Book Read Free

The Click Trilogy

Page 60

by Lisa Becker


  Subject: Re: Call me!

  Since when has that ever stopped you?

  From: Shelley Manning – March 24, 2014 – 2:46 PM

  To: Renee Greene

  Subject: Re: Call me!

  True. Maybe being an old married lady is mellowing me out.

  From: Renee Greene – March 24, 2014 – 2:47 PM

  To: Shelley Manning

  Subject: Re: Call me!

  Don't let that ever change you!

  From: Shelley Manning – March 24, 2014 – 2:51 PM

  To: Renee Greene

  Subject: Re: Call me!

  You're right. The restroom is free. Let me see if Nick wants to consummate our marriage again…at 30,000 feet. I'll call you when I'm back from our trip. Mwah! Mwah!

  From: Mark Finlay – March 27, 2014 – 10:53 AM

  To: Renee Greene

  Subject: Shelley Withdrawals?

  Hey, there. I know Shelley is on her honeymoon right now and you are probably going through withdrawals.

  So I thought I would offer up my services. I'm happy to make inappropriate comments, mock people, come up with silly nicknames and eat cupcakes. I draw the line at a pedicure, but considering she lives in Seattle now, I'm not sure you two do that anyway.

  From: Renee Greene – March 27, 2014 – 11:15 AM

  To: Mark Finlay

  Subject: Re: Shelley Withdrawals?

  Well, aren't you just the best girlfriend a gal could have? Tee hee! Seriously, you are so sweet. It has been hard not to have her around. Plus I'm insanely jealous that she's in Italy right now. Sounds fab!

  But honestly, ever since she moved to Seattle, I'm learning to handle more on my own. I'm not always successful at it, evidenced by some recent spats, bouts of friendship paranoia and excessive chocolate eating. But I'm working on it. A girl has to grow up sometime, right? But I so appreciate you checking in on me.

  From: Mark Finlay – March 27, 2014 – 11:22 AM

  To: Renee Greene

  Subject: Re: Shelley Withdrawals?

  That is indeed what friends are for. You've been so wonderful in my time of need that I just wanted to return the favor. Let me know if you need anything and let's make some plans soon.

  From: Renee Greene – March 27, 2014 – 11:26 AM

  To: Mark Finlay

  Subject: Re: Shelley Withdrawals?

  Sounds great. I'll give you a call next week and we'll set something up. Thanks again!

  From: Renee Greene – April 1, 2014 – 9:41 AM

  To: Ashley Gordon

  Subject: Catholic Question

  This is no April Fool's joke! I was trying on some wedding dresses with my mom yesterday. The saleswoman brought in this very puffy dress which looked terrible on me. Through the curtain I told her that maybe it was because I had a cupcake earlier that day. All of a sudden I felt like I was in a confessional! Is that what it's like?

  From: Ashley Gordon – April 1, 2014 – 10:02 AM

  To: Renee Greene

  Subject: Re: Catholic Question

  That's pretty funny. Yes, that is indeed what it's like. You say your sins aloud and then face the judgment. Don't mean to sound harsh, but why are you eating cupcakes months before your wedding?

  From: Renee Greene – April 1, 2014 – 10:04 AM

  To: Ashley Gordon

  Subject: Re: Catholic Question

  Stress eating for sure. There's another sin I can confess too. ;)

  From: Renee Greene – April 6, 2014 – 9:00 AM

  To: Shelley Manning

  Subject: Benvenuti a casa!

  (That's welcome home in Italian.) Hope you and Nick had the most incredible time in Italy on your (agh!) honeymoon. Can't wait to hear all about your adventures. Strike that! Can't wait to hear all about your G-rated, travel adventures. The X-rated, honeymoon adventures you can keep to yourself.

  From: Shelley Manning – April 6, 2014 – 10:02 AM

  To: Renee Greene

  Subject: Re: Benvenuti a casa!

  Really? You're not the least bit curious about my honeymoon escapades? The more I think about it, I don't think you could handle it.

  From: Renee Greene – April 6, 2014 – 10:06 AM

  To: Shelley Manning

  Subject: Re: Benvenuti a casa!

