Sizzling

by Susan Mallery

  Madeline smiled serenely from the other side of the leather couch in the quietly elegant, upscale salon.

  “Poor Gloria,” she said. “All this angst because she gave you the name of her hair person, as a favor, in case you forgot. As for taking orders from her, you kind of do. It’s part of the job description.”

  Lori cupped her impossibly large latte and scowled. “If you’re going to be logical, we’re not having this conversation. I just can’t believe I’m here. What was I thinking? Nothing can be done with my hair. It’s impossible. Reid won’t even notice, and if he does he’ll think it’s hideous.”

  Madeline sipped her own coffee. “Reid?” she asked innocently. “Why would he matter?”

  Lori stared at her sister. “I’ll kill you, I swear. Don’t test me.”

  “Oooh, violence. So it must be about him. Besides, you’ve never been willing to do anything for a man. Why is this one different?”

  “He just is,” Lori muttered, not wanting to get into something she hadn’t totally figured out for herself.

  Madeline smiled kindly. “Reid already thinks you’re great. He’s falling for you.”

  As much as Lori wanted that to be true, she knew better. “One night of sex does not a relationship make.”

  “Sometimes it helps. Why would he risk being intimate with someone he has to see every day if he didn’t care?”

  “I don’t know. It had been a long time and I was accessible? Gloria warned me about him. I should have listened.”

  “Honey, you were gone from the moment you saw him.”

  It was true, although she’d rather be tortured than admit it. “I’m not like them,” she said instead. “Those other women he sleeps with. I’m not all fluff and beauty.”

  “So he’s changing. Now he wants a little substance with his pretty. Why is that a bad thing?”

  Because those words would never describe her, Lori thought, more resigned than hurt.

  “I can’t do it,” she mumbled. “I won’t.”

  “So you’re going to give up?” her sister asked. “That’s terrific. You meet a great guy you can’t stop thinking about and for reasons that make absolutely no sense, you walk away without even trying. Does it ever occur to you that the best things in life require a risk? They don’t just show up and shower you with everything you want.”

  Lori set down her coffee a little harder than necessary. “Easy for you to say. If I remember correctly, that pretty much describes your life. When did you ever work for anything?”

  “I showed up and got the job done,” Madeline said quietly. “Yes, I had some advantages. I know that, and they helped. Maybe being pretty got me on the cheerleading team, but it didn’t keep me there. I had to bust my ass to learn the routines. College wasn’t easy for me, either.”

  “Did studying get in the way of your social life?”

  Lori hated how she sounded even as she spoke. When she least expected it, she got lost in the bitterness of her past.

  “I’m sorry,” she said quickly. “This isn’t about you, and I know it. I’m overreacting.”

  “I know.” Her sister smiled at her. “You’re afraid. You’ve never really tried before when it came to a guy.”

  “Ouch. I’m trying to bond here. Stop pissing me off.”

  “I’m telling you the truth and you know it. I’ve loved you from the second you were born, Lori. You’re my best friend. I want so much for you, yet over and over again I’ve watched you walk away from what you want because you’re not willing to take a chance. I would hate to see you lose Reid for that reason.”

  “I don’t know that I have him,” Lori told her. “I don’t think I do.”

  “Then go after him.”

  “Easy for you to say. When have you been hurt by a guy?”

  As soon as the words were out, Lori desperately wanted them back.

  “I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I’m so sorry.”

  Madeline shook her head. “It’s okay. I’m the perfect one, remember?”

  It was an old joke between them, but this time it was hard for Lori to smile.

  “I know it’s hard for you,” Madeline said. “You want him and he’s amazing and that terrifies you. But you have to try. He’s too good to let go.”

  “I don’t know how to compete with those other women. We have nothing in common.”

  “Has it occurred to you that that might be a good thing? You’ve told me that Reid isn’t into relationships. He’s more a one-night-stand kind of guy. But that’s not happening with you.”

  “Technically it was just the one night,” she muttered, then shrugged. “But yeah, he’s not hiding from me or anything.”

  “So maybe you’re exactly what he’s looking for.”

  “Maybe I’m not.”

  Madeline frowned. “I’ve had it with you. I’m dying, dammit, so you have to listen to me. You care about this guy. You’re going to be fully engaged during this relationship. You’re going to give it your all and if it ends badly, then you’ll have the satisfaction of knowing you have nothing to regret.”

  Except possibly a heart that could never be whole again.

  But instead Lori said, “I hate it when you play the death card.”

  “Go with your strengths, baby. Besides, the hair can be just the beginning. We can do a whole makeover thing. Clothes, makeup. You’ll make Reid crazy.”

  While Lori liked the sound of that, there was still reality to face. “I’m not…you know…pretty.”

