Strange Bedpersons by Jennifer Crusie Read Free Book Online Page A

Gina told her when she got to Tess’s apartment. “He probably knew you didn’t have anything for this kind of shindig. He was being thoughtful.”
    “Wait’ll you see this thing,” Tess said, dragging her into the bedroom.
    But all Gina said when she saw the dress was, “It’s beautiful. It really was thoughtful, Tess.”
    “Thoughtful, my hat. He’s being patronizing. He thinks I don’t have anything decent.”
    Gina looked around Tess’s bedroom, which was furnished with a creaky bed, a dozen thrift-store pillows and Angela, and raised an eyebrow at her.
    Tess grinned and flapped a hand. “That’s not what I meant. I meant he’s assuming I didn’t have anything decent to wear.”
    “You don’t.” Gina dropped onto the bed and looked at the dress wistfully before she returned to her attack. “Look, Tess, he did his laundry with you. He knows what your clothes look like. He knows what you dress like. He did you a favor. What’d the card say?”
    “What card?”
    “There must have been a card.” Gina sounded exasperated as she reached for the box and pawed through the tissue paper until she found it. “Got it. It says...” She hesitated while she pulled it out. “It says, ‘I saw this and knew you’d look great in it. Thank you for saving my life. Nick.’” Gina frowned at Tess. “And you’re not planning on hanging on to him? You’re nuts. I’d kill to have somebody write me cards like this.”
    “That’s because you don’t know him like I do,” Tess grumbled. “I mean, look at this dress. Nancy Reagan would love this dress. He’s trying to make me a Republican for the weekend.”
    “Nancy Reagan dressed great,” Gina said. “You’re such a bigot. If it’s Republican, you want to burn a cross in the yard. Shape up.” She looked at the dress wistfully again. “It would be nice to have clothes like that, you know? Real clothes, not just cheap stuff.”
    Tess looked at the dress dubiously. “I suppose so.” She pulled at it a little, growing more cheerful as she studied it. “It’s just one night. And then maybe I can change the laces to red and lower the neckline.”
    “And put a slit up the side and pretend you’re Suzie Wong,” Gina added. “Why don’t you just give respectability a try?”
    “Never,” Tess said. “You’ll know I’m dead when I start acting respectable.”
    “Somehow I’m not worried,” Gina said. “Listen, all I’ve got for this thing is my black jersey dress. You know, the one with the belt? Is that gonna be okay?”
    “Sure.” Tess shrugged. “You look great in everything.”
    “It’s not like this,” Gina said, fingering the material of Tess’s dress one more time before she let go.
    “It’s not the kinda dress that people just look at and know it’s a good dress.”
    “Gina, you look so darling in everything you put on that people don’t care what you’re wearing.” Tess hung the dress on the back of the closet door. “Forget about your dress. You’ll look great. Nick’s picking me up at four. You’re riding with Park, right?”
    “You’re not going to be late, are you?” Gina said, sudden panic making her voice sharp. “Please.”
    “You’re not even riding down with us,” Tess said. “What difference does it make to you whether I’m late or not?”
    “All those people.” Gina clutched her hands together. “I want them to think I’m classy. I need you near me.”
    “Not if you want people to think you’re classy,” Tess said, and shut the closet door on the Nancy Reagan dress.

    Nick was not at all surprised that Tess wasn’t home when he came to pick her up on Friday afternoon. He put his suitcase by the door and rang the bell, and when there was no answer, he leaned against the wall to wait. Tess was always late because she always got caught up in the drama of the moment wherever she was. Time was relative to Einstein and Tess alike.
    While he waited, he thought about Tess and all the ways she could