The Blush Factor

by Gun Brooke

  Dear Ms. Ashcroft,

  My name is Addison Garr, but you know me as “Blush.” Thank you for writing me with your suggestion. As you might realize, I get a lot of e-mail from viewers and quite a few suggestions from makeup companies that want my endorsement, which I’m hesitant to give—unless I found and paid for the product myself.

  I admit you have caught my attention with your e-mail, though, and I will be calling your assistant—Ms. Fuller, was it?—to see if we can find a date that works for both of us.

  I live in Newark, so I’m just across the Hudson. No airline ticket required.

  Looking forward to meeting you, Ms. Ashcroft!

  Yours sincerely,

  Addison Garr a.k.a. Blush

  Chapter Two

  Addison cursed the train as it slowed down and came to a halt again. Glancing at her watch, she realized if this kept up, she’d be late despite having given herself plenty of time to make her meeting. Desperate to call the restaurant, she checked her cell and cursed the nonexistent bars of the connectivity indicator. Eleanor Ashcroft was probably entering Aquavit, a posh, very trendy Scandinavian restaurant, at this very moment. If she thought Addison had stood her up, she’d be pissed off big-time and retract her offer in a flash. The thought of missing out on the opportunity to make some real money made her nauseous. She hadn’t yet told Stacey about this new development, as she didn’t want her to be heartbroken if it didn’t pan out.

  True to her nature, Addison had researched Eleanor Ashcroft and her company further and had actually come across a few clips of her on YouTube. One clip showed her giving the commencement speech at Harvard Business School two years ago. The woman was charismatic, in an intimidating sort of way. She exercised considerable charm while addressing the graduates, but also nailed them with icy gray eyes, as if challenging them. She hadn’t said, “If you don’t live up to your potential, I’ll blacklist you in the business world,” but that was what Addison took away from her speech. What would it be like to be the sole recipient of that laser-like focus? Addison shuddered. Unless the train remained stuck forever on the damn track, she’d find out soon.

  *

  Eleanor checked her Rolex and frowned. Addison Garr was almost fifteen minutes late. She wasn’t sure why she wasn’t adhering to her usual rule: wait ten minutes and, if the person guilty of tardiness had still not shown up, leave. Tapping her glass of mineral water with perfectly manicured blunt nails, she glanced out over the restaurant patrons.

  Hasty steps made Eleanor turn her head toward the entrance. Addison hurried toward her, her long auburn hair fluttering freely around an expertly made-up face. Of course.

  “Ms. Ashcroft? Oh, God, I’m so sorry. The train ran into some problems and just stopped, and I didn’t even have a chance to jump off and run here. I swear I left Newark on time. I’m usually never late.” Addison stood next to the table, fidgeting with the shoulder strap of her pale-tan purse. The faux leather had cracks along the creases and clearly wasn’t new. She was dressed in black leggings and a long dark-green knitted top, its large neckline slightly off her right shoulder.

  “Have a seat, Ms. Garr.” Eleanor gestured at the chair across from her. “I took the liberty of ordering something for both of us to be served upon your arrival.” She watched as Addison hurriedly sat down after folding her jacket over the backrest. “I normally don’t wait if someone is late, but I’m also aware of this city’s unreliable transportation system.”

  “Thank you for being so understanding. And please, call me Addie. Everybody does.”

  “By all means. I’m Eleanor.” She raised an eyebrow deliberately, knowing full well the effect this had on people. “Nobody calls me Ellie.”

  “Ever?” Addison smiled shyly, but she didn’t seem intimidated, which was a surprise.

  “Ever.”

  A waiter arrived with their salads, which gave Eleanor a chance to observe Addison as she communicated with the young man. Her smile was kind, but not flirtatious. She was obviously polite and well brought up, and even though the young man fawned over her, Addison seemed more interested in the food.

  “This looks wonderful,” Addison said to Eleanor. She pushed her fork through a piece of apple, dipped it in the dressing, and put it in her mouth, actually whimpering as she chewed it. “Apple, blue cheese…and this vinaigrette…mmm.” She smiled. “Awesome.”

