Sultry

Mary Jane’s saucy grin added to the twinkle in her green eyes. “What with you gallivanting around the globe, it’s kind of hard to stay in touch.”

“Pooh,” Lindsay responded good-naturedly, knowing that M.J. wasn’t really jealous. Besides, she had the means to travel, only she was afraid to fly. “And I would hardly call a trip to London globe-trotting.”

Mary Jane flapped a hand. “Well, whatever.”

“So let’s grab a seat before they’re all gone.” Lindsay pointed toward a table in a far corner. “Go for that one.”

This Italian restaurant was her favorite, and she ate here often. Today, however, her favorite waitress wasn’t here, nor was the manager. Both always gave her preferential treatment.

“Whew, I’m glad to be out of the heat!” Mary Jane exclaimed. “Darn, but it’s hot. And muggy.”

Lindsay flicked a strand of red-gold hair out of her eyes and stared at M.J. “It’s supposed to be, my friend. It’s summer.”

“Well, you can have summer. Sometimes I wish I lived in the North Pole.”

Lindsay frowned. “Uh-oh, things must be bad at work. I hear an underlying whine in your tone. Anything I need to know about?”

“Nah, except I’m overworked and my boss is an asshole.”

“Mary Jane!”

She didn’t look the least bit contrite. “Well, he is.”

Lindsay grinned. “Aren’t most men, at some time or other?”

The waitress appeared at the table, and once they had placed their orders and were alone again, Mary Jane shook her bobbed dark blond hair and said, “So tell me what’s going on.”

“You mean with Peter?” Lindsay asked innocently.

Mary Jane almost spat out the sip of water she had just drunk. “Now, why would I ask you about that prick? You know my opinion of him.”

Lindsay’s grin widened. “We’re awful. You know that, don’t you?”

“No, what we are is truthful.”

Lindsay merely shook her head.

“So has your idea gelled yet?” Mary Jane asked, switching the subject.

Lindsay kept a straight face. “Idea?”

“You know what I’m talking about—that certain thing you were going to tell me about. Your secret, if you will.” Mary Jane snapped her fingers. “Duh. Ring a bell?”

“Of course it does, silly. I was just giving you a hard time.”

Although Mary Jane grinned, there was a perplexed look on her face. “My, but you’re full of vinegar today. Whatever’s going on sure suits you. I haven’t seen you this relaxed in a long time.”

“I haven’t been this excited in a long time.”

Before Mary Jane could respond, the waitress brought their food, refilled their water glasses and shuffled to the next table.

“Let’s eat first,” Lindsay said. “Then we’ll talk.” She peered at her watch. “Hey, do you have time? It’s later than I thought.”

“No, I don’t have the time.” Mary Jane shrugged. “But screw ’em. I’m not going to be in any hurry. I’ve given that office overtime galore, none of which I’ve been paid for.”

“Atta girl.”

Mary Jane sighed. “What’s it really like to be a lady of leisure?”

“Hell.” Lindsay’s tone was flat.

Mary Jane’s grin fled, and her eyes lost their twinkle. “Oops, you took that personally, and it wasn’t meant that way. I was just teasing.”

Lindsay forced herself to lighten up. “I know that. You don’t have a malicious bone in your body.”

“Oh, I wouldn’t say that, but not toward you, anyway.” Mary Jane paused. “Am I missing something here? I mean—”

“It’s me, M.J. I guess I’m beginning to see a side of me that I don’t like.”

“Why, that’s ridiculous. Good Lord, after what you’ve been through, I think you’ve accomplished a miracle just to get up every morning.”

“Some days I still think I have a long way to go.”

“Don’t you dare get down on yourself,” Mary Jane warned fiercely. “Why, just a minute ago you seemed on top of the world.”

Lindsay’s mouth turned down. “Well, that’s a bit of an overstatement, but I really do have something on the burner that I’m excited about.”

“So let’s hear it.”

Lindsay told her about her plan for battered women and their children.

When she finished, Mary Jane’s face was glowing. “I think that’s great.” Mary Jane paused again, her face losing its animation. “Uh, have you told your daddy?”

“Yep.”

“Not good, huh?”

Lindsay gave a sarcastic laugh. “You got it.”

“Now why am I not surprised?”

“I won’t bore you or humiliate myself by repeating his reasons for not backing me. But the bottom line is that he had a conniption.”

“I bet a more apt description is that he was frothing at the mouth.”

Lindsay grinned, in spite of the fact that her stomach was clenched in knots. “You’re right, he was.”

“So are you going to scrap it?”