Page 48 of Space Oddities

“Please tell me you ladies are coming again?” Lottie, Myra’s other friend asks.

“Yes, yes, and bring those NASA girls next time, too.” Myra flips her towel at us.

“Your friends work at NASA?” Nina asks, one thin brow arching. “My boy works there.”

“Really?” Rose struggles up to her elbows again. “What’s his name? Maybe our friends know—”

Oingo Boingo’s “Weird Science” blasts from Rose’s direction.

“Pardon,” Rose says, reaching in between her boobs and pulling out her cell phone.

“Has that been in there the whole time?” I ask, thinking of all the spins she was doing on the pole.

“Yep. My cleavage is the perfect fanny pack.” Rose wipes her phone down her leotard, probably ’cause it’s covered in sweat, then runs her thumb along the bottom to answer it. “Howdy, nerd.”

Must be Jackie.

“Sounds good. See you bitches there.” Rose replaces the phone back between her boobs and pops up off the floor with more energy than I thought she had. “Brunch at Boons. You down?”

Considering I have nearly a whole draft of my next book finished, and no waitressing gig to go to, I’ve got time to spare today. “Brunch sounds lovely.”

Rose turns to the other ladies, who have their bags on their shoulders, ready to leave. “You ladies want to go?”

Myra pats her arm affectionately. “That’s nice of you dear, but we have to go to Cindy’s and see if the new selection of ergonomically friendly vibrators has come in yet.”

Rose’s mouth drops open.

“Maybe next time, dearie.”

Myra turns to go, but Rose grasps her hand with both of hers, an awe-struck expression on her face. “Can I be you when I grow up?”

* * *

“I can’t believeyou didn’t invite me to go pole dancing.” Jackie pouts over her eggs Benedict. “I want to try. I bet there are all sorts of physics involved.” Her eyes slide to the side, her brow furrowed, and Jackie is lost to us for the moment. Probably trying to decipher the science of pole dancing.

“I don’t need lessons.” Jules kicks her legs up on the railing next to our table on Boondoggles’ patio. “I already have a killer striptease.” She pops a fried pickle in her mouth. “Just ask Holt.”

“You guys test my gag reflex on a regular basis,” Rose mutters before downing her mimosa in one go.

Jules laughs. “And let’s all just take a moment to enjoy the fact that I knew something before all of you hookers.”

“Yes, yes, we’re so impressed you knew about Trish and Ian.” Rose waves Jules away with a hand holding a pizza chip. Ranch dressing droplets fall on the table. She pivots on the bench seat next to me, eyes burrowing into my own. “Now, Trish.” She stuffs the chip in her mouth, moving it to the side like a chipmunk. “Tell meeverything.”

“Well,” I hedge, taking a sip of my Bloody Mary and wishing there was less tomato juice and more vodka. “Ian said I could park my trailer in his boat garage.”

“Is that a new euphemism?” Rose’s face scrunches in thought as she finishes chewing. “’Cause I think it would be the other way around. His trailer, your garage.” Her eyes go wide. “Oh… are we talking peg—”

“No we are not, you deviant.” I huff. “I meant Iliterallyparked my trailer in his empty boat garage.”

“Who has a boat garage?” Jules snorts. “That’s just excessive.”

“Says the girl who built an air-conditioned abode for her cow.”

Jules’ eyes narrow at me.

“No.” Rose butts in. “No, no, no. If it isn’t a sexy euphemism, I don’t need to hear it.” She crosses her legs under the table, turning fully toward me. “I want the good stuff.” She sticks her hand up, counting her words out as she speaks. “Size, girth, and bend.”

That brings Jackie back to the present, and she blinks rapidly, turning to her soon-to-be sister-in-law. “Bend?”

---