Page 24 of The Ground Beneath Our Feet
I turned around and bumped into a bombshell redhead out of the 1950s.
She wore a skintight black dress with a sweetheart neckline, strapless, a light pink cardigan sweater thrown over her shoulders, and stilettos so tall I didn’t know how she could walk. And she was at least a size sixteen, but she carried her weight like she was a zero, confident in her skin. Since I wore sensible black ballet flats, I felt especially frumpy.
She gave me the widest smile, her painted red lips perfect, her eyes sparkling behind expertly drawn winged liner. Without warning, she grabbed my shoulders and said with a cluck. “Well, if you aren’t the prettiest thing? ‘Cultivate your curves. They may be dangerous, but they won’t be avoided.’ Mae West said that.”
I held on tighter to my latte. “Do I know you?”
“What’s not to know?” she said gaily. “Everyone knows me. My name is on ads on the shopping carts at the grocery store, because I’m a realtor. I’m Cherry.”
“I’m Jessica,” I said. I’d never introduced myself to someone at a coffee shop before, but something about her made me want to get to know her.
“You’re new?”
“I just moved here.”
“Then come back and see me next time.”
With a huge smile, she took her tiny cup of espresso to a little cafe table and greeted everyone on the way. Then she wiggled into a seat, looked at the coffee like it was a gift, and took a sip. Her eyes were closed. With a dainty gesture, she put the coffee down.
A polished man in a pinstriped suit sat next to her, and she started talking to him like it was the easiest thing in the world. Even though she likely weighed as much as me.
Why couldn’t I do that?
As I left, I heard her saying as he offered her a bite of a scone, “You know, lovey, I like to follow Mae West’s advice whenever possible. ‘I never worry about diets. The only carrots that interest me are the number you get in a diamond.’”
I thought about that as I walked back to the office.
But I knew how to record my skinny latte in my app. No problem.
After I read up on the client and went through the first application for a project, I looked up and it was the end of the day.
It had passed effortlessly because I was so engrossed in what I was doing. I loved it here.
I patted myself on the back.
After work, I’d walked with Amelia around the corner from our office to a bar where we’d joined a small crowd for a drink. The traffic noise of State Street washed over us as we seated ourselves at two small cafe tables on the sidewalk.
“Everyone. This is Jessica. She’s new.”
A tall, skinny, pink-haired girl in tight jeans, cowboy boots, and an electric blue tunic top with a belt squealed when she saw me and gave me a massive hug. “I’m Marie. What are you drinking?” Her movements had a staccato pace, almost vibrating with excitement. It was contagious.
“Sparkling water,” I answered.
“No vodka in it?”
I smiled. “No.” No alcohol for me.
A very pregnant, petite, dark-haired woman reached out her hand to shake mine. She was drinking cranberry juice. “I’m Lucy. Don’t worry about Marie. She’s just enthusiastic.”
Marie looked me up and down like she was analyzing me, the same way that Mikey did. Then she gave me a smile and nodded. “So tell me. Where are you living? How was your first day? Where are you from? Tell me everything!”
Under her enthusiasm was a genuine caring. I could tell her anything if I wanted to. I could tell.
Amelia gave me an apologetic look. “Welcome to Santa Barbara. These are my friends.”
Mikey’s words about being honest still rattled around in my head. I’d kept things to myself for so long, I had no practice in sharing, except with Monica, but she was working still. I took a deep breath.
“I just moved here from L.A after living at home my whole life. My dad died three years ago. He was very abusive. I took care of my mom and my brothers my whole life. I had a long-term relationship with a guy from college, but we broke up so I’m single. And I’ve now moved in with the most handsome guy I’ve ever seen, he’s a veterinarian and a personal trainer, and I can’t seem to stop thinking of him. Oh, and I really love my new job.”
