Part 18 (2/2)

122.

*Granted she didn't come right out and say that, but she steered the conversation in your direction every chance she got.”

”It's like a game of tennis with her, you know?” I said, staring into my gla.s.s. ”It's like I'm up against the net trying to keep the ball going, and she backs farther away. Every now and then, she'll make a move that makes me think she's interested, then she'll back off. Although this time, she just quit the game.”

”I dated a guy like that once,” Marvin said. ”He came from a very well-to-do family that put a lot of pressure on him to marry the right woman. He did right out of college and spent five miserable years hiding who he really was.” Marvin smiled ruefully. ”I didn't know he was married when we started going out. I was too young and eager to notice all the warning signs.

Anyway, I saw him having dinner with his wife one night, and this time, he was wearing a wedding band.”

I winced at the mental image. ”Did you make a scene?”

”No.” Marvin shook his head. ”I just stopped returning his calls until he tracked me down. He swore that he was going to leave her and he did. Everyone in his family turned their backs on him. I was all he had.”

”So what happened?”

”I messed it up,” Marvin said before taking a drink. ”I was so young, and he was so clingy. When I look back on it now, he must've been terrified that I'd leave him, too. I felt like I was being smothered, so I broke it off.”

”Whatever happened to him?”

Marvin sighed. ”I have no idea. I never saw him again after that.” Marvin drained his gla.s.s and set it on the bar. ”I have no idea what Hailey's situation is, but I imagine that she's just as scared as he was. She left not one, but two relations.h.i.+ps and moved away. I'd be a mite apprehensive, too.”

I hadn't given any thought to the woman Hailey had admitted having the affair with. Too focused on the husband, I never asked what happened to her. A queasy feeling washed over me as I wondered if that was where Hailey was taking refuge.

12.

Chapter 19.

Beware the Stanky Leg.

We repeated the dressing process over again the next morning sans the b.l.o.o.d.y Mary. Marvin picked out a gray suit and a soft pink blouse to wear with it. After he'd done my hair and makeup, I looked in the mirror pleased with the results.

”You are stunning,” he said with pride.

He bolstered my self-esteem and made me feel comfortable in a world that I didn't belong. ”I wish you were a woman,” I said with a laugh.

”Me too, baby,” Marvin said as he sauntered off to dress.

We had breakfast with Angela, who yawned repeatedly, and still managed to look fresh. She wore her hair down, and against the green blouse, her eyes sparkled like emeralds. I was reminded of Hailey as I looked at her. I thought back on the conversation I had with Marvin and felt myself sinking lower into gloom. If I had only accepted her dinner invitation, things might've turned out differently.

Natural Beauty's booth was impressive. Large pictures of our models were hanging on the back wall where they could easily be seen. Our name and logo figured prominently with some major salons in New York and Los Angeles. It made me proud.

We hadn't been there long when a woman approached Angela.

I watched out of the corner of my eye as the statuesque brunette looked my way a few times. I moved closer to Marvin as she caught my eye and smiled.

124.

*”That's Zoe Martinez,” Marvin said in a whisper. ”She owns a salon in Houston. A friend of mine worked for her for a while.

She's a b.i.t.c.h to the men, but she loves the ladies.”

”She and Angela keep looking over here.”

”I've noticed,” Marvin said as he looked around. ”Angela is probably filling her in on who you are. She's a femme that likes femmes. She's bedded half of her clients, and the word is she's fire between the sheets. She's not into commitment, but she'd be great entertainment for the weekend.”

Zoe was smoking hot, that was undeniable. It was obvious that she knew it, too. She wasn't shy about meeting a few stares from women as they pa.s.sed, nor did she look away when she caught my eye. I averted my attention.

”Shannon?” Angela said behind me a few minutes later.

I turned and looked at her, then at Zoe, who stood close by. A slight smile curled the side of her lips. I couldn't help but look away from her dark gaze as she scanned my face. Embarra.s.sment washed over me as I looked down at the cleavage revealed by her tunic-style top. I looked back up at Zoe's face.

”I'm Zoe,” she said, not waiting for Angela to make the introduction. ”Angela was just telling me about your salons. I pa.s.sed by the one on Ca.n.a.l Street the last time I was in New Orleans, very impressive.” She smiled then and c.o.c.ked her head to the side. ”Actually, I checked out all four. I took a cab ride out to St. Charles, then to the one on West End Boulevard. Rampart and Ca.n.a.l are the real jewels, though.”

Her voice was smooth and low. When my gaze met hers again, she looked as though she could see directly into my thoughts.

I think she knew and enjoyed that she made me nervous. ”I'm Shannon, nice to meet you.” My voice conveyed every bit of the tension I felt as it rose an octave higher. Marvin wasn't going to be able to help me with this conversation, and the little s.h.i.+t knew it, too. He moved off, taking Angela with him, to my horror.

”I'm afraid that I'm not that familiar with your salon.” I tried to sound relaxed. ”My sister is usually the one that attends these types of things. I stay behind the scenes and manage the finances.”

12.

*”And why are you here now?” Zoe asked with a playful smile.

”She's pregnant and is supposed to be living stress-free, although I imagine she's beside herself wondering what kind of trouble I'm making.”

Zoe's gaze stayed locked with mine. ”What kind of trouble have you gotten into so far?”

”I've been very well behaved.”

”Then you're not having a lot of fun.” Zoe pursed her full lips. ”Are you staying here at the hotel?”

I had to shuffle my feet to keep my knees from banging together. ”I am.”

”I'm staying in room 140. Look me up later, and we'll find some trouble to get into.” She turned and walked away, then looked over her shoulder seductively. ”Nice to meet you, Shannon.”

Marvin strolled over with his hands in his pockets sporting a grin. ”She gave me her room number,” I said when he looked at me expectantly.

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