16
LACHLAN
I rarely entered Brent’s old room, which was more like a museum.
When I was a teenager, Brent had a drawer of women’s underwear and bikinis, which he’d once proudly showed me, as one would a cabinet of trophies.
There were quite a few pairs to choose from, and feeding my fantasy of seeing Miranda in a tiny bikini, I opted for the smallest one I could find.
Miranda scowled at the tiny bits of fabric dangling from my fingers.
“You can’t expect me to wear that. It wouldn’t even cover my nose.”
I laughed at that ridiculous image. “You’ve got a very pretty nose. It would be a shame to cover it.”
She rolled her eyes. “Don’t obfuscate.”
“Huh?”
“My mom always said that whenever I directed a conversation away from the point.”
I nodded, impressed. “She sounds bright.”
“She’s a word Nazi.”
“Wow. That’s both intense and fascinating. I’m intrigued.” I frowned. “She’s not sadistic, is she?”
Miranda giggled. “Bad grammar makes her cranky.”
“Let me guess—a schoolteacher?”
She nodded. “She’s a great mom. But I was a disappointment to her for not becoming a teacher.”
“Tell me about it. My father hated that I wasn’t like Brent.” I dangled the bikini.
“Was that one of his?”
I burst out laughing at that ridiculous notion.
“He collected them from all the girls that visited him in here. He didn’t wear them himself. He was very straitlaced in that way.”
Miranda walked over to the balcony. “Does your father appreciate you now?”
I sank into an armchair. “I doubt it.”
“He sounds difficult.”
I sniffed. “That’s a nice way of putting it. Let’s just say Brent was more like my father than I could ever be. Their morals were pretty aligned.”
“Off-center, you mean?” she asked.
I nodded. “Oh yeah. Totally crooked. Like the leaning tower of Pisa. Only closer to the gutter.”
Miranda’s face brightened. “What a great analogy. Even my mom would like that one.”
I rose. “Why, thank you.” I bowed, and she giggled. “So, this bikini, too small? I was looking forward to seeing you jiggling around.”
“You’ve seen me jiggling around all morning since I’m not wearing a bra.”