Holding Strong
Page 82
Instead she yanked out her phone and, with a deep breath, typed in the number for the only person she thought might not be busy.
* * *
FUNNY, CHERRY THOUGHT, but not in a ha-ha way. After discussing Vanity last night, basically doing her best to find out if Denver had ever lusted after her, Vanity was now her rescuer.
It was still early, and she had a feeling she might have woken her, but damn it, Vanity looked as gorgeous as ever. The humidity didn’t frizz her hair as it did Cherry’s. No, Vanity’s long, pale blond hair, which easily reached to the small of her back, only had a sexy wave to it.
Even without makeup, her skin looked flawless. Vanity had just the right amount of tan to make her blue eyes stand out.
If she wasn’t so nice, it’d be easy to dislike her for her perfect looks alone.
But she was nice, so nice that she’d gotten out of bed to chauffeur Cherry to work. Having her own little pity party, Cherry slumped in her seat.
Glancing her way, Vanity asked, “What will you do about your car?”
“I don’t know. I have no idea what’s wrong with it.” Hopefully nothing too expensive, because missing work had already seriously cut into her paycheck. Expensive car repairs would devastate her meager bank account. “It’s old and loaded with miles so it could be anything. But I’m praying for just a dead battery.”
While she’d waited for Vanity, the sky had darkened even more, leaving everything cast in gray shadows. The wind bent branches and sent debris scuttling across the roadway. The storms would be heavy today.
“I know nothing about cars,” Vanity admitted.
“Me, either.” But she’d think of something. Somehow she always did. “Your car is really nice.” For the twentieth time, Cherry ran her hand over the butter-soft leather seat.
“I know, right?” Vanity smiled. “Nice things don’t have to cost a fortune.”
Cherry gaped at her. The car, a brand-new, loaded Mustang convertible, probably cost more than she made in a year. She knew nothing about Vanity’s finances, except that she always dressed in pricey but comfortable clothes, worked only when she wanted to and seldom seemed to give money a thought. She never flaunted her wealth, but she was as casual about expenses as she was her clothes and hair.
“I bet one of the guys could help.”
By “guys,” Vanity meant any of their group at the rec center. Did Vanity and Rissy both consider the fighters at their disposal? It seemed so.
Cherry quickly shook her head. “I don’t want to bother them.”
“I doubt they’d consider it a bother.” Vanity flashed a knowing smile her way. “Men love to feel useful.”
“Maybe.” She’d have to take Vanity’s word for that. “But it’s my problem, not theirs.” Even if Vanity had been told about her foster family, she didn’t know everything else that was going on. She couldn’t see that this would just be one more mess on top of the rest, making Cherry feel like a walking disaster. “I’ll figure it out.”
Rolling her eyes, Vanity hit a button on her steering wheel. “You don’t have to.”
Not until a ringing sounded in the car did Cherry realize she had hands-free calling. Taken by surprise, she gasped, “What are you doing?”
Just then Armie answered, saying, “Hey, Vee. What’s the haps?”
Momentarily sidetracked, Cherry mouthed, “Vee?”
“For Vanity,” Vanity explained, holding up the peace sign one-handed. “That’s Armie being Armie.”
“Who’re you with?” asked Armie.
“Cherry.” And before she could stop her, Vanity spilled her guts. “See, her car wouldn’t start this morning so I’m driving her to work. It’s her first day back after being sick so she couldn’t miss or go in late. But who knows what’s wrong with the car? Could be something simple like a dead battery, which she’s hoping for because, really, who can afford major car repairs? But I’m thinking if she takes it to a garage, they’ll try to rip her off and she’ll be paying for repairs whether she needs them or not. Plus she’ll need a ride home from work, too, only she didn’t want to bother anyone.”
Cherry stared in appalled admiration of the verbal maneuvering. Vanity had run that all together without a breath and left no room to interrupt.
Armie laughed. “Can she hear me?”
