Page 12 of Love Resurrected
“You willcostus money.”
“Oh, ha ha, so funny,” I say drily.
Her big green eyes look me down and up. “What are you wearing?”
I glance down at myself, I’ve got on jeans, a t-shirt, and Converse.
“Clothes.”
She scoffs. “It’s a luau theme. The idea is to wear beach party clothing.”
“I’m not changing. Take it or leave it, sweetheart.”
She opens her mouth to say something just as the mayor approaches. “Tenley, there you are, dear. You look lovely this evening.”
Her name is Tenley? I know that name from somewhere.
“Madame Mayor, I’m so happy you could make it. Have you met Brad Mathews, our Bachelor Number Nine?” Tenley and the mayor both turn toward me, and my smile is automatic as I hold out my hand to shake the mayor’s, who is dressed in a brightly colored, loose-fitting flower print dress.
“Brad.” She gives me a tight-lipped smile.
“Madam Mayor.” I return the gesture. It’s safe to say the mayor and I don’t exactly see eye to eye on a lot of things, stemming from a city-wide fundraising event last year that she was sponsoring, and that I was stuck overseeing the safety of. She went over capacity and I shut it down. There were probably better ways I could have handled it, looking back.
Tenley looks from me to the mayor and back again. You’d have to be an idiot not to feel the tension between us.
“Uh, excuse us, please. I have someone I need the mayor to see,” Tenley says as the two turn and head across the room, leaving me to watch them walk away.
“She’s got a great ass, doesn’t she?” Remi’s voice whispers in my ear.
“I wasn’t looking at her ass, Remi. Fuck off.”
“Promises, promises.” She clucks her tongue at me and gives me a once-over. “You look like shit. Luckily, I brought you something to change into. And if you are a good boy, maybe I will share my pre-party tequila shots.”
“I don’t need to change.”
She laughs. “Oh honey, not only do you need to change”—she gestures at my body—“but you need tochange.”
“Cute.”
“Here.” She thrusts a bag into my arms. “Put this on and make us proud.”
“What is it?” I look inside the bag and see a brightly colored shirt reminiscent ofMagnum, P.I.“No.” I push the bag back at her.
“Would you quit being such a fucking pussy? It’s embarrassing.”
“If I’m such an embarrassment, then you won’t mind if I leave.” I turn to do just that.
She grabs my arm to stop me. “Oh, not an embarrassment for me. Foryou. And for Kat’s memory. That she loved such a grouchy, self-righteous douche.”
“That’s low, Remi. Even for you.”
“You have no idea how low I can go, cupcake. Now go change your fucking clothes and stop acting like such a dick.”
I grab the bag and head for the restroom.
“Thank you!” she calls, and I flip her off over my shoulder.
“You still suck at that.”
