Page 19 of Take 2
“I’m going to Monaco.”
“With Preston Greene?”
“Yes.” The washer alerts me that it’s done.
“On purpose?”
“Mhmm.”
“Are you duct-taped to a chair right now?” James asks. “Did he make you call me so I wouldn’t report you missing for a few extra days? Damnit, we never created a codeword for this. Preston, let her go! I will pay the ransom, so long as it’s under two thousand dollars because that’s all I can afford.”
“James.”
“Mira, I’m going to need you to send me two thousand dollars for your ransom.”
I look back and forth between the two bikinis on my bed. “Should I bring the yellow bikini with the ruffly top or the pink floral one?”
“You just missed the opportunity to wave a red flag. You should have given me a fake bikini option so I knew to call the cops. If you told me you had a camo one this would be so much easier.”
“Which one?” I groan.
“Both. You always under-pack.”
“You always over-pack. I’m already bringing the black one.”
“Bring them all, unless you’re trying to set up an excuse for skinny dipping because you don’t have anything to put on.”
I roll my eyes but toss both in.
“Are you going to sleep with Preston Greene?”
“No.”
“If it’s not for hate-sex, I really don’t understand this at all.”
“James, I can’t pass up an opportunity to schmooze Rafael Medina.” I’ve been reviewing the reasons to convince myself, so I’ve got them ready. “Lisa told me to take a vacation.Youtell me to stop working all the time. And frankly, I’m stuck. I need to shake things up.”
“In bed?”
“No! I mean, yes, probably. But not specifically on this trip with Preston.”
“What if he’s taking you away to kill you?” The speed with which he goes back and forth between me being in serious danger or trying to get laid is impressive.
“There have to be cheaper ways to murder a person than flying them to Europe.” I pull a couple of light dresses from my closet.
“Are you sure you’re going to Monaco?”
“He sent me the flight confirmations. The airport is in Nice.”
“Is there extradition in France?”
“It’s France!”Not that bra; it’s ugly. Wait, that doesn’t matter.I put it in my suitcase. “France definitely has extradition to the States.”
“I still think there’s a chance he’s going to kill you.”
“Then I trust you to pick a great picture of me for the ‘In Memoriam’ segment of next year’s Oscars.”
“It’s the one from Napa, where you’re laughing with the vineyard behind you.”