  Really? What if I pulled a Tom Cruise "I want the truth" (a la A Few Good Men) on you. Would you scream out, "You can't handle the truth"?

  From: Shelley Manning – April 6, 2014 – 10:08 AM

  To: Renee Greene

  Subject: Re: Benvenuti a casa!

  I would indeed! I could totally pull off that monologue.

  From: Renee Greene – April 6, 2014 – 10:12 AM

  To: Shelley Manning

  Subject: Re: Benvenuti a casa!

  I have no doubt you could pull it off. You're married. Married! I still can't believe you are married. And you planned it all within a month. Being in the midst of my own wedding planning (hurrah!), it's hard to believe you did it all so quickly. Shouldn't surprise me, though. You truly are amazing.

  From: Shelley Manning – April 6, 2014 – 10:16 AM

  To: Renee Greene

  Subject: Re: Benvenuti a casa!

  Why do in a year what I can just cram into a month, Sweetie? I'm just being efficient with my time.

  From: Renee Greene – April 6, 2014 – 10:19 AM

  To: Shelley Manning

  Subject: Re: Benvenuti a casa!

  I just feel badly that I wasn't able to throw you a shower or a bachelorette party. I always said I would do those things for you.

  From: Shelley Manning – April 6, 2014 – 10:21 AM

  To: Renee Greene

  Subject: Re: Benvenuti a casa!

  Bullshit! You never thought I would get married.

  From: Renee Greene – April 6, 2014 – 10:23 AM

  To: Shelley Manning

  Subject: Re: Benvenuti a casa!

  How dare you! ;) With comments like that, you're on thin ice.

  From: Shelley Manning – April 6, 2014 – 10:27 AM

  To: Renee Greene

  Subject: Re: Benvenuti a casa!

  Then let's skate! I am excited to share all of the trip details with you. But I've got to work before I can fly down for dress shopping next weekend. We'll have the day to catch up. Gotta run. Mwah! Mwah!

  Chapter 23 – PLAYING DRESS UP

  From: Renee Greene – April 9, 2014 – 1:13 PM

  To: Shelley Manning

  Subject: This is the (work) life!

  I'm listening to indie bands from LA right now for work. Can you believe it? I'm getting paid to listen to music. I'm heading out to a club this weekend to listen to one perform live…and I can bill my time for it. This is the (work) life, indeed! Counting down the days until you get here.

  From: Shelley Manning – April 9, 2014 – 1:42 PM

  To: Renee Greene

  Subject: Re: This is the (work) life!

  What client is this for? And how can I get in on this action?

  From: Renee Greene – April 9, 2014 – 1:50 PM

  To: Shelley Manning

  Subject: Re: This is the (work) life!

  It's a new hotel that will be opening in the hip Los Feliz/Silverlake district. They had hired an agency a year ago but are disappointed with what they are doing so they put out a new bid for the project. I beat out my old agency and a few others (insert pat on the back here) to conduct their grand opening in a few months and they want a cool indie band to headline the event.

  It's right before the wedding but hard to turn down the work and opportunity to establish myself as an agency. And since I'm the agency, I need to be involved in selecting the band.

  From: Shelley Manning – April 9, 2014 – 1:56 PM

  To: Renee Greene

  Subject: Re: This is the (work) life!

  That's awesome. Hope those fuckers at the Carr Agency learned not to mess with you. Who are you considering?

  From: Renee Greene – April 9, 2014 – 2
:01 PM

  To: Shelley Manning

  Subject: Re: This is the (work) life!

  We've narrowed it down to three: Luke's Crossing, The Velvet Biscuits and Blue Cloud Pie. I'm setting up a meeting between the client and each band for a few weeks from now. This is a dream assignment for me. I'm giddy. Giddy!

  From: Shelley Manning – April 9, 2014 – 2:03 PM

  To: Renee Greene

  Subject: Re: This is the (work) life!

  Float me some MP3’s, will ya? I want to take a listen on my flight down.

  From: Renee Greene – April 9, 2014 – 2:05 PM

  To: Shelley Manning

  Subject: Re: This is the (work) life!

  Will do. Can't wait to see you and honeymoon photos on Saturday. Please leave the X-rated shots at home.

