by Lori Avocato
I, however, felt like crap after seeing her.
The parking lot at the center was quite full. I guessed I’d get to say goodbye to everyone in one fell swoop. Thank goodness. Jagger could have the disguise department. I hadn’t even dressed up on Halloween as a kid. Hated it.
I pulled into a space, shut off my engine and put my hand on my car door. It pulled open on its own!
“Ah, Bellisima. How nice you look today.” Joey the Wooer stood with his hand on my door. “Let me help-a you. It is a bit slippery. They really should-a cleaned this pavement better for us folks.”
I wanted to say I survived a slide yesterday, but bit my tongue and smiled. “How nice you are, Mr. Joey.” Peggy’s tone had come back without a thought. I was really beginning to wonder if my masquerading was causing some kind of personality split for me. I liked Peggy.
Joey held my arm as we went inside. When we came up to the table, he spoke rather loudly, “You look lovely today, Bellisima. Much younger.”
I hoped my blush showed through my makeup since it seemed the appropriate thing to do after that comment.
Uncle Walt, Uncle Stash and Benny all nodded. Sophie merely stared. Helen kind of growled.
“You sure do,” said Uncle Walt.
Green showed through Helen’s makeup. She grabbed his arm rather possessively. And here I thought she had her sights on my other uncle. “Why so dolled up, Peggy?”
“Well—” I sat down after Joey held my chair and was once again sandwiched between him and Sophie. I ignored her lest I yell at her about being a criminal. “Unfortunately . . . it is my goodbye outfit.”
Helen and Sophie perked up.
“Goodbye as you are going on a trip?” Helen asked.
“No, dearie. Goodbye as I am moving away. My mind isn’t as clear as it used to be. My darling nephew is taking me to Arizona. I hear it’s nice out there.”
Helen beamed.
Sophie looked glad.
Benny said, “Well, we sure are going to miss you, Peggy.”
My Uncle Walt stared at me a few seconds. “Darned if you don’t look familiar today. Younger is right.”
Uncle Stash clucked his tongue. “You’ve seen Peggy plenty, Walt. Of course she looks younger than you. Oh, by the way, everyone, Helen and I have some news to celebrate today.”
I held onto the sides of my chair and watched Uncle Walt.
“We’re getting married!”
Uncle Walt flinched.
Benny yelled, “Congratulations!”
Joey looked unreadable, as usual.
I tried to force a smile.
Sophie looked pissed. Jealous was maybe more like it. She probably wanted a man herself. Suddenly I felt sorry for her.
Then I could hear Jagger in my ear. “Don’t get emotionally involved, Sherlock.”
I shook my head and grabbed a roll. Joey passed me the butter, looking at me oddly.
“Everything all right, Bellisima?”
I slathered the roll and took too big a bite. “Fwine. Evewething is fwine.”
Thank goodness my teeth were my own, and I didn’t choke. Imagine someone doing CPR on me and finding all my padding as I died. My spirit would be too embarrassed to enter heaven.
After the meal, Joey insisted on dancing with me over and over. A few of the other men cut in, but Joey would always come back. I figured he was a bit overprotective, as any “old country” European would be after learning I was leaving. How cute. He held me tighter.
I was having way too much fun with him.
I was glad to be Peggy for the last time. My work was done as far as Sophie was concerned. I didn’t think too much would be going on here with the Viagra fraud. We already knew the men bought it or traded their other medication for it.
Now we needed to find out who had replaced Leo.
I shut my eyes, letting Joey guide me around and prayed that it wasn’t . . . Hildy.
Twenty-one
If I kept taking so many showers, I’d be permanently wrinkled in spite of the ones I was trying to peel off. It was kind of sad washing away Peggy. I’d actually shed a few tears when I left the senior citizens center. It was as if I was losing several old friends, and then there were Helen and Sophie. Thank goodness Jagger had convinced me that Uncle Walt wasn’t in any danger, or I’d have to have kept up being Peggy. Now, I just let her fade away. Goodbye, old friend.
Guess that was the life of a medical fraud insurance investigator.
