Tales of the City 04 - Babycakes

instructions.”
“What?”
“Simon left a small tome about the operation of his apartment.”
“Have you looked at it yet?” she asked.
“Nope. Don’t want to. I want it to be a complete surprise.”
That made sense to her.
“Well?” he asked. “Do they?”
“What?”
“Get along well together.”
“Mouse … what is this?”
“Nothing,” he shrugged. “I’m just curious.”
She hesitated. “I don’t know. They seem to like each other. They both have the hots for Theresa Cross.”
Michael made a face. “Brian told you that?”
“He doesn’t have to. I know how he is. He’s got a sleazy streak in him a mile wide.”
He grinned at some private movie. “Yeah … that figures. Any man who would make you wear leg warmers during sex …”
“Mouse …”
His languid grin remained.
“I should never have told you that. I knew you’d throw it back at me. Besides … he doesn’t make me do it. I do it of my own accord.”
He nodded solemnly. “I admire a woman who takes responsibility for her own sleaziness.”
“That’s the last juicy tidbit you get from me.”
“Juicy tidbit? You told me it was a transcendental experience. You said it made you feel like one of the girls from Fame.”
She stomped into his kitchen. “I’m pouring myself some wine.”
“Help yourself,” he hollered back. “Pour me some, too.”
She stood there for a moment in the light of his refrigerator, enjoying the afterglow of his teasing. She had loved this sentimental, funny, adorable man longer than she had loved Brian even, and it warmed her heart to realize they were getting back to normal again. Returning with two glasses of wine, she handed one to him and asked: “Aren’t you going to open your package?”
He looked confused.
“The one from Ned,” she added, pointing to it. She couldn’t stand it when people didn’t open things immediately.
“Oh.” He set his wine down and reached for the envelope, tearing off the end. “And the winner is …” He peered down into it. then pulled out a note written on a card with a naked fireman on the front. “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do. I’ll miss you. Your buddy, Ned.’ ”
“That’s sweet,” she said.
He nodded, with a little smile.
“That’s not all, is it?”
Another nod.
“Mouse … there’s something in there.”
“There is, huh?”
“I felt it moving around.” She took the envelope from him and shook it over the sofa. Five foil-wrapped rubbers fell out. “Oops,” she said.
Mouse just grinned at her. He didn’t look particularly upset. “It’s Ned’s way of saying … you know … be careful and have a good time.” He scooped them up in both hands. “Here … from me to you.”
“What?” She was sure she was scarlet.
“C’mon. Take ’em. I’m celibate. You guys can use them more than I can.”
“Uh … Mouse. Thanks just the same, O.K.?”
He looked at her for a moment, then dropped the rubbers back into the envelope. “Hooked on the pill, huh?”
She picked up her wine and downed it.
He sipped his slowly, peering at her over the rim. “Do I still get that ride to the airport?”
“Sure. You bet. What time?”
“Well … I guess we should leave no later than three-thirty. Just to be sure.”
“Great.” She pecked him on the cheek. “See you then.”
When she got back to her own apartment, she found Brian washing the breakfast dishes. She leaned into his back and kissed his neck. “Mouse is so excited,” she said.
“I don’t blame him,” he replied.
“Maybe we should do the same.”
He dried his hands on a towel and turned around. “Go to London?”
She smiled at him. “Get out of town, at least.”
“All right. Our savings account should get us as far as, say, Oakland.”
She touched the tip of his nose. “Exactly what I had in mind.”
“Oakland?”
“Sure. A weekend for two at the Claremont. All expenses paid.”
“How come?”
She looked as cavalier as possible. “No reason.”
“No. I meant: how come all expenses are paid?”
“Oh. I did a feature on them last month. It’s a freebie.”
“Not bad.”
“I know. Jacuzzi, sauna … baking by the pool. Nothing to pack but swimming suits and something for the dining room.”
“And leg warmers.”
“And leg warmers,” she echoed. “Sold! To the gentleman with the hard-on.”
Pumping the Lieutenant
    W HEN SHE. RETURNED FROM THE AIRPORT THE next day, she found Simon sitting on the bench in the courtyard. He gave her a jaunty little wave as she passed