The Prince Charming Hoax (26 page)

“
Look, you really don
’
t know anything about me or what happened. You can
’
t—
”

“
I can decide that I don
’
t want to associate with a woman like you, Leah. I
’
m sorry I asked you to come to my home and gallery. I don
’
t want you near my family. I
’
m working on restoring my children
’
s faith in adults by providing them with positive role models, and you don
’
t qualify.
”

Leah felt the room swimming. Everything she had to eat and drink that evening was suddenly working its way up her throat in a burning rush. She raced to the stall just in time to throw up the three martinis and the grilled salmon dinner special she consumed that evening.

As she sank to the bathroom floor and leaned against the stall door to support herself, Leah tried to reconstruct what had happened. Regina
’
s words were stinging through her haze.
“
I should have thrown up on that bitch instead of running in here.
”

But the thought of getting even for the hurt didn
’
t make her feel better. Leah pulled herself up and went to wash her face and rinse her mouth in the sink. She half-heartedly attempted to apply some powder, but gave up the effort. She stumbled though the door to the hallway that led back to the dining room, praying everyone except Jonathan would be gone from the table.

She peeked out into the dining room, maintaining a safe distance in case Regina was still around. Their table had been cleared and the seats were empty. Leah scanned the room for Jonathan. She spotted him standing near the reception desk, saying good-bye to Patsy and Bill. Once the couple left, she joined him.

“
What happened to you?
“
Jonathan reached out and lightly touched her cheek.
“
Are you all right?
”

“
No, definitely not. I overindulged and paid the price. Can you drive me home?
”

“
Of course. Let
’
s get out of here.
”
Jonathan took Leah
’
s hand and led her outside.

“
You know, Regina didn
’
t look too good when she came back to the table, either. Was she sick, too?
”

“
Sickening was more like it.
”

“
What do you mean?
”

“
Jonathan, why didn
’
t you tell me her husband left her for another woman?
”

“
I didn
’
t know that. I only knew she
’
s divorced.
”
It took a moment for the information to sink in.
“
Ooh, no. Whoops.
”

“
Yeah. She was pumping me for info on my love life, and although I am usually so careful not to discuss to my private life, I started blabbing way too much. Once she found out about Doug, she freaked out on me.
”

“
Shit.
”

“
I understand where
’
s she coming from, Jonathan. But, honestly, the things she said…you
’
d think I had confessed to being a serial killer.
”

“
Didn
’
t Shakespeare write,
‘
Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned,
’
or something like that?
”

They approached her car and Leah began fumbling in her purse.
“
Yes,
”
she said, handing him her keys,
“
And her fury she spake.
”
Leah got in the passenger side and immediately adjusted the seat back so she was reclining.
“
I don
’
t want to talk about it anymore, Jonathan. First Roxie lets me have it because I
’
m too uptight, then Regina beats me up like I
’
m some sort of harlot. No wonder men think women are so complicated.
”

Jonathan laughed. He started the car and drove south on Andrews Avenue, back toward Las Olas Boulevard.
“
Would you rather take a little drive, Leah? We can cruise down the Strip and at look at the ocean from the car if you don
’
t feel like walking.
”

The last thing Leah remembered was nodding her head as she closed her eyes, trying to will away the pounding headache and nausea.

Chapter
22

Hi. This is Roxie Stein. Sorry I missed your call. Please leave your name and number and I look forward to speaking with you when I return.

“
Hey, Darlin
’
.
Even listening to your sultry voice on that damn machine gets me hot. But that
’
s not why I called. Just want to let you know we
’
ll be coming for you in the limo at eight o
’
clock sharp tonight. And, Roxie, this time you know what to wear, so be ready on time. Later.
”

Roxie pulled her pillow over her head. She hated cheery voices in the morning.
She really needed to ditch that old machine and get voice mail. Peeking out to check the nightstand clock, she saw it was 11:21. At least D.J. had the decency to wait until a respectable hour to call on a Saturday, she thought as she promptly went back to sleep.

Ten minutes later, Roxie bounded out of bed, horrified, and replayed the message. No, she hadn
’
t dreamed the call and yes, she needed something to wear tonight.
“
It
’
s not like I have a closet full of those little hooker dresses.
”
She dragged herself into her closet and turned on the revolving overhead rod and watched as her wardrobe passed by.

“
I don
’
t know why I
’
m bothering to look. Wait, maybe the leather pants and….no, that
’
s not going make it.
”
Roxie turned off the rotating device and stared blankly into the closet.

