Lucky Seven

by Elle M Thomas

  “Should I wait?” Mike asked.

  Tasha shook her head. “Go and do whatever you do. It’s seems crazy for you to sit and wait for us, thank you though.”

  “If you’re sure. Call me when you’re done.” He passed her a card with his number on, obviously expecting to be summoned for the return trip, but was already climbing back into the car and preparing to leave.

  Chapter 11

  Lizzie insisted they went into every shop to check out sneakers and eventually found some suitable ones and a pair of sandals. She handed Jim’s credit card over and didn’t even look at the cost. Tasha found it very odd, but then who was she to judge as her father paid no consideration to how much of her money he inadvertently spent.

  Lizzie tried to convince Tasha to make several purchases, but she resisted the temptation until they found the swimwear section of a very expensive and exclusive looking boutique.

  “Are you looking for anything special?” the perfectly made up and coiffured assistant asked after they’d been wandering around for a few minutes.

  “Just looking.” Tasha thought she might be better off finding somewhere a little less exclusive before Lizzie intervened.

  “We, well, she is looking for bikinis.” She spoke with a firm tone but Tasha was unsure who her firmness was for, the assistant or her.

  This girl was very much her father’s daughter.

  The assistant sprang into life and selected several bikinis and ushered Tasha into the changing room. The first one she tried on was very small, but incredibly supportive and bright orange.

  “Let’s see,” called Lizzie from the other side of the changing room.

  Tasha took a deep breath before stepping out into the space where Lizzie waited for her.

  “Wow!” shouted Lizzie, causing other customers to turn and look.

  Tasha was beyond embarrassed now, but Lizzie didn’t appear to notice.

  “You look awesome. You have to get it. I don’t think Daddy has ever dated an English woman so young before, but I can see why he likes you.”

  Tasha was still wondering if Lizzie’s words meant her father had dated a succession of English women who had all been older than her and was uncertain how that made her feel as the assistant reappeared and agreed with Lizzie’s summing up of the bikini.

  With a nod and a smile she spoke. “Very flattering. You have an enviable figure.” She gestured between her buxom chest hoisted up high and pushed together and her attractively rounded hips emphasising her small waist and long, lean legs.

  Tasha was uncomfortable to be under such close scrutiny in so few clothes so after smiling rushed back into the changing room and redressed before re-emerging carrying all of the bikinis she’d gone in with.

  “What about the others?” Lizzie was clearly confused by Tasha’s reappearance fully dressed.

  “I like the orange one.” Tasha did like it, but she was unsure if it was really her.

  “You’re only taking one?”

  Looking across, amazed at the young woman that Jim’s daughter was, Tasha laughed at her expression of disappointment. “I only need one.”

  “What about some shoes to go with it?” asked Lizzie, almost distressed at the idea of Tasha buying only one item.

  Tasha laughed again. “I have shoes.”

  Lizzie shook her head in dismay. “You really are different to the others. They would spend Daddy’s money much more easily.”

  “Will that be all then?” asked the assistant.

  “Yes, thank you.”

  Tasha headed to the cash desk and once there felt rather faint at the sight of the cost of the very small bikini, $750. For a bikini that was essentially four fabric triangles and some string. She cursed internally but handed over her credit card and smiled in spite of the nausea she felt. She did have some work planned for the following week, although the pay would probably just cover the cost of the bikini, whatever $750 was in pounds.

  “No, use this one,” interrupted Lizzie handing over Jim’s credit card.

  “Lizzie, no,” argued Tasha.

  The assistant stared at them with a credit card in each hand waiting for further instructions.

  “Daddy was quite clear, Tasha,” she said defiantly and again Tasha could see she was very much her father’s daughter.

  “Lizzie, really, I can pay for my own clothes.”

  “Shall I give you a moment?” asked the assistant as she handed them each their card.

  “Please.” Tasha followed Lizzie to a sofa in the corner where they sat together and she hoped she might be able to make her desire to buy her own clothes clear. “I have my own money and I can buy my own things.”

  Lizzie frowned, unconvinced having your own money was enough of a reason not to accept someone else picking up your bills. Tasha got it, understood why Lizzie might feel that way if she’d spent her whole life wanting for nothing and having access to her father’s credit card and its limitless facility. She considered how to explain her thoughts then tried again.

