Part 10 (1/2)
”It's actually a restaurant and a banquet hall. Most of our business is from weddings. The restaurant side is small; we only seat thirty-two. But we can accommodate up to two hundred fifty for a party.”
”Do you have a website?”
”Sure. It's not great, though. I should make it a lot better, but I can't do it myself, and I haven't taken the time to find anyone to help.”
”I know this isn't the ideal way to find business contacts, but you found me.”
”You do websites?”
”Yeah. I'm a graphic artist now, but I started out as a programmer. I've been designing almost exclusively, but I can still throw code with the best of them.”
”We'll have to talk about that. But I should get back to work now. Whatever work I'm allowed to do. My mother's basically taken over my job until I'm amyself,' whatever that is.”
”I've been pretty productive. I feel better when I get into my work and really get lost in it.”
”Are you comfortable staying with your friend?”
”Yeah, I am. Pam's a sweetheart. She's even suggested we alternate nights on the sofa. But I can't take advantage of her any more than I already am.”
”Hey, my mom keeps telling me to take some time off. I think I might.”
”You can come visit me. I'm sure Pam would love to have another person on her couch. There's a little s.p.a.ce the cats haven't claimed.”
”Sounds nice, but I've been dreaming about going somewhere warm. It was nine degrees this morning and we've got this dirty snow everywhere that looks disgusting after the dogs pee on it.”
”Gosh, Boston does sound nice.”
”It is. Trust me on that. But doesn't the Bahamas have a nice ring to it?”
”h.e.l.l to the yes! But I couldn't manage it right now. I'm going to have to find an apartment and-”
”My treat. I don't want to go alone, so you'd be doing me a favor.”
”Regan! That's ridiculous! I can't let you pay for me.”
”Sure you can. I use a credit card for every possible business purchase, so I get zillions of miles. I get a voucher every month or so to fly anywhere our regional discount carrier goes. We all use them whenever we fly, but we've got a couple that are going to expire soon. So the airfare wouldn't cost me a thing.”
”The hotel would!”
”Yeah, it would, but no more than it would if I went alone.”
”d.a.m.n, you know I'd love to...but I wouldn't feel right mooching off you.”
”How about doing me a favor?” Her voice grew softer and she sounded hesitant. ”I...hate to admit it, but my mom's right. I really do need to get away and get some of this off my chest. You're the only one I can talk to, Callie. Really.”
”No fair!” She laughed despite herself. ”You're guilt-tripping me into mooching.”
The tone of Regan's voice changed in seconds. She was almost businesslike when she said, ”I don't want to do that. Let's drop it.”
Don't hurt her feelings. She wouldn't have asked if it wasn't important. Think of something! ”I've got it! I'll do your website for you. That'll be a fair trade.”
”Really? Are you sure? I want a pretty nice site.”
”I can give you a site that'll knock your socks off. Actually, you can see what I'm doing because I can work on it when we're in the Bahamas! Woo-hoo!”
They weren't able to leave for a week, and by the eve of their trip they were both desperate to get away. ”I love my friend, but sleeping on her couch is hard for both of us. She hasn't said a thing, but I know I'm wearing out my welcome.”
”But she's being nice to you, isn't she?”
”Oh, sure. She's been a great friend. Still, I guess I should have stayed in Phoenix for a while. I could be bouncing off the walls at my mom's. At least she's related.”
”You can bounce off the walls in the Bahamas.”
”I can't wait. Hey! You don't know what I look like. How will we find each other in Na.s.sau?”
”Describe yourself to me.”
”Oh, like that'll help. There are a thousand women who look like me.”
”Give it a try. Then I'll tell you how good a job you did.”
”Oh, all right. You can talk me into anything, you know.”
”That's why I'm good at my job. I always get dibs on the good stuff from my suppliers.”
”You're a smooth talker, Regan. Let's see how your powers of observation are. I'm five feet seven inches, red hair...”
”Red? No way!”
”Yep. It's red. Not Bozo red. A nice red, if I'm gonna be honest. I have good hair.”
”Straight?”
”I used to be but now I think I'm gay.”
”Your hair, Callie.”
”Oh. No, not real straight. It's wavy. I'm telling you, I've got good hair. You're gonna be impressed,” she said, laughing. ”It's thick and about shoulder length. It's always moving around, so I'm usually putting it back where I want it.”
”What else? Give me something more to go on other than moving red hair.”
”I'm in pretty good shape. I weigh about one ten.”
”That's pretty thin.”
Worried that she might have insulted Regan if she was overweight, Callie added, ”I've got a fast metabolism. It's just genetics.”