Page 9 of Menage a Passions

“What a wonderful torso it is.”

Rebecca couldn’t stifle her laughter. “Areyouflirting with me in a Kate Spade store?”

“Duh.”

While this wasn’t the happiest Caitlyn had ever been, she couldn’t deny the healing powers of some retail therapy. Especially if a new dress made her feel more comfortable in her skin.

“What absolute bollocks,” Jane said in her home office that evening. She had spent most of the day locked up in thisroom catching up on her work, and it wasn’t until Caitlyn and everyone else returned that she came up for air. While Rebecca prepared dinner and Cecelia holed herself up in her room, Caitlyn snuck into her wife’s office and told her what happened in the doctor’s office. “There’s not a pound wasted on you, love. But you know I love to get lost in those curves of yours.”

Caitlyn sat on the leather loveseat by the wall. “It’s not only about how I look. You’ve only ever known a Caitlyn Adams who is at home in her own body.” She sighed. “It’s the perception of how it affects my health. There is some truth to it, you know. But my blood panels came back fine and I don’t have any outstanding health issues besides my sudden sensitivity to cheese, God help me.”

“You know how those doctors are, Cait.” Jane shut down her computer and rolled her chair toward the end of her desk. “They have got to saysomethingto you, otherwise they are afraid you think you are getting a bad deal. Especially here in America! Everything is so bloody expensive in healthcare that they want you to think you are getting your quid’s worth.”

Caitlyn still didn’t know how much a quid was, and she didn’t care. “What a waste of time,” she muttered. “I’ve been wanting to get a new doctor, anyway. I guess this is my chance.”

“Cait.” Jane slumped onto the cushion next to her wife. “You know I think you are the hottest woman to grace this earth with her buxom breasts and thighs of thunderous steel, right?”

“Not helping, Lin.”

“Well! Doesn’t matter. I think it’s true. Therefore, it is.”

“Thanks.” Caitlyn leaned in toward her. “I appreciate it.”

Jane patted her wife’s “thunderous” thigh. “No problem, love. That is what your old Jane is here for. That and adding the pitter-patter of teenage feet here in the flat.”

Should I tell her about Cecelia reading a dirty novel in the bookstore?No, probably not. While Jane wouldn’t freak out,Caitlyn didn’t want her saying something that might reveal Caitlyn had tattled. “Cecelia’s a nice kid. I’m sure it will be fine, no matter what happens.”

“You mean if she runs back screaming to Hong Kong or decides to live with us forever?”

“I get the feeling she didn’t get a lot of attention back with your Lilian and Frank.”

“Oh, no, absolutely not. All the attention she got was from her grandmothers, and I do not wish that on any kid with a Hong Kong last name. Evenmygrandmothers knew to not bother with me when I was out raising hell with other girls.”

“Raisinghell?Where did you hear a phrase like that?” It wasn’t exactly Cambridge-approved, after all.

“Your family.”

“Ah, yes.”

Jane got back up. “If you would like, I can prove to you later tonight how beautiful I think you are.”

To that, Caitlyn could only roll her eyes as if she were being flirted with in a Kate Spadeyet again.“So sweet of you, Lin.”

“I’ll even sacrifice my life to lose my breath between those thighs.”

“And you’ll want nothing in return, I’m sure.”

“Oh, I am going to ride those thighs next.”

“Let’s have dinner first, huh?”

Caitlyn returned to her room, where Rebecca had moved a few things that didn’t fit in Jane’s. While Caitlyn had made as much room as possible in her closet for some of her girlfriend’s work clothes, it was a reminder that they were supposed to be looking for a new place to live.Who has time for that?Wasn’t that why Caitlyn hired a realtor to help their quest? So why were they still struggling, damnit?

She checked her email to see if there were any updates. As she let her inbox load, she stripped off her T-shirt dress and changed into a regular shirt and shorts.

There wasn’t anything from her realtor. There was, however, a notification to check her voicemail.

“Hey, Caitlyn!” Good God, was that who Caitlyn thought it was? “It’s me, Izzy. I know we haven’t talked much since before the pandemic, but something came across my desk today that I thought you might be interested in. I’m sure you’re familiar with the Mrs. United States of America Pageant? Yes, of course you are. So, the contestant who was originally representing Iowa was disqualified, becauseeveryonefrom the Iowan delegation was disqualified due to internal bribes. Oh, it’s been a wholething!Anyway, Mrs. America asked if I knew anyone who could step in as a competent Mrs. Iowa at the last minute since the competition is in November, and I naturally thought of you since you recently got remarried, right? Oh, how is Jane doing? Great! Call me back if you’re interested. You have my number. Kisses!”

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