“
OK, coffee, shower, shopping. Move now.
”
She dragged herself into the kitchen to start the coffee and then shuffled into the bathroom. As she stood beneath the pulsating water jets, she began to wake up. Reaching over to the overcrowded shelf of bath products, she started with the shampoo. After soaping her hair, she took the mesh bath mitt and soaked it with honey almond bath gel.

Starting at her toes, she worked her way up each leg, massaging her skin with the silky foaming mesh. She continued up her torso with firm, circular strokes, stimulating the skin of her abdomen, breasts, arms, and shoulders. She reached for the long-handled bath brush and poured on more gel, then scrubbed her back and buttocks. When she was covered in a mass of bubbling foam, she reached for razor and shaved her legs.

Before rinsing, Roxie took her specially formulated feminine cleansing lotion off the shelf. Squirting some in her palm, she began to gently wash between her legs. She closed her eyes and leaned against the cool tile of the shower stall. She rotated her fingers over her sensitive area, letting her body wake up inside as well as out. She pressed the small of her back against the tile and rotated her hips as she felt her juices flowing. Moaning, she placed two fingers of one hand inside herself, while reaching for the handheld extension of the showerhead with the other. The pulsating pressure of the jets between her legs and the friction of her fingers brought her close to orgasm, but she wasn
’
t quite there. Growing impatient, she wrapped her legs around the showerhead, pressing it hard against herself with the jets directed at the pleasure points.

“
Yes, yes, yes. Finally!
”
she shrieked. Roxie slid down the wall and sat on the shower floor, enjoying the sensation of her body tingling all over. She took the showerhead, still in her hand, and rinsed her hair and body thoroughly. Finally, she stood up, turned off the water, and stepped out, wrapping herself in a large, plush terry towel. Now, she was ready for her busy day of preparing for this special night.

Staring into the mirror, Roxie frowned. Something was wrong. Why, with all she had to look forward to today and tonight, was she feeling something tight in the pit of her stomach? Then she remembered her fight with Leah.

Roxie
’
s face reddened and her mouth straightened into a hard, tight line. After all the times she held Leah
’
s hand while she struggled with her parade of jerks, you
’
d think her friend would be more supportive.
“
I have been there for her through every one of those losers she picks. Even when I knew reuniting with Doug was a huge mistake, I said,
‘
I don
’
t think it will work, but I love you, so I want whatever makes you happy.
’
Why can
’
t she do the same for me? How dare she judge what I do?
”

Roxie shook her head, trying to shake off the bad mood. She had too much to do right now and she decided not to let Leah spoil her day. Bad enough Miss Doom and Gloom had rained on their Girls Night Out.

She pulled her wet hair back and pinned it up with a clip, making a mental note to call and make an appointment to get her hair and nails done later that afternoon. After quickly dressing in jeans and a tee, Roxie stopped to survey herself in the dressing room mirror. She cuffed the bottom of her pants to capri length, tucked the shirt into the skintight jeans, and slipped into the soft red leather pumps that matched her top.

She poured coffee in her travel mug, grabbed her cell phone, keys, and purse and bounded out the door. Waiting impatiently in the hall for the elevator, she groaned, realizing she had no idea where she was going. She certainly would never find what she needed for tonight in any of her usual favorite boutiques.

She smiled as she remembered the shop on Oakland Park Boulevard where she had gone last year for the dress she wore to the
“
pimp and prostitute
”
Halloween party.
Perfect, and while I
’
m there I
’
ll check out the toy section. I
’
ll bet D.J. loves that kind of stuff.
Her eyes twinkled in anticipation.

Roxie fairly raced the Boxster to Nice
‘
n Naughty, the store she remembered. Once inside, her excitement faded. She didn
’
t remember the place looking quite so seedy.
She was tempted to turn around and leave, but time was short and she needed an outfit. So she scanned the floor with her expert shopper
’
s eye. The store was long and narrow, with merchandise crammed into showcases, hanging on floor racks and wall displays, and piled on
“
sale
”
tables. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw some dresses that might work near the rear of the store. Squeezing through the narrow aisles, she dismissed most of what she saw as she passed without a second glance.

As she neared the back wall display, her optimism increased. Yes, there definitely were some possibilities here. It took her less than sixty seconds to peruse every dress in her size and pull two from the rack. Looking around for the dressing room, she saw only a curtained area with some hooks in the wall.

