Listen to Your Heart - Fern Michaels [12]
“When we were little we used to pray for rain so we could slop in the puddles and make mud pies,” Kitty said wistfully. “I don’t care if I am all grown-up. I want to do that again. I wonder what it would be like to run naked through the rain sucking on a mango.”
Josie choked on the food in her mouth. “Where . . . what . . . ?”
“I asked Harry if he ever did that and he said no but he had crawled buck-ass naked through tall weeds sucking on a long neck bottle of Budweiser. I thought it was kind of funny. We’re going to do it the next time it rains. Providing I’m recovered from my cold.”
“Thanks for sharing that with me,” Josie said hoarsely. Kitty would do it, too. Kitty was the adventuresome one. The most daring thing Josie had ever done with a guy was to go skinny-dipping. Because she was two minutes older, she felt as though she had to set an example for her more precocious twin. Some example.
“I’ll clean up. Start thinking about a new recipe for Mrs. Lobelia. I’m going to take Rosie for a walk.”
“I drew a kind of crude map of where Mr. Rich lives. It’s on the sheet under his phone number. Just go to the end of this street, make a right and two lefts, and voilà, you’re there.”
Josie threw the dishtowel at her sister’s back. She tucked the directions in the back of her mind. Not that she had any intention of following them. Besides, how could she possibly know the house number? She looked around to see if Kitty was within eye range. Satisfied, she peeked under the first sheet of paper on the notepad. There it was: 2899. How hard could that be to remember? She tucked it away in her mind along with the directions.
Ninety minutes later, Josie tripped down the staircase, Rosie’s leash in her hand.
Kitty whistled her appreciation from her position on the couch. “Nice dog-walking outfit! Isn’t that the same getup you spent days searching for when you had a date with that diplomat not too long ago? Didn’t you say you were sick for days over how much it cost? Is that perfume I smell? By God, it is perfume!” Kitty said sniffing appreciatively. “It is the same perfume you bought for that tight-assed diplomat who arm wrestled you on the front porch. You’re lookin’ good, girl. He’d be a fool to turn you down.”
“I simply changed my clothes because I dribbled some of the tomato soup on my blouse. I’m not going anywhere near his house. Stop matchmaking. The diplomat was a jerk. I might as well get some use out of this outfit. As for the perfume, I like it. What’s wrong with wearing perfume ?”
“Are you going to gussy up Rosie, too?”
“I put a clean bow in her hair. I do that every day. Get that gleam out of your eye, Kitty. You’re up to something, aren’t you? You wouldn’t dare! Tell me you wouldn’t . . .”
“Me pretend to be you and go visit him! Nah! That’s kid stuff. We’re all grown-up now. Besides, I can’t get pissed off like you do. I’m too easygoing. He’d see right through the charade.”
Josie jiggled the leash and waited for Rosie to join her. When Rosie finally wiggled her way through the dining room to the living room she had the stuffed dog with her.
“Look at her.” Kitty laughed. “She’s exhausted from dragging that toy. Looks like you’re going to have to pull her in the wagon. From the looks of her she won’t last a block, and you have about four to go from the front door.”
“You’re out of your mind! There’s no way I’m going to pull a dog in a wagon down the street. People are sitting on their porches. They’ll laugh me right out of town.”
Josie flopped down on the couch next to her sister. “I miss that old couch with the spring popping through at the end. We should have kept it. Since my plans have been thwarted, I think I’ll have a little glass of wine or maybe a tall beer. How about you, Kitty?”
“Beer sounds good. Turn the fans on when you get back. It’s getting hot already. I hate humidity. My hair is nothing but a ball of frizz. I’m going to get some of that stuff that takes the curl out of your hair.”
“Don