by Holly Jacobs
Whenever Jack asked for the jersey, Carrie told him it was dirty and that she’d get it back to him as soon as she’d laundered it. It had been over a decade. Either Carrie had the worst hygienic habits on record or she intended to keep the jersey.
But she looked fine.
Relief flooded Jack’s body.
Carrie looked a little nervous, but fine.
After all the grisly possibilities he’d been imagining, a stolen high school jersey wasn’t much of a concern.
“Are you okay?” Jack waltzed through the door and slammed it shut. He made himself at home, tossing his jacket on a chair and settling on the couch. He patted the cushion next to him. “You look a little green.”
“I really did it this time,” she said with quiet resignation in her voice. “Why do I keep getting myself in these messes? I mean, I’m almost in my thirties. I have gainful employment. I got the okay on that dress for Jaycee Smith—you know, for the awards in Tennessee? It’s my first major commission. Eloise was almost more excited than I was. I was going to call you tonight and tell you. Maybe even invite you to celebrate.”
She shook her head and sank awkwardly next to him on the couch. “I just don’t know how these things happen. I take my vitamins every day and run five miles on Sundays.”
Jack lifted his eyebrow at that statement.
He’d been with Carrie on more than one of her runs.
She grinned. “Okay, I walk fast—”
“And stop at every hot dog stand, doughnut shop, candy store on the way,” he said.
“But I’m walking at least. And that’s not the point. The point is, I’m not dumb, I take care of myself, but I still—” He interrupted. “What is it this time?”
She’d get to the point. Eventually.
Sometimes Jack would allow her to meander her way around to her trouble, but he was curious and not feeling particularly patient. Carrie’s predicaments were always interesting and inventive.
“This,” she said, pulling her robe aside with flourish.
She plopped her legs onto the coffee table. They were covered in. . .something.
“What the h—” Jack cut himself off just in time.
Carrie heard the potential swearword and frowned.
He substituted, “Heck. What the heck have you done now?”
He could see the tears gathering in her eyes and felt a wave of sympathy.
“I’m going to the beach this weekend to work on my tan,” she offered, as if the statement explained the goop on her legs.
“And?” he prompted.
“And I didn’t want hairy legs. I mean, I’m almost a blonde, for goodness’ sakes. You’d think the hair on my legs would be as light and as fine as the hair on my head. Unfortunately it’s thick and black. I shave them in the morning and by dinner I have five-o’clock shadow. It’s embarrassing. So I decided to wax them.”
She stopped and began to dig in the pocket of her robe, sniffing dramatically.
Jack reached in his pocket and pulled out his handkerchief.
It wasn’t fashionable to carry them, he knew that. But his mother had always been tucking one in his pocket when he was younger, and the habit stuck. It was a handy habit with a friend like Carrie.
He handed the cotton square to her and she gave a very unladylike honk into it.
“So you decided to wax your legs. What’s the problem?”
She gave a muffled sob from the depths of his once pristine handkerchief.
“It hurts.”
She hiccupped—a side effect whenever Carrie cried.
“I pulled the first section off and it hurt like crazy. Now I can’t make myself pull the rest off. I’ve sat here most of the afternoon trying, but I just can’t do it.”
“And you want me to do it?”
Any residual worry evaporated. Jack’s lips twitched as he dutifully tried to avoid smiling. He knew Carrie would see the humor in the situation, but not until the moment had passed.
“I didn’t think it would be as bad as the time I asked you to get my class ring for me,” she offered.
“Nothing could be that bad.” The memory was as clear as if it had happened yesterday. Oh, he’d tried to bury it deep, but it remained firmly unburied.
Carrie’s puppy, Muffin, had eaten the ring and the vet had told them it would eventually come out. Jack had spent the better part of a week sifting through. . . byproducts searching for it. Carrie had claimed the duty made her squeamish and her parents refused to oblige her by doing it.
“You finally did find it,” she said in a triumphant voice. The smile she shot him almost made up for the task.
Almost.
“You even cleaned it up for me,” she said.
“But you never wore it again.”
“Would you?” Her sobs turned to laughter.
That was the thing about Carrie; she never could make up her mind just what mood she was in. And when he was with her, Jack’s moods shifted just as rapidly.
Carrie got herself into ridiculous situations and expected Jack to get her out of them. Then she somehow made him feel like a cross between a white knight and a court jester.
“So you think me pulling wax off your legs will be easier than digging through Muffin’s muffins?”
“For you, not for me. It really does hurt.” She shifted on the couch and placed her right leg onto his lap. “I think it would be easier if we just talk and you pull when I least expect. . .ow!”
Keep Reading. . .
I Waxed My Legs for This?
Other Holly Jacobs Books for Your Kindle
Romance and Romantic Comedy Single Titles
Just One Thing
Same Time Next Summer
Not Precisely Pregnant
Can’t Find NoBODY
Hung Up On You
I Waxed My Legs for This?
Her Second-Chance Family
Words of the Heart series
Book 1 Carry Her Heart
Book 2 These Three Words
Book 3 Hold Her Heart
Cupid Falls series
Book 1 Christmas in Cupid Falls
Book 2 A Simple Heart: A Cupid Falls Novella
Dear Fairy Godmother... series
Book 1 Mad About Max
Book 2 Magic for Joy
Book 3 Miracles for Nick
Book 4 Fairly Human
Everything But... series
Book 1 Everything But a Groom
Book 2 Everything But a Bride
Book 3 Everything But a Wedding
Book 4 Everything But a Christmas Eve
Book 5 Everything But a Mother
Book 6 Everything But a Dog
Maid in L.A. Mystery series
Book 1 Steamed
Book 2 Dusted
Book 3 Spruced Up
Book 4 Swept Up
Perry Square series (A Holly Jacobs Classic)
Book 1 Do You Hear What I Hear?
Book 2 A Day Late and a Bride Short
Book 3 Dad Today, Groom Tomorrow
Book 4 Be My Baby
Book 5 Once Upon a Princess
Book 6 Once Upon a Prince
Book 7 Once Upon a King
Book 8 Here With Me
WLVH Series:
Book 1 Pickup Lines
Book 2 Lovehandles
Book 2 Night Calls
Book 3 Laugh Lines
Whedon Series
Book 1 Unexpected Gifts
Book 2 A One-of-a-Kind Family
Book 3 Homecoming Day
Book 4 A Father’s Name
Valley Ridge Series
Book 1 You Are Invited. . .
Book 2 April Showers
Book 3 A Walk Down the Aisle
Book 4 A Valley Ridge Christmas
Short Stories and Novellas
Able to Love Again
The Book
Labor Day
There He Was
13 Weeks
Bosom Buddies
Cinderella Wore Tennis Shoes
Nothing But... Short Story Series:
Book 1 Nothing But Love
Book 2 Nothing But Heart
Book 3 Nothing But Luck
Love all the books? Try a bundle or boxset!
Short Stories for the Overworked and Under-Read Anthology
Maid in L.A. Mysteries Bundle
Award-winning author Holly Jacobs has almost three million books in print worldwide. The first novel in her Everything But. . . series, Everything But a Groom, was named one of 2008's Best Romances by Booklist, and her books have been honored with many other accolades. She lives in Erie, Pennsylvania, with her husband and four children and two dogs, Ethel Merman and Ella Fitzgerald. You can visit her at http://www.HollyJacobs.com.