  Eleanor had dined at Aquavit many times and, she admitted, become somewhat jaded by the fantastic food, though she still enjoyed it, of course. Watching the young woman across the table, clearly in a blissful state over a mere salad, she wondered if she’d ever been that young and impressionable. She was pretty sure she’d never been that unknowingly sensual.

  “First time at Aquavit, I presume?” Eleanor began eating her own salad. The melding of flavors was exquisite, and she nearly hummed too.

  “Oh, for sure. I’ve heard about this place, though. I mean, even Obama comes here. Slightly out of my price range, to be blunt.” Addison looked with some sorrow at the quickly disappearing salad.

  “Don’t worry. This is a two-course meal.” Eleanor felt her mouth curl into a smile against her will.

  “I admit I’m famished. Too busy today to eat anything. Just a mug of coffee this morning and that was it. You’d imagine I’d be sick of coffee by now, but really, who can get sick of the best hot beverage known to mankind?” Addison quieted, her flawless forehead furrowing. “Unless you’re more of a tea person?”

  “I dislike tea.” Eleanor couldn’t remember anyone daring to talk to her like this young woman did. Why wasn’t she intimidated? Nervous, yes, but not scared and panicky.

  “Me too.” Smiling more broadly now, Addison showed more of her YouTube persona, Blush, with each passing moment.

  “Why do you call yourself Blush?”

  “When I decided to create my own channel, Stacey insisted that it needed a really cool and catchy name. We made list after list, even going so far as to create an Excel document and matching up words. Eventually Stacey came up with The Blush Factor. It covers so much. Blush as in makeup, blush as in how flustered I was at being on camera.

  “The word ‘factor’ hints at the old makeup brand, Max Factor, which I used to buy all the time before they stopped selling it in the U.S. And from that, I chose Blush as my nickname because I don’t want people to know my real name. Plenty of weirdoes out there.”

  “And Stacey is?”

  “Stacey is my younger sister. She lives with me.”

  “Younger, you say? How much younger?”

  “She’s a junior in high school.” Snapping her head up, Addison looked alarmed. “Is that going to be an issue? I mean, my having responsibilities and such?”

  Blinking, Eleanor was taken aback by the panic in Addison’s eyes. “I don’t see why. Do you foresee a problem?”

  “No. No, not at all.” Addison smiled weakly. “It’s just…some employers do when they learn of someone my age caring for a teenage girl.”

  “I wouldn’t be your employer. I’d be your client.” Eleanor leaned back when she’d finished her salad, and immediately the attentive waiter was there to remove her plate. Addison had finished hers, and he smiled warmly at the young woman as he cleared her plate as well.

  Addison returned the smile, then turned her attention back at Eleanor. “That’s true.” She seemed to ponder this while sipping her water. “I did a bit of research. I wasn’t aware that Face Exquisite belonged to your conglomerate.”

  “It doesn’t. It’s an independent company that used to belong to a relative of mine. I inherited it and found it needed a complete overhaul. Admittedly, the beauty industry isn’t something I’ve had cause to look into before, which means I need to surround myself with the right people.”

  “And you really think I can do this? From watching some of my YouTube vids?” Addison seemed astonished.

  “All of them.” Eleanor cursed herself for admitting to that. At least she hadn’t revealed how many times
she’d seen some of them. “I wanted to determine for myself the reason behind your success. Having so many subscribers and that many hits—it’s not commonplace.”

  “God, I have to pinch myself every day. I mean, I’m just a regular girl from Newark, serving coffee as my day job.”

  “Serving coffee?” Eleanor had raised her glass to sip her water but halted halfway to her lips.

  “I’m a barista at Starbucks in NewPark Mall.”

  “I was under the impression you did The Blush Factor full time.” Eleanor was seething. A barista? Heads were going to roll in her research department.

  The waiter returned with their main course, Penobscot chicken breast, and seemed to notice the deteriorating mood. He murmured, “Enjoy your dinner, ladies,” and left quickly.

