Page 64 of Beautiful Life
Tony glances over with one side of his mouth tipped. “That’ll be fun. I’ve never had sex with Madonna.”
“Stop it. You have to be something.”
“Sorry, gem. Micah throws him a party every year and I’m never anything. The party goes on,” he drawls, opening the car door for me.
“I know,” I start, as he pulls out of the parking lot. “You, Jude, and maybe some of your cousins can be The Village People.”
“Leigh. I am not dressing up like any of The Village People,” he says emphatically.
“Wham?”
“Are you kidding me?”
“Michael Jackson? Like Thriller Michael Jackson?”
“Leigh.”
“Oh my, I know! You should be Ronald Reagan. Just put on a suit and gunk up your hair. I mean, Madonna coming to a party with Ronald Reagan? Liberal versus conservative? That would be so funny.” I smile big because, honestly, that would be funny.
All of a sudden, Tony pulls off the road again into another empty parking lot. I’m feeling a bit of déjà vu, because we did this last week at about this same time.
“What now? Why are you pulling off the road again? I’m fine.”
He throws it into park and releases our seatbelts. Before I know it, his mouth is on mine, tongues tangling with his hands in my hair pulling me to him roughly. His kiss is searing and I hang on trying to catch up because this is not what happened last week when we pulled into a parking lot.
He slows the kiss but doesn’t pull away. Instead, he tips his forehead to mine. We’re both breathing deeply, but I get it together enough to ask, “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” he says. “Absolutely nothing is wrong. Your mom is pain in the ass, you just spent some serious money to get your sister here and check her into a drug treatment plan, and your jackass-ex-husband is violating his restraining order. But you’re happy, laughing about costumes, and looking forward to going to a party with me for my crazy family. Gem,” he pauses, holding my face close to his. “You’re back. You’re good. And this makes me so fucking happy, I’ll even be Ronald Reagan for you.”
My tears start to burn and I pull in a breath, looking for the strength I need. “It’s because of you.”
“Love you, gem, but it’s all you. I’m just lucky I got to come along for the ride.”
I lean in and kiss him to communicate he’s wrong. I owe it all to him.
When I pull back, I ask, “You’ll really be Ronald Reagan for me?”
He sighs shaking his head no. “Only for you, Leigh.”
I feel my face break into a smile.
Tony proceeds to kiss the smile right off my face before taking us to Finny.
Chapter 16 – Scary Specifically
Leigh
“You loved St. John?”
Gabby looks over at me, dreamy like, and sighs. “Yeah. St. John was perfect.”
I grin at her as I flip through the racks at the thrift store where she and I are costume shopping for Joe’s party. It’s Thursday evening, Gabby and Jude just got back from their ten-day honeymoon. She has a healthy tan, her hair is even more golden than it usually is in March, but more importantly, she’s radiating happiness. And I couldn’t be happier for my best friend.
“You sure look like it was perfect, Mrs. Ortiz,” I enunciate her new title.
She smiles as she flips through her rack across from mine. So far, Gabby’s not having much luck from lack of concentration, but I’ve found a short black tutu, a skanky tank top that looks like something my mother would wear to church if she went to church, and lots of thick chains for necklaces. I feel like I’m getting closer to getting my eighties Madonna mojo on. The party is Saturday and I’m definitely running out of time.
“I’m sorry things have been far from perfect for you while we were gone. How’s Tina?”
