Thanks to everyone who's reading and to those who've submitted reviews since chapter 11 went up: ZK Chromedragozoid, daywalkr82, spectre666, Pharaoh Rutin Tutin, MrDrP, cpneb, AtomicFire, Kradeiz, whitem, Joe Stoppinghem, Jeriddian, CastaS, Yankee Bard, Redbird1, aedan cameron, Thurston, dartblade, and Joel Connell.
Special thanks to MrDrP for beta reading.
Disclaimer: Disney owns Kim Possible and these characters, among other stuff.
Chapter 12
"I can't believe I let you talk me into buying this thing," Tara said, shaking her head as she peered into the small shopping bag on her lap. The bag, tiny as it was, had more than ample capacity for its contents: the fruits of her and Jess's Wednesday afternoon shopping trip to Upperton.
"Oh no you didn't, T, you're not pinning any of this on me," her friend said as she guided her mom's Volvo down the state highway back to Middleton. "You said you wanted a Bonnie bikini, I just told you where she buys them."
Yvette's of Marigot, in the tony Upperton Galleria, sold the most fashionable swimwear west of the French Riviera and east of Malibu Beach—including the most spectacular, daring, sexy bikinis imaginable. The proprietress was a breathtakingly beautiful retired swimsuit model from the French Caribbean island of Saint Martin, whose brief romance with a pro snowboarder on the X-Games tour had left her with a deep and abiding love for the Rocky Mountains.
Yvette's boutique did not operate in the usual way, with shoppers browsing through the wares and selecting what they wanted. Instead, women would present themselves before Yvette, perhaps telling her what they had in mind in terms of coverage, and she would decide what suit would best flatter the figure. If the potential customer disagreed, she was free to shop elsewhere. Many women were offended by this policy and stormed out angrily—but when Yvette made a sale, she had a customer for life, because no woman ever left Yvette's with an unflattering suit. Tara thought back on her reaction when she'd first spied the shop's display window …
"Jess, you cannot be serious! All of this fabric put together …" She indicated the half dozen bikinis on display, "wouldn't make up either one of my suits!"
Jess arched an eyebrow. "And your point is?" she said, before grabbing her squadmate's hand and dragging her into the boutique.
Inside, Yvette seemed surprised to see Jess. "Jessica!" she gasped, the lilt of the West Indies evident in her voice, "Why 'ave you return to Yvette so soon? There is not the problem, j'espere? Surely your Etienne, he does not tire of le hot bikini you buy only last month?"
"No way, Yvette," Jess said with a smile. "The suit's bomb on bomb. Steve loves it. We're here for my friend Tara today."
Yvette turned her attention to Tara, who was wearing a short triple-tiered skirt and a top with lacy trim. "Ah, your amie belle, she seeks to catch the eye of someone special?"
"No, I've already got his eye," Tara said, crossing her arms. Just being around all the nearly nude mannequins was making her self-conscious.
"She wants the hottest bikini you have," Jess said. "I know you sold our friend Bonnie something recently, right?" Yvette nodded. "Tara needs one even sexier."
"No, actually, I don't," the curvaceous blonde said. "The suit I have is fine. It was a mistake to come out here, I don't need to compete with Bonnie." She turned to leave the shop.
"I think this is perhaps wise of you, ma petite. What you ask of Yvette is impossible. Bonnie have buy un bikini très sexy from Yvette last week. You, little one, will never have le sex appeal like Bonnie have."
Tara froze and turned slowly. "Excuse me?" she said icily.
"C'est vrai, it is true. Oui, you are indeed beautiful of face, and the blonde hair is splendide, and as for the figure, c'est magnifique. But le sex appeal, it is not found in those things. Le sex appeal is found in the bearing, the attitude. Bonnie, she 'ave the attitude that say, 'I am tout cette'—how is it you say en anglais?—all that. You …" she held out a hand, palm down, and waggled it, "… pas so much."
"You listen here, lady," Tara spat angrily. "You've only known me for two minutes, you don't know the first thing about me. And I don't care how many Eurotrash playboys you've fugggh–"
Jess clamped a hand over Tara's mouth. "Whoa, whoa, T, chill," she said, placing both her hands on her friend's shoulders placatingly. "Yvette, I can tell you right now: you're underestimating Tara. She may come off kinda demure in public … usually … but you ought to see her with her boyfriend, Kevin. When she's with him, let me tell you, this girl brings le sex appeal like you've never seen it brought."
A sly smile turned up the corners of Yvette's sensual lips. "Ah, so this Kevin, he is your lover? He is, how you say, le hottie?"
