Free Manhattan Miracle by Dee Dawning Page B

anyone else into this until we finalize things."
    " You don't want an expert's opinion until after you finalize the arrangement? Excuse me ma'am, but isn't that putting the horse behind the cart?"
    I suppose, but I do wish— "
    " Don't worry ma'am, I swore Venus to secrecy."
    " Let's hope she keeps quiet. In the meantime, I have an idea."
    " Oh. What's that sir…I mean ma'am?"
    " You'll see, Carpenter. You'll see."
    ~ * * ~
    "Sorry, I'm late, girls." I slid in and kissed Ginger. "I had a big deal going that I had to close, before I could leave."
    Ginger wanted to know more, "Oh yeah, who with?"
    I placed the napkin on my lap. "Some mutual fund manager named Ernest McGivens. I didn't know him, but he seemed to know me."
    Ginger, rolled her eyes. "Well, you better get to know him. He was one of my best clients."
    " Well at least he wasn't one of my best customers when I used to be you, like that Carlson guy." 
    Amber 's mouth fell open. "One of Ginger's clients is also one of yours?"
    Ginger and I both nodded
    "Oh, how funny."
    " I'm going get a list of my clients together for Brad. Don't be surprised if one or two of your johns pop up."
    Amber grinned. "Let me see it when… Quiet, here comes the waitress.
    The waitress set down a bun-less burger and iced tea in front of Ginger and refilled Amber's iced tea. "Hi, what can I get you?"
    " I'll have a turkey club on whole wheat with cottage cheese and iced tea."
    She picked up the last menu. "Coming right up."
    When she left, I turned to the girls. "Have I missed anything?"
    " Not really. I was just re-acquainting myself with my roommate and best friend since my first year of college, who, like you is a new person inside." Amber leaned forward and gazed at me. "Ginger did tell me something interesting though."
    " What?"
    " She claims, it wasn't just your mind that switched bodies."
    I stared at her. "No! Tell me more."
    " She said that your whole essence, your whole being changed places."
    I nodded. "That's true. We don't know what happened, but I feel like the entirety of me moved into Brad's body. Our bodies must be independent because it was like moving out of one house, furniture and all, into another."
    Ginger chirped one of her short, hysterical sounding laughs. "That's a great analogy. I don't know what Ginger thinks of her new abode, but I moved out of an upper middleclass townhouse into…into…"
    " Camelot?" Amber suggested.
    " Close, a Hempstead mansion."
    I laughed. "Well my move wasn't quite so grandiose. It was more pedestrian, like moving from Atlantic Avenue to Marvin Gardens. The house itself wasn't an improvement, but in real estate, as they say, location is everything, and baby, my new house has location in spades."
    " Did you move? Atlantic Avenue, Marvin Gardens, Hempstead, Camelot. What're you all talking about?"
    We all glanced up at the new voice, and there stood Brad's buddy from the office, Lew, holding a Heinekens in one hand and a Station Burger and fries basket in the other.
    Amber checked Lew out in a way that indicated she found him interesting and I couldn 't blame her. Lew was a bit of a hunk. Dark hair, brooding brown eyes, full lips and dimples. She waved a hand. "Oh, we're just talking philosophy."
    In return, Lew couldn 't take his eyes off her. "Philosophy? It sounded more like Real Estate 101 to me." Lew set his beer on the table and held his hand out to Amber. "Hi, we haven't met. I'm Lew Caruso, Brad's best buddy."
    ~ * * ~
    Flashing what I hoped was a friendly if seductive, 'check me out smile' , I shook Lew's hand and made room for him in one motion. "My pleasure, Amber Lane, Ginger's best buddy. Would you like to join us?"
    " I'd love to." Setting his burger and beer down Lew slid in.
    Twisting a curl of my auburn hair, I angled toward him. "You're not married, are you?"
    He grinned. "Why? Are you interested?"
    God, he 's cute…and forward. I snickered. "You're sitting next to me, aren't you?"
    His smile was lovable. "Ah-huh and