“Truly. You’re a million dollars,” Danny adds. Russell nods in agreement and dabs at his eyes with a tissue before fixing the collar of Danny’s shirt affectionately.
“I know.” Mrs. Jenkins twirls and looks at us all over her mink-covered shoulder. “Do you think the fur is too much?”
“No. No.” All four of us encourage. Pepper barks his reply.
She’s wearing a modestly cut, satin A-line dress of golden yellow that drips to the floor. Her gloved arms are covered in bling, on anybody else I would assume costume jewelry, on her… I’m not so sure. She wrapped herself in a different mink than the one she was wearing earlier, this one a darker shade to offset her dress. Diamond bobble earnings pull on the tender flesh of her ears and her neck sparkles with matching saffron gems.
Roe’s limo is already parked and ready to go outside. His team came here to get him ready because he didn’t want to leave and come back. He was made flawless, well more flawless, by hair and makeup. They descend on Mrs. J. as soon as she hits the main floor.
Mr. “I’m just walking my dog” walks by two more times while they get ready. It’s every forty-five minutes from what I can tell, but he must have eyes on Roe’s car as well. I formulate how I’ll track him down as they get ready. The mood is light as they work. Somebody turns on a playlist from the golden days of Hollywood. Crooners and honey voices supported by jazz bands fill the air. Mrs. J. dances with a finger as they work. Danny and Russell waltz flawlessly around the living room, which delights her. She claps and Pepper does a weird hopping thing. That or he’s having a seizure.
Roe glances at his very expensive watch, sniffs and goes back to patiently waiting on the outskirts of the room. I tug him by the bowtie into the next room. It’s a sitting area with furniture that has never been sat on.
I wrap my arms around him before I can think too much about it. My body is tiny and bird-like as it clings to his solid core. He’s stiff, so it takes him a minute before he responds. But when he does he fully commits. He wraps his arms tightly around me, lowers his head and inhales deeply.
“What’s this for?” His voice is rumbly in my ear.
I lean back and hold his gaze with mine. My eyes glisten and I can’t even be ashamed. “This is… I can’t tell you how much…”
“Can’t a guy take a pretty woman out on the town?” His cheeky smile betrays his breezy words. He knows how much this means to her. He only just met her and he can give her something I never could. He’s got his own super powers; superstar powers.
Suddenly I don’t have words. I can’t convey what this means to me. I’m brimming with feelings for Mrs. J., for him, even for the Nosey-Neds from next door. I didn’t know I was capable of feeling so much at once. It’s heady and dangerous. He gazes tenderly and smiles, just a little, as he gently tucks my hair behind my ear. I melt.
The soothing sounds of Ella Fitzgerald’s version of “Let’s Do It (Let’s Fall In Love)” wraps around our embrace, and we start to sway with her voice. I go with it, deciding for once to not dwell on the goals. He spins me out but only to grip my hands. He reels me back in like a yo-yo. We come together and dance around the room. He has moves. Of course, he does. I doubt there’s anything he isn’t just a little bit good at. My head falls back and I laugh, feeling like I’ve drunk three glasses of champagne.
He hugs me to his chest and his deep rumbling hums against my body. I close my eyes and listen to the music, feel his body against mine, inhale his clean scent. I breathe it all in. I’m here in the moment and it’s so freeing.
The song ends and we stop moving. Our faces are a breath away. I’ve forgotten why it’s a bad idea to kiss him, but the desire is overwhelming.
So I do.
I find his cheek and press my lips to it. A gentle, innocent kiss. I love the warmth and strength that meets my lips. It’s chaste. It’s over quickly. It’s everything I need. My hand is on my lips when there’s a quick knock followed by Danny walking in.
“It’s showtime.”
We step apart as Roe says, “Okay. Be right there.”
“Yeppers.” Danny’s voice is a little too innocently high. I wanna punch him. He turns on a heel and leaves.
“Thank you for your thank you.” Roe closes the distance and surprises me with another chaste kiss on my forehead.
I’m touching my lips again. His lids are heavy as he watches my fingertips graze my skin. I still can’t speak. I’m sure my face betrays everything anyway.
“I know you don’t want to hear this, but please be careful tonight.”
I glare because it’s what I know. Because it makes sense right now. He rubs his thumb over my bottom lip and makes another grumbly sound. I swallow.
“You too,” I finally say. “Mrs. J. has wandering hands.”
He widens his eyes comically as he leaves the room.
It takes a few to calm my racing heart. Back in my bungalow, I tuck my hair up in a baseball cap and I put on an oversized sweatshirt and leggings.
Outside, Danny and Russell give me a look that sounds like “mm-hmm, that’s what we thought.” Roe and Mrs. J. head to the limo where a few photographers snag some pics. We “accidentally” leaked his locale to the paparazzi and figured it would make for a sweet rep piece.
I work my way into the crowd seeing them off. Just as we suspected, dude is here. Thankfully, the dog is gone now so I don’t have to worry about it. I get as close to him as I can. He pretends to be a neighbor sneaking photos.
Roe smiles and waves and signs pictures for a few people and then they’re off. Again, I’m momentarily taken aback by his lifestyle. Always having a camera in my face would drive me batty.