"Kevin's my boyfriend, and he liked me when I was just words on a computer screen," Tara said. "I don't need any skimpy bikini to appeal to him, he thinks I'm sexy no matter what I wear. The day he asked me out I was dressed like a total slob, and he told me I was beautiful. And yeah, he's my hottie."
"Ah, je comprends, I understand now. You are like Jessica with her Etienne. She come to Yvette asking for le hot bikini to express how sexy he make her feel. She wish for the other boys to look upon her and envy her lover, that he have what they cannot."
"And the suit worked like a charm, Yvette," Jess said. "At Mad Dog Picnic I was even holding my own against Bonnie for guys' attention—but with Tara's assets, that much is a given. What she wants is a bikini so hot it'll totally put Bonnie in the shade."
Yvette studied Tara for a full minute, while the platinum-haired cheerleader gazed steadily back at the statuesque ex-model. Then Yvette nodded and went behind the sales counter, emerging a moment later with a tiny black bikini.
"Long time has Yvette had le despair over ever finding the woman to wear this bikini. But as soon as Tara speak of her lover, Yvette realize that she is one with le sex appeal to carry it off. Here." She held the garment, such as it was, out to her.
"I'm supposed to wear this?"
"Oui, mademoiselle Tara, this is le hot bikini that is idéale for you."
"But … there's nothing to it!"
"Oh, stop it, T, the one Yvette sold me is smaller."
"C'est vrai. Mademoiselle Jessica, she have not the need of the support as much as Tara."
"Yvette, you are the very soul of tact," Jess said with a wry grin.
"Well, I guess I can try it on …"
The two girls went into the mirrored dressing area and Tara went into a curtained cubicle to try on the bikini. A few minutes later, Jess grew impatient.
"Come on, T, what's the holdup? Get out here."
Tara poked her head through the curtains. "Jess, there's no way I can wear this thing in public," she whined. "I feel completely naked."
"Yeah, well, I've seen you naked a million times, Tara. Now let me see the suit."
Tara reluctantly came out, and Jess's jaw dropped open. Yvette had done it again: the abbreviated bikini looked spectacular on Tara, supporting and accenting her curves perfectly. The jet black made a dramatic contrast with her platinum hair and her creamy skin, almost all of which was exposed.
"Tara, you have got to wear that to the party," Jess said, awe in her voice. "You look sooo fantastic. I mean, wow! I think I would gladly murder you right this second if I could steal your figure."
"But Jess," Tara said reasonably, "why would you want to do that? Your BF already thinks you're the most gorgeous babe ever. You do remember your BF, Steve, don't you? Or should I say Etienne?"
"Hmmm, this is a good point," Jess said. "Man, T, you have gotten all logical lately. You're like that pointy-eared alien guy on Space Passage. You sure you're a real blonde?"
"Ha ha. You know very well I'm a real blonde, Sundstrum." She checked her reflection in the three-way mirror and tugged at the swimsuit's bottom. "And if I wear this piece of floss in public, everyone will know it."
"Yeah, we need to get you in to see Mona at the day spa for a wax …"
"I don't know, maybe I should just wear my orchid print. You'll probably wear your black suit, right? We shouldn't wear the same color."
Jess shook her head. "Nice try, T, but I was planning on wearing my multicolor bandeau. That's Steve's favorite."
"I'm still not sure …"
"C'mon, T, you gotta go for it. You know you want to upstage Bonnie. Oh, I so want to see her reaction when you take off your coverup. She'll turn as green as Kim's eyes. I'm betting actual steam will come out of her ears, like in cartoons. And just picture Kevin's face …"
Yvette came into the dressing area and eyed Tara critically. Then her face lit up in a huge smile. "Ah, tres bien! Did Yvette not tell you? This is le bikini that was made to be worn by Tara."
"Yeah, it's nice … what there is of it. Got anything with a little more … more?"
"Non. If you wish to be more sexy than Bonnie, that is what you must wear. Buy this one or go to another shop, is up to you. Yvette believe Smarty Mart still have some swimsuits on le clearance rack."
Tara studied her reflection in the mirror, torn. She loved the idea of showing up Bonnie, and showing off for Kevin. The idea of him seeing so much of her was beginning to appeal to her—a lot. But the other boys …
Bonnie Rockwaller, on the other hand, loved showing off her sexy body to boys. Brick had left for college the day before, and to no one's surprise she'd given him the "let's feel free to see other people" talk first. Now, she was free to flirt to her heart's content—and not just for her own sake. She was soaking up the sun at Lake Middleton on that Friday afternoon, scouting for some cute guys to come to Beach Bash for the cheerleaders who would be there without boyfriends: herself, Marcella, Hope and Liz, who'd decided there were just no sparks between her and Arnie Custer and had broken things off amicably.
