Irresistible? Read Free

dinner.”
    Ellie stopped long enough to unwrap her uneaten egg-salad sandwich for Esmerelda, then walked the few steps through the living room and down the hall to her bedroom. Manny Oliver was a gem. They’d been friends for three years—in fact, his friendship with Joan Wright had landed Ellie the job at the arts center in the first place.
    He made his living doing cabaret shows in drag. Ellie had seen him perform many times, and stood in awe of his singing, dancing and his killer legs. Her male roommate looked better in stockings and heels than she did. And if that wasn’t bad enough, the man could cook, too.
    After Ellie had changed, and joined Manny in the kitchen, she recounted her day over a scrumptious meal of Italian potato dumplings.
    â€œMen are dogs,” he supplied when she described the deli disaster.
    â€œHe gave me seventy-five bucks,” she said, grinning.
    â€œBut rich dogs can be housebroken,” he amended, and they both laughed. “Was he divine?”
    She nodded, the image of the man’s face forming in her mind. “Definite model material.”
    â€œNice dresser?”
    â€œImmaculate.”
    â€œStraight?”
    Ellie shrugged. “I think so, but who knows these days?”
    â€œ Tell me you got his name,” Manny pleaded.
    â€œNo, he offered me his card, but I smacked it away.”
    He shook his head. “Ellie, how many times do I have to remind you, the game is hard to get, not impossible .”
    She laughed. “He wasn’t my type at all, Manny. A real stuffed shirt. I’ll bet you couldn’t get a toothpick up his—”
    â€œEllie!”
    â€œWell, you know what I mean. Except for his obviously better taste in suits, he reminded me of the way my dad used to be—a corporate robot.”
    â€œPeople change, Ellie. Look at your dad. The man sees more naked people than a doctor.”
    â€œYeah,” she said with a short laugh. “Imagine my mom and dad retiring next to a nudist colony. It was by accident, you know.”
    â€œOh, sure, Ellie, what would you expect them to tell their daughter? If they didn’t know about the nudist colony when they moved there, why haven’t they posted a For Sale sign in the two years since?”
    â€œI don’t want to think about it. The whole situation brings to mind pictures I’d rather not see.”
    â€œThe point is, your dad finally mellowed out.”
    Ellie snorted. “After thirty years of missing family dinners and undergoing two bypass surgeries.” She stabbed another dumpling. “My mom should have left him decades ago.”
    â€œHe’s a good man, Ellie, you said so yourself.”
    â€œHe neglected his family.”
    â€œBut your mom was always there for you.”
    Angry tears welled in her eyes. “But who was there for her?”
    Manny reached over and laid a hand on her shoulder, giving her a light shake. “They’re happy now, Ellie. Save it for your therapist.” He took a sip of wine, then asked, “So what are you going to do about rent money?”
    Leave it to Manny not to mince words. “I called about an ad for participants in a clinical study. The money sounds good—I’m going to find out more about it tomorrow night.” She told him about her conversation with the screener. Manny laughed and agreed it sounded promising.
    â€œYou’ve got a guardian angel on your shoulder, Ellie. How else can you explain losing a job, then finding a want ad for desperate women on the same day? A toast!” He lifted his wineglass to hers.
    Ellie stuck out her tongue at him, then good-naturedly clinked her glass to his.
    Â 
    THE MEETING ROOM WAS more crowded than Ellie had expected. Based on the cramped accommodations, the crowd had apparently surpassed the clinic’s expectations, as well. The room resembled a college classroom: no windows except the tiny one in the door, fairly