All the Days of Her Life by Lurlene McDaniel Read Free Book Online Page A

you think it’s impossible to have a good time unless you’re drunk?” she countered.
    “I didn’t know you were such a loser. I’m really sorry I bothered with you. Next time, I’ll pick a girl who wants to have fun.”
    She watched him walk away and realized that being dumped by Todd meant being placed on the outside of the hallowed circle of Miami High’s in crowd. She’d wanted to be a part of it for so long!
    “You did the right thing, you know.” Terri stood beside her, watching Todd exit the prop room.
    “How long have you been listening? Don’t you know it’s rude to eavesdrop?” Lacey was angry. Angry at having Terri see her humiliated, angry at Toddfor holding out the carrot of popularity and then snatching it back.
    “Why do you care about that turkey? Leave him to Monet; they deserve each other.”
    “It’s not that easy.” Lacey wished Terri would drop it, because there was no explaining to her why Todd and his world appealed to her. She wasn’t sure she even knew
why
.
    “I know!” Terri said brightly. “You need a pick-me-up. Something to take your mind off that jerk. Come with me.”
    “Where?”
    “It’ll be a surprise.”
    “We can’t just up and leave. Ms. Kasch is expecting us to work on the set.” Lacey didn’t need much persuading. She wanted to be out of there too. Away from Todd’s contemptuous gaze.
    “We’ve been here every day for weeks and she allows three unexcused absences. This counts as one.” Terri grabbed Lacey’s hand and pulled her toward the outside stage door which she flung open. “Look. It’s spring. Blue skies. Bright sun. Smell that air. We shouldn’t be locked up in that smelly, dark theater.”
    Lacey allowed Terri to take her to a parked car. “Nice wheels,” Lacey said, surveying the sleek black sports car.
    “My brother Ramon’s. He let me drive it today and I promised to deliver it to him at his job.” Terri shut Lacey inside, got into the driver’s seat, and started the engine. “I know just what you need to get rid of the blue funk Todd put you in.”
    “What’s that?”
    “A feeding frenzy.” Terri shoved the car into gear and took off.
    “Isn’t that something sharks do?”
    “And people who need to transcend the blahs. I do it all the time.”
    Eating was the
last
thing Lacey wanted to do. “Sorry, I’m low on cash.”
    “No problem. Ramon is the manager of one of the hippest restaurants in Coconut Grove. We can eat ourselves into a stupor and never be charged a dime.”
    “Oh, I don’t think—”
    “I’m telling you, this place is really an experience. After we dine on everything on the menu, it’s off to Bailey’s Ice Cream Parlor. Imagine … double chocolate fudge ice cream smothered with hot fudge, marshmallow sauce, whipped cream, nuts, cherries. It’s like dying and going to heaven.”
    Lacey was speechless. She couldn’t eat that stuff. “But my diet—”
    “Begin again tomorrow. Tonight it’s food heaven.” Terri turned to her and grinned. The wind whipped her dark hair, and overhead the bright blue sky streaked past. “My treat,” she said with a beaming smile. “How can you say no to that?”
    Lacey couldn’t. Not when Terri was trying so hard. Not when she suddenly felt ravenous. She thought about her insulin shot and how she’d planned to give it to herself secretly in the bathroom. She decided that it would be too risky to sneak off while she was with Terri; better to forget italtogether tonight. What harm could it do? She was already running high blood sugars to lose weight, so skipping one shot at this stage shouldn’t be too bad. “Does Ramon’s restaurant serve lobster?” Lacey asked. “I have a weakness for lobster dripping with melted butter.”
    “Lobster and steak,” Terri said. “It’s called Surf and Turf.” She picked up the receiver of the car phone. “I’ll just call and tell him to start our steaks right now.”
    Lacey laughed and felt excitement bubbling up