like Josh’s tight little buns.”
Leah stood up from the table. Astrid reached out, catching her wrist. “I’ll behave, promise.”
“What were you thinking?”
“I don’t think I want to tell you. Not while you’re leaning over me, all sour-faced.”
Exasperated, Leah sat down.
“Okay, here goes,” Astrid said. “Like I told you, it wasn’t exactly an accident when you walked in on us. I knew if I didn’t answer the door, you’d come in. You were late, by the way.”
Leah just looked at her.
“You’re forgiven. I found something to occupy my time.” Astrid grinned. “So I unplugged the television set –”
“So I’d hear you guys…doing it.”
“I didn’t want us to get drowned out by the evening news.”
Leah thought, I can’t believe we’re having this conversation.
Astrid said, “Josh likes it when people watch. He was turned on by the thought of you seeing us.”
“You went along with him?”
“Truth to tell, I found it a little sexy, too.”
Leah was stunned. “I don’t believe you. Remember when we went to Black’s Beach?”
“The nude beach in San Diego? Yeah.”
“I had to drag you down the walkway. You wouldn’t even remove your sunglasses, much less your swimsuit.”
“How long ago was that, girlfriend?”
“You nearly had a panic attack when we passed the Senior Center’s volleyball game!”
“I’ve changed.” Astrid looked up when Fogarty, the club’s owner, put a plate of fried zucchini on the table. “You know, Foghorn. Tell her.”
“She’s definitely a new woman,” Fogarty agreed in his rich, deep voice. His broad, friendly face shifted with an inner amusement. “I’ve known you girls for a long time and I’m telling you, little Astrid Iversen is not the same sweet child she used to be.”
“No one changes that much.”
“Believe it,” Fogarty said, pouring a pair of drinks. “Instead of your usual spritzer, let’s try this. On the house. A little Romanian variation on the theme, a şpriţ de vară.”
Wiping his bar towel over a splash of liquid on the tabletop, he told Leah, “Last month, as I was locking up, I caught Astrid and her boyfriend in the unisex bathroom. They were, um…actively engaged in some vigorous interpersonal communication.”
Leah stared at her friend.
“I only wish they’d used the game room,” he said. “The pool table has to be more comfortable than a toilet stall.” His heavy laugh filling the space, he returned to the bar.
Astrid said, “I’ve made some pretty obvious changes. New hairstyle, sexier clothing. I’m a lot more open. You haven’t noticed because we’ve only been seeing each other in art class.”
“You found a guy. New boyfriends always fill up some free time.”
“I’m not as reserved as I used to be. A lot more fun.”
“I don’t think I’d call it ‘fun’,” Leah snapped. God, I sound like such a prude . Softening her tone, she added, “What happened to you? Was it Josh?”
“Not for a second.” Reaching into a canvas bag, Astrid brought out a book. “It’s this.”
The cover appeared to be made of leather and, even in this dim light, the entire volume showed age and wear. Astrid pushed it across the table.
Leah read the title: Sun Zu’s The Art of Whore . “You’ve got to be kidding.”
“Deadly serious.”
“You’re studying to be a whore?”
“A lady in public, a whore in the bedroom. Isn’t that what they say every man wants? Although, I know, I haven’t been such a lady in public lately….”
Taking a sip of her spritzer, Leah busied herself by checking the time on her cell phone. “I’ve got to get going, really. I wasn’t lying about my manuscript. It’s not halfway done and the deadline’s almost here.”
“Quit binge-fantasizing over Chris Stark and you’ll get it done.” Astrid sipped at her drink. “You know, this tastes good.”
“Enjoy your book.”
“It’s not mine, I was just lucky enough to find it.”
Leah
Leah stood up from the table. Astrid reached out, catching her wrist. “I’ll behave, promise.”
“What were you thinking?”
“I don’t think I want to tell you. Not while you’re leaning over me, all sour-faced.”
Exasperated, Leah sat down.
“Okay, here goes,” Astrid said. “Like I told you, it wasn’t exactly an accident when you walked in on us. I knew if I didn’t answer the door, you’d come in. You were late, by the way.”
Leah just looked at her.
“You’re forgiven. I found something to occupy my time.” Astrid grinned. “So I unplugged the television set –”
“So I’d hear you guys…doing it.”
“I didn’t want us to get drowned out by the evening news.”
Leah thought, I can’t believe we’re having this conversation.
Astrid said, “Josh likes it when people watch. He was turned on by the thought of you seeing us.”
“You went along with him?”
“Truth to tell, I found it a little sexy, too.”
Leah was stunned. “I don’t believe you. Remember when we went to Black’s Beach?”
“The nude beach in San Diego? Yeah.”
“I had to drag you down the walkway. You wouldn’t even remove your sunglasses, much less your swimsuit.”
“How long ago was that, girlfriend?”
“You nearly had a panic attack when we passed the Senior Center’s volleyball game!”
“I’ve changed.” Astrid looked up when Fogarty, the club’s owner, put a plate of fried zucchini on the table. “You know, Foghorn. Tell her.”
“She’s definitely a new woman,” Fogarty agreed in his rich, deep voice. His broad, friendly face shifted with an inner amusement. “I’ve known you girls for a long time and I’m telling you, little Astrid Iversen is not the same sweet child she used to be.”
“No one changes that much.”
“Believe it,” Fogarty said, pouring a pair of drinks. “Instead of your usual spritzer, let’s try this. On the house. A little Romanian variation on the theme, a şpriţ de vară.”
Wiping his bar towel over a splash of liquid on the tabletop, he told Leah, “Last month, as I was locking up, I caught Astrid and her boyfriend in the unisex bathroom. They were, um…actively engaged in some vigorous interpersonal communication.”
Leah stared at her friend.
“I only wish they’d used the game room,” he said. “The pool table has to be more comfortable than a toilet stall.” His heavy laugh filling the space, he returned to the bar.
Astrid said, “I’ve made some pretty obvious changes. New hairstyle, sexier clothing. I’m a lot more open. You haven’t noticed because we’ve only been seeing each other in art class.”
“You found a guy. New boyfriends always fill up some free time.”
“I’m not as reserved as I used to be. A lot more fun.”
“I don’t think I’d call it ‘fun’,” Leah snapped. God, I sound like such a prude . Softening her tone, she added, “What happened to you? Was it Josh?”
“Not for a second.” Reaching into a canvas bag, Astrid brought out a book. “It’s this.”
The cover appeared to be made of leather and, even in this dim light, the entire volume showed age and wear. Astrid pushed it across the table.
Leah read the title: Sun Zu’s The Art of Whore . “You’ve got to be kidding.”
“Deadly serious.”
“You’re studying to be a whore?”
“A lady in public, a whore in the bedroom. Isn’t that what they say every man wants? Although, I know, I haven’t been such a lady in public lately….”
Taking a sip of her spritzer, Leah busied herself by checking the time on her cell phone. “I’ve got to get going, really. I wasn’t lying about my manuscript. It’s not halfway done and the deadline’s almost here.”
“Quit binge-fantasizing over Chris Stark and you’ll get it done.” Astrid sipped at her drink. “You know, this tastes good.”
“Enjoy your book.”
“It’s not mine, I was just lucky enough to find it.”
Leah
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