[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

we d have to call an ambulance. It was as bad as my cookie incident.
When Nicky finally calmed down and could speak again, he did.  Do you
know why I like older women?
 Huh-uh.
 Because, for the most part, they aren t hung up on all the stupid shit girls
my age are, like what their friends think or might say. At least not the ones I
choose. They re past all the little things and, frankly, you should be too.
 I ve gained fifty pounds in the last three years, That s not little. Hello!
 So you think this redneck gigolo won't like you  cause you ve put on a few
pounds?
 It s not that. I hadn t missed the admiration in Robbie s voice just before
I turned around.
 Then what is it?
I shook my head and sipped my beer, remembering how Robbie d begged
me to have a drink with him and calm down.  I just left him standing there.
 Where?
So there I sat, nursing a second Corona, nibbling chips and telling my baby
83
THE BIG GIRL S GUIDE TO BUYING LINGERIE Amie Stuart
brother all about my six month love affair with The Invisible Man. Surprisingly,
he never laughed. Chuckled a few times but didn t laugh at me.
 You know, that s actually kinda cool.
 It s insane! You should hear how those women talk about him and how
he flirts with the waitresses. Even a baby, for God s sake. He s like the school s
star athlete and I m The Pork Rind, Nicky.
 Shut up, he growled with a frown.  I never should have started that.
Now seriously, you got the chance to know a man totally based on internal stuff.
That s pretty rare, Sis. Do you think he lied about anything?
 No? I shook my head and said more emphatically,  No, I don t think he
did.
 Well, the you he has feelings 
 Had.
 Has feelings for, is the real you. You didn t lie or anything, did you? He
pushed the wrapper filled tray aside and leaned closer.
 No! Just about my weight.
 You lied about your weight?
 Sin of omission, I mumbled over the top of my beer bottle.
 Forgivable. Now what s the problem?
 I can't. I sighed and tried to find a way to explain it.  I fell in love with
this man, this wonderful, kind, smart man 
 So how do you know he s not that man you fell in love with. I mean,
think about it. Life s a big fuckin show, right?
I nodded slowly, trying to accept the fact that my baby brother might be on
to something.
84
THE BIG GIRL S GUIDE TO BUYING LINGERIE Amie Stuart
 So, what you see in public is all just a big act. You ve done it yourself.
Been nice to someone you don t know at some social nightmare Mom would make
you go to and put on this big happy face. Maybe what you saw at the dancehall
was that show, Sis. Maybe what he shared with you on the computer is the real
him. So, I want to ask you something and I want you to think long and hard about
your answer. What do you know about him?
I sat there for a while and my thinking turned to sniffles.  He s funny, and
smart, and totally not...pretentious. He s down to earth. And he never really acted
like a redneck online, not like he did at the dancehall. I knew a lot but trying to
sort it all out made my head hurt.  Can we go home now?
By the time we got back to the hacienda, the beer, scotch, tacos and heat
had caught up to me. Nicky poured me into bed and left me to sleep off my
overindulgence.
When I woke up the next morning, the sun was just barely making its
appearance in the eastern sky. I stretched and looked around the pale green,
pristine bedroom. There were no posters, no dried mums pinned to the vanity
mirror no reminders a girl had grown up in my old room.
Where had my life gotten so off track? I know the world was a different
place from when my parents were young, but the promise made to me as a child
had yet to be fulfilled. You know the one....
Prince Charming.
Who, I was now convinced, was a fag in therapy. I mean honestly, did you
see those hose?
I giggled up at the ceiling. Seriously, they never said it, but the whole
85
THE BIG GIRL S GUIDE TO BUYING LINGERIE Amie Stuart
scenario was implied throughout my entire childhood. Grow up, go to college, get
your MRS degree. Live happily ever after in your big white castle on the
mountain, raising beautiful children.
No wonder they call it a fairy tale.
Judging from the size of my hangover and the rotten taste in my mouth, my
life was far from fairytalish. I eased myself out of bed, showered and threw on
clean sweats. I was out of here. I wanted to talk to Rowdy, which meant I had a
date with destiny tonight, come hell or high water.
Downstairs I found Claudine busy in the kitchen and fresh muffins cooling
on the counter.  You re leaving?
I didn t linger, wanting to get the hell out of Dodge before Mom came
wandering out, full of piss and vinegar after a round of high impact, ass-cracking
aerobics.  I need to get on the road.
 Don t wait so long between visits next time. She gave me a hug and a
thermal cup full of coffee to go with the cranberry muffins I snatched.
 I wont, I promise.
86
THE BIG GIRL S GUIDE TO BUYING LINGERIE Amie Stuart
8. BAD BOYS
Rowdy couldn t believe his eyes. The last place he d expected to see
Skye...Jade, he corrected himself, was here at the dancehall. In the middle of
playing  Sweet Home Alabama he spotted her standing at the edge of the dance
floor, a frantic looking smile on her face. He almost stopped playing just to rub
his eyes.
After the way she s run off Wednesday night, he figured he d never see or
hear from her again. He d hoped for a chance to talk it out, explain, maybe figure
things out. At the very least, make sure she was okay, but she hadn t been online
at all.
Apparently, she was better than okay. Dressed in Levi s and a white
sleeveless sweater, she stood clutching one of the wooden poles that separated the [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]