Her eyes stretched wide and she muttered “Macaroni Matinee!” behind the hand now covering her mouth.
Reid mouthed What? but there was no time to explain. The apartment wasn’t that big and it wouldn’t be long before Vanessa found her in a very compromising position. Lucie put weight into her legs, forcing him to put her down, but her legs were about as steady as cooked pasta and she was forced to sink onto the weight bench behind her.
While trying to adjust her bra and tank top she called out to her best friend. “I’m in the workout room, Nessie! Can you grab me a bottle of water from the fridge?” That should buy them a few extra seconds. Once she was sure she was sufficiently put together, Lucie breathed a sigh of relief.
Then she looked at Reid and had a mini-panic attack.
Was he even wearing underwear? His shorts were tented like Barnum & Bailey’s big top. Snatching his discarded shirt at her feet she threw it at him and whispered, “Quick! Put it on.”
When all he did was quirk a brow in her direction she very pointedly looked at his crotch. After glancing down and probably realizing he couldn’t see the floor between his feet, he caught on and pulled it over his head just as Vanessa was rounding the corner.
“I know I’m a little early, but—Whoa.” Vanessa stopped in the doorway, a water bottle in one hand and a Diet Mountain Dew in the other from the stockpile Lucie kept on hand specifically for her addict of a friend. “Who’s your guest?” Before Lucie had the opportunity to make the introductions, Vanessa moved forward, handed off the bottle of water without sparing a glance in her direction, and extended her hand. “Hi, I’m Vanessa MacGregor. And you are?”
Reid responded with a handshake and one of his killer smiles. “Reid Andrews.”
“Very nice to meet you, Reid. You’ll have to forgive me for being so surprised, but I didn’t realize Lucie had company.”
Lucie cracked open the bottle of water and drank nearly its entire contents in one shot. She loved Vanessa like a sister and had never once been jealous of the attention her friend garnered everywhere they went. Until now. No doubt Reid was undressing her in his mind this very moment. She was stunningly beautiful from her tight, curly strawberry hair to her legs-up-to-her-neck model figure. Lucie didn’t think of herself as ugly by any means, but she was mature enough to be comfortable with her “unremarkable” features. Everything about her was just sort of…well, ordinary.
She’d watched countless men at Fritz’s hang on Vanessa’s every word and drool over every sway of her hips. It was practically a spectator sport on dart league nights and Vanessa never reacted to any of it. Lucie wasn’t sure if she was just that oblivious or just that modest. She doubted it was the former since she had the reputation of being one of the shrewdest attorneys in the area. Plus, to even be considered potential dating material with Vanessa, a man had to pass a whole battery of tests. It was socially acceptable to sell used cars to the public if they passed checklists a fraction the size of Vanessa’s. Lucie didn’t think there was a man alive who could pass them all yet.
“He’s a patient of mine, Ness.”
“Ah,” Vanessa said with a wink and a smile, “then in this case I can see why you’d want to bring your work home with you.”
Reid chuckled in a too-adorable flattered manner as he crossed his arms over his chest, stretching the cotton over his shoulders and biceps. “Actually, I’ve known Lucie most of my life; I’m best friends with her brother.”
“Oh, you’re from Sun Valley! That’s great; I’ve never met anyone from before Lucie and I were roomies as freshmen. I hope you’ll share some embarrassing stories I can use for ammo. The girl has an entire blackmail portfolio on me and I’ve got absolutely nothing on her. It’s seriously unfair.”
“Sorry, Ness, but I’ve told you before there are no skeletons in my closet. I was just as boring before college as I am now.”
“And I’ve told you before, you’re not boring. You’re conservative to my crazy, which is why we’re so good together. We balance each other out.” Vanessa popped the top of her soda and held her can out toward Lucie who then touched her water bottle to it before they said, “Salut,” and drank.
Vanessa walked the few feet to sit next to Lucie on the weight bench. “So are you done with your session? You have to hurry up and get ready if we’re going to make our Macaroni Matinee.”
“Oh, um…” Crap, her throat was dry. Why did nerves make her throat so damn dry? It was such a ridiculous physiological reaction. She stalled while taking another swig of water.