  “I’ve thought about quitting Starbucks, but I need the money and the insurance. If it had been just me, fine, but I have Stacey. I can’t risk not being able to provide for her.” Her shoulders slumping now, Addison pushed the food around listlessly. “You seem disappointed.”

  Eleanor regarded Addison and saw her close her eyes hard for a second before sitting up and squaring her shoulders. This impressed her most of all. Addison seemed sure Eleanor was retracting the offer and was trying to not look devastated.

  “I’m not. Just taken aback, a feeling that every single person working for me can testify doesn’t sit well with me.” Eleanor motioned toward Addison’s plate. “Eat while it’s hot. I think you’ll enjoy it.”

  “So, you’re still interested in using me. I mean, my expertise?” Addison cut off a piece of the chicken and placed a piece of butternut squash on top before placing it in her mouth. Her full lips closed around the bite and she hummed as she chewed.

  “Yes.”

  Addison swallowed quickly. “Oh, good.” The relief was obvious as she lit up. “I suppose you’ll have to tell me what you want from me. Need. Advice for new makeup? Insight into what’s current? Trends? An evaluation of existing lines?”

  “That’s a good start.” Eleanor put down her utensils. “I take it you’ve heard of Face Exquisite. Have you ever used any of its products?”

  “Eh…no.” Addison shrugged apologetically. “They’re too pricey for me, and, to be honest, they’re not made with women my age in mind. I mean, I remember my grandma using stuff like that. Even my mom thought it was, uh, meant for the older generations.”

  Eleanor wanted to strangle her father. When he took over the company, Face Exquisite had been the preferred brand among models, actresses, and celebrities. How the hell had he been able to run it into the ground to such a degree that even women her generation and older thought it was a brand for senior citizens?

  “I mean, nothing wrong with that,” Addison said contritely, “if that’s what you’re going for. Some people only trust one brand and stick with it all their lives. But if you want to expand the demographic for your products, you have a tough journey ahead.”

  “And you know this because…?” Eleanor was aware her voice had sunk to a very frosty octave.

  “Because I know makeup. I know the women and girls who buy it.” Addison had answered calmly and then finished her entree. “Surely you realize this, or you wouldn’t waste your time on a beauty guru from Newark.”

  Addison had guts. Eleanor wasn’t sure how it had happened, but she seemed to have stumbled upon one of the few people she didn’t automatically intimidate. Sure, if she tried, she could probably scare the living daylights out of the girl, but Addison’s direct and open glance showed promise.

  “Very well. Do you have an attorney?”

  “Um, in a manner of speaking. My friend’s older brother is a lawyer, and he helped me when I started earning money from YouTube.”

  “Then I suggest you bring him with you when you come to my offices next week to sign your contract.”

  “Okay. The only thing I know about contracts is never to sign anything without reading it first.”

  Eleanor had to smile. “That’s the cardinal rule. If you get back to me in a few days with information on your fees, I can have my attorney work it in. That way we save time. I want to get this show on the road as soon as possible.”

  “Fees. Okay.” Addison nodded, then brightened. “I look forward to this. I love makeup, as you might have guessed.” She laughed, sounding a little breathless.

  The sound of Addison’s nervous laughter, paired with the enthusiasm she radiated, sent a pleasant shiver through Eleanor. She couldn’t fathom what it was about this woman young enough to be her daughter that made her respond like this. Whatever it was, she needed to get a grip before it got in the way of business.

  As Eleanor took care of the bill after texting her driver, she harnessed that rebellious part of herself that found Addison utterly charming. Instead she put on her game face, slamming it in place with a force that actually hurt. This was about saving Priscilla’s company, about undoing what Eleanor’s father had done to his only sister. She couldn’t let any odd, unwelcome attraction get in the way of that. As she said a stern good-bye to Addison, she could tell the other woman sensed the difference.

  “Thank you for lunch, Eleanor. See you next week.” Addison shook her hand and blinked as her smile was left unreciprocated.

  Eleanor strode out of Aquavit and found where her driver was idling. Getting in the car, she took a deep breath.