“
Where
’
s the dressing room?
”
Roxie called out to the clerk. The woman had been on the phone and purposefully ignoring Roxie since she entered. The woman pointed to the curtain. Roxie sighed. She wasn
’
t taking her clothes off in there. Holding her choices on the hangers, she walked up a mirrored area outside the dressing area and held them up in front of her, one at a time.

The first was a simple black sleeveless sheath, with narrow straps decorated with flat rhinestone buckles resting on the top of the shoulder. Except for the flimsy fabric and high-cut slits on both sides of the dress, it looked like fifty other cocktail dresses Roxie had owned in her life. She threw the dress over a nearby rack and turned her attention to her other choice.

This time Roxie smiled.
“
Damn, I
’
m good,
”
she muttered. The dress was perfect. She might even wear it again at this year
’
s Halloween party—it could pass for a Roaring Twenties flapper-style costume. The short dress had skinny spaghetti straps and was constructed of horizontal panels of pearlescent beads across the bodice, hip, and thigh areas. The midriff section—from below the bust to right above her bikini line—was made of see-through mesh material.

Roxie could tell the mesh section would be clingy enough to be suggestively sexy, and the beads added just the right touch of sleaze.
“
I even have the right shoes. I
’
m done! Now I have extra time to spend at the salon.
”
She pulled out her cell, dialed, and made appointments for a blow dry, manicure, and bikini waxing. She checked her watch and saw she had enough time to check out the accessory section in Nice
‘
n Naughty
’
s backroom for a little surprise to give D.J.

When Roxie entered the room beyond the door marked
“
Adults Only,
”
she felt like she had crossed the line from merely tacky to decidedly raunchy. Dimly lit and smelling of stale, sweet incense, the room housed an X-rated movie selection surrounded by walls lined with paraphernalia designed to enhance sexual activity. Roxie hesitated a moment, trying to determine where she should begin to look, since she wasn
’
t exactly sure of what she wanted.

“
Roxanne Stein! What are you doing here?
”

Her eyes had not adjusted to the light to see very well yet, but Roxie knew who had called out to her. She turned in the direction of the voice.
“
The same as you, Felix Montoya. Shopping!
”
Roxie held up her dress as she moved toward Felix. The two kissed each other on both cheeks. Felix was an interior designer she worked with frequently and the two had become friends.
“
Roxie, this is my partner, Walter. We were picking out some movies and party favors for a little get-together we
’
re having tonight to celebrate the nuptials of our friends John and David tomorrow. Sort of a double bachelor party.
”

Roxie laughed and held her hand out to Walter.
“
Pleased to meet you, Walter. I love your shirt.
”
Walter was wearing carpenter jeans and a tight open-weave, net-like shirt that revealed his defined muscular build and two nipple rings. Walter
’
s Midwest blonde farm boy good looks were a contrast to Felix
’
s dark Latin features.

“
Thanks, Roxie. Felix bought it for me. Now let
’
s have a closer look at this dress you
’
re going to buy.
”

Roxie held the dress up for inspection.
“
It
’
s just something I picked up for a little dress-up party I
’
m going to tonight. I didn
’
t have much time to shop, so I
’
m thrilled that I found this.
”

Felix and Walter leaned back to appraise her selection.
“
I can definitely see you in that,
”
Walter said as he nodded approval.
“
But, next time you need a slinky outfit, go to Spice Up Your Life on Glades Road, just east of I-95 in Boca. That place is much more you.
”

“
Yes,
”
agreed Felix.
“
But, back to tonight. As you know Roxie, the success of the outfit—as with anything else—depends on coordinating the entire look. Do you have the accessories you need?
”

Roxie nodded.
“
I do have a great pair of high heel white sandals. They have fluffy fur balls on the strap that goes across the top of my foot—very old-Hollywood glamour style. You know, the kind you
’
d expect to see on Marlene Dietrich or Claudette Colbert in the scenes where they
’
re in dressing gowns or silk robes at their vanity tables.
”

“
Mm hmm. Good,
”
Felix agreed.
“
And, what about your hair and makeup?
”

“
I happen to have a hair appointment at Trini
’
s right after this. But, you know, I hadn
’
t thought about make up. What do you think?
”
This was exactly what she loved most about having gay male friends—they thought of everything.

“
Oh my God, you
’
re going to Trini
’
s?
”

Roxie nodded.
“
Yes, why?
”