Read Online Turning It on (Red Hot Russians) by Elizabeth Harmon - Free Book Online
Authors: Elizabeth Harmon
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table, and gave Hannah a peck on the cheek. “Early? You’re late! We expected you an hour ago. Go wash up, dinner’s ready.”
As usual, the mothers had outdone themselves. There was roasted chicken, garlic mashed potatoes, broccoli with almonds, homemade challah. How many dinners had Hannah eaten at this table since Dad moved out and Marcy made the Levinsons her personal rescue project? With more exciting social prospects, Rachel soon found other things to do but Hannah kept coming, eager for the sight of Jack, which fed her heart, just as a shared meal and time with her best friend fed her mom’s.
Melinda and her children took only the vegetables, while Jack’s dad indulged in heart-attack-sized portions. Ralph Gordon patted his round belly. “Pass the mashed potatoes, would you, Hannah, dear?”
As she passed the bowl, she glanced at the contents. Mom pointed a red-tipped finger. “Hannah Leah, don’t get any ideas about seconds. Not if you have any hope of fitting into a wedding gown.”
Marcy sipped Moscato. “How is the dress search going? I would have loved to go with you last time.”
Edie groaned. “You didn’t miss much. With Rachel, finding a dress was easy. She looked stunning in everything. But this one? Every gown is strapless, and strapless makes her look like a cartoon character!”
“Mom, please. It wasn’t that bad.”
“Yes it was! You’re an inverted triangle! That’s the hardest figure to fit. And don’t get me started on the support problems!” She turned to Marcy, shaking her hennaed head, and pointed to her own overly ample bustline. “She inherited the Feldman shape! Poor Mother is so top-heavy now; she can hardly stand up straight. Who’d have thought Rachel, the adopted daughter, would turn out to be the lucky one?”
Hannah hunched her shoulders and rearranged the nest of scarves that hung around her neck. Did they have to have this conversation with Jack sitting right here? “Mom, it’s not going to be an issue.”
“Don’t tell me you’re wearing scarves with your wedding gown.”
“Why not? I could start a trend. Bridal pashminas. The inverted triangle crowd would jump all over it.”
“You’re not taking this seriously. You should try the nutrition shakes Rachel drank. She lost twenty-five pounds before her wedding.”
And walked down the aisle looking like a sun-baked skeleton. Even now, Hannah couldn’t look at her older sister’s wedding photos without noticing her protruding clavicle.
“Don’t even think it,” Melinda chimed in. “Those shakes are toxic. You’d be much better off simply skipping the junk food and having a colonic.”
What a perfect time to change the subject. Hannah tried to catch Jack’s eye across the table but he seemed determined to avoid her. “Actually... I’ll be having a dress designed.”
Melinda cocked her head in surprise. “Really? Who are you using?”
Edie gasped. “Do you have any idea how much that costs?”
“I won’t be paying for it myself.” Under the table, Hannah gave Jack a light kick with her toes. Finally, he looked over and she mouthed one word. “Now.”
The mothers exchanged puzzled glances. Jack squared his shoulders and cleared his throat. “Actually, Hannah and I have some news.”
Marcy’s eyes grew wide. “Good grief, you’re not eloping are you?”
Jack chuckled. Everyone chuckled. “No, but Hannah and I are leaving town. Do you remember Eric Conrad from high school?”
The parents looked blank, and then Marcy asked, “That little skinny boy with terrible asthma, who used to live over on Concord Street? He was in some of the plays with you in high school, wasn’t he, Jackie?”
“That’s him,” Hannah said. “He also worked on the literary magazine with me.”
“He came over to our house to study,” Edie said, nodding. “A sweet boy, but pimples so bad I could hardly look at him. Didn’t he ask you to the prom, Hannah?”
For the second time today, she was
As usual, the mothers had outdone themselves. There was roasted chicken, garlic mashed potatoes, broccoli with almonds, homemade challah. How many dinners had Hannah eaten at this table since Dad moved out and Marcy made the Levinsons her personal rescue project? With more exciting social prospects, Rachel soon found other things to do but Hannah kept coming, eager for the sight of Jack, which fed her heart, just as a shared meal and time with her best friend fed her mom’s.
Melinda and her children took only the vegetables, while Jack’s dad indulged in heart-attack-sized portions. Ralph Gordon patted his round belly. “Pass the mashed potatoes, would you, Hannah, dear?”
As she passed the bowl, she glanced at the contents. Mom pointed a red-tipped finger. “Hannah Leah, don’t get any ideas about seconds. Not if you have any hope of fitting into a wedding gown.”
Marcy sipped Moscato. “How is the dress search going? I would have loved to go with you last time.”
Edie groaned. “You didn’t miss much. With Rachel, finding a dress was easy. She looked stunning in everything. But this one? Every gown is strapless, and strapless makes her look like a cartoon character!”
“Mom, please. It wasn’t that bad.”
“Yes it was! You’re an inverted triangle! That’s the hardest figure to fit. And don’t get me started on the support problems!” She turned to Marcy, shaking her hennaed head, and pointed to her own overly ample bustline. “She inherited the Feldman shape! Poor Mother is so top-heavy now; she can hardly stand up straight. Who’d have thought Rachel, the adopted daughter, would turn out to be the lucky one?”
Hannah hunched her shoulders and rearranged the nest of scarves that hung around her neck. Did they have to have this conversation with Jack sitting right here? “Mom, it’s not going to be an issue.”
“Don’t tell me you’re wearing scarves with your wedding gown.”
“Why not? I could start a trend. Bridal pashminas. The inverted triangle crowd would jump all over it.”
“You’re not taking this seriously. You should try the nutrition shakes Rachel drank. She lost twenty-five pounds before her wedding.”
And walked down the aisle looking like a sun-baked skeleton. Even now, Hannah couldn’t look at her older sister’s wedding photos without noticing her protruding clavicle.
“Don’t even think it,” Melinda chimed in. “Those shakes are toxic. You’d be much better off simply skipping the junk food and having a colonic.”
What a perfect time to change the subject. Hannah tried to catch Jack’s eye across the table but he seemed determined to avoid her. “Actually... I’ll be having a dress designed.”
Melinda cocked her head in surprise. “Really? Who are you using?”
Edie gasped. “Do you have any idea how much that costs?”
“I won’t be paying for it myself.” Under the table, Hannah gave Jack a light kick with her toes. Finally, he looked over and she mouthed one word. “Now.”
The mothers exchanged puzzled glances. Jack squared his shoulders and cleared his throat. “Actually, Hannah and I have some news.”
Marcy’s eyes grew wide. “Good grief, you’re not eloping are you?”
Jack chuckled. Everyone chuckled. “No, but Hannah and I are leaving town. Do you remember Eric Conrad from high school?”
The parents looked blank, and then Marcy asked, “That little skinny boy with terrible asthma, who used to live over on Concord Street? He was in some of the plays with you in high school, wasn’t he, Jackie?”
“That’s him,” Hannah said. “He also worked on the literary magazine with me.”
“He came over to our house to study,” Edie said, nodding. “A sweet boy, but pimples so bad I could hardly look at him. Didn’t he ask you to the prom, Hannah?”
For the second time today, she was
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