“Yes,” Vanity said with a fast, satisfied smile. “She’s sitting next to me stewing right now.”
* * *
FUNNY, CHERRY THOUGHT, but not in a ha-ha way. After discussing Vanity last night, basically doing her best to find out if Denver had ever lusted after her, Vanity was now her rescuer.
It was still early, and she had a feeling she might have woken her, but damn it, Vanity looked as gorgeous as ever. The humidity didn’t frizz her hair as it did Cherry’s. No, Vanity’s long, pale blond hair, which easily reached to the small of her back, only had a sexy wave to it.
Even without makeup, her skin looked flawless. Vanity had just the right amount of tan to make her blue eyes stand out.
If she wasn’t so nice, it’d be easy to dislike her for her perfect looks alone.
But she was nice, so nice that she’d gotten out of bed to chauffeur Cherry to work. Having her own little pity party, Cherry slumped in her seat.
Glancing her way, Vanity asked, “What will you do about your car?”
“I don’t know. I have no idea what’s wrong with it.” Hopefully nothing too expensive, because missing work had already seriously cut into her paycheck. Expensive car repairs would devastate her meager bank account. “It’s old and loaded with miles so it could be anything. But I’m praying for just a dead battery.”
While she’d waited for Vanity, the sky had darkened even more, leaving everything cast in gray shadows. The wind bent branches and sent debris scuttling across the roadway. The storms would be heavy today.
“I know nothing about cars,” Vanity admitted.
“Me, either.” But she’d think of something. Somehow she always did. “Your car is really nice.” For the twentieth time, Cherry ran her hand over the butter-soft leather seat.
“I know, right?” Vanity smiled. “Nice things don’t have to cost a fortune.”
Cherry gaped at her. The car, a brand-new, loaded Mustang convertible, probably cost more than she made in a year. She knew nothing about Vanity’s finances, except that she always dressed in pricey but comfortable clothes, worked only when she wanted to and seldom seemed to give money a thought. She never flaunted her wealth, but she was as casual about expenses as she was her clothes and hair.
“I bet one of the guys could help.”
By “guys,” Vanity meant any of their group at the rec center. Did Vanity and Rissy both consider the fighters at their disposal? It seemed so.
Cherry quickly shook her head. “I don’t want to bother them.”
“I doubt they’d consider it a bother.” Vanity flashed a knowing smile her way. “Men love to feel useful.”
“Maybe.” She’d have to take Vanity’s word for that. “But it’s my problem, not theirs.” Even if Vanity had been told about her foster family, she didn’t know everything else that was going on. She couldn’t see that this would just be one more mess on top of the rest, making Cherry feel like a walking disaster. “I’ll figure it out.”
Rolling her eyes, Vanity hit a button on her steering wheel. “You don’t have to.”
Not until a ringing sounded in the car did Cherry realize she had hands-free calling. Taken by surprise, she gasped, “What are you doing?”
Just then Armie answered, saying, “Hey, Vee. What’s the haps?”
Momentarily sidetracked, Cherry mouthed, “Vee?”
“For Vanity,” Vanity explained, holding up the peace sign one-handed. “That’s Armie being Armie.”
“Who’re you with?” asked Armie.
“Cherry.” And before she could stop her, Vanity spilled her guts. “See, her car wouldn’t start this morning so I’m driving her to work. It’s her first day back after being sick so she couldn’t miss or go in late. But who knows what’s wrong with the car? Could be something simple like a dead battery, which she’s hoping for because, really, who can afford major car repairs? But I’m thinking if she takes it to a garage, they’ll try to rip her off and she’ll be paying for repairs whether she needs them or not. Plus she’ll need a ride home from work, too, only she didn’t want to bother anyone.”
Cherry stared in appalled admiration of the verbal maneuvering. Vanity had run that all together without a breath and left no room to interrupt.
Armie laughed. “Can she hear me?”
“Yes,” Vanity said with a fast, satisfied smile. “She’s sitting next to me stewing right now.”
