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"The Devil Doubles Down"!

I woke up to my phone going off. I slammed my clock first to shut it up, thinking it was the alarm. Squinting my eyes at its display, I saw that it was a little after seven. I grabbed my phone and saw it was Dean calling me.

“Hello?”

“Sorry to wake you, Sparky, but something happened last night and I need to see you.”

“Okay.”

“Not over the phone. There’s a lot to unpack, plus I need to give you something of your dad’s. It all goes together.”

I was in the process of waking up and sat up in my bed. “Okay, well, I was meeting Bobby for lunch, is it urgent?”

“It can wait till after you see your friend, but its just something I know you’ll be interested in.”

I huffed. “Curiosity is killing me.”

“Then get here as soon as possible after your lunch," Dean said and chuckled.

I smirked and we said our goodbyes. I wanted to get some shopping done before I met Bobby, so I figured it was good as time as any to wake up.

Spring was beginning to turn into summer in East Alton. I could tell because the days were getting longer and hotter, which meant my yearly struggle with boob sweat was just beginning. The advantage is that on any given day when I feel in the dumps, I know that I can always look down and be happy that I have something impressive to admire.

The Midwest season changes are usually pretty abrupt with Spring and Fall getting the least airtime, but this year there had been some wonderful mild days, which means I can wear all the sundresses I want. I was feeling good this certain Tuesday, so I decided to go to the mall, which I usually loathe. I was wanting to get a new dress, something with a little flair and a little sass. I know that may be a bit much to ask from a piece of clothing, but it pays to have standards.

I went to one of the big department stores that anchor the shopping mall and went to their “Women’s” department, which they always manage to hide in some unused back corner of the store. I went through a rack and a half before I found something suitable, a nice clingy black dress. It had a low neckline and looked like the hemline would fall right around my knees.

After changing, I came out of the dressing room and checked myself out in the mirror. The neckline was very nice to my cleavage and the length was just right. I turned to see my profile. I loved what the dress did to my curves, showing in wonderful contours. It also showed my tummy. I put my hand on my midsection and thought back to when I hated this. I hated trying on clothes. I hated being disappointed at what I saw. To sum up, I hated my body. So, of course, I wasn't going to like anything I draped over it. It was all just going to be varying degrees of suckiness. Like, "Well, this outfit doesn't suck as much as the last five outfits I tried on, I guess I'll buy it." Gradually, I got tired of feeling like I did and I had to make a conscious desire to stop. You can't hate yourself to be a better person.

I sighed and dropped my hand down to my side, admiring my reflection. If you love parts of me, you better be prepared to take the whole thing. Just then, a wispy attendant flitted into the dressing room area. She plucked up the clothes and empty hangers that shoppers had left behind, briefly looked at me and then my reflection. “That’s okay,” she said and nodded, “but you should get some Spanx to wear with that.”

I narrowed my eyes, "What?"

“They help shape your body, you know, to deal with your weight problem.”

I turned to face the woman directly, put my hands on my hips and said, “I don’t have a weight problem, but apparently you do.”

She startled, sputtered softly and then left with the things she had. Shaking my head, I looked again in the mirror and made up my mind. I'm getting this dress, with no fucking body-shaping contour-wear bullshit and I'm wearing it out the store. I grabbed the clothes I had been wearing, stuffed them in my purse and strode to the nearest cashier.

“I want to buy this dress,” I said, holding up the sales tag still attached to the dress out for her to scan.

The salesperson blinked and said, “Yes, ma’am.” She hesitantly held up the scanner to the tag I was holding and rang up the dress. After the transaction was complete, she held up a pair of scissors and said meekly, “Did you want me to take care of the tag?”

“Nah, that’s okay,” I said, snapping the tag loose and laying it on the counter, “I got this.” And then I strutted out of the store, wearing my beautiful black dress.

***

I sat in the coffeehouse waiting for Bobby to arrive. With the dress, I was getting my share of attention and loved it. To be honest, I only wore it to get a certain someone's attention. Meeting Bobby for coffee wasn't the only reason I was here. I looked back over my shoulder to see Derrick still busy making lattes and cappuccinos for the customers.

