's body. Our bodies must be independent because it was like moving out of one house, furniture and all, into another."

Ginger chirped one of her short, hysterical sounding laughs.
"That's a great analogy. I don't know what Ginger thinks of her new abode, but I moved out of an upper middleclass townhouse into…into…"

"
Camelot?" Amber suggested.

"
Close, a Hempstead mansion."

I laughed.
"Well my move wasn't quite so grandiose. It was more pedestrian, like moving from Atlantic Avenue to Marvin Gardens. The house itself wasn't an improvement, but in real estate, as they say, location is everything, and baby, my new house has location in spades."

"
Did you move? Atlantic Avenue, Marvin Gardens, Hempstead, Camelot. What're you all talking about?"

We all
glanced up at the new voice, and there stood Brad's buddy from the office, Lew, holding a Heinekens in one hand and a Station Burger and fries basket in the other.

Amber checked Lew out in a way that indicated she found him interesting and I couldn
't blame her. Lew was a bit of a hunk. Dark hair, brooding brown eyes, full lips and dimples. She waved a hand. "Oh, we're just talking philosophy."

In return, Lew couldn
't take his eyes off her. "Philosophy? It sounded more like Real Estate 101 to me." Lew set his beer on the table and held his hand out to Amber. "Hi, we haven't met. I'm Lew Caruso, Brad's best buddy."

~ * * ~

Flashing what I hoped was a friendly if seductive,
'check me out smile'
, I shook Lew's hand and made room for him in one motion. "My pleasure, Amber Lane, Ginger's best buddy. Would you like to join us?"

"
I'd love to." Setting his burger and beer down Lew slid in.

Twisting a curl of my auburn hair, I angled toward him.
"You're not married, are you?"

He grinned.
"Why? Are you interested?"

God, he
's cute…and forward.
I snickered. "You're sitting next to me, aren't you?"

His smile was lovable.
"Ah-huh and lovin' it." He chewed on a fry. "How about you? Are you married or
involved
?"

I shook my head.
"Nope, not married, engaged or going with anyone. I do see about a dozen men on a regular basis, but I'm not serious about any of them."

Lew dipped his head in obvious surprise.
"Only a
dozen
? As gorgeous as you are, I suppose it's not surprising."

"Why thank you." I placed my hand over his. "You really think I'm gorgeous?"

"
Is the moon round, is the Empire State Building tall, are the Simpsons yellow?"

I laughed.
"And you're funny. Is that a yes?"

"
Yes. You're gorgeous and
more
."

A tingly thrill ran through me as he took my hand in both of his.
"Words like dazzling, stunning, spectacular, even magical come to mind when I look at you."

I must have liked his touch, because I felt saddened when he reclaimed his hands to finish eating. I glanced at Brad who smiled, then back at Lew.
"You know, you and Brad look a lot alike. Are you related?"

After taking a bite of his hamburger, Lew answered while chewing,
"We do, but we're not related," he swallowed, "the fact is, I'm obviously better looking."

Brad flashed an evil eye at Lew.
"Hey, hey! I heard that." He nudged Ginger's upper arm. "Sweetheart! Who's better looking Lew or me?"

Ginger
laughed. "Lew
is
easy on the eyes."

Lew faked like he was bowing.
"Thank you. Thank you."

"
But…" Ginger pursed her lips. "Since you're my boyfriend, you
must
be better looking."

Brad kissed her cheek.
"Thank you, darling, for your glowing, unbiased opinion."

"
Beside, you're my boss."

Brad frowned at her. 

Lew chuckled and bit into his burger.

I took a quick bite of my salad.
"So, how long have you known Brad?"

"
About five years. You know what would be so cool?"

"
I give?"

"
Since your best friend is going with my best friend, you should go out with your best friend's boyfriend's best friend, who happens to be me."

I laughed.
"Makes sense to me. If we were to go out, where would we go?"

He shrugged.
"We could go to some innocuous place to start, like a movie."

I tittered.
"I wouldn't mind seeing Miami Blues."

Brad stood up.
"It's been fun, but Ginger and I need to get back. If you want, I could tell Wally you went home sick. That way you and Amber could catch a matinee of Miami Blues."

I stiffened as Lew set his hand on my thigh.
"There, see we could go to the movie right now."

I did want to go, but this was too fast. He would ask questions to which I had no answers.
Wouldn't he die if he knew what I do—what I am?
"I don't think so. This is too quick. Here, I'll give you my phone number and email address. That way we could stay in touch and get to know each other." I scribbled my name, number and email address on a napkin.

Lew folded it and stuffed it in a jacket pocket.

Brad asked Lew, "Are you coming?"

"
You go ahead. I'll be along in a couple minutes."

But Lew didn
't go back to work. We had a drink. Lew was charming and funny. We truly enjoyed each other's company so Lew called his boss and made an excuse for not returning to work. Lew bought another drink and then another. He wasn't budging and that was fine with me.

Chapter Ten

We hustled across the street and strode into the main lobby. One of the six elevator doors
stood open, but as we approached, the doors began to close, so I yelled, "Hold it," which seemed to work because the doors stopped and reversed direction. I grabbed Ginger's hand. "C'mon." We hurried into the elevator and I said, "Thanks."

"
You’re welcome."

The voice sounded familiar and when I glanced left who should be at the elevator
's controls but Milton Grimes—the big boss. "Good afternoon Brad." He spoke in my direction, but he was all eyes for Ginger.

"
Hello Milt. Milt, this is my secretary, I told you about, Ginger Allen."

Grimes cast a smarmy smile.
"Well, hello." He held his hand out. "I'm Milton Grimes, I run this place."

Ginger shook his hand.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Grimes."

He snickered,
"Milt, call me Milt, please." He looked back to me. "You were right. She
is
a pretty one."

"
Yes, she is."

"
Oh, Milt," Ginger purred.

"
Floor?"

He asked her, but I reactively said,
"Thirty-four."

Milt
pushed the button, re-pushed his floor and we soon ascended with roller coaster speed that tended to turn my stomach.

The
elevator slowed and stopped at the 34
th
floor. When the doors parted, Ginger said, "I'm glad I met you, Milt," before she exited.

I hitched my head, said,
"See you later," and followed.

Milt
held the doors open and leaned into the doorway. "Nice meeting you, Ginger."

Ginger responded
. "Likewise."

He flashed his smarmy smile
. "And welcome to the company."

"Thank you.
"

As the elevator doors closed, Ginger took my arm and said, under her breath,
"He may be the boss, but I always thought he was strange. Now, from a female perspective, he's kind of creepy."