Full Disclosure Read Free Page B

Billy, I’d take short baths and tuck my stuff away in drawers. But he’d still natter on about how I was monopolizing the bathroom. It was like—like if he saw my stuff, it would ruin the illusion for him. I mean, is that what you guys want? To believe your lady is naturally hairless? Or that her skin doesn’t need any help staying smooth and sweet-smelling?”
    “Oh, yes. We want to believe all that and more. Like, that make-up just appears on your faces every morning. Knowing how it’s done ruins the magic.” He grinned. “Also, I think seeing all this—” he waved at the sink, “Makes us feel guilty. We’re forced to realize how much effort you put into looking nice for us.”
    “Well, here’s hoping pretty Tiffany leaves mascara and powders and creams everywhere. And that her lipsticks roll onto the floor so Billy ends up stepping on them,” Janet said.
    Roy went back to the bedroom. In truth, he found the lingerie and feminine clutter comforting. Annoying as such things could be, they reminded him that a woman was there and he...he really liked that. Getting his tee off the hanger, he dropped it down beside his scattered socks, sweatshirt and jeans. He was about to sit down on the bed, but decided he wanted company. He went back, lowered the toilet lid and took a seat. For a while, he silently clipped at his nails while watching Janet lacquer hers.
    “Is the smell of nail polish bothering you?” she asked. “Billy always had me put on the fan.”
    “Naw. I think Lila must have gotten high on the smell, she used so much.”
    “Maybe the stink will poison her new boyfriend.”
    “What a nice thing to say! We can only hope.”
    “So,” Janet ventured, “not to undermine our intent here but, what was good about Lila? There must have been something right or you’d never have been together.”
    Roy shrugged. He was still so angry, so wounded over Lila’s betrayal that it was hard to recall the positives. “She was one of those women all men want to be with at least once in their lives. Charismatic, full of joie de vivre . You meet a woman like that and you want to follow her lead and trust her judgment, even when it feels wrong. You’d rather doubt yourself than doubt her because you want to keep believing she’s wonderful. Perfect. Until, of course, the day you find out how long she’s been cheating on you. Then you realize what a gullible, lame-assed sucker you’ve been. What about Billy?”
    Janet shook her head. “I’m embarrassed to say it, it sounds so cliché, but he was exciting . He had an irresistible charge about him, the sort that blinds a girl to his shortcomings. And he had many, many shortcomings.”
    “So he was one of those bad boys?” Roy asked cautiously.
    “Oh, yes.”
    “Can you explain that to me? Women’s fascination with bad boys?” He worked to check the anger in his tone, to keep it civil and not accusing; Janet, after all, was just being honest as they agreed, she wasn’t rejecting him. It was hard, though, because she had gone for the guy who treated her like shit instead of someone like him who might have treated her well.
    Of course, he’d done the same with Lila, but he didn’t want to think about that right now.
    “It’s pretty simple, actually.” She put aside the polish and blew on the finished nails. “It’s more prestigious if we come in with a wolf on a leash than a dog—not meaning any offence there.”
     “None taken. So it’s the female version of the trophy wife or girlfriend?”
    “Exactly. No other lady can get the lone wolf to stay faithful to them, but you can. That not only makes you feel special, but proves to all the other women that you are special.”
    “Don’t you ever think that if you do get him to be faithful—tame him—he won’t be a wolf any longer?”
    “Oh, but we expect to have it both ways, don’t ya know?” Janet sighed to herself. Musing on all this was making her feel like she was gazing down on herself