I consoled myself with the thought that at least I hadn’t become a full-blown schizophrenic.
But back to reality. Nick was due in a half hour. I really needed to plan more primping time for the next date. I scurried out of the shower and while still damp, dried my hair and did my makeup. I went with the natural look that Goldie had done on Peggy. Leaning closer to the mirror, I was pleased. Muted browns and beiges worked with my light complexion. Again I’d learned how to look better as a woman from Goldie. What a hoot.
I threw on my robe and ran across the hallway.
Miles was coming up the stairs. “Stop running with a concussion!”
“I’m fine, you old mother hen.” I laughed and opened my closet. “What should I wear for my date with Nick?”
Miles stood in my doorway, then leaned against the door frame. “This getting serious?”
I waved my hand at him in a “pshaw” kind of gesture. “I’m having fun, Miles.”
Goldie came up from behind and set his arm around Miles’s shoulder. “What are we discussing, and why isn’t she dressed?”
“Her date, and we’re here to help.”
Goldie let out a whoop, and they hurried into my room. Tornado Goldie threw clothes from my closet until he found the “right” item. Miles sniffed all my colognes and spritzed me with the one he thought the sexiest. They were having as much fun as a kid let loose in the Magic Kingdom.
“Guess you should know what attracts men,” I teased as Miles put me in a cream-colored slinky top. My breasts were not small by any means and the low-cut top showed off more cleavage than my morals allowed. He’d given it to me for my birthday last year. The tags still dangled from under the arm.
Goldie leaned back. “You go, girl!”
Miles shoved a pair of black heels at me. “You could kill yourself on the slippery sidewalks with these. Put them on.”
“But you said I could fall.”
“That’s why you need to hold on real tightly to Mr. Nick Caruso!”
They high-fived each other.
“You two.” I slipped on the shoes after struggling into a pair of black pants that I had in my Goodwill pile. I insisted they were too tight. Goldie said they were sexy.
When I stood and straightened, I started to turn toward the mirror.
“Wait!” Goldie yelled. As he ran out of the room, he said, “Don’t look yet.”
I turned to Miles. “I can’t imagine what he’s going to lend me.”
But after Goldie returned, had me stand still, and clasped something around my neck, he said I could then look.
I opened my eyes and gasped.
Miles whistled.
“Oh wow. Gold, this is perfect.” He’d lent me a necklace. Not just any plain necklace, but a Goldie-size necklace of beige, black and deep burgundy beads of different sizes. It wasn’t light by any means, but I’d suffer neck pain to look this good. Not that I wanted to exude sex, but damn if the necklace didn’t call attention to my chest. What the hell. One time wouldn’t hurt. I pulled them into a group hug. “You guys. You are too much. I love both of you.”
Miles wiped at his eyes.
Goldie sniffled.
I smiled and grabbed my purse from the dresser. “Nick will be here—” The doorbell rang before I could finish. I kissed them each one more time and went out into the hallway.
“Think he’s the one?” Miles asked Goldie.
I paused.
“No, but I hope he turns out to be.”
I stood for a few seco
nds and then knew what I wanted to do.
I was going to sleep with Nick tonight—because I wanted to.
“Wow.” Nick leaned over and kissed me as soon as I’d opened the front door. “You look fabulous, Pauline.”
I really did!
“Thanks.” I kissed him back, then momentarily felt as if I should put on a cardigan to hide my chest. “You don’t look so bad yourself.” And he didn’t. I don’t think Nick really could. He wore a jacket of a deep camel color and brown trousers that blended perfectly with an off-white turtleneck. His eyes even looked damn good.
I swallowed.
He took me by the shoulder and walked me out to his Porsche and opened my door. I refused to think of Jagger. No way was he entering into this night.
Tonight Nick and I really were an “us.”
We headed to Madelyn’s. The hostess sat us at the most secluded table, where Nick ordered Dom Perignon.
Me, I was more a Budweiser girl, but tonight I felt all giddy and sexy inside and decided the bubbly was a perfect choice, along with the crab-stuffed Maine lobsters Nick ordered.