He was looking particularly hot today. He had his long black hair pulled back and although he was far too muscular for what the job entailed, he certainly looked good doing it. He was also in a band, where he played bass guitar. They played covers mainly, but had some good original material and did well, knocking around the local clubs. He knew I was going to be in today and I finally caught his eye. He smiled, winked at me and then looked at his watch and held up a finger, indicating his break would be soon.

I heard someone familiar clear his throat, "Am I interrupting something?"

I smiled and looked back in front of me. “Just admiring the scenery, Bobby.”

He shook his head as I stood to give him a hug. “Yeah, I bet,” he said. After the hug, he went to order and I followed him. He gave me a look.

“It’s my treat this time, remember?”

“No, I don’t, but I’ll take your word for it,” he said.

We walked up to the counter, he placed his order and I paid. We got back to our table and he sat in the chair opposite me and looked around the shop. Bobby was in his mid-30s, so about ten years older than me, We had met when I started working at the local paper. I was there for a few years, then left, when I wanted to make my dream to be a private detective a reality. Bobby had been going through a rough patch lately. He and his boyfriend of a few months had just split up. Turned out he was a bit young and not ready to settle down for the long haul that Bobby wanted and the strain finally broke the relationship. Bobby seemed to lock in on someone sitting behind me and cleared his throat to get my attention. “Mr. Dark Slacks behind you to your left.”

I glanced over my shoulder and shook my head. “I don’t think so.”

“Why not?”

“Because you’re allergic to cats. And from the look of the cat hairs on his slacks, he has at least three. Plus, he’s a bit tightly wound.”

“He is?”

“From the look of his nails, he bites them often, he’s been cracking his knuckles incessantly since I got here and his knee’s bobbing under the table a mile a minute.”

He sighed. "There are times I hate your observational skills"

“It’s a curse,” I smiled, “don’t worry about it, you’ll find somebody.”

“Whatever, I’m still trying to marry you off.”

I laughed and shook my head. “Yeah, that won’t be happening anytime soon.” I looked back over to the counter at Derrick. Bobby followed my gaze and his eyes widened in surprise. “When did Derrick start working here? Wait, I don’t believe you! Isn’t this the place that makes those awful scones?”

“They’re hard as a rock.”

“Exactly.”

“Just like Derrick," I said, winking.

Bobby rolled his eyes. “Honestly.”

I giggled. The barista that handled Bobby’s order called out his name. While Bobby was getting his coffee, my phone buzzed. I looked down at the display and frowned, it was Mom. I shook my head, I wish she’d just give it up. I wasn’t going to be happy with her and that’s that. I tapped ‘ignore’ on the call. Bobby came back with his coffee and sat down.

“Who was that?” Bobby said, pointing to her phone.

“Nobody.”

“So, it was your Mom again. Honestly, how long are you going to keep putting her off?”

“Excuse me? She shacks up with some rich idiot days after dad gets killed, in the line of duty, mind you. Then she ends up marrying him and I'm just supposed to be okay with it?"

“It’s been ten years honey.”

“No consideration. None. No thought about anybody else’s feelings. So, as far as I’m concerned, I don’t have to give any consideration to her.”

“Fine,” he said, putting down his coffee, “I understand you being pissed. But how long are you gonna put off working this out?”

“Work out? What is there to work out?”

“You can’t be mad at your Mom forever.”

“Well, for right now, it's feeling like a forever thing."

He was just about to start in again when my phone chimed. I checked the display to see that a text had come in from Chase. I opened the text. Chase and I had been seeing each other off and on for the past couple of months since he got back into town from a business trip.

Bobby saw the smile on my face and nodded. “And that must be from Chase.”

“You can hush now,” I said.

His text read, Hey honey, I just wanted to touch base and see how you were doing.

I’m doing good, I messaged back, just having lunch with Bobby.

That’s great, I’m in the office, meeting with some clients about mutual funds, first-time investors, so I’ll have to speak slowly.

Sounds like loads of fun, I texted, doing my best to convey sarcasm. Chase worked at one of the larger investment firms in town and I had to smile, imagining him drawing pictures or pie charts to explain interest dividends.

