Risky Investment

by Beth Moore

  Standing straight, Lynn ran her fingers through her hair. Reaching in her pocket for the customer bills within, she tried to concentrate on the tickets before her. Which ones needed to be rung up? It was no use—her mind kept going back to her daydream. The pale green sheet rising and falling with Chris’s breathing. Lynn shook her head and repeated to herself—condoms, condoms, condoms. Maybe Matt was right. She was getting too involved.

  Chris arrived at the house at five-thirty sharp and knocked on the front door. Lynn swung the door open and reviewed the lean legs which were swallowed up in jogging shorts at one end and short socks and tennis shoes at the other. Chris was somewhat more casual in attire this evening than she had been before. J

  “Hi there!”

  “Hi! Long time no see!” Chris chuckled as she entered.

  “Matt just called and said that he was going to have to work late. I hope you don’t mind just hanging out with me for a while.”

  “How late?” Chris exclaimed. “I was going to call it an early night so I could go home and study for my test tomorrow!”

  “Oh, sorry, I didn’t ask how late.”

  “Great. Doesn’t he realize that I have another life? I mean, I can’t spend all my time on this little charade of his!” Chris quipped.

  Lynn stepped back, not knowing what triggered this attitude.

  “I’m sorry,” Chris apologized. “I’m just stressed. I am just so unprepared for this test. It’s not anything that’s your fault.”

  “Okay, how about this. Let’s call in for a pizza, and while we wait for delivery, if you feel like it, we can go for a run to relieve some of that stress.”

  “I would like to, but I’ll get sweaty, and I don’t have any other clothes with me.”

  “No problem, I’ll find something for you to wear. What kind of pizza do you want?”

  “Combination is fine with me.”

  Lynn called in the pizza and quickly changed her clothes.

  “Let’s go!” Lynn walked to the sliding glass door and slid it open. “Perfect weather for running.”

  They went down the stairs off of the deck and began jogging out to the water’s edge. The beach was empty and there was a cool breeze coming off of the water.

  “So, I set my watch alarm to go off when we need to turn around, if you need to turn around before then, just tell me,” Lynn said.

  “You mean if I get tired before you do?” Chris smiled.

  “Well, I do this every day, I’m probably more used to running on the sand than you are.”

  “We’ll see who gets tired first!” Chris took off in a sprint down the beach.

  Oh man, I had to open my big mouth! Lynn said to herself as she took off after Chris.

  Lynn caught up to Chris. “Okay, so you’re in great shape. Take it easy on me, I’m a lot older than you.”

  “How much older?” Chris asked.

  “Well, I’m guessing you’re about twenty-two, so about ten years older.”

  “Wow! That old!” Chris looked over at Lynn with wide eyes, then smiled and continued, “You guessed wrong. I’m twenty-six, it’s just taken a long time for me to get through school. I’ve gotten student loans, but I’ve still had to work full time during the summers to be able to support myself throughout the school year.”

  “What kind of jobs have you had?”

  “Usually I get a job as a trainer at a gym.” Chris smiled at Lynn and took off in a quick sprint.

  No wonder she was in such great shape. Lynn groaned. “You little con woman! And I was trying to be nice about the sand and all!” She laughed and took off after her again.

  “Ouch!” Lynn cried out, stopped in her tracks, and leaned over to massage her leg.

  “What! What’s the matter?” Chris called out from down the beach.

  “I think I pulled something!”

  Chris jogged back to Lynn, stopped, and put her hand on Lynn’s shoulder. “Are you okay?”

  Suddenly Lynn stood straight up, grabbed Chris by the shoulders, and pushed her down into the water, which had come up behind her. “Now, I’m fine!” Lynn laughed.

  “Oh really?” Chris reached up and pulled Lynn down beside her.

  Both women were sitting in the water, laughing, when the timer on Lynn’s watch went off.

  Chris stood up. “Race you back to the house!” she cried, and sprinted off in the direction of the house.

