My Lucky Groom

sorry,” she babbled apologetically. “I had no clue you were in here.”
    “I had no idea you and the kids were back. It’s my fault, really. I should have shut the door.”
    “No harm done,” she said, backing away, her cheeks still flaming hot.
    “None at all,” he agreed as he watched her with a curious expression.
    As she turned to leave, he stopped her. “Ventura?”
    She stared at him, her heart pounding.
    “Do you think I could have my shorts back?”
    Ventura gasped and looked down in horror, spying Richard’s underwear twisted snugly around her shoe.

Chapter Seven

    “That’s not what most women mean when they talk about getting into their boss’s shorts.”
    “Shut up,” Ventura said with a laugh. She and Mary stood thumbing through a rack of sexy bras at a downtown lingerie shop.
    “How about this one?” Mary asked, her face aglow. “This will make Charles sit up and take notice.”
    Ventura scrunched up her lips at the black-and-red lace bra with “peekaboo” cut-away nipples. “I’m going on a date, not a ho down .”
    “Very funny.” Mary picked through the rack, producing another selection. It was cobalt blue with a hefty underwire and big push-up pads. “Well?”
    “It looks…small.”
    Mary cocked an eyebrow. “Don’t you want to put your best assets out there?”
    Ventura studied her doubtfully. “I don’t know.”
    “Come on,” Mary urged. “Try it on. It will make you feel sexy.”
    Of all the things Ventura had been in her lifetime, sexy had not been among them. “It’s not like Charles will be seeing it.”
    “Who says he has to? It’s all about how you feel on the inside. That undercurrent of… yeow. ”
    “Fine,” Ventura said, resigned. “I’ll try it on.”
    “Ooh!” Mary said, grabbing a few more items off the rack. “Take these too!”
    A few moments later, Mary called over the dressing room wall, “So? How’s it look?”
    “Too tight,” Ventura said, popping open the door.
    Mary pushed it the rest of the way open. “Are you kidding me? You look like a brick house!”
    “And that, I suppose, would be good?”
    “Better than good.” Mary shot her an encouraging grin. “I say, go with it.”

    As they stood in line for the cash register, Mary spoke as nonchalantly as she could. “So, what’s the deal with the driving instructor?”
    “You mean Jason?”
    “Richard’s personal assistant, yeah.”
    “That one’s super organized, let me tell you. Richard calls him the master scheduler .”
    Mary casually studied her nails. “Do you think you could get him to pencil me in?”
    Ventura turned toward her with a grin. “I can’t believe my ears. Are you actually asking me to set you up?”
    Mary met her eyes sincerely. “Something strange is happening to me. I’m worried I’m losing my touch. Guys used to be all over me. And now… Well, I don’t know. Do you think it has something to do with my horoscope?”
    “What about Ed? The one who works at the White House? He took you on that private tour, remember?”
    Mary huffed. “Yeah, me and whole team of cheerleaders from Nevada.”
    “Oh!”
    “And Reginald?” Ventura asked.
    “The Republican intern?” Mary lowered her voice confidentially. “Got his boxers in a bunch because I said the Dems do better fashion. I mean, really,” she said rolling her eyes. “Think Jackie Kennedy.”
    “What about George? The one from the deli?”
    “Said he got tired of waiting and started dating some cappuccino girl.”
    “You make coffee.”
    Mary pointedly raised an eyebrow.
    “All right. I’ll ask about Jason. And you know, you might just have a chance.”
    Mary’s face brightened. “What? Did he say something?”
    “Yeah. He wanted to know where you get your mud masks.”
    Mary slapped her arm. “Ha-ha.”

    The next morning on the Metro, Ventura questioned Mary’s hot idea. The bra pinched so much, she ached each time she moved. Plus it made her much too large for this complementary cobalt blue silk blouse. Richard had asked her to take the train today because he had an early teleconference and Jason was busy helping him get ready. Ventura didn’t mind the Metro-to-bus connection. She was happy to do it if it helped Richard out and almost felt spoiled having had a personal chauffer her first few weeks at the new job.
    She shifted in her seat, checking her smart phone. It was cool to have a gadget that allowed her to surf the Internet and scan the latest job postings. Not