The dinner was fabulous, and I filled Nick in on my case—even telling him I had agreed to work longer with Jagger. I could tell by Nick’s look that he didn’t like the idea, but he proved to be a professional when he said, “Make sure he pays you for your work.”
I hadn’t thought about that, but Jagger had paid me to help the last time. Although desperate for money, I never would have thought to ask for it. But looking at Nick across the table in the dim lighting and having my attraction bubble inside like the Dom Perignon, I decided that was the best way to keep my relationship with Jagger on the up and up.
No more foolish fantasies about Jagger.
I was hired by him and would get paid.
Nick leaned over and kissed my cheek. “Penny for your thoughts.”
I smiled and decided although I didn’t want to start out lying to my “boyfriend,” I couldn’t share those thoughts. “I think you are absolutely right about Jagger paying me to stay on.”
I hadn’t told Nick about Jagger’s “loan.”
After dinner we walked along the water’s edge. Although near the end of winter, milder air had come up from the south. The full moon glowed so brightly that once we were past the restaurant’s little white lights, we could still see each other.
I kept peeking at Nick and thinking, “He likes me.”
Yahoo!
“Maybe you shouldn’t be out in the cold too much,” Nick said, wrapping a protective hold around my shoulders.
“I’m fine.” I looked down at my shoes and held his arm tighter. “My head is fine. Besides Goldie and Miles wouldn’t have let me out of the condo if they didn’t think I was all right.”
Nick laughed. “Have you thought about a place of your own, now that Goldie has moved in?”
“I think a lot about it, then they take such good care of me and insist I stay. I truly think they don’t want me to leave. I’m the daughter they never had. It’s not that I’m trying to convince myself of that, because the other option is . . . moving in with my parents.” I groaned. “Maybe I do feel sick now.”
Nick laughed, leaned over and kissed my cheek. “How about a nightcap?”
Hot milk was my usual “nightcap.” “Sounds like a perfect way to end this wonderful night, but it’s Sunday. I think even Madelyn’s closes in a few minutes.”
Nick looked at his watch. “You’re right. I’m mixed up on my days. My trip to New York was a whirlwind.”
“But well worth it, it seems.” Over dinner he’d told me how he had gotten plenty of surveillance tape on his suspect and after tying up a few loose ends, his case would be over soon too.
What a weird, fun business, I thought.
“Guess we’ll have to take a rain check.”
My mouth dried. My heart started to pound, so I pulled a bit away before he felt it. My logical mind told me, “Don’t say it.”
But I knew what I wanted tonight, so I said, “Don’t you have any nightcaps at your place?”
As soon as the very un-Pauline-like words came out, I felt my face burning.
Nick paused, leaned over and kissed my lips. “I like a woman of the twenty-first century.”
All the way to his place I pictured the grin on his face and told myself this is what I wanted.
Then why were my hands shaking so much that I had to stuff them into my too-tight pants pockets?
For as little as I knew about Jagger, Nick was now an open book. He showed me around his penthouse apartment, which overlooked the Connecticut River. I found it hard to believe that he made such good money as an investigator, but then I realized I was looking at the job through my eyes.
Goldie did pretty damn good too.
Nick’s place had a wall of windows in the living room, which was decorated in chrome and black and white leather. Very masculine, yet inviting. He poured us two glasses of Harvey’s Bristol Cream, a smooth, delicious sherry I’d never had before.
After the Dom Perignon, and not being a big drinker, I was feeling very relaxed yet still in control of my faculties. Nick showed me pictures of his parents, who had passed away several years ago. He’d grown up in West Hartford, Connecticut, in what I knew was a rather wealthy section. As an only child, he attended Yale and followed in his father’s footsteps, taking over the insurance company when he died.
“But after years of seeing the fraud people committed, I sold my shares of the company and now freelance to stop the criminals.”
My first thought was that my mother would love that about Nick. Good looks and good morals. What a package. My second thought was, I want to kiss him.
