“No. Why?” Juan sounded nervous.
“He came round earlier, doing something to the pool. It seemed to take him a lot longer than it takes you. I hope you’re not cutting corners.”
Juan frowned. “No, of course not, but Ricky is usually quicker than me,” he said confused.
“How long was he there, Tasha?” Jim smirked.
“I couldn’t say, I was reading and dozing, and texting, so time just blurred,” Tasha felt increasingly uncomfortable as she looked across at Jim who was enjoying himself now.
“Did you wear your bikini?” asked Lizzie.
Tasha nodded.
“Ah, I see,” nodded Juan. “I’ll let Ricky know he needs to speed up his work rate.”
Jim smiled. “Thank you. I knew you’d see where I was coming from.”
Tasha decided this was a double triumph for Jim. He’d embarrassed Tasha and arranged for Ricky to be put in his place for looking at her.
“Did Tasha blow you away in her bikini?” grinned Lizzie.
“Oh Lizzie, like you wouldn’t believe.” He grinned broadly at Tasha’s ever reddening face.
“Philip you should have seen everyone’s face in the boutique when Tasha came out of the cubicle, she looked amazing.” Lizzie was back to her loose lipped best.
Tasha had avoided telling Jim people had stared at her ass, tits and legs in her bikini.
“Did they now?” he said, requiring no further comment.
“And Tasha would only take one bikini, Juan. I couldn’t believe it and then she tried to pay for it herself, Philip, so I had to call Daddy.”
“I doubt youhadto call Dad,” said Philip as Jim frowned at him.
“We should go shopping, Tasha. Get you one in every colour and charge them.” Jim teased, she hoped.
Philip looked at Tasha and smiled. “Maybe she only needed one, Lizzie. Not everybody wants everything and not everybody wants it right now. Shall I come over and do your hair and make-up tomorrow?”
Tasha looked confused.
“Not in alet’s make each other over because I am a gay man so obviously I really want to be a girl, but in anI am a hairdresser who is pretty good with make-upway,” he explained to Tasha’s amusement.
She nodded her agreement before turning her attention to Juan’s chosen career. “Are you full time with the pool business?”
“No. I’m back in school and studying law.”
“Wow, a wannabe blood thirsty attorney.” She looked at Jim who was smiling at her use of his own words about attorneys.
“Are you home tonight, Philip?” Jim asked.
“No. I’ll stay here tonight. Mom has asked me to, but I’ll be back tomorrow.”
Jim stood up, took Tasha’s hand for her to stand too and signalled that they were going home.
Chapter 18
They hadn’t even got out of the driveway when Jim started to dig a little deeper on Tasha’s past.
“You and Gerry lived together?”
