Free I Wish I Had a Red Dress by Pearl Cleage Page A

virgins without a clue: If his feet are that big and his hands are that big, what about his . . . ?
    “I think you’re the tallest person I’ve ever met,” I said.
    He grinned down at me. “How tall are you?”
    “Five six,” I said, adding half an inch in self-defense.
    “Well, I’ll make you a deal.”
    “What’s that?” I was trying unsuccessfully not to look at his arms, his shoulders, the way his big, wide back tapered down so dramatically that he looked like the mustachioed strong man in the old circus cartoons.
    “If you don’t ask me ‘how’s the weather up there?’ I promise not to call you ‘shorty.’ ” Even without the biceps, his smile was worth the price of admission.
    I laughed. “It’s a deal, but I have to confess that the night I met you at Sister’s, it was the first thing that popped into my mind.”
    He groaned.
    “Sorry,” I said, “but at least I managed to restrain myself.”
    “At least that’s something, I guess,” he said, still smiling that megawatt smile.
    “The house lights are on a timer so you don’t need to turn anything on or off when you leave,” I said.
    The Smitherman sisters weren’t due back from New York for another week. In the meantime, I could handle the transaction and present his occupancy as a fait accompli when they returned.
    “Thanks,” he said, folding his arms across his chest. I wondered if he wore his earring when school was in session. He had it on now, and even in his workout clothes, it gave him the look of an exceptionally fit pirate.
    “I’d better get going,” I said, wondering how long it would take for me to get used to his size. More than two days, obviously. “Let me know what you think after you take a look at the house.”
    “I’ll call you tomorrow,” he said immediately.
    The Motel 6 must really be working his nerves. I could picture his feet hanging off the end of the bed; the mirrors reflecting him only from the shoulders down.
    “All right,” I said, heading for the door. “I’ll be at The Circus most of the day.”
    He fell in step beside me easily. For someone who had worked up a good sweat, he wasn’t the least bit funky. When we got to the door, he reached to open it for me.
    “Don’t step out,” I said, sounding maternal. “You’ll catch cold.”
    “I’ll be careful,” he said, watching me like Gregory Hines keeping an appreciative eye on Loretta Devine in Waiting to Exhale as she goes home to make him a plate of fried chicken, collard greens, candied yams, a slice of ham and some cobbler. He watched me all the way down to the end of the hallway. How do I know that? Because when I turned around to check, he waved.
    Busted! I thought, and I didn’t even care.

THIRTEEN
first thought,
best thought
    THE SUPER BOWL STARTED at four, but we told everybody they were welcome anytime after noon, so I went over early to open up and turn on the heat. The pale sunlight was promising another cold January day, but no snow was predicted until tomorrow.
    I didn’t see the small bag hanging from The Circus doorknob until I reached for it to put my key in. It was a soft sack made of purple velvet and tied at the neck with a golden cord. Sister’s been by here.
    I took the bag inside and laid it on my desk, turned up the heat and flipped on the lights. The place had never looked better. At the far end of the community room, Tee had gathered all the toys in one big play area. On the low table we use for the kids, she put out our collection of puzzles, the communal coloring booksand a huge box of crayons. Picture books were arranged magazine style on a freshly painted rack and a trio of uniformly chocolate-brown baby dolls sat in their tiny plastic high chairs waiting for someone to give them their even tinier plastic bottles.
    At the other end of the room, we had set up the VCR and stacked sitting pillows nearby for easy access and comfortable viewing. We watch a lot of movies around here. It’s usually pretty