Bonnie was also counting Tara as an unattached cheerleader, since her boyfriend was so unsuitable. To her annoyance, though, she seemed to be the only one who thought that.
"… So Tommy," she said to the school's star tennis player, "I'll bet Tara would just love it if you came to our party."
"But I thought Tara and the G-man were still tight …"
Bonnie groaned inwardly. I so hate that nickname. "Believe me, T will be ready to trade up real soon."
"I dunno," Tommy said. "I mean, if they actually broke up first, then sure, I'd gladly make a play for Tara …"
"Oh, forget it!" Bonnie snapped, before stalking off.
Kyle Monson was there, but he still only had eyes for Megan Hadley, so Bonnie didn't bother asking him. His teammate Jeff Stafford, hunky wide receiver, the kind of guy who was made to date cheerleaders, actually turned Bonnie down flat. "Sorry, Bon, I've sorta been seeing someone for the last couple weeks."
"Oh? Who?"
"Judy Gervase, from marching band."
"You? With a bandie?"
"She plays French horn. They say all that practice does something to a girl's lips, and y'know, I think they're right, 'cause Judy's, like, the most amazing kisser …"
Not another jock dating down the Food Chain! Augghhh! This just gets worse and worse.
Bonnie was closing in on another hot prospect when several official-looking vehicles, led by a state police SUV with lights flashing, pulled into the lake's parking area. Several of the new arrivals began posting "KEEP OUT" signs and stringing orange plastic tape from tree to tree. A state trooper with a bullhorn stepped out of the lead vehicle.
"Attention everyone!" his amplified voice commanded. "This area is closed until further notice by order of the state Department of Public Health and Environment! Please gather your belongings and leave immediately."
Bonnie strode over to the trooper. "What do you mean closed?" she asked. "What's going on here?"
The trooper looked the tanned, bikini-clad brunette up and down behind his mirrored sunglasses before replying. "Talk to the doc, miss," he said, jerking his thumb in the direction of a short, bespectacled, balding man in a white lab coat, holding a clipboard. "He's callin' the shots today."
Bonnie sought out the scientist in charge. "Hey you," she called. "Why are you closing the lake?"
"I'm sorry, young lady," the man said, "but this is an environmental emergency. It seems the water level was raised by the wet weather you had here this summer, and the Four-toed Western Pond Frogs have moved their breeding habitat over here. The whole beach will have to be closed for three weeks."
"What! Who cares about some stupid frogs! We need our beach! My cheer squad is supposed to have a party here in two days."
"Oh, that would be very short-sighted, miss. You see, these frogs are very important to the lake's ecosystem. They keep the Craspedacusta sowerbyi in check by feeding on their roe."
"Craspa-whozis?"
"Craspedacusta sowerbyi. Freshwater jellyfish. Believe me, miss," he said portentously, "you do not want to see that population increase …"
Bonnie packed up her things and returned to her new white roadster. She had less than 48 hours to find a new site for the party. Breaking out her new cell phone, she made a few calls, but every place with a pool was already booked for this, the unofficial end of summer.
Maybe we could use the pool at Hope Trinh's house, she thought. She phoned her friend.
"Have the party here?" the raven-haired Vietnamese-American cheerleader said in response to her question. "Bonnie, you've got to be kidding. You know how strict my parents are. They'd insist on supervising every minute, like we were third graders or something. Our beach bash will be the beach bore. The Robotics Club party would be a wilder time."
"But Hope, we have to find some place …" Bonnie insisted.
"C'mon, Bonnie, you've seen the swimsuits they make me wear. The bikini contest would completely freak them out. We'd be lucky to get three girls out of their coverups before they pulled the plug on us."
Bonnie shuddered. Better no party at all than a dud. She then called Crystal, Liz and Marcella, but they had no useful ideas. The next girl she called did, however.
"Y'know who has a great pool we might be able to use?" Jess said. "Kevin."
"Kevin? Kevin who?"
"You know, Tara's Kevin."
"I don't know, Jess. Having a BF host the party doesn't seem right …" Especially when he's a total Nerd Boy who shouldn't even be allowed near a cheerleader.
"Well, that's all I got, B," Jess said. "Unless … maybe Kim could call in a favor?"
