harassment at that young man and suing the police for wrongful arrest as well as sexual harassment. Yep. They were wearing body-cams. Of course, they roughened her up and made leering remarks. I can guarantee they’re going to throw out all the charges.”
“Wait, why are you discussing my case with my boss?” I pat Owen’s arm. “Give my phone back.”
“Sure, call back in ten minutes,” he says and ends the call.
Of all the flipping arrogant things?
“Give me my phone,” I demand. “You have exactly five minutes to tell me what I need to do. Meter’s running.”
“Don’t talk about the case to anyone. Wear sexy clothes and makeup so we can establish that it’s your normal attire and you had no intention of shocking or offending anyone, and stay away from Ben Powers.”
“Wait. I get the first and third restriction, but wear sexy clothes and makeup? Are you nuts? It’ll only prove that I’m the type of woman who’d do lewd things.”
“Ah ha!” His beefy, or should I say piggy, palm rises to a halt position. “So, you too, are stereotyping women who wear sexy clothes and makeup. What we need to show the judge is that you can’t help being sexy and that it’s a normal part of your appearance, that it’s not your problem, but a problem with the men around you.”
“Uh, why can’t I wear baggy sweatshirts and long matronly skirts with clogs?”
“Because that would be admitting guilt. That mother who raised the complaint would tell the judge that you knew your attire was arousing and went out of your way to offend, so now you’re wearing Amish clothing in hopes of getting a lenient sentence.”
“I’ve never heard of this type of defense.” I flatten my palms on the table. “How qualified are you?”
“He’s the best.” Lacy saunters into the room with a large pink satchel marked Mary Kay. “You’re not going anywhere until I make up your face.”
“Oh no, you don’t.” I back away from her slowly as someone does when approached by a particularly scary pit bull. “I really have to go. This is my life you’re playing with, and I’m not wearing any more makeup.”
“Ah, but I won the bet,” Lacy says. “Don’t tell me you’re welshing out of our deal.”
“No welshing,” Owen says. His bulging eyes are splayed on my face and I swear, his tongue’s about to hang out, looking like an eager dog waiting for a walk. The only thing missing is a leash around his thick sweaty neck. “One more thing, I spoke to the chief of police and he’s interested in you participating in the Police Dog Toy Drive coming up.”
“That’s nuts. They arrested me and they want me to do a toy drive?”
“It’s for the kids and it’ll be good for your image. It might be better to wear a different outfit, though. Still sexy, because we don’t want to admit guilt, but something that fits.”
“Fine, I’ll follow your directions, but I’m not appearing in court come January. If you’re any good, all this should be wiped off my record. I’ve never been more humiliated in my entire life.”
My phone buzzes and thank God, it’s Jen.
“On my way.” I push past Lacy and her makeup kit, and hurry to my bedroom to change.
“Welsh!” Lacy yells.
“It’s only Jen, who am I trying to impress anyway?” I flip her the bird and keep walking.
Except I’m one of the tech CEO’s everyone’s watching, and if I want my company to go public next year at full valuation, I’d better portray a wholesome girl-next-door image. Which means this lewd misconduct charge has to be squelched.
~ Ben ~
“Sorry about your beard and wig,” Ben said as he walked with his grandfather after being arraigned. “I’ll pay for it.”
He’d pled not guilty, of course.
Dominique and Delaine were speaking to the press, after arranging for the police to escort Ben and his grandfather to their car.
“I’m not worried about the beard and wig.” His grandfather put an arm around him. “The rescue
“Wait, why are you discussing my case with my boss?” I pat Owen’s arm. “Give my phone back.”
“Sure, call back in ten minutes,” he says and ends the call.
Of all the flipping arrogant things?
“Give me my phone,” I demand. “You have exactly five minutes to tell me what I need to do. Meter’s running.”
“Don’t talk about the case to anyone. Wear sexy clothes and makeup so we can establish that it’s your normal attire and you had no intention of shocking or offending anyone, and stay away from Ben Powers.”
“Wait. I get the first and third restriction, but wear sexy clothes and makeup? Are you nuts? It’ll only prove that I’m the type of woman who’d do lewd things.”
“Ah ha!” His beefy, or should I say piggy, palm rises to a halt position. “So, you too, are stereotyping women who wear sexy clothes and makeup. What we need to show the judge is that you can’t help being sexy and that it’s a normal part of your appearance, that it’s not your problem, but a problem with the men around you.”
“Uh, why can’t I wear baggy sweatshirts and long matronly skirts with clogs?”
“Because that would be admitting guilt. That mother who raised the complaint would tell the judge that you knew your attire was arousing and went out of your way to offend, so now you’re wearing Amish clothing in hopes of getting a lenient sentence.”
“I’ve never heard of this type of defense.” I flatten my palms on the table. “How qualified are you?”
“He’s the best.” Lacy saunters into the room with a large pink satchel marked Mary Kay. “You’re not going anywhere until I make up your face.”
“Oh no, you don’t.” I back away from her slowly as someone does when approached by a particularly scary pit bull. “I really have to go. This is my life you’re playing with, and I’m not wearing any more makeup.”
“Ah, but I won the bet,” Lacy says. “Don’t tell me you’re welshing out of our deal.”
“No welshing,” Owen says. His bulging eyes are splayed on my face and I swear, his tongue’s about to hang out, looking like an eager dog waiting for a walk. The only thing missing is a leash around his thick sweaty neck. “One more thing, I spoke to the chief of police and he’s interested in you participating in the Police Dog Toy Drive coming up.”
“That’s nuts. They arrested me and they want me to do a toy drive?”
“It’s for the kids and it’ll be good for your image. It might be better to wear a different outfit, though. Still sexy, because we don’t want to admit guilt, but something that fits.”
“Fine, I’ll follow your directions, but I’m not appearing in court come January. If you’re any good, all this should be wiped off my record. I’ve never been more humiliated in my entire life.”
My phone buzzes and thank God, it’s Jen.
“On my way.” I push past Lacy and her makeup kit, and hurry to my bedroom to change.
“Welsh!” Lacy yells.
“It’s only Jen, who am I trying to impress anyway?” I flip her the bird and keep walking.
Except I’m one of the tech CEO’s everyone’s watching, and if I want my company to go public next year at full valuation, I’d better portray a wholesome girl-next-door image. Which means this lewd misconduct charge has to be squelched.
~ Ben ~
“Sorry about your beard and wig,” Ben said as he walked with his grandfather after being arraigned. “I’ll pay for it.”
He’d pled not guilty, of course.
Dominique and Delaine were speaking to the press, after arranging for the police to escort Ben and his grandfather to their car.
“I’m not worried about the beard and wig.” His grandfather put an arm around him. “The rescue
Similar Books