  Her competitive spirit is going to kill me, Lynn said to herself, as she once again raced after her. By running at full force, she reached the soft sand at the same time as Chris. Lynn would not let Chris beat her. They were neck in neck as they trod through the sand that seemed to pull at their feet. About fifteen feet from the house, all her energy gone, Chris moaned and slowed down.

  Lynn, feeling her last kick of adrenaline, was able to reach the deck first. “Ha! Take that!” she cried out, then sank to her knees in the sand in exhaustion.

  “You win. I admit it,” Chris conceded. “You’re in better shape than me!”

  Lynn, not knowing if the muscles in her legs would even allow her to stand, puffed out, “I think we’re about equal. If it hadn’t been for that last spurt of adrenaline, it would have been a tie.”

  “Come on, you need to find me something to wear so I can get out of these clothes that are sticking to me.” Chris offered her hand to Lynn and pulled her up out of the sand.

  Indoors, Lynn pulled out an oversized T-shirt for Chris. “I don’t think I have any shorts that will fit you. You can just wear this, and throw your clothes into the washer if you want. They should be dry by the time we finish eating.”

  Lynn took a quick shower and came out of the bathroom clad in only a towel. She bumped into Chris, already showered and wearing the XXX T-shirt. Suddenly, the words on the T-shirt “Make Love Not War” took on a whole new meaning to Lynn, and she once again found it necessary to repeat to herself—she’s straight, she’s straight, she’s straight.

  Lynn had let Chris use the bathroom connected to her room because she thought Chris would feel more comfortable there than showering in the guest bathroom, Chris slid on the T-shirt that Lynn loaned her and hoped it hid all the necessary parts. She was a little uncomfortable with the idea that she was totally nude underneath.

  “Oh, excuse me!” she said, as she collided with Lynn as she walked out of Lynn’s room. Chris felt her heart skip a beat when she saw that Lynn was covered only with a towel. Then she felt herself blush. What was that about? she asked herself. Its just another woman. She had seen plenty of women with and without towels, especially during her job at the gym.

  “Sorry, I need to grab something to wear.”

  Trying to cover for how uncomfortable she felt, Chris asked, “Do you have a hair dryer somewhere? I’d like to dry my hair.”

  “Sure, in the top right-hand drawer. Help yourself,” Lynn answered, and pulled out a pair of shorts and a T-shirt.

  “Thanks.” Chris walked back into the bathroom, pulled out the hair dryer, and proceeded to dry her hair.

  Lynn walked into the living room just as Matt was opening the front door, carrying the pizza that had just been delivered.

  “I guess we’re having pizza for dinner?” Matt asked sarcastically. “Where’s Chris?”

  “She just got out of the shower. She’ll be out in a minute.”

  Just then, Chris walked into the living room wearing only the borrowed T-shirt. Looking at Lynn, who still had wet hair, Matt asked suspiciously, “What’s going on here Lynn?”

  Lynn, rolling her eyes with disgust, replied, “What do you think?” Not getting an immediate answer, she crossed her arms over her chest. “We went for a run. Chris threw her clothes in the washer, and I loaned her a T-shirt. Is that okay, Matt?” She threw her arms in the air. “God, Matt! I gave you my word!” Taking the pizza from his hands, she walked into the kitchen. “Chris, your clothes are done, I’ll throw them in the dryer for you.”

  Not really understanding the exchange that had
taken place, Chris called back, “Thanks!” Then turning to Matt, she gave him a look of confusion.

  “Honey, I’m home?” Matt said to Chris, trying to look innocent. “I think it’s my turn to take a shower,” he said as he slunk down the hall.

  “Come and get your pizza!” Lynn called from the kitchen.

  “What was all that about?” Chris asked in regards to the former conversation.

  “Don’t worry about it. You want beer, wine, or soda?” Lynn asked as she opened the refrigerator.

  “Better make it soda if I’m going to get any studying done,” Chris answered. “What time is it, anyway?” she asked as she looked around the kitchen for a clock.

  “You’ve got plenty of time,” Lynn replied. “What class are you studying for?”

