Free License to Thrill by Elizabeth Cage Page B

importance.”
    Caylin swore under her breath. From the looks of her, it was hard to tell if she was inspecting her split ends or about to tear her hair out. Theresa slumped back against the couch, deflated. She picked up a Ritz notepad and began scribbling on it aimlessly. The sight of them made Jo’s heart sink along with her spirits. Getting nowhere was getting the best of them all.
    â€œMay I make a suggestion?” Jo asked, breaking the silence. “Considering Caylin’s run-in with Jonathon and my little stress attack, maybe we should take it easy this weekend. See the sights, have some fun. We’ve been kind of missing out in those departments lately, and I think we could use a break.”
    â€œThere’s not much we can do in the embassy on a weekend, anyway,” Theresa added.
    â€œI have to agree,” Caylin chimed in. “I’m feeling a little frustrated, to be honest. It’s really ticking me off.”
    â€œWell, unless an emergency development arises, consider yourselves on vacation till Tuesday,” Uncle Sam announced.
    Jo cheered. The news was music to her ears. She needed a break, that was for sure. She looked at the others in glee. Caylin had perked up instantly, and Theresa was drawing a big smiley face on the memo pad. They were ready for London, all righty. She just hoped London was ready for them.
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    After a full Saturday of shopping till they dropped, Jo, Caylin, and Theresa rode the elevator up to the fourteenth floor of the Ritz, arms overloaded with packages and their weekly Tower stipends almost exhausted.
    â€œI can’t believe you bought three stuffed animals and no clothes, T.,” Jo said in confusion.
    â€œI love animals way more than I love outfits,” Theresasaid, not one bit embarrassed. “These were too cute to resist.”
    â€œTo each his own.” Caylin laughed. “I’m just happy I got all this yummy bath stuff. This is really going to relax me.”
    As they entered the suite Jo said, “Right now we need to do the opposite of relaxing. What do you say to a night on the town? We can get dolled up and head out to the nearest club. I hear they get pretty crazy here—all ages, techno music, nonalcoholic smart drinks, dancing till dawn. How ’bout it?”
    Caylin jumped up and down with excitement. “Sounds awesome, possum!”
    â€œI don’t know . . . ,” Theresa said nervously. “We don’t really know our way around yet.”
    â€œSo we’ll take a cab,” Jo said, running to her closet. “It’s time to let loose, Theresa.”
    Without a word Theresa went into the nearest bathroom and stared into the mirror. Looking back was a cute girl in the prime of her life who was too scared to live it. Well, she wasn’t holding herself back anymore.
    â€œDoes anybody have a bright red lipstick I couldborrow?” Theresa called, running a finger over her naked lips. “My lipstick cam isn’t going to cut it tonight!”
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    Meltdown, “the hottest club in the galaxy,” according to the cabdriver, was crammed to the gills.
    Caylin immediately dashed onto the dance floor and began tearing it up in her little red dress and stiletto heels. She didn’t care that she didn’t have a partner—she was sure there wasn’t a guy in town who could keep up with her, anyway. For Caylin, dancing was a totally personal issue, one that didn’t need to be shared. She closed her eyes, letting the ambient beats carry her far away from her stress and into the zone where nothing mattered but music and movement.
    She immersed herself in full bliss, but a light body slam jarred her out of it abruptly. She whirled around and saw Theresa giggling madly in her black jeans and baby T.
    â€œYou go, girl!” Theresa hollered over the music. “How can you dance to this