  From: Shelley Manning – April 9, 2014 – 2:08 PM

  To: Renee Greene

  Subject: Re: This is the (work) life!

  That will severely limit the number of photos you'll have access to. But you'll get the idea from what you see almost as well as from what you don't see. Mwah! Mwah!

  From: Shelley Manning – April 12, 2014 – 7:52 PM

  To: Renee Greene

  Subject: Dress for success

  Great fun hanging out with you today to look for bridesmaid dresses and have lunch with Ethan. Sorry I was only able to fly in for the afternoon, but that's the breaks when you take 2 weeks off to traipse across Italy. At least I have the flight to email you and continue gossiping. Speaking of gossip, so that was Billy the Kid, legendary jailbird? Seems harmless. Can't believe he's worth millions.

  From: Renee Greene – April 12, 2014 – 8:09 PM

  To: Shelley Manning

  Subject: Re: Dress for success

  Rethinking Nick?

  From: Shelley Manning – April 12, 2014 – 8:11 PM

  To: Renee Greene

  Subject: Re: Dress for success

  Hardly. It takes a lot more than some cash to impress me.

  From: Renee Greene – April 12, 2014 – 8:13 PM

  To: Shelley Manning

  Subject: Re: Dress for success

  Well, he was quite taken with you during your encounter, albeit brief.

  From: Shelley Manning – April 12, 2014 – 8:14 PM

  To: Renee Greene

  Subject: Re: Dress for success

  Of course he was. Aren't they all?

  From: Renee Greene – April 12, 2014 – 8:15 PM

  To: Shelley Manning

  Subject: Re: Dress for success

  I'm being serious.

  From: Shelley Manning – April 12, 2014 – 8:15 PM

  To: Renee Greene

  Subject: Re: Dress for success

  So am I!

  From: Renee Greene – April 12, 2014 – 8:18 PM

  To: Shelley Manning

  Subject: Re: Dress for success

  Stop it. I'm not joking. Ethan said he hasn't stopped talking about you all day. He wanted to know how serious you were with Nick.

  From: Shelley Manning – April 12, 2014 – 8:23 PM

  To: Renee Greene

  Subject: Re: Dress for success

  Nick and I are only married, so yeah, he's got a shot. HA! Well, of course he can't stop thinking about me. Was it my dazzling smile? Humor and wit? Rock hard ass? Do tell!

  From: Renee Greene – April 12, 2014 – 8:26 PM

  To: Shelley Manning

  Subject: Re: Dress for success

  I didn't get that level of detail but he's been texting Ethan all day and I'm confident it is about you. Should I peek at his phone? He's in the shower right now.

  From: Shelley Manning – April 12, 2014 – 8:27 PM

  To: Renee Greene

  Subject: Re: Dress for success

  Don't look at his phone. Nothing good can come from reading someone else's texts.

  From: Renee Greene – April 12, 2014 – 8:27 PM

  To: Shelley Manning

  Subject: Re: Dress for success

  But I'm so curious. Aren't you?

  From: Shelley Manning – April 12, 2014 – 8:28 PM

  To: Renee Greene

  Subject: Re: Dress for success

  Renee…

  From: Renee Greene – April 12, 2014 – 8:28 PM

  To: Shelley Manning

  Subject: Re: Dress for success

  I'm just going to take a harmless little peek...

  From: Shelley Manning – April 12, 2014 – 8:28 PM

  To: Renee Greene

  Subject: Re: Dress for success

  Renee! Do not do this!

  From: Shelley Manning – April 12, 2014 – 8:30 PM

  To: Renee Greene

  Subject: Re: Dress for success

  Well...

  From: Renee Greene – April 12, 2014 – 8:30 PM

  To: Shelley Manning

  Subject: Re: Dress for success

  You were right. I shouldn't have looked.

  From: Shelley Manning – April 12, 2014 – 8:31 PM

  To: Renee Greene

  Subject: Re: Dress for success

  Okay, now you have to tell me.

  From: Renee Greene – April 12, 2014 – 8:31 PM

  To: Shelley Manning

  Subject: Re: Dress for success

  I'm so angry right now I can barely type.