Yeah, I know something else I’d rather be doing.

I bet, I texted.

Do you think we could get together soon? I know I asked a couple of times and you had said you were busy, so I gave you some space. I understood. I guess this is just me saying, I enjoy spending time with you.

I took a deep breath. Chase knew I saw other people, I told him from the start. But what we had going was starting to feel heavy. I hated feeling weighed down and most everyone who knows me knows that. But something inside me missed him and that worried me.

How about this Saturday? I asked.

Honest? I would love that. I've missed you, Kimber.

I hated the blush I could feel rising in my cheeks. I texted, Yes, I promise, this Saturday.

All right, Saturday it is. Thank you, baby.

I texted ttyl and put my phone down.

“You're blushing," Bobby said.

“I said, you can hush now.”

“That’s how I know it’s him. You rarely blush, but you do with him.”

“We must have very different definitions of the word ‘hush’.”

“You can’t fool me, honey, he’s special.”

I picked my phone back up. “I’m gonna look up the definition, I’ll text it to you.”

“You may have your ‘favorites’ that you call around when you wanna have your fun, but Chase, he’s different.”

“Done,” I said after I had sent him the definition, “You have no excuse now.” I put my phone back down.

Bobby shook his head. He changed the subject to other things. I told him of my progress on getting my private investigator’s license. He was just thankful I finally got my car back and my windshield fixed, so he wouldn’t have to be my taxi cab.

“Hey, I didn’t call that much.”

“You called enough, not that I’m complaining.”

“Oh no, of course not.”

He chuckled and looked at his watch. “Well, I need to get back to work.”

We both stood and hugged. I was very lucky to have him. I had friends that I loved to have fun and do things with, but I knew that if I ever had a problem or something I needed to talk about, I could always turn to Bobby.

He let the hug go and said, “Don’t do anything I…oh, why do I bother saying that?”

“I don't know," I said and smiled.

Bobby left and I turned around and saw Derrick. He motioned with his head to the door leading to the stock room. I bit my lip and almost skipped to the back door. I was barely in the stock room and he was on me almost as soon as I had entered. He pressed me up against a storage rack and held me there, kissing me hard. I wrapped my arms around him and balled up my fists, grabbing handfuls of his shirt, holding him close. Our tongues met and played with each other like they had spent years apart when actually it had been just last week. I dropped my hand and hiked my dress up. I then grabbed his hand and guided it down between my legs, letting him feel how much I had missed him. His appreciation was audible and he soon nibbled his way down my body and then ducked his head underneath my dress.

I laid my head back against the storage rack and closed my eyes. I swung a leg over his shoulder so that he would have better access. Sighing, I grabbed his head, forcing it closer. I tried to look out for anyone who might come in, but honestly, it was hard to keep my eyes focused. I was just about to get my satisfaction when I heard a loud voice come near the door. My breath caught in my throat as I looked around. I didn't see anybody and was quickly distracted as he slid his fingers inside me. I tried to keep quiet as he thrust deeper. Pressing my lips together, I whimpered and clenched around his fingers inside, waves of bliss rushing through my body. I took a moment to catch my breath. My leg was shaky as I dropped it from his shoulder and steadied myself against the rack. I exhaled deeply and smiled.

“You certainly worked for your tip, didn’t you?” I said.

Derrick chuckled as he got back on his feet. “I aim to please.”

“Always a pleasure,” I said, kissing him again. He kissed me back and damn if I didn’t want to risk getting caught just to feel him inside me.

He must have read my mind. He reluctantly broke the kiss and said, “Maybe I’ll be by after my gig tonight.”

“Sounds like a plan, baby. Text me."

He winked as he left to go back out to the counter.

I sighed and rubbed my eyes. Smoothing my dress down, I looked out both ways before I made my way back into the coffeehouse. The scones may suck, but the place has its benefits.

I got in my car and started heading towards Dean’s house. I had to keep an eye on my speed. I wasn’t sure what a retired police detective would consider urgent, but I couldn’t wait to find out.

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