  “Kinetics. I have a whole bunch of flash cards made up, I just need to go through them over and over again.”

  “Can I help? I mean if you have your materials with you?” Lynn asked.

  “Really? That would be great, if it’s not too much trouble!” Chris cut some pizza and placed it on her plate. “I’ll go out to my car and get my stuff…” Then, looking at her outfit, she said, “Would you mind getting it out of my car? I feel a little indecent.”

  Lynn picked up her plate and their drinks. “No problem, what am I looking for?”

  “Just the backpack,” Chris answered as she took her plate and followed Lynn into the living room. She grabbed her keys off the entry table and handed them to Lynn. “Thanks again.”

  For the next hour, between bites of pizza, Lynn quizzed Chris off of the flash cards. Matt finished his shower, served himself some pizza, plopped down on the couch, and proceeded to flip through channels with the remote control.

  “Excuse me, can’t you tell that Chris is trying to study?” Lynn quipped.

  “I’m sorry, is this disturbing your concentration?” Matt questioned.

  “It’s okay, I probably should be going anyway…” Chris said as she started gathering her materials together.

  “No, we’re not finished with your flash cards, we can just go into the bedroom…” Lynn, raising her eyebrows, said sarcastically while looking at Matt.

  “No! I’m turning it off, I’m turning it off!” Matt glared, then flipped the television off, threw the remote back on the table, and lay down on the couch.

  Lynn couldn’t believe that he didn’t trust her. “Now, where were we?”

  The two women continued until they heard a loud snore coming from the couch. Turning, they found Matt fast asleep. Trying not to giggle, Lynn whispered, “Are you sure you want to marry this man?”

  Chris shook her head no and smiled. “I’ve heard much worse, believe me. One guy I dated, I swear, the walls were going to cave in!”

  Lynn, taken aback at realizing that Chris had a sex life, tried to recover. “Guys aren’t the only ones who snore. I thought one woman was going to suck the sheets right off the bed!”

  Chris laughed nervously She wanted the picture going through her mind to vanish. She got up from the couch and turned away. “Well, I really should be going. Thanks for all of your help.”

  Helping collect all of the books strewn around the couch, Lynn looked up and saw the curve of Chris’s nipples through the white shirt. Feeling a burning sensation below her belly, she stood and walked briskly out of the room. “I’ll get your clothes from the dryer!” she called back.

  Chris was anxious to get back into her clothes. All evening, she had felt her nipples rubbing against the cotton material. She was sure that they were taut because she was a little chilly; at least she hoped that’s what it was.

  “Here you go, still nice and warm.” Lynn was also anxious for Chris to get back into her clothes. It seemed that it was all Lynn could do to keep from looking at Chris’s breasts.

  Chris changed and picked up her backpack. “Well, I guess tonight was a bust, I mean for me and Matt. Apologize to him for me, will you?” Just then Matt let out a tremendous snore, Chris smiled and looked at Lynn, who was also smiling. “I guess we’ll have to cram tomorrow night, since it’s the last night before his parents arrive. I’ll be here around five-thirty again.” Chris backed away from the intense eye contact between her and Lynn. “Good night.”

  “Good night,” Lynn said and watched as Chris climbed into her vehicle. Closing the door, Lynn walked directly to the bathroom and turned the cold water on full blast.

  Chris drove home with her windows wide open. She needed the cool breeze hitting her face. She was enjoying the preparation for this charade more than she thought she would. Or was it just the company that she was enjoying? Shaking off the feeling, she pulled into her parking space and lugged her backpack up the stairs to her apartment. Once she had settled in, she opened her backpack in preparation for another hour or so of studying. She reached in to pull out her flash cards and felt something wrapped in foil. Retrieving the package, she found several pieces of leftover pizza. She smiled when she read the note affixed to the wrapping. “Just in case you need a midnight snack!” was written in Lynn’s handwriting, and, “Good luck on your test, I know you’ll do great!” Chris leaned back on her couch. She hadn’t felt this good in a long time.

