recall."
"What did you do? You left the falsies there, I
presume?"
"On the contrary. I went in there, in front of a packed
audience of males and females of all ages, I might add. With a face as red as a
ripe apple, I snatched my 'boobies' off that wall and ran out as fast as I
could. Mom peeled rubber for half a block making our getaway.
"Not long afterward, I decided the embarrassment and the
heckling weren't worth it. God forbid something even more mortifying should
happen. The padded bra hit the trash, and from that day forth my motto has
been, 'What you see is what you get, like it or not.' "
Ty reached out and plucked the offending objects from her grasp.
"Jess, if I'd known, I swear to you I would never have bought these
things. I didn't do it with malicious intent."
"I believe you, but that doesn't help much right this minute.
You see, Ty, I realize that you're used to being seen with beautiful women,
with well-rounded figures, and I don't fit that bill by a long shot. Whether
you admit it or not, you and I both know that your
underlying motive was to make me over into someone more suited to your
I-deserve-the-best standards. Well, I've got news for you, Studly Do-Wrong. I'm
not going to play that game. Not for you, or any other self-centered male on
the planet. Along with other hard-learned lessons, I've concluded that any man
worthy of my respect and affection will accept me just as I am. If not, he can
just trot on down the road, because he's not welcome here."
Ty grimaced. "So basically what you're saying is, 'You are
woman, hear you roar'? Thanks for cluing me in to your feminist leanings,
because I think I've finally figured out what that acronym you threw at me the
other day means. Wagara must stand for Women's Association of Grandiose and
Ridiculous Attitudes."
Jess dredged up a fake smile. "Sorry. Nice try, but no
cigar."
"Okay, so the falsies are out. How about a nice underwire
bra? My sister claims they do wonders to push everything up and in or out or
whatever."
"I'm so glad for your sister," Jess professed blandly.
"The least you could do is buy some sexy silk undies. What's
with all the cotton? You planning to join a convent?"
"I doubt they'd accept me. I'm a Methodist. Now, I hope
you'll understand if I ask you to leave. And take those stupid falsies with
you, if you please."
"Oh, come on, Jess. I've apologized. Let bygones be bygones.
I don't want to eat alone, and it's too late to make a date with someone else.
Besides, I'm supposed to be seeing you exclusively, which, if you really want
to know, is putting quite a crimp in my social life these days."
She jerked her thumb toward the street outside, her expression
unrelenting. "Wagara, Romeo. Wagara."
CHAPTER 6
The Knights had their third preseason contest that Sunday. It was
a home game against the Minnesota Vikings, and the new climate-controlled
Castle-Dome, built to accommodate a whopping hundred thousand fans, was barely
half-filled. Perhaps because it was still preseason, or maybe because the
Knights had lost their first two matchups, one at home and one away. The
Seahawks had really dented their armor last week in Seattle, but to be fair
they had made a fair showing against the 49ers in the preseason opener, losing
by only six points, the total of two missed field goals by their rookie kicker.
Corey Rome must have been watching for Jess. The minute Jess saw
her, the woman waved for Jess to join her down front, on the first section of
seats behind the home bench.
"I saved you a seat," Corey told her, then laughed.
"Not that there aren't plenty to choose from, but these are reserved for
us." "Us" being the wives, children, and special friends of the
players.
"Thanks," Jess said with a smile. "And thank you
for your help the other day. I know you probably don't get such strange calls
every day."
Corey chuckled. "I've had weirder calls, believe me."
For two days after Ty had left her apartment, Jess had stewed.
She'd fumed. She'd
"What did you do? You left the falsies there, I
presume?"
"On the contrary. I went in there, in front of a packed
audience of males and females of all ages, I might add. With a face as red as a
ripe apple, I snatched my 'boobies' off that wall and ran out as fast as I
could. Mom peeled rubber for half a block making our getaway.
"Not long afterward, I decided the embarrassment and the
heckling weren't worth it. God forbid something even more mortifying should
happen. The padded bra hit the trash, and from that day forth my motto has
been, 'What you see is what you get, like it or not.' "
Ty reached out and plucked the offending objects from her grasp.
"Jess, if I'd known, I swear to you I would never have bought these
things. I didn't do it with malicious intent."
"I believe you, but that doesn't help much right this minute.
You see, Ty, I realize that you're used to being seen with beautiful women,
with well-rounded figures, and I don't fit that bill by a long shot. Whether
you admit it or not, you and I both know that your
underlying motive was to make me over into someone more suited to your
I-deserve-the-best standards. Well, I've got news for you, Studly Do-Wrong. I'm
not going to play that game. Not for you, or any other self-centered male on
the planet. Along with other hard-learned lessons, I've concluded that any man
worthy of my respect and affection will accept me just as I am. If not, he can
just trot on down the road, because he's not welcome here."
Ty grimaced. "So basically what you're saying is, 'You are
woman, hear you roar'? Thanks for cluing me in to your feminist leanings,
because I think I've finally figured out what that acronym you threw at me the
other day means. Wagara must stand for Women's Association of Grandiose and
Ridiculous Attitudes."
Jess dredged up a fake smile. "Sorry. Nice try, but no
cigar."
"Okay, so the falsies are out. How about a nice underwire
bra? My sister claims they do wonders to push everything up and in or out or
whatever."
"I'm so glad for your sister," Jess professed blandly.
"The least you could do is buy some sexy silk undies. What's
with all the cotton? You planning to join a convent?"
"I doubt they'd accept me. I'm a Methodist. Now, I hope
you'll understand if I ask you to leave. And take those stupid falsies with
you, if you please."
"Oh, come on, Jess. I've apologized. Let bygones be bygones.
I don't want to eat alone, and it's too late to make a date with someone else.
Besides, I'm supposed to be seeing you exclusively, which, if you really want
to know, is putting quite a crimp in my social life these days."
She jerked her thumb toward the street outside, her expression
unrelenting. "Wagara, Romeo. Wagara."
CHAPTER 6
The Knights had their third preseason contest that Sunday. It was
a home game against the Minnesota Vikings, and the new climate-controlled
Castle-Dome, built to accommodate a whopping hundred thousand fans, was barely
half-filled. Perhaps because it was still preseason, or maybe because the
Knights had lost their first two matchups, one at home and one away. The
Seahawks had really dented their armor last week in Seattle, but to be fair
they had made a fair showing against the 49ers in the preseason opener, losing
by only six points, the total of two missed field goals by their rookie kicker.
Corey Rome must have been watching for Jess. The minute Jess saw
her, the woman waved for Jess to join her down front, on the first section of
seats behind the home bench.
"I saved you a seat," Corey told her, then laughed.
"Not that there aren't plenty to choose from, but these are reserved for
us." "Us" being the wives, children, and special friends of the
players.
"Thanks," Jess said with a smile. "And thank you
for your help the other day. I know you probably don't get such strange calls
every day."
Corey chuckled. "I've had weirder calls, believe me."
For two days after Ty had left her apartment, Jess had stewed.
She'd fumed. She'd
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