Free Innocent Little Crimes by C. S. Lakin Page B

my wardrobe? We’ll find you something fun to wear. What do
you say?” Lila pulled at Millie’s sweatshirt and shook her head
disapprovingly. “Cat got your tongue? Come now, Millie, old friend,
we haven’t seen each other in fifteen years. How about a warm, wet
kissy-poo for your former roommate?”
    Millie searched for her voice. “I . . .
thanks for inviting us. I guess I don’t know what to say . . .”
    Lila waved her off. “We’ll have plenty of
time to do girl talk later. And Dick—look at you. You haven’t
changed a bit. Still the same busy bee, always buzzing around,
stirring the hive into a frenzy.” She patted his stomach. “You’ve
put on a little pot, too, haven’t you?”
    “Great to see you, Lila,” Dick said, sucking
in his gut. “I want you to know I’m your biggest fan. What a
terrific place you have here.”
    “Yes, it’s poor, but mine own,” Lila said,
leaving him and continuing her tour around the room.
    “And Della. It is Della? I almost didn’t recognize you.
What brought you to such a
state? Tsk, tsk. How I envied you in college. I watched every move
you made. The hours I spent in front of a mirror, emulating your
every sexy gesture. I wanted to be just like you. The most popular
girl in the class. Who would have guessed.”
    Della downed her drink and fumbled for a
cigarette. Lila reached over the table and grabbed the bottle of
wine. “This lady needs a refill.” She topped Della’s glass. “Salud!
And how ’bout a toast—to the Thespian Class of ’90.” Lila raised an
empty glass, and the others lifted their glasses with a hesitant
murmuring of agreement. She winked at Peter and moved on to
Jonathan.
    “And Jonny, my dear. You have quite a
reputation in Hollywood, you know. Mr. Stud! Still doing those
naughty things in your car? So glad you could take time out of your
very busy schedule to join us.”
    Dick chuckled at that stab. What the hell did she mean by that remark? Jonathan managed a tight smile and gave her a kiss on the
cheek. “Darling, I wouldn’t have missed this for the world. I’m
thrilled with your success.”
    She gave him a brisk pat on his shoulder.
“I’m sure you are. Now, last but not least,” she said, working her
way around the couch. “Davis, dear Davis. Still as handsome and
charming as always. And you’re here with your adorable, very young,
fiancée.” Lila waved across the room to Cynthia. “Life has been
good to you, hasn’t it?”
    Davis shrugged. “I can’t complain. But Lila,
I’m so happy for you. You’ve made a great career for yourself.”
    “So it seems, so it seems.” Lila gestured
dramatically. “And you have your ‘nice office where you can wear a
tie . . . have a sweet little secretary . . .’ ”
    Davis laughed. He immediately picked up the
quote. “ ‘. . . and talk over the telephone about enterprises and .
. . things.’ ” He stood and faced her, his voice animated. “ ‘I’ve
always had the feeling, if I just had the chance, I could set the
whole world on fire.’ ”
    Dick jumped out of his chair and spoke in a
dramatic voice. “ ‘Maybe you could, Hal. But for the time being
you’ve got to be content to work hard and be patient.’ ”
    Jonathan made a bullhorn of his hands. “Speak
up, Ferrol. The people in the back row can’t hear you.”
    Cynthia turned to Millie. “What are they
doing?”
    “It’s from a play we did — called ‘Picnic.’
”
    Lila interrupted the men. “How ’bout this
one?” She embellished her voice “ ‘Can’t you men talk about
anything but women’s legs?’ ”
    Dick chimed in with a mousy tone. “ ‘I just
noticed they had a good shape.’ ”
    Lila strode up to Dick. “ ‘How would you like
it if we women went around talking ’bout your legs all the time?’
”
    Dick, on cue, pulled his pants leg up,
revealing his hairy shin. “ ‘All right! There’s my legs if you
wanta talk about them.’ ”
    Lila laughed. “ ‘Never saw anything so