Page 7 of Homebody (The Long Road Home #21)

She could take her bike to the rendezvous a mile away at the MRI. But since it was an old rusty bicycle with a basket in the front and not a Harley, she didn’t think it would convey the idea of the seductress she was supposed to be.

She could walk. She might even be able to make it in the boots without getting too big of a blister.

Maybe pretending she’d hitchhiked there would fit the persona she was trying to portray. Pretending being the operative word. Tessa would never really hitchhike. That was a good way to end up on Dateline as a missing or murdered person.

Her pondering was interrupted by a sharp knock on the door. She frowned. That might be the first time anyone had ever knocked on her door. She didn’t get many visitors—make that any visitors—and that was fine with her.

Debating between pretending she wasn’t home or answering, she peeked out between the window curtains and spotted Red and Ruby standing at the door.

Excellent timing. Her two fairy godmothers were there to help—if fairy godmothers dressed you slutty and made you do things you really didn’t want to do with men you’d never met.

Red and Ruby were probably there to evaluate her appearance. Fingers crossed they found it acceptable. And while they were there, even if it was to critique her, Tessa would be happy for a ride to the bar. More importantly, she’d like some advice on what the hell to say to Dean once she got there.

Unlocking the deadbolt, she swung the door open, but before she could even say hello , they’d pushed past her through the doorway, looking her up and down as they did.

“Not bad,” Red said, taking in her outfit. “Is that the best bra you own?”

“You need makeup,” Ruby said, plopping her large bag down on the folding snack table nearby so she could rifle inside.

A better bra? Makeup?

They were obviously going to take charge, which was fine since Tessa had no idea what she was doing.

“Um… Bra? I don’t know…” she stuttered at a loss. She owned two bras. Both probably considered vintage by now since she’d purchased them sometime during her college years.

“That’s fine. I brought one just in case,” Red said.

Against all odds, as if she were a contestant on that game show that challenged women to produce strange things from within their purses, Red reached into her bag and whipped out a bra still bearing retail tags.

“I got a shipment of new lingerie items right before I left the shop. I grabbed one just in case.”

Tessa eyed the label. 34C. Her correct size.

“How did you know my size?” Tessa asked.

“Please,” Red scoffed. “It’s my business to know.”

“Go put it on so I can get started on your face,” Ruby ordered, gesturing threateningly at Tessa with the makeup brush she held in one hand. “We don’t have much time. Susan said they’ll be there in half an hour.”

“Speaking of time, can you give me a ride there? I don’t own a car and I’ll be late if I walk.”

“You don’t own a car?” Red frowned.

“Is that why you always walk to work, even in the rain?” Ruby asked, looking shocked. “I thought you were just a fitness nut.”

Fitness was the least of her reasons. Finances dictated her walking everywhere. But more than that, who would drive that short of a distance?

“Well, to be fair, it’s like a block and a half away. I’d walk even if I did own?—”

“Ooo, I have an idea. Cash’s family has an old hot rod sitting around collecting dust in the barn at Morgan Farm. Imagine how bad ass you’d look driving up in that. Can you drive stick shift?” Red asked.

“No,” Tessa said, walking away with the bra in her hand. She’d never even tried driving any vehicle with a manual transmission and there was no way she’d would feel comfortable driving Red’s boyfriend’s family’s antique car anyway.

Tessa left her bedroom door open so she could hear them but hid behind it so she could change into the new bra in privacy.

“I got my ex’s Harley in the divorce. Any chance you can ride a motorcycle?” Ruby asked.

“That would be totally kick-ass! Quintessential bad girl,” Red said, her voice loud enough Tessa could hear her excitement clearly from the bedroom.

“No. Sorry,” Tessa called back as she eyed herself in the mirror.

Her boobs had never been so high. The bra pushed the pale globes to almost under her chin and left plenty of flesh exposed over the top of the low-cut cups.

Was it supposed to fit like this? Her old bra certainly did not look anything like this one. Her bra had actually contained her boobs instead of letting them spill out the top.

Figuring she had no choice but to show Red so that hopefully she would agree this did not fit correctly and she should wear her old one, Tessa pulled her shirt back on and emerged from the bedroom.

Red nodded, visibly pleased as she said, “Much better.”

“Really?” Tessa asked.

“Yes. And if you don’t throw out your old bra, I will.”

Tessa kept her mouth shut. Let Red assume her silence meant she agreed, even though there was no way she was throwing out her comfortable old bra. Especially not to wear this torturously uncomfortable one.

Ruby appeared less happy with the situation. “So you can’t drive stick, you can’t ride a motorcycle, can you play pool at least?”

The question caught Tessa off guard. Mainly from the shock that this was the one thing they’d asked she didn’t have to say no to.

“Yes, actually, I can.” She was damn good at it too. The result of having an old pool table in the furnished basement-slash- game room of the house she’d grown up in. A remnant from her grandparents’ day, before her parents took over the house.

Playing pool alone was a good pastime for a young introvert who had more books than friends.

Finally, Ruby smiled wide. “Perfect. You’ll play pool tonight.”

“Agreed.” Red nodded. “Nothing like a hot girl leaning over a pool table to attract a guy. Doesn’t matter if he’s a butt or a boob man. Taking a shot in pool shows off both nicely.”

Great…

Not for the first time today Tessa wondered if she’d made a huge mistake.