Part 7 (1/2)
Both women stared at him. ”You're interested in Julia's matches? Maybe you and Bigbrownbear have a future.”
”Very funny. I want to look at Julia's profile.”
”Why?”
”What is it with you two? I'm a guy. In the right age range. I can tell you if your profile's any good.”
”I don't want to appeal to you. No offense, but I wouldn't date you.”
”None taken. I wouldn't date you either.” He held out his hand. ”Now give.”
Hailey brought Julia's profile back up and handed over the tablet. He took his time, read everything she'd written and perused the three photos. Then he shook his head. ”You come across as boring, too. This isn't you.”
Julia tapped her fingernails on the tabletop. ”Like I said, you're not my target market.”
”What's bothering you about her profile?” Hailey asked. Maybe he and Julia wouldn't ever date each other but he was right. He was a man in the same age range. Also he was smart and well-traveled.
”The photograph is too businesslike. I bet it's the one you use on your staging website, isn't it?”
”Absolutely. I paid a lot of money for a professional portrait. Why not use it?”
”Because you're not selling your services as a stager, you're selling yourself as a s.e.xual partner and possible marriage material. The business suit and heavy makeup aren't cutting it.”
”But-”
”Wait right there.” He got to his feet, grabbed his cane and limped over to his camera bag, taking out a smallish SLR camera and came back toward her.
”What are you doing?” Julia sounded alarmed and looked to Hailey for help.
”I'm taking your picture.”
She flapped her hands. ”I'm not dressed right. My makeup's terrible.”
”You look great. You look like yourself.”
Hailey nodded. ”I agree. You dress with such great Bohemian style. You've got your favorite dangly earrings on, you're wearing a colorful sweater and you are having a good hair day. Swipe on some more lip gloss and you'll look fab.”
After they'd both convinced Julia she didn't have to post Rob's pictures if she didn't like them, they persuaded her to go into the living room and stand by the arrangement of flowers as colorful and vibrant as she was.
He got Hailey to move a lamp and then went to work snapping photos. He gave her quiet instructions about moving her chin down and what to do with her hands. He had her turn her body a little and Hailey watched her friend relax and get into the mood of the photo shoot. ”Think about the greatest s.e.x you've ever had,” he said as he focused.
Julia's face softened and her smile grew intimate. Wow, Hailey thought, watching him bend and move, totally focused on his task. He might be injured, but everything apart from his leg was athletic, virile. She could imagine having the greatest s.e.x ever with Rob. In fact it was all she could think about.
d.a.m.n. She had a problem.
He snapped a few more photos and then nodded.
”Okay. I'll email you the best of these and you can post a new profile picture. I guarantee it will help. Also, maybe make your written profile more-I don't know-personal. A guy's not too interested in where you went to school.”
”What does he want to know?” Hailey asked.
”Will she be fun to be with? How much baggage is she dragging around? Does she play games? Is she looking for her kids' daddy? Is she sane? You know, stuff like that.”
”Great,” Julia said, pretending to type. ”I'm fun to be with, the only games I play are Scrabble and Monopoly, I may want kids someday but there's no hurry, I'm a little bit crazy, but in a good way.”
”Yep, that works. Only, subst.i.tute strip poker for Monopoly if you really want to pull.”
She giggled. ”Thanks. I'll get you one of my business cards so you can email me the photos.”
He turned, still grinning, toward Hailey. ”How about you? You want me to take some shots of you?”
”For what? A dating site?”
He shrugged, his eyes both teasing and challenging. ”Sure, why not?”
She couldn't hold his gaze. Instead she began fussing with the flower arrangement. ”I don't have time to date. I have a career to build.”
She heard the snapping of the camera and glared at him. ”What are you doing?”
”Candid photos. You might want something for your website. You look good with those flowers.”
”Oh. Okay.”
Julia returned, handed over one of her business cards and Rob slipped it into his wallet. ”I guarantee plenty more Bigbrownbears will be beating down your door when you fix your profile.”
”I can hardly wait.”
Then she turned to Hailey. ”Come on. We'd better get to work upstairs.”
Hailey nodded. ”And you, Rob, can make yourself scarce.”
”Thrown out of my own home,” he muttered, then looked at Hailey. ”And I'm a cripple. What kind of woman throws a cripple out?”
”A woman who wants to sell this house.”
He repacked his camera bag and then grabbed his cane. He'd been using the cane, she noted, on a regular basis and neither of them had mentioned it. She was glad he had it in him to be a little bit sensible.
They'd been working together only a few days but she'd started to look forward to coming here. She liked Bellamy House, liked its history, the neighborhood, its possibilities.
And, in spite of his annoying quirks, she liked the house's current owner.
When he looked at her with those white teeth set in his tanned face she thought maybe she liked the current owner a little too much.
”Have a nice afternoon,” she called when he stomped out, making his limp as p.r.o.nounced as possible.
”Don't sell my house to any losers.”