  Chapter Six

  “Okay, I’m ready for another game of Scrabble!” Chris said as soon as she entered the doorway the following day.

  “Great! Dinner is ready, so we can play while we’re eating,” Matt answered, and then whispered, “Lynn made her chili verde burritos. I just wanted to warn you, before you take the first bite, sometimes they’re extremely hot, spicy hot.”

  “Cool, I love hot and spicy food.”

  “Not me, it gives me heartburn. There, that’s something my fiancee would know.”

  Lynn popped her head around the corner of the kitchen. “Hi! Grab what you want to drink and head out to the deck.”

  When they were all seated at the table, Matt just sat, staring at the burrito in front of him.

  “Mate’s a real wimp when it comes to spicy foods. I hope you’re not!” Lynn said to Chris.

  “I love hot things! The hotter the better!” Chris popped her first bite into her mouth.

  Lynn watched as Chris chewed and swallowed. “Well?”

  “Delicious! Come on Matt, dig in, they’re not that hot!” Chris teased.

  Matt cut a small bite and tested it with his tongue before slowly putting the food into his mouth. His face turned red. He swallowed, and immediately drank his entire glass of water. “I can see this is going to take more than water,” he choked out.

  Standing, he went back into the kitchen and returned with a gallon of milk. The women laughed and proceeded to dig into the burritos.

  “Hey, how did your test go today?” Lynn asked Chris.

  “Great. Thanks for the help. And the care package.” Chris smiled at Lynn.

  Recovering from his choking attack, Matt set up the game board, picked his first set of letters, and offered the remainder for Chris’s choice.

  “Too bad we’re not playing for points!” Matt said as he lay down all seven of his letters.

  FRIENDS. “I was thinking maybe you should know something about my friends. Lynn thought that I’d better tell a couple of them what was going on, in case we run into them. My best friends are Pete and Jeff—”

  “Jeffs the one with the big mouth,” Lynn interrupted.

  Matt turned to Chris. “Obviously, Lynn doesn’t get along with Jeff. He is a bit obnoxious at times, but he has a good heart. Then there’s Pete, I’ve known him since I was in grammar school.”

  “Well, I don’t have any friends dating back to grammar school.” Chris paused. “All of my friends have come from the university and the little odd jobs I’ve picked up here and there. Although none of them are extremely close, a day doesn’t go by that I don’t get a call to go do this or go do that. I really have to limit my time due to all the studying that’s required of me.” Chris stopped. She was rambling. She always seemed to ramble when s
he was stretching the truth. However, this truth seemed much more pleasant than reality.

  Chris remembered all of the photographs arranged on the mantel inside. The two people before her had no shortage of friends.

  The photographs led her to lay down the next word, VACATION. “Tell me about some of the places that the pictures in your living room are from.”

  “Oh,” Lynn answered instead of Matt. “Most of those were just taken around here. Except for the one in the snow. Several of us drove up to Yosemite for a week. We skied, we snowboarded… that picture in there is our attempt at making a snowperson.” She finished her story through her laughter, “We couldn’t quite agree on the gender!”

  “But my favorite vacation… hmm… oooh…” Matt smiled. “That time I went to Acapulco with Doug… skinny-dipping in the ocean…”

  “Hey, we.don’t need all of the details! And if you mention to your parents that you went with Doug, you better throw in that you picked up a couple of senoritas!” Lynn laughed.

  Chris nodded in agreement. When the laughter subsided, Lynn and Matt expected her response.

  “I can’t really say that I’ve been on a true vacation. We lived so many exotic places. They all started out feeling like a vacation, but after a while they all turned into… just regular day-to-day life.”

  Chris groaned when she saw the next word that Matt put on the board. EMBARASS, off of the “R” in FRIENDS. She knew that it was misspelled, but it wasn’t a real game anyway. Lynn, however, felt it her duty to call it to his attention. Matt gave her a dirty look and motioned for Chris to relate her story.

  Shifting in her chair, Chris chose one of her many embarrassing moments. “I guess it would be the time I got caught sneaking into army housing after curfew.”