The Navy Seal's Rescue. Jo Leigh

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СКАЧАТЬ least you’re not denying it,” Ginny said once they were alone again, and Jade was pouring. “Did he ever ask you out?”

      “No.” Jade grunted while taking her first sip. “Men are dopes.”

      Cricket smiled.

      Ginny and Harlow grinned. “Not all men.”

      “Most men.”

      “So, you’re not seeing anyone, I take it?” Cricket said.

      “Nope.”

      “What do you do about sex?” Harlow asked, not in the least abashed by her question.

      “That’s what one-night stands are for,” Jade said. “No fuss, no muss and no disappointments. Except when they’re...” She held up her hand, index and thumb two inches apart.

      “I’ve missed you, Jade Kelly,” Ginny said, laughing. “A lot.”

      Jade gave her a look. “What about you? Living here and all. You getting any?”

      “With Tilda around? God, no. I don’t even remember getting any. I think I’m actually a virgin again. Technically.”

      “Oh, honey.” Harlow covered Ginny’s hand with her own. “That’s what reunions are for. You have a babysitter, right? Tonight’s your night. We’ll all help you find someone decent.”

      “Someone from school? No, thanks.”

      “A stranger, then. Honest. There are lots of guys here, and if it’s someone on vacation or here just for the golf tournament, you never have to see them again. It’s perfect.”

      Ginny blushed, but grinned. “I did shave all the important parts.”

      “That’s the spirit.” Harlow drank some more, looking around at the packed tables. “I wouldn’t mind a dip in the water myself. Although, I don’t know. There’s someone in LA that I’ve been kind of seeing. No one special, though. Another teacher. Science and math. You’d like him, Jade.”

      “Just because I’m a chemist doesn’t mean I instantly bond with all other science nerds. Especially the men, superior jerks. When I open my store, I’m only hiring young women who are interested in STEM, and I’m going to mentor my ass off.”

      “Wait?” Cricket put down her drink. “Opening your what?”

      Jade grinned wide. “I’m going to open a perfumery. Nothing huge, but I’ll be making personalized scents. Tailoring them to people’s chemistry. I’ve already set up a website, even though I can’t start yet, not until I’m out of contract, which won’t be for another five months. And I have a partner. She’s a professor from Berkeley and she’s financing the whole thing, because God knows I’m still in debt up to my eyeballs, but she thinks we can really do a lot with this. Kind of like what they’re doing now with DNA. Getting saliva samples from people via the mail, then I do my magic, and give them a scent that’s unique to their body chemistry. I’m wearing one of mine right now.”

      “You smell delicious,” Harlow said, leaning in for another sniff. “I noticed when we hugged.”

      “I know,” Cricket added. “I noticed, too. But it’s not the same as last night, and I told you how amazing that was. Are they both yours?”

      Jade nodded.

      “I’ll spit on whatever you want,” Harlow said. “Please.”

      “Good. I’ll send you all kits. You can be guinea pigs for my questionnaires.”

      Cricket held up her almost empty glass. “To new adventures and tremendous success. Jade, you’ll kill it. You’ll absolutely kill it.”

      “I’m glad you think so,” Jade said, clicking her glass with the others, “because I’m totally going to ask you for help drawing up the legal stuff.”

      “Of course.”

      “You’ll be paid, don’t worry about that.”

      “I’d do it anyway. You know that.”

      They drank, and then Jade leaned in, her eyes shining with mischief. “Did you guys see Winnie this morning? What the hell has she done with her hair?”

      “Oh, yeah.” Harlow shuddered. “She looks like Billy Idol. I mean, with her coloring, those platinum spikes? Honestly, what in the world?”

      “God, she was such a bitch,” Jade said. “Thought she was all that, so I made a point of looking at her current bio. She’s divorced, two kids, ex-husband’s in insurance. She lives in Nebraska. Remember how she was going to take New York by storm?”

      “She used to call me a grotesque giraffe,” Harlow said. “When she couldn’t even make the cheerleading squad.”

      “Better than telling me every single day that I stunk like fish,” Jade said. “I mean, every day? Waving her hand in front of her face when I’d walk by. God, I hate her.”

      “Now this is like old times,” Ginny said. “Remember Tommy Zico? That pervert? Is he here? I didn’t see his name...”

      “I bet he’s in jail.” Harlow shook her head. “At least he should be.”

      “Well, how about that?” Ginny said. “Cricket. Check out who’s at the activity board.”

      Jade followed Harlow’s gaze and said, “I’ll take him to go, please.”

      Cricket turned around. It was Wyatt. Looking even scruffier than he had last night. Wearing a sweat-stained T-shirt over running shorts, his stubble darker, his hair a mess, and she felt her insides melt.

      “Wait a minute,” Jade said. “Cricket? He’s so not your type.”

      “You don’t even know what my type is.”

      “Uh, corporate. Silk neckties. Penthouse apartment. Drives a Porsche.”

      “Stop it.” Cricket flushed, although not about Jade’s comment, even though she’d almost described Grant to a T. “I’m versatile.”

      “You sure?” Harlow said. “Maybe we could Rochambeau for him? I’ll be paper, you can be rock.”

      Cricket polished off her drink and dropped her napkin on the table. “Don’t get into too much trouble while I’m gone.”

      “Why, you hogging him all for yourself?”

      “Very possibly.” She tugged her dress down, then headed over to him.

      * * *

      WYATT THOUGHT ABOUT what kind of special he could offer, but gave up the idea when he saw there would be dancing after the dinner. That gave him only an hour window before the law made him lock up. Besides, it was a dumb idea. These people didn’t care about specials.

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