Bonnie certainly didn't want her co-captain coming to the rescue. She's big-heady enough with her 'world saving,' she'd so lord it over me all year. "This pool at Ner–Kevin's … you've seen it?"
"Oh, you betcha. Steve brought me to the Gubermans' Memorial Day party. It was such a blast! I wore my red bikini, and their doctor friends couldn't take their eyes off me. This one older guy—I think he was a dermatologist or something, so you'd think he'd be used to seeing a lot of skin—he actually walked into the pool with his plate of food. And the women, oh you should've seen the nasty looks they kept giving me …"
Blondes! Bonnie thought. What is it with them?
"… when they weren't busy drooling over Steve's –"
"Jess!" Bonnie interrupted. "Could we focus, please? The pool?"
"… Anyway, it's a good-size space, there must have been, like, a dozen couples and a few singles at the party, and there's a big flagstone patio with a barbecue and room on the lawn for a volleyball net or something. And Kevin's 'rents are pretty cool, I doubt they'd hassle us."
"Huh. Sounds like it could work. You think you could call T and get her to ask him?"
"I could … or you could call her yourself. She was just saying the other day she hasn't talked to you in a while …"
Tara and Kevin were heading back to town after another morning of hiking in the hills, when Tara's phone rang. She checked the display.
"Bonnie? Wow, talk about your blast from the past. She hasn't called me for weeks." She answered the call. "Hey Bonnie."
"Tara, I'm like, so glad I caught you. We have a major squad crisis here. They closed the picnic area at the lake, we need someplace to hold the party on Sunday."
"Oh no, what happened?"
"I don't know, something about frogs. And jellyfish. Anyway, Jess said your … friend has a pool at his house …?"
"Oh, Kevin? Yeah, he does. You want to ask him?"
Bonnie could be heard saying "No! Tara! Wait!" as she held the phone out to Kevin.
"Here, Kev," Tara said, grinning mischievously, "Bonnie wants to ask you something."
Kevin took the phone. "Uh, hello?"
"Um … hi … Kevin. Listen, you could really do the cheer squad a huge favor. We need a new place for our party on Sunday, and your pool sounds perfect."
"The cheer squad party at my house? Huh. Well, I don't see why not. Lemme ask the 'rents, and get back to you."
"Yeah … like, thanks … Kevin."
Kevin closed Tara's phone and handed it back to her. She was still grinning. "What are you smiling about? And why'd you make me talk to her, anyway?"
"Hey, if Queen Bonnie needs a favor from a 'chess nerd,' I thought she ought to ask him herself. How's it feel to be so important?"
"Weird."
"I'll bet. Well, we're nearly at my house. Why don't we drop off the backpack, I'll grab a swimsuit, and we'll go to your place for a swim. Maybe your parents will be around and we can ask about the party."
"Sounds like a plan. You gonna wear the suit you bought the other day?" he said hopefully.
Tara gave him a playful shove. "Nuh uh, you'll see that one Sunday—maybe."
At Tara's house, they first went to the kitchen for a cold drink. There they found her mom typing on her laptop.
"Hi, kids," Jill Monroe said, glancing up. She returned to her work, but then looked up again at Kevin and smiled broadly. Instead of his usual baggy t-shirt, he was wearing a new Coco Mango tank top Tara had bought for him at Club Banana, which showed off his new muscle tone. "Wow, Kevin, you're looking good in that top. Your exercise program is really starting to pay off."
"Thanks, Mrs. Monroe," Kevin said, blushing.
Tara went to her room and quickly packed a tote bag before rejoining Kevin in the kitchen. "See you later, Mom," Tara said. "We're going to Kevin's to jump in the pool."
"Bye, kids," Jill said. "Oh, wait a sec, Tara. Your dad said you and Kevin should stop by and see him if you came back. He's in the garage."
"Huh, what that's about?" Tara wondered.
"Probably wants to show me some new power equipment," Kevin said. "Something that can turn me into a pile of Kevin nuggets if I step over the line with his 'Buttercup.'"
"Shut, you!" Tara said teasingly. "Daddy likes you."
They found Mark Monroe cleaning out the cab of his pickup truck.
"Hi kids," he said. "Say Kevin, your folks have a fireplace at home, don't they?"
"Yep. There's two: one in the family room and one in their bedroom."
"You think they'd like some wood? I've got some nice seasoned hardwood here, already split, but none of my usual customers want it. If you kids load it on the truck, I'll give it to them for nothing. I'll run you both over there as soon as you're done."
