Bosom Bodies (Mina's Adventures) Read Free

I work goes to my friend Ginger. It’s my wedding gift to her. So you see, like you Americans say, it’s a win-win situation.”
    “Oh? What are you winning?” He didn’t wait for an answer. “When is your boyfriend coming back? Does he know about this? He seems to be the only person who can talk some sense into your overactive brain.” Paco shook his head. Mina could tell he was more amused than angry. Good. He had no idea what the place and the uniform looked like, and she wasn’t going to tell him.
    “Brian called last night, just before I came home. He called from Amsterdam on the way to Yugoslavia.”
    “Too bad you couldn’t go with them. A little religion never hurts.”
    “Please. What religion? Some teenagers running around announcing in advance when they will see the Virgin Mary? I bet their families are cashing in on the madness. They probably own hotels and restaurants all over the place. What is it called again? Medjugorje? Try pronouncing that five times fast.”
    “Five? I can’t pronounce it once.” He shook his head. “It’s the wrong time of year to leave home, I think. You couldn’t have gone even if you wanted to, tomorrow is the day.”
    “Don’t remind me. I’m nervous enough. What am I supposed to do? Adams will be there, you, me? I’m just there to sign whatever you two think is good. You know I don’t understand half of what is going on.”
    “Mina.” Paco looked at her. His eyes reflected surprise and sadness. “It’s too late now, but I do wish you had tried harder to understand the business you r mother built.”
    “Come on. You know I trust you, and I trust Adams. What happens if we accept the offer? No more West Coast Software? We get our money and retire?” She laughed. “How cool would that be? Retired at twenty-four.”
    “I would not retire. I ’ m hoping to negotiate staying on . I also want to make sure they keep our best and most loyal employees.”
    “I’ll be unemployed then.” Mina meant it. Since Paola’s death, Paco ran the software company and Mina collected a salary because she was the heir, not because she earned it. If the deal took place, Mina would come into a very large amount of money and be free to pursue other interests. Adams, her lawyer, had convinced her to lease-purchase the upscale condo in Newport Beach with that event in mind.
    “Here we are,” Mina said with as much enthusiasm as possible.
    “Here where? I don’t see your Bug.”
    Bosom Bodies looked deserted, no parked cars, no lit signs, nothing. Mina realized they weren’t open. What she thought would be an early shift was actually Sunday’s opening time, which meant her car was still tucked away in the locked parking lot behind the building.
    “ Maledizione. Bad luck, this place is bad luck.” She got out of Paco’s car to peek through the frosted glass of the main entrance. Inside all was dark. The place wasn’t due to open for another ninety minutes. She couldn’t possibly ask Paco to sit around for that long; she had to do something. Oh, Brian, where are you when I need you?
    She went back to the car. “Paco, let’s get the tire out of your trunk, throw it over the back fence, then you hold me so I can climb over the fence and…”
    The look on Paco’s face told her he wasn’t going to do any of it. He shook his head and stroked his mustache with his forefinger like he did when he knew it was better to say nothing. He was right, as usual.
    “You need to use that stuff for men, you know? For your mustache, it’s getting gray.”
    “I’m over fifty,” he continued to shake his head, “and don’t change the subject.”
    She thought of her mother at the oddest times. Like now. “Paola would have been thirty-nine this year.”
    They looked at each other and both sighed.
    “Paco, I have a plan B. We get the tire out of the trunk. We roll it by the gate. I sit and wait until the manager comes to open, then I call Triple A. They change my tire while I change