Blue Smoke

surprise in Gina’s voice had Reena grinning. “That was your reward twenty minutes ago. This is your current reward.”
    “I love you.”
    She cocked her head to look at her friend. Gina had let her hair grow, and it was now a tumbled mass of ebony waves. “You look all dewy.”
    “I feel all dewy.” Gina hunched her shoulders up, wrapped herself in a hug. “Steve is all . . . He’s tough and strong and sweet and smart. Reena, he’s the one.”
    “ The one?”
    “And only. I’m going to marry him.”
    “You—Gina! When? We’ve been shopping over an hour, and you just drop this now?”
    “He hasn’t asked me yet. But I’ll work him around to it,” she added with an airy wave. “I think we should get married next May. Or maybe wait until September. I’m thinking maybe September because then I could use all those wonderful fall colors. You’d look great in burnt gold. Or russet.”
    It was, in Reena’s mind, a big leap from hot guy to choosing bridal colors. But she could see Gina was taking it in stride. “You really want to get married.”
    “I really do. I know it might be hard, a firefighter’s wife.” She dug a box of spearmint Tic Tacs out of her bag, shook some out, offered them to Reena. “The hours are so long, and the work’s so dangerous. But he makes me so happy. Oooh, red shoes. Put them on!”
    Obediently, Reena slipped on the shoes the clerk brought her. She stood, testing them out, admiring them in the low mirror.
    She was trying on red shoes she couldn’t afford and would probably never wear. Gina was planning a future. Even while she preferred the shoes, there was a little clutch of envy in her belly.
    “Is Steve thinking about marriage?”
    “No, not yet. I wasn’t until this morning when he came in and kissed me good-bye. I thought, Oh my God, I’m in love, and I can see myselfwaking up every morning with this guy. I never saw that with anyone before. You’re buying those shoes, Reene. I give you no choice.”
    “Well, in that case.” She sat, took them off again. And gulped when she took out her beleaguered credit card to pay. “I’m being irresponsible.”
    “No, you’re being a girl. It’s okay.”
    “I’m compensating.” She sighed at herself. “I know it. My best friend’s in love and I can’t even get a serious date.”
    “Oh, you can, too. Look at you! You’re all tanned and toned and beautiful. It takes you under five minutes to slap yourself together in the morning. It takes me an hour, if I’m lucky.”
    “I’m putting on a uniform,” Reena reminded her. “No-brainer wardrobe wise.” She shook her head. “I’m stopping this right now. I really like Steve, that’s what I should be saying. And if he doesn’t have the good sense to snap you up quick, he needs a good butt kicking.”
    “Thanks.”
    “Maybe I’ll ask Hugh out to a fancy dinner. Except, oh God, I just spent ninety-one dollars and thirty-five cents on shoes.”
    “We’ll all go out to dinner. I’ll get Steve to fix it.”
    “There’s my best friend in the world.”
    “Which means I get to borrow your new shoes.”
    “They’re a full size too big for you.”
    “Like that matters. You know, you could ask Hugh to Fran’s wedding.”
    “It’s not till October.” Reena gathered her bags and ordered herself not to spend another penny in the mall. “I may be done with him by then.”
    “Slut.”
    “Oh, if only. I freely admit I’m not looking for Mr. Right. I’m not even sure I want Mr. Right Now. It’s just that this one has such a body. And we definitely have a little heat going.”
    They strolled out of the store, into the throng of Saturday shoppers. “I’m not dewy,” Reena added.
    “You look moist and tasty to me.”
    “Oh, I am. I am, but not dewy. Not love dewy.” She stopped by another display window. “Not the way you’re looking today, or the way Fran’s looked every day since she met Jack.”

    “He’s such a sweetie.”
    “He really is, and perfect for her. They’re going to be ridiculously happy. I don’t think I want to meet the perfect guy yet. What would I do with him?”
    “Be ridiculously happy?”
    Reena shook her head. “I don’t know. I’ve got things I need to do first. The perfect guy and dewy love would just get in the way.”
    D ragging his feet didn’t do a damn bit of good, but Bo dragged them anyway.
    “I don’t wanna go shopping. I don’t wanna.”
    “Oh, quit your whining.” Mandy used her hand on