Kevin agreed, and they set to work as Tara's dad went inside the house.
Tara clambered up into the truck bed and stacked the split logs that her BF handed up to her. Dreaming of winter study dates in front of the fire, she wondered if the roaring flames would warm her as much as the sight of Kevin's sinewy physique was at that moment.
When they finished, she hopped down. "Mmm, my hunk," she said flirtatiously, squeezing his arm. "Good to see these muscles do more than just impress the babes."
"Yeah, right," Kevin scoffed. "If I'm such a hunk, how come Steve still won't tell me how much weight you benched last winter in that contest?"
Tara blushed. "The squad's showdown with the other girls' teams? You heard about that?"
"A little bit," he said, running his hands over her toned arms. "Second place, huh?"
She blushed even redder. "I really shouldn't have tried to lift as much as Valerie, I could've hurt myself. I just got so mad, the way those girls were dissing our squad. We showed 'em, though. But you shouldn't judge yourself against me, I've got genetics on my side. You've seen how strong my dad is. Besides, you've toned up nicely in just a few weeks."
"You really think so?"
"Most def. You heard what Mom said before. And Jess agrees too." She grinned slyly, and gruffly mimicked an actor from an old movie they'd watched that week. "There's not much meat on ya, but what's there is cherce."
Kevin chuckled. "Well, I might try arguing with one beautiful blonde, but no way am I taking on three of them."
Tara moved even closer. "Smart boy …" She wrapped her arms around him and gave him a long, intense kiss.
"Ah, good, you're done loading," Mark Monroe said. "You should have called me."
"We were just about to, Daddy," Tara said brightly.
They climbed into the cab of the truck for the drive to the Gubermans' house.
The elder Gubermans were enjoying the afternoon outdoors when the truck pulled into their driveway. Phil was perusing Golf Digest, and Dr. Donna Warren was talking on her cell, the latest issue of Aviation, Space, and Environmental Medicine open on her lap.
"Yes, Dr. Wong … okay, Wanda … Yes, I'm very much looking forward to the experience. That's right, Dr. Cook and Dr. Possible briefed me over lunch … Yes, I'll be ready to go tomorrow."
She waved as she saw Mark Monroe and the two teens begin to unload the firewood and stack it in a neat pile. Phil got up and went to the kitchen, returning with a pitcher of lemonade and some plastic cups.
Donna finished her call and set down the phone.
"So, it's all set for tomorrow?" Phil asked.
"Yes, it's the best time. The weather looks good for tomorrow and Monday, and my private patients should be able to do without me over the holiday weekend."
With the wood put away, Kevin led the two Monroes to the pool area. "Hi, Mom, Dad. Mr. Monroe gave us some real nice firewood. Isn't that great?"
"How much do I owe you, Mark?" Phil asked, reaching for his wallet.
Mark waved him off. "Don't worry about it, Phil. Tell ya what, I ever need any brain surgery, you can return the favor then—assuming there's anything in here for you to work on after all those years of football," he joked, tapping his blond head.
"Thanks, Mark," Donna said, pouring lemonade for the guests. "We'll make good use of it."
"My pleasure," Mark replied.
Kevin took a drink, and then looked at his parents. "Hey, it's good you guys are home. I need to ask if I can have a party here on Sunday. Tara's squad was supposed to have their end-of-summer bash at the lake, but they just found out they can't have the area, and they're really desperate."
Donna and Phil exchanged looks. "The whole cheer squad … partying … here …" Donna said, high school flashbacks filling her head.
"And boyfriends," Tara said. "Maybe twenty kids, max."
"They're really pretty good girls at heart, Donna," Mark offered. "Maybe not all as perfect as my Tara here … but good girls." (Bonnie really had Mark fooled.)
Donna shrugged. "Well, I guess it's your dad's call, Kevin," she said. "I actually won't be here. They want to send me up to the space station for the weekend."
"For real?" Tara said. "That is so badical! Kim and Ron went up there once."
"Yes, they want me to just experience space so I'll know what it's like."
"Excellent!" Kevin said. "So, what about the party, Dad? We really need to know like, yesterday."
"Hmm, I don't know …"
"Oh, be a sport, Phil," Mark said, "let the kids do it. The cheer squad's party is a Middleton High legend. I got together with Tara's mom at the one twenty years ago."
"Well, I guess it's okay …"
"Thanks, Dad!" Kevin said.
"Thanks, Dr. G!" Tara said, "I swear, you won't regret it!" Bonnie, if you make a liar of me, you're a dead woman …
to be continued …