  “I’m used to working and making my own money to buy the things I want and I like it, Lizzie. For me it feels as though I’ve achieved something by being able to be self-sufficient. I like being independent. I don’t know if I want your dad to buy me things.” Tasha watched her words register and hoped she was making some headway because she had no intention of explaining her real fear; she had been bought and traded in the past and didn’t want there to ever be any question as to why she and Jim were together. She never wanted to feel he was with her because he had somehow bought the rights to her rather than because he wanted to be.

  Dark thoughts and ideas from the past were beginning to invade her mind when Lizzie responded.

  “I know, but he wants to buy you things. Daddy is very generous. He likes you, a lot and he did say.”

  Tasha could see that as much as Lizzie words suggested she got it, she really didn’t. What was obvious was her clear belief that Daddy got whatever Daddy wanted and he had said to them both she should get something for the pool and charge it.

  “You could be very persuasive.”

  Lizzie smiled as if she’d just been paid the greatest of compliments and as much as Tasha wanted to laugh at her, the words she spoke only made her frown. “Either I persuade you or Daddy does. I’ll call him if I have to.”

  Tasha laughed now, assuming Lizzie was simply teasing, joking. She couldn’t be serious, threatening to call her dad to tell on her like they were children playing a game she was losing. Tasha even imagined Lizzie saying, Daddy, tell her.

  “You wouldn’t,” she said with a smile and a shake of her head.

  Quick as a flash Lizzie’s phone was out and she had hit the button. Tasha laughed again, still not convinced she’d really called Jim. Surely she was bluffing.

  “Hi, Daddy. No, we are fine, but Tasha is going to pay for her bikini and you said—” the flow of words had obviously been stopped in their tracks by her father. Lizzie looked at Tasha, handing her the phone. “Sorry, he wants to speak to you.”

  “Hello.” She spoke nervously but was also a little shocked to realise Lizzie had been serious and really had phoned her father to tell on her.

  “Hi, baby. I believe you’re causing my daughter some distress by stopping her from following my instructions,” Jim said, his playful tone causing some of Tasha’s initial nervousness to lift, but it was more, it made her smile. He made her smile. It made her happy, just the sound of his voice. He made her happy.

  “So it would seem.” She was unable to hide her pleasure or her smile.

  “Please, just charge the bikini.”

  “No, there’s no need—” she started.

  “Honey, I really don’t have time for this right now. Just charge the God damn thing, please.”

  His voice had lost much of its playfulness but Tasha persisted. “But—”

  “No buts Tasha—”

  She interrupted him now. “I don’t need you to buy me things Jame—, Jim, real
ly.”

  “Even though I want to? We can play it your way, baby. Pass me back to Lizzie, please” he said a little curtly and as much as she wanted to say something else to reinstate his earlier happy and playful persona she didn’t, she simply complied with his request.

  Returning the phone to Lizzie Tasha did allow herself a small smile thinking he’d accepted her decision, albeit begrudgingly until she heard Lizzie giving Jim the details of where they were then asked him with a slightly stunned expression, “You’re coming here, now?”

  “Shit!” Tasha muttered in panic. She felt enough of a fool arguing about who was paying with a fifteen-year-old without James putting in an appearance and in person he wouldn’t take no for an answer and as much as she liked the idea of his hand on her ass, she didn’t want it doing in the middle of the shop. She snatched Lizzie’s phone from her and conceded. “Okay, I give up, you pay for it.”

  Lizzie smiled and skipped to the cash desk to pay for the bikini leaving Tasha behind to speak to Jim.

  “See it wasn’t so difficult, was it?”

  “You have absolutely no idea.” It had been hard. To allow someone else to accept responsibility for her purchase and run the risk of it equating to them buying her.

  “Then I thank you for allowing me to do so.” He sounded sincere. As if he did understand how hard it had been and would continue to be for her to get on board with his need to pay for things. As if he knew why it was so hard for her. “Will I get to see this argumentative bikini?”

