our cause here. We’re whoring me out?”
“No, don’t think of it like that,” Bobby said, as he sat on the edge of the tub, flashing his most charming smile. “I’m saying that it would help tremendously if you and Michael hit it off. If he decides to help, then you’ll be spending a bit of time together, so making a good impression tonight would be to your advantage. I would hardly call that whoring you out. But out of curiosity, how far are you willing to go? You know, for the good of our cause. A little late night make-out session? Third base?” Piper leaned over from her seat on a small bench by the sink and smacked Bobby’s arm.
“Very funny. Fine, I’ll be nice, but I’m not making any promises. For goodness sake the ink on my annulment papers is barely dry.” Jules applied her ruby red lipstick and pressed her silky lips together. Piper was still adjusting to the fact Jules and Bobby had the type of relationship that would have them all sitting around the bathroom, Jules fresh from the shower and wrapped only in a towel.
“Hurry up then. He’ll be here any minute. We’re going downstairs to make sure Betty doesn’t scare him off before we have a chance to get him in the door,” Bobby said, grabbing Piper’s hand and pulling her off the bench and out of the bathroom. “So what did you say to Michael when you invited him over?” he asked Piper.
I said that I was having dinner with some friends of mine, and I’d like it if he could come. I told him you’d be here, and that it would be nice if the two of you to got to know each other better. I also told him there was this incredibly beautiful redhead I wanted him to meet. I think he might be under the impression we’re going to a restaurant, or out for drinks. It might be a bit of a shock to know we’re having pot roast and then plan on hanging out on a porch. The good news, however, is there was a motion for an extension by the defense in the case he was working on. He’s got at least two weeks with very little to do now. This case is a big one, so he’s been focusing on it almost exclusively. He has all his legwork for the trial finished. He’ll just be in a holding pattern until the defense is ready or the judge gets tired of their stalling. He’s going to have some time on his hands.”
Piper watched as Bobby hopped down the stairs and tapped the wooden beam above his head with his hand. It was something he seemed to do without any thought, a comforting habit formed out of hundreds of times up and down those stairs.
“That’s good news as long as the idea of an ‘at home country dinner’ doesn’t send him running for the hills. I hope we can pull this off. Without him I’m not sure how we move forward.” Bobby headed for the porch as Michael’s sleek black car pulled into the dirt driveway. “He’s here,” he called into the house, letting Jules know to hurry up.
As Michael stepped out of his car, Piper cringed at the sight of his tailored dress shirt and black slacks. His shoes, probably worth hundreds of dollars, were instantly covered with dust as he walked up the dry, overgrown walkway to the porch. Perhaps dinner out, in the environment to which Michael was more accustomed, would have been a better choice.
Jules came thudding with heavy feet down the stairs and pressed herself against the screen door speaking only loud enough for Piper and Bobby to hear.
“I changed my mind. Put me down for at least third base. How exactly did you fail to mention he could pass for a Swedish model and had buckets of money? Don’t those seem like things I would have wanted to know? I can’t wear this stupid sweater. I’m going to go change.” Jules jumped back from the door and ran to her room for a more presentable outfit.
“Hey Michael,” Piper said, waving guiltily at him. “Thanks for making the drive out. I know this is a little off the beaten path.”
“That’s no problem. It’s beautiful out here,” said Michael, stepping onto the porch and extending a hand to Bobby.
Just then, Betty burst from the screen door in her apron, a whisk still in one of