“My ass is still the size of Texas, K. That hasn’t changed.”
“And your boobs are gone, too,” she goes on like I haven’t said anything. Rude.
“Are not.” I look down at my chest. I’m wearing the same bra I wore two weeks ago. No way they got smaller.
“Psych! No, they’re fine, but everywhere else got smaller. Lucky! What have you been doing?”
I tell her about the spinning and she ooh’s and aah’s in all the right places. I can’t help but grin, ignoring the hole in my chest where Hunter and Matty used to be. My first ever kiss, my first ever relationship, gone like the cars in Gone in Sixty Seconds. Here one minute and gone the next.
Katie makes me buy a little black dress. I’ve never had one before. Mostly because I never felt comfortable enough to wear one, the material clinging to my body like neon signs pointing to my protruding belly, back fat, and non-existent muscles in my arms, and the largeness of my behind. No, thank you.
The spinning and no-eating has made me skinnier. Oh, my ass is still out there, almost a perfect C from the back of my thighs to my lower back, but the rest of me is less, and my ass, well, it doesn’t stick out as much.
My dress is beautiful, absolutely gorgeous and to top it all off, it didn’t break the bank in buying it. Win-win. It goes to the knee, but is skin tight except for some glorious ruches going from underneath my boobs to fall asymmetrically down to my opposite knee. Topping the whole look off with curly hair that cascades down my shoulders better than Kim Kardashian (not really, but close), and I splurged on some ridiculously sparkly stilettos that are six inches high.
My eyes are rimmed in dark brown which somehow makes the green in them stand out more. Three coats of mascara. Lips with tinted gloss, and some blush on my cheeks. Waving at my reflection, I get ready to lock up just as my phone buzzes. Tommy is waiting for me in his car right in front of the lobby.
Grabbing my clutch, I lock up and walk to the elevator. The height of my heels has me exaggerating my hip movements - in my head I’m doing a Beyonce walk, in reality I could look like I’m a zombie with a major kink in her step.
I wait for the elevator, that fraking elevator that has caused all sorts of problems. I squish down the memory of seeing Hunter and Aly entwined in the far corner of the elevator when it finally opens.
When I walk out into the lobby, Tommy is waiting for me on the other side of the inner door, looking dapper in a suit. Men should wear suits more often. What lingerie is to men are what suits are to women. Guaranteed sexy times. He smiles when he sees me, and makes a big show of sticking his folded arm out when I step out to meet him. I put my hand in the crook of his elbow and we walk to his car which is double-parked outside.
“Wow,” he says, glancing at me as he pushes the door open for me and the bright sunlight hits us smack in the face.
I fumble for my sunglasses and toss him a smile.
“Wow yourself.”
“Your chariot awaits, kitten,” he says, waving an arm out to his sleek ride. A black BMW, any other details are lost on me, except that it looks like the Batmobile.
I mumble a thanks when he opens the passenger door for me and I take my time trying to figure out how to settle in without ripping my dress. Ah, there we go, butt first, then. Have to remember that for the ride home.
“You know, with those sunglasses, you give off a Linda Hamilton vibe in Terminator two.” No question, Sara Connor is a badass, and Tommy basically just told me I am one. Well, only took a broken heart, right?
“I’m starting to get suspicious with all the compliments you’re throwing my way, Russia.”
He snickers and his hands tighten on the wheel as he maneuvers us through traffic and towards Alex’s parents’ restaurant.
“Can’t a guy be nice without you questioning it all the time?”
I look at him, get a little thrill that he can’t see my eyes through the mirrored lenses. “I start questioning when it comes to you, Tommy. You’re like a spy, working for the other side, trying to fish for information. Just come out and ask me. No need to butter me up.”
“What if the butter is true? You look amazing.”
I snort. “I’m just skinnier now. Not my fault you didn’t notice before,” I shrug, and pull down the visor to check on my makeup. I feel like this is what a badass would do, not pay attention to an important answer.
“How’s your hand doing?” Nice deflection, Tommy.
“Good. I won’t be punching anyone’s face in anytime soon thanks to you.”
“Glad I could keep you from expressing violence on innocent passersby.”
My eyebrows pop high on my forehead as I turn to him. “Innocent? Innocent?!”