Double Lucky by Jackie Collins

you talking about now?”
    â€œTake a count. Three kids—well, four if you count Leonardo. One father. A stepmother. A goddaughter. A husband—”
    â€œThat would be you ,” she said, starting to smile.
    â€œYeah, me,” he said, smiling back. “And we’ll all be in the same house this weekend, getting ready for Gino’s big one. And if I know you, you’ll be watching out for everyone. Like I said—Earth Mother supreme.”
    â€œWho’d’ve thunk?” she said ruefully. “Me. The original independent woman. But I wouldn’t have it any other way. Would you?”
    â€œNo, sweetheart, not for a minute. You make my life complete.”
    â€œI do?”
    â€œY’know,” he added thoughtfully, “we’ve been through a hell of a lot together.”
    â€œNow, ain’t that the truth,” she said, getting up.
    â€œSo … I want to thank you, Mrs. Golden. And if you come over here, I’ll show you how.”
    â€œHmm…” she said, smiling. “Might I remind you it’s the middle of the day?”
    â€œNo shit?”
    â€œAnd I have a thousand things to do.”
    â€œSo I suppose a blow job’s outta the question?” he said, only half serious.
    â€œLennie!” she exclaimed, taking a step back.
    â€œI know, I know,” he said, ruefully. “It’s the middle of the day. But hey, I can remember the time when—”
    â€œWhen what? ”
    â€œYou know what.”
    â€œOkay, husband ,” she said, impulsively grabbing his hand. “I think you need to come with me.”
    â€œHuh?”
    â€œWith me,” she said firmly. “That’s an order.”
    â€œAnd where are you taking me?” he asked, playing along.
    â€œSomewhere we can lock the door. How’s that for a plan?”
    He grinned. “Now, that’s the girl I married.”
    â€œYou’d better believe it!”
    *   *   *
    And out on the highway Max drove too fast, just like her mother.
    Today she was into rap. Loud, throbbing, ear-splitting rap played mega volume in her car—the amazing BMW sports car her parents had bought her for her sixteenth birthday. Lucky had been against her getting a sports car, but Lennie had soon persuaded her. Lennie had to be the coolest, most laid-back dad in the world. He could talk Lucky into anything—which was why Max realized she should have gone to Lennie in the first place instead of asking Lucky if she could go to Big Bear.
    But hey—whatever. Here she was sitting in her BMW on her way to Big Bear heading for an adventure. No problemo. No way . This was major exciting!
    Giggling to herself, she turned the volume even higher.
    Internet guy, here I come. I hope you’re good and ready!

 
    CHAPTER FIFTEEN
    â€œI shall be going away this weekend,” Henry informed his mother. He was standing in the imposing front hallway of the Pasadena mansion wearing khaki pants and a mud-brown shirt. His prematurely thinning hair was plastered down, and he carried a large canvas hold-all. Henry was not handsome, nor was he ugly—he was merely quite ordinary-looking with no distinguishing features.
    Penelope was shocked and at the same time secretly pleased, because much as she tolerated having Henry around, she realized that it was not exactly healthy for him to never leave the house, especially for a boy of his age—man really, for Henry was almost thirty.
    â€œWhere are you going?” she inquired.
    â€œTo visit friends,” he answered vaguely.
    Friends? Henry didn’t have any friends, at least none that she knew of.
    â€œHow long will you be gone?” she asked, adjusting a tall vase of tulips perched on an antique table.
    â€œIt depends,” he said evasively.
    â€œHave you met a girl?” she asked. “Because if you have, I wish to meet her before you even think of getting involved.