  With a smile of her own she was sure she could hear or maybe sense the smile he wore again now. Somehow, with smiles reinstated she felt centred, contentment washed over her. So much so she felt able to tease and flirt a little. “Maybe.”

  “What’s it like?”

  “Small and very expensive.” She laughed at her own, concise but apt description.

  “Just the way I like them. I have to go. I will sext you later.”

  Lizzie was back, holding up the beautifully packaged bikini and grinning. “Sorry for telling on you.” She looked and sounded like a fifteen-year-old again rather than someone unwilling to take no for an answer, someone like her father.

  “It’s fine, really. I shouldn’t have put you in that position. I knew he’d asked you to charge it.” Tasha hugged Lizzie, not wanting her to feel in anyway compromised by her need to call her father. “Lunch?” she asked as her belly let out a loud growl.

  “Yes, please. There’s a fantastic place around the corner.” Lizzie was already heading for the door. Tasha followed in her wake.

  About half an hour later after Tasha had insisted they both leave their phones in their bags they ate lunch.

  “You do know Daddy’s paying for lunch, don’t you?”

  Tasha nodded, resigned to it.

  “The assistant in the shop thought we were sisters, but I told her you were Daddy’s girlfriend. He really likes you.”

  So much for discretion. Tasha wondered if she really was Jim’s girlfriend. She smiled and avoided the girlfriend label, simply admitting, “And I like him.”

  Lizzie clapped excitedly. “Will you marry him? You’d be a really cool stepmom, not like the others.”

  Tasha almost choked on her mineral water. This girl really was her father’s daughter.

  “Thank you, but I haven’t known your dad very long at all, Lizzie, and I do like him, but you don’t marry people you like.”

  Lizzie shrugged and as both women pushed their empty plates away she pulled her phone out to begin texting rather than sexting thought Tasha as she reached for her own phone. She felt disappointed there was no text from Jim yet. She continued sipping her water and watched Lizzie smiling as she typed.

  “Can I have your number?”

  Tasha assumed sharing her number would be okay. In fact, maybe they should have swapped numbers earlier, in case they’d become separated. Lizzie gave Tasha her number and grinned when she received a message with her number.

  Suddenly, her own phone vibrated on the table causing a grin of Cheshire cat proportions to spread across her face as she saw a message from Jim.

 

  So, he was who Lizzie had text. Tasha looked across and could see she was on Facebook now.

 

  She thought it was quite outrageous to discuss this with anyone, especially his daughter.

 

  Lizzie looked up and smiled. Tasha smiled back as she decided she had been very quick to assume Jim might have discussed any future marriage with his daughter.

 

  Tasha smiled as the texting headed straight into sexting. She looked up to find Lizzie staring at her and smiling.

 

  She giggled as she replied.

 

  While she was waiting for him to reply she had a message from Lizzie.

 

  Tasha stared at it and although Lizzie was next to her, she replied by text.

 

  She noticed there was a message from Jim now.

 

  There was another message from Lizzie.

 

  God it was like talking to James.

 

  Lizzie looked up at her and laughed which made Tasha laugh too.

  “I have to get some books for school and then I am done. Should we call Mike?” asked Lizzie.

  “It seems a shame to make him come back down here when we could get a cab.”

  This was something else that seemed alien to Tasha. Waiting for someone else to transport you, a driver, an employee paid to pick you up, taking you from A to B when there was public transport available or even a cab. At home she had her own car and enjoyed
driving, it gave her further independence which was something she valued highly.

  “But Daddy doesn’t like cabs.”

  “Why not?”

  Lizzie shrugged with an expression that suggested she had never asked herself the question or queried her father’s judgement in this.

  “Let’s get your books and then we’ll get a cab. Give Mike a break, but I need to reply to your dad before we go, okay?”

  “Sure, I’m going to the bathroom.”

  Tasha watched her walk away. She needed to be remember Lizzie appeared to tell James everything and followed his instructions to the letter. She replied to his text imagining how much of a minefield having Lizzie for a step-daughter had been for Jim’s wives.

 

  A reply was almost instantaneous

 

  She really did tell him everything.

  Tasha felt a tap on her shoulder and assumed it was Lizzie so when she turned and found Parker beside her she was stunned. Doogie bloody Howser.