So, being a woman of the twenty-first century, I set my sherry on the chrome-and-glass coffee table and said, “I’m going to kiss you.”
His eyes widened, then without a word, he set his glass down and leaned closer.
I took his shoulders in my hands and pressed my lips to his. Wow! This wasn’t as difficult as I’d thought it would be. Or maybe Dom and Harvey had given me a jolt of courage.
Nick took over and ran kisses along my neck.
I moaned.
Then he really took over, which entailed my top being lifted off over my head. Thank goodness I’d worn my clean underwear. Actually Goldie had made me wear my black, lacy push-up bra that he said made my shape look like a model’s. For some reason I don’t think Nick cared two hoots about my undies.
He kissed my lips and leaned back. “Soon there’ll be no stopping.”
“Who wants to?” my voice came out as sexy-sounding as Lois the pharmacy tech’s. I was on a roll!
Nick stood and took my hand. “You sure, Pauline?”
“Nice of you to ask, but—” I stood on my tiptoes and kissed his lips. “Look, buddy, if you don’t take your clothes off soon, I’m going to rip them off.”
He chuckled. A deep masculine sound.
Nick had a huge bedroom with windows overlooking the city of Hartford, a huge television/stereo system with Surround Sound, which Frank Sinatra now crooned from and a bed on one wall the size of a small football field.
Our clothes lay strewn across the room as in some Meg Ryan romantic comedy. Not that any of this was funny. As he kissed along my neck again, I thought, oh, no, this isn’t funny.
It’s delicious.
Nick eased back, brushed my hair from my eyes. “One last chance—”
I touched my finger to his lips. I needed “it” tonight. Not that I was so horny, but with my last boyfriend now in jail, it had been a long time. “Don’t you want to?” came out in that Lois tone again.
“Of course, but I don’t want to rush you, Pauline. I like you too much.”
Nick likes me!
Goddammit. Jagger’s face started to appear before me.
I gasped, then refused to focus in on the vision.
A blurry Jagger disappeared.
Nick chuckled again, his chest vibrating against min
e. “Don’t sound so surprised.”
“It’s not that. It’s—”
I couldn’t say that I just might be using him for my own physical pleasure, which certainly was an acceptable twenty-first-century thing for a woman to do.
But it wasn’t me.
I started to wind my finger in Goldie’s’ necklace, which was the only item I wore. How damn sexy was that? “I like you too, Nick. I really do. So, let’s not stop.”
He leaned to kiss me.
The necklace tightened on my finger. I tried to pull it out, but got sidetracked with Nick. Yum. It was wonderful, having him do all those things to me. I needed to hold him, so I yanked my finger free.
Beige, black and deep burgundy beads of different sizes flew into the air, snowing down on Nick and me—one slamming Nick in the eye.
Twenty-two
“Oh, my God!” I yelled amid the raining beads. “Are you all right?” I leaned close to see his eye. It wasn’t even red. Thank goodness.
Nick looked at me. “Fine. I’m fine.”
We looked around the black, beige and burgundy bead-covered bed. No way could we be comfortable on it.
“I’m so sorry. Sorry you got smacked in the eye and definitely sorry that our ‘moment’ was interrupted.”
And it was. No going back.
Nick took my hand and kissed it.
Then, he looked at me and we started laughing.
It shouldn’t have been so humorous, but it was either that, or I’d die of embarrassment in Nick’s bed amid the damn beads.
How would that look in the newspapers?
Middle-aged, single insurance fraud investigator dies of embarrassment with the one man who had taken her to bed in months.
“I’m so . . . so sooooorry,” I tried to say amid laughs.
He kissed me quickly and picked a black bead from my hair. “Guess it wasn’t meant to be.”
My heart sank.
He leaned near. “For tonight.”
Ah. Sounded much less permanent.
After we dressed, Nick got a plastic baggie for the beads. He said he’d have them restrung. I argued politely enough that I should get that done, but he insisted. I sighed with relief since I didn’t need any more bills. Goldie wouldn’t have let me pay for it anyway, but on principle, it was nice having Nick offer.