  “Of course you are. Or you can be. You hide in those hideous scrubs, or that.” She pointed at Lori’s sweater.

  Lori glanced down at the plain brown sweater she wore over jeans. “What?”

  “It’s the definition of ugly. It’s too big and the color sucks the life from your face. You’re a blob in that. You have a great body—show it off. Flash a little boob at the guy. Men are basically as emotionally developed as the average dog. Show them the goodies and they’ll do almost anything.”

  “That’s hideously sexist.”

  “But true.”

  Lori was tempted. She’d always stayed out of the game because it was easier than competing. But nothing had ever mattered to her as much as Reid. Madeline was right. Some things were worth the risk. And if she got crushed like a bug, then she would figure out a way to go on despite the pain. Plus, she could hold the whole thing over her sister’s head, and that was always fun.

  “Okay,” she said as a tall, painfully thin man walked toward them.

  “I am Ramon,” he said. “Who is Lori?”

  “I am,” she said as she rose.

  “Ah, yes. Gloria mentioned you had wild hair.” He smiled. “I like wild hair on a woman. It reflects her spirit, yes?”

  Lori didn’t have the heart to tell him that her spirit was less “wild” and more “aging domestic tabby.”

  “So, what are you looking for?” he asked.

  She drew in a breath, then went with the truth. “A miracle.”

  LORI WAS STARING at herself in the department store mirror so intently that she nearly ran into a pole. Madeline stopped and laughed.

  “It’s you,” she said, sounding pleased. “Honest-to-God you.”

  “I can’t believe it,” Lori admitted.

  Ramon had performed the requested miracle and it had been worth every penny of the hundred-and-twenty-dollar bill.

  He’d started by chopping off about six inches of her hair, which had nearly given her a heart attack. Then he’d snipped and sliced and used a razor, thinning her hair and giving her layers. The whole time he’d raved about the various colors in her hair, how she would never need highlights and how beautiful the curls were.

  Lori had protested, saying she had weird waves, not curls, but she’d been wrong. Apparently wearing her hair long her whole life had pulled the shape out of her curls. But now, with her hair just below her shoulders, there were curls. Lots of them.

  Ramon had shown her how to use a couple of differe
nt products that both defined and separated the curls. He’d explained how she could blow dry her hair straight if she had the time and was interested in an upper body workout. Then he’d turned her to face her reflection and she’d nearly fainted.

  Her hair was fabulous. Light and sexy and moving, and the color was incredible. Mostly auburn, but with hints of gold and blond.

  Before Lori could bask in her newfound wonderfulness, Madeline had dragged her to the back of the salon where an evil woman had waxed her eyebrows. The pain had been intense, but brief. A total makeover had followed.

  Desiree had promised a five-minute routine that would change everything. Lori had timed her. The makeup had taken seven minutes, but when she’d seen the results she decided not to complain about the extra time.

  Her skin was luminous, her eyes huge. Lip gloss drew attention to her mouth that suddenly appeared full and really sexy.

  Now, in the department store, Lori shook her head. “I can’t believe that’s me.”

  “It is. Although, honestly, the glasses have to go.”

  “I can’t wear contacts,” Lori said, tearing her gaze away from her reflection and following her sister into a department filled with really cute casual clothes.

  “There are other solutions,” Madeline said. “Like Lasik surgery.”

  “I’m not having a laser burn off my cornea just so I don’t have to wear glasses.”

  “Beauty is pain. Besides, wouldn’t you like to see the digital clock in the morning?”

  “I can see it just fine.”

  “If you lean forward and drag it right to your face. Come on, Lori, it’s perfectly safe. Millions of people have had it done and they love the results.”

  “You’re just flapping your lips. It’s easy for you to talk—no one is discussing burning off your cornea.”

  “Fine. I’ll let the glasses thing go. Let’s find you some great jeans.”

  Thirty minutes later Lori had three pairs of jeans that fit perfectly. She buttoned up the first of the blouses Madeline had brought her.

  “It’s more fitted,” her sister said. “See how it follows the curves of your body. That’s a good thing. I brought in some sweaters, too. And look—no brown.”

  “Very funny.”

  But Lori wasn’t about to complain. She liked the dark green shirt her sister had picked out. It brought out the green in her hazel eyes.

  Madeline forced her into colors she would never have tried on her own. Teals and dark purples, a fun sweater in a range of colors from dark orange to pale peach. The pile kept growing until Lori was sure she could feel her credit card trembling in fear.

  “I don’t need all this,” she said, although she wasn’t sure how she would pick her favorites. Funny, but when she shopped on her own she hated the process. Nothing seemed right.

  Her sister walked into the crowded dressing room with a simple black dress.

  “I know what you’re going to say,” Madeline began. “‘Where would I wear it? It’s too expensive. It’s not my thing.’ Yada, yada. So you’re going to try it on and then we’ll talk.”

  Lori took the dress, put it on a hook, then pulled her sister close.

  “I love you,” she said as they hugged. “I want to make sure you know that.”

  “I love you, too,” Madeline told her.

  They smiled at each other, then Lori reached for the dress. “I really don’t have anywhere to wear this.”

  “No one cares.”

  They had to make a trip to the car to dump all the packages. Lori thought they were finished, but Madeline dragged her back into the mall and steered her toward a familiar store. Well, familiar from seeing it on the outside. Technically, Lori had never been inside.

  “No way,” she said, balking at the entrance. “I’m fine.”

  “You’re not fine. You wear ordinary panties and your bras are too plain. You’re with a great guy. He deserves a little lace and silk.”

  With that, Madeline pushed her into Victoria’s Secret. “Trust me, he’ll love it.”

  If he wanted to see her in her underwear again, Lori thought, both intrigued by the prospect of something sexy and nervous about Reid’s reaction to the new her.

  Madeline began collecting scraps of silk and lace, beautiful bras with matching bikini panties. When she paused by a display of thongs, Lori shook her head.

  “There is absolutely no way in hell you’re getting me into one of those.”

  Madeline’s grin broadened. “Want to bet?”

  REID WALKED INTO Cal’s office at the corporate headquarters of The Daily Grind and slumped into the leather chair opposite his brother’s desk.

  “What’s up?” Cal asked. “You look beat.”

  “I’m good. Still reading all the mail that was sent over. I’ve sorted it into piles by date.”

  “Sounds organized.”

  “It’s hell. So many kids write to me. Some of them want something but most of them are just trying to connect with me. They think that if they can see me or talk to me that it’s a big deal.”

  “You’re a famous guy.”

  “Famous for what?” Right now Reid felt about as important as last season’s program. “I’ve wasted the past year of my life. I got injured and it was my own damn fault.”

  Cal leaned forward. “When you blew out your shoulder? That wasn’t your fault. You swerved to avoid some kids on the mountain. It just happened.”

  “That’s what I told you,” Reid said, finally ready to admit the truth. “There weren’t any kids. I was drunk. That’s why I lost control and snowboarded into a tree. That’s why I lost my career. I was drunk and stupid. Then I read about these sick kids and I realized I don’t have the right to complain about anything. I should spend every day making their lives better.”

  “That’s not your job,” Cal told him. “Life doesn’t work that way.”

  “Then how does it work? I can’t be useless anymore. I’ve gotta make some of this right. I just don’t know how.” He slumped lower in his seat. “The press is still all over me. I get chased a lot when I go out.”

  “It was a story designed to capture the world’s attention.”

  “You know what? That doesn’t even bother me so much anymore.” What did he care about some woman he couldn’t remember? He knew how good things had been with Lori. Funny how that mattered a whole lot more now.

  “I want to leave the sports bar,” Reid said. “I’m going to talk to Walker later.”

  “You just said the press thing didn’t bother you anymore.”

  “It’s not about that. I need to do something different. I’m not the right guy for the job. I don’t want to sit around and tell stories all day. I want to…” That was the hell of it. He didn’t know what he wanted to do.

  “You’re rich, right?” Cal asked.

  “Need a loan?”

  “I’m good. I was thinking about you. You’ve got more money than you can ever spend.”

  “True.”

  “So start a foundation. A real one. Endow it with enough money that it functions off the interest, then set it loose on the world.”

  Reid straightened. He didn’t know anything about foundations except that they did good stuff. He remembered how much he’d enjoyed watching those kids get that sports equipment. “I could focus on what I wanted,” he said more to himself than to Cal. “Kids and sports.”

  “More than that,” his brother said. “You’re the guy everyone is interested in. You can get in places the rest of us can’t. You can get people to notice just by showing up.”

  Reid knew that was true. When he made a call, he got through. “I could give without anyone knowing it’s me.”

  “Is that what you want?”

  Reid thought about all those letters and requests and how coldly they’d been answered.

  “I don’t need credit for doing the right thing,” he said quietly. “Not anymore.”

  LORI WALKED INTO Gloria’s room and braced herself for any numb
er of comments. She was wearing new jeans and a fitted sweater. Despite her inexperience, she’d managed to reproduce Ramon’s riot of curls and she’d done the makeup thing without poking herself in the eye with the mascara wand.

  But now that she was here, she felt awkward and foolish. Like a goat trying to pass as a gazelle.

  “Good morning,” Gloria said, looking up from her paper. “Did you enjoy your day off?”

  “Yes. How are you feeling?”

  “Like