Working Man by Melanie Schuster

looked at Billie’s long, thin arms, her sculpted collarbones, her chic lack of bosom and her lean, boyish hips. What a contrast to Dakota’s big butt, rounded hips and lush breasts.
    Toni and Billie hit it off at once and were chattering away like two old friends. It turned out that they knew some of the same people due to Toni’s connections in the world of fashion and beauty. And Toni had once modeled herself, which was really not a surprise, given her striking good looks.
    â€œI just couldn’t stay as thin as they wanted me to,” Toni said frankly. “When I was young the weight stayed off, but the older I got, the harder it got. When I looked at myself in the mirror one night after I had just made myself throw up, I said to hell with it. So I left the business. I did some plus-sized modeling for a while, but I used the money I’d saved to get my degree and I got out with my self-esteem intact. Modeling is a rough world for a young girl.”
    They were sitting in the dining room sipping wine and picking over the remains of their feast. Billie was uncharacteristically quiet during Toni’s remarks. She tossed back the rest of her drink and looked around the room. “This place isn’t as bad as you said it was, Dakota. It’s a little over the top, but he really has a good eye. In New York or Paris this place would be the bomb, girl.”
    Toni agreed. “It’s fresh, daring and in-your-face. Much like the man who decorated it, I assume?”
    Dakota groaned and dropped her head. Toni and Billie started talking about her as though she weren’t there, which ordinarily would have driven her mad. But today she just lacked the strength to deal with it and let them go at it.
    â€œSo have you met this man? He must be something because my big sister is not being herself, to put it mildly,” Billie said.
    â€œYes, I met him and he’s a big ol’ hunk of man. Very tall, with Smokey Robinson green eyes and a voice like Barry White. If I wasn’t engaged, I might try to snag him myself,” Toni said candidly.
    Billie had to examine Toni’s big sparkly diamond engagement ring and while she was doing that, Dakota’s cell phone buzzed and she picked it up impatiently. “Hello?”
    She tried to hide her pleased expression but failed. “I’d love to, but I have company. My friend Toni is here and so is my sister…. Well, yes, but Billie just got here and I’m sure she doesn’t feel like going out,” she demurred.
    â€œYes, I do,” Billie said loudly. “When have I ever not wanted to go somewhere, especially if there’s food involved. Where we goin’?”
    Dakota gave her sister a calculating stare. She spoke into the phone again with more assurance. “Okay, fine. Where shall we meet you?”
    In a minute or so she’d disconnected the phone and sat back with a smug look. “That was Nick. He’s coming to take us all out to dinner,” she announced in the same voice she would have used to say that a dead mouse was in the kitchen.
    Toni and Billie lit up. “Well don’t just sit there, girl, you’ve got to get dressed!” Billie told her.
    Dakota looked down at her slacks and her silk blouse. “What’s wrong with what I have on?”
    Toni and Billie looked and each other and said in unison, “Everything!”

Chapter 6
    D akota allowed Toni and Billie to bully her into the shower while they laid out what they determined was more appropriate garb for a date. She took her time in the hot steamy water, trying to get her bearings. She had a plan, a dangerous one to be sure, but it was a plan nonetheless. She and Nick had spent quite a bit of time together in the past couple of weeks, and she was, despite her normal steely resolve, becoming quite interested in Nick. He was funny and engaging and told great stories. He had good manners and he also had good sense.