  “The office.” The driver pulled into traffic just as Addison stepped out of the restaurant. She was on the phone with someone, smiling widely and gesturing descriptively in the air, as if the person on the other end of the conversation could actually see her. Her long hair fanned out in the wind as she skipped along the sidewalk a few steps. The New Yorkers just walked on by as if they saw nothing odd about anyone jumping for joy.

  No. Eleanor pressed her lips together. She had to remember, no matter how lovely this woman was, Eleanor Ashcroft did not let anything get in the way of business.

  Chapter Three

  “Well?” Stacey’s dark-chocolate curls bounced around her face as she leaped into the hallway. “What did she say? Was she as scary as the papers make her out to be? I saw a clip of her and she’s stunning, isn’t she?”

  Addison had to laugh at her antics. Ever since Stacey had found out she was going to play Elphaba, her energy levels had spiked. She sang around the house until Addison had to bribe her to be quiet when she was shooting her makeup vids.

  “She was…quite extraordinary. I don’t think she’s scary. At least she wasn’t today, but she’s very no-nonsense. I can see how she might intimidate people. No way I’d ever go into a meeting with her unprepared.”

  “And is she as hot as in those pictures from the Forbes article?”

  “What Forbes article?” Addison hung up her jacket. “What are you talking about?”

  “I did what you did. Googled her. I found an interview they did last year. Here, come see, and you have to tell me everything.” She dragged Addison toward her room.

  Addison’s heart filled with joy at the happiness in Stacey’s eyes. Stacey had spent so much time clutching her head in utter agony that seeing her this excited was amazing. “I was late, so I was really nervous. I thought she’d string me up or something, but as it turned out, she was kind of cool. Demanding, yes, but that’s to be expected. I think I pissed her off at one point, but for some reason she decided to overlook that. Didn’t seem like her usual MO, but—”

  “She must really want you.” Stacey brought a second chair to the desk. “Keep talking. I’ll pull up the pictures.”

  “Well, toward the end, she became kind of frosty, for some reason. Not sure what that was about, but I’m going to take Peter with me to negotiate fees, hours, that sort of thing. If the time commitment is more than thirty hours per week, I’ll have to cut back my hours at Starbucks.”

  “Quit.”

  “What?”

  “You heard me, sis. Quit.” Stacey turned and smiled broadly. “This is your chance to do what you love.
Between the consulting and what you earn from YouTube, it’ll be enough to make a living for us.”

  “Not only that. I’ll be able to get that physical therapist Dr. Reimer talked about. You won’t miss out on most of your junior year.”

  Stacey stopped typing. “Really?” Her voice was suddenly small, like a child’s. “I really have been worried for…I know it’s ridiculous and I should think about the academic part first, but I’ve been so worried I’d miss out on playing Elphaba.”

  Fighting back tears at Stacey’s hopeful expression, Addison put an arm around her. “Honey, I understand. I really do. I couldn’t carry a tune if my life depended on it, but if I could, and if I burned for music like I do for my channel, I would have freaked out too.”

  “So she’s going to pay you well enough to do this?” Stacey sucked her cheeks in, a telltale sign she was close to crying.

  “Yes. So, come on. Where are those pics?” Distracting Stacey, Addison motioned toward the screen.

  “Oh, yeah. Here. She’s a looker!”

  Addison merely stared. These were professional photos and the camera loved Eleanor Ashcroft. The first photo showed Eleanor dressed in a soft blue-gray pantsuit and a white silk blouse. She was smiling faintly but didn’t look very friendly. More of a shark smile, really. In the second picture, she wore a dark-maroon skirt suit, the jacket unbuttoned and showing off a deeply cut, cream wrap-around blouse. She was half-sitting against an antique desk with one leg bent; the way the pose showed off her legs and Louboutin pumps was insanely sexy.

  Realizing where her mind was going, Addison reeled herself in. She couldn’t go into this business deal thinking her future client was sexy and attractive. That’s when Stacey clicked the third and last picture. Here Eleanor was outside, leaning against a black BMW, the driver’s door open as if she was just about to say good-bye and leave. Her sleeveless, form-fitted, red dress hugged her without being tight, and her red sandals matched it perfectly.