  From: Shelley Manning – April 12, 2014 – 8:32 PM

  To: Renee Greene

  Subject: Re: Dress for success

  Take a deep cleansing breath!

  From: Renee Greene – April 12, 2014 – 8:32 PM

  To: Shelley Manning

  Subject: Re: Dress for success

  Did you learn that from yoga?

  From: Shelley Manning – April 12, 2014 – 8:33 PM

  To: Renee Greene

  Subject: Re: Dress for success

  I did. Nice isn't it?

  From: Renee Greene – April 12, 2014 – 8:34 PM

  To: Shelley Manning

  Subject: Re: Dress for success

  It is. Thank you. Okay, BTK started off by objectifying you.

  From: Shelley Manning – April 12, 2014 – 8:36 PM

  To: Renee Greene

  Subject: Re: Dress for success

  I'm used to that. And honestly don't really mind. That can't be what's got you all riled up.

  From: Renee Greene – April 12, 2014 – 8:39 PM

  To: Shelley Manning

  Subject: Re: Dress for success

  Ethan replied, "Yeah she's pretty hot" to which BTK responded, "Pretty hot? You could never get a piece of ass like that!" Granted my ass is a bit bigger and flabbier than yours, but it's not like I'm an ogre or something.

  From: Shelley Manning – April 12, 2014 – 8:42 PM

  To: Renee Greene

  Subject: Re: Dress for success

  I can see where that would make you very upset. But Sweetie, I don't think BTK is making any kind of comment about your looks. Rather I think he's making a comment about Ethan's.

  From: Renee Greene – April 12, 2014 – 8:46 PM

  To: Shelley Manning

  Subject: Re: Dress for success

  Oh, that's not what's making my blood boil. Ethan wrote back, "I tapped that, dude." I TAPPED THAT, DUDE? I TAPPED THAT DUDE! Now Ethan just walked in with a towel around his waist and gave me a Joey-from-Friends "How you doin?” look. Are you f'ing kidding me?!?

  From: Shelley Manning – April 12, 2014 – 8:53 PM

  To: Renee Greene

  Subject: Re: Dress for success

  I hate to be one of those "I told you so" people - you know, like Ethan, but I told you so. Tsk! Tsk! Nothing good comes from reading other people's messages. In his defense, BTK is an immature womanizer who is clearly compensating for a brain that is bigger than his balls. He doesn't know any better.

  Ethan does know better, but he's a guy and guys are competitive. When they get backed into a wall like that, they come out swinging. He's just trying to exert his manhood. If you really
want my advice, tell him you are "doin' fine" and let him exert his manhood all over you right now.

  From: Renee Greene – April 12, 2014 – 8:58 PM

  To: Shelley Manning

  Subject: Re: Dress for success

  I can't even look at him right now. He just walked over and kissed my forehead. Now he's drinking a beer. I want to slug him.

  From: Shelley Manning – April 12, 2014 – 9:00 PM

  To: Renee Greene

  Subject: Re: Dress for success

  I am laughing out loud so hard that people on the plane are staring at me.

  From: Renee Greene – April 12, 2014 – 9:01 PM

  To: Shelley Manning

  Subject: Re: Dress for success

  This isn't funny!

  From: Shelley Manning – April 12, 2014 – 9:04 PM

  To: Renee Greene

  Subject: Re: Dress for success

  It is! You have two choices: (1) confess, have a huge fight with him about his behavior, personal boundaries, privacy expectations, etc. or (2) get over it and go let him tap THAT.

  From: Renee Greene – April 12, 2014 – 9:06 PM

  To: Shelley Manning

  Subject: Re: Dress for success

  Choice #3 - don't say anything yet secretly seethe and let it fester until one day it comes out in a huge ball of fists and anger.

  From: Shelley Manning – April 12, 2014 – 9:07 PM

  To: Renee Greene

  Subject: Re: Dress for success

  You're right. That is a third choice. My suggestion though is #2.

  From: Renee Greene – April 12, 2014 – 9:08 PM

  To: Shelley Manning

  Subject: Re: Dress for success

  Argh! You're probably right.

 

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