“Baby, you know I’m not big on coincidences, but it could be just that. Get the details from Gerry tomorrow and send them to me or phone me and I’ll get someone digging from this end, okay?” Jim was desperate to reassure her obvious concern because apart from anything else she deserved to be happy and worry free more than anyone he’d ever met after all the crap she’d endured.
“Thank you.” Her response was simple and heartfelt but Jim hated the fact that she needed to show gratitude for something as basic as him protecting and taking care of her. She should expect no less, but as with so much about her, her expectations of good, loving and honest things were low if not non-existent.
“No problem, honey, but I think you should probably go to sleep because I reckon it must be 1 a.m. for you by now.”
“Yes, well, almost. Goodnight.”
Chapter 21
Tasha had just changed out of her third set of underwear and was being groomed to match the black merry widow she now wore with black stockings attached to the suspenders.
Suzie looked down at her feet. “Lucy, I don’t think those damned mules are working, do you?”
Lucy and Tasha both looked down at Tasha’s feet and began to laugh at the suede slipper mules with a pompom of marabou on top.
“Suze, I have maintained all along that they were totally out of place anywhere outside of the 1970’s!” Lucy struggled not to laugh again. “Tash, what would you wear with this number?” asked Lucy seriously as Suzie nodded at the observations and questioning.
“Other than a smile?” grinned Tasha.
“Other than that, yes,” said Suzie.
Tasha strode across the room to the holdall she had bought with her containing her own accessories. “If I was wearing this for real I would add these beauties.” She turned to reveal her Christian Louboutin glittery shoes that were balanced on her hands.
“Bloody hell. They are gorgeous,” said Lucy, “Put them on.”
“Don’t tell me that they are another gift from that man of yours,” cried Suzie.
“No, well, not really. I bought them, but he would have bought them if I hadn’t,” admitted Tasha as she slipped them onto her feet that had discarded the slippers, hopefully back to the 1970’s as Lucy had suggested.
“Now that works,” cried Lucy excitedly.
“Does your man have a brother?” asked Suzie.
Tasha was unsure if she was serious or not so just giggled before making her way out to Jake who was waiting with Lizzie to shoot her.
They were almost done with the merry widow shots when Pippa arrived and immediately Tasha noticed that Lizzie became a little sulky and a pout appeared on her face making her feel anxious. Once Jake had finished and lunch was announced Tasha greeted Pippa warmly and as her younger sister followed her to get changed Tasha ignored Lizzie’s enlarged pout.
As they all sat round eating various lunches Tasha threw on track bottoms and a vest before she excused herself with her phone where there were several messages waiting for her. The first was from Angie.
The next was from Gerry replying to a message she’d sent him earlier.
Finally, there was a message off Jim.
Tasha sighed and realised that she was losing track of all of the complicated decisions she needed to make and things that were just complications without any decisions being necessary. She set about writing her reply.
She pressed send and smiled as Jake found her in the corridor alone.
“You look seriously hot in those shots today, Tash, but you look hassled now,” said a concerned Jake.
“Thanks.” Tasha smiled but explained, “Call it pre-wedding organisation crisis, so much to do and so little time, plus I was hoping Lizzie and Pippa would embrace the idea of surrogate sisters not vie for my attention.”
