Page 9 of Fake It For Love (Faux Love)
“You were a teenager,” she reminded me. “You’re supposed to grow and change. You’re a woman. You’re not supposed to look like a teenager.”
I raised my brow and purposely looked her up and down. “Are you not the same lady that can still wear the cheerleading outfit from senior year?”
She blushed a little. “I’m a freak of nature. Look at my mom. She popped out a kid and still looks like the same twenty-something she was back then. It’s all about genes.”
“I would like some of your genes,” I said. “Don’t get me wrong, I love a good salad, but it’s not fair. I could eat salads for a week and gain five pounds.”
“You know you’re gorgeous,” she said. “You have curves for days. You look like an old Hollywood pinup girl. Do you know how many guys like that? And you have boobs. Glorious boobs.”
I laughed and looked at my D-cups. “Yes, yes, I do. I don’t mind them. I just miss the tight ass.”
“And if I had an ass, I would be very happy. And a fraction of your boobs.”
“If only there was a way to share the wealth,” I said.
“We all have our complaints about our bodies,” she said. “I think we should all love who we are and just go with it.”
I was pretty sure that was easier said than done, but it wasn’t like I was going to waste a lot of time thinking about it. “Is there anything you need me to do between now and tomorrow?” I asked her.
“I don’t think so,” she said. “I’ve got all my stuff already packed. The dress was the last piece of the puzzle. Did you decide what accessories you were going to wear?”
“After seeing the dress and the embellishments she added, I think I’m going to keep it simple. I don’t want to distract from the dress.”
“I agree.”
We finished our lunches and parted with the promise we’d see each other in the morning for the flight out. I went by the boutique and was very happy to find the saleswoman had found several dresses that would be perfect for the trip. Feeling much better about my wardrobe, I relaxed a bit. On my drive home, I thought about what she said. I did feel fortunate to be healthy. I did have a good life. I wasn’t going to complain, but an occasional wallow seemed warranted.
When I got back to my apartment, I carefully zipped the gown into the garment bag along with the dresses I’d just picked up. My bags were packed, and I was ready to go tomorrow. I opened a bottle of wine and poured myself a drink. The next time I was home, I was going to be in much better financial shape. I was going to celebrate with a nice bottle of wine and takeout from somewhere fancy. I didn’t want to eat alone at a restaurant. I wanted to enjoy the privacy of my home while I feasted.
In order to pass the time, I decided to sit down and make a list of the bills I was going to pay. It was almost hard to imagine getting my hands on that much money in one lump sum. I was going to be smart about it. I wasn’t going to go on any shopping sprees. I sure as hell wasn’t going to hit the poker tables or the slot machines.
The best part about this situation was it didn’t have to stop with just this one client. I could do this a couple more times and really get out of debt. Maybe I could afford a nice house with a large down payment. The possibilities felt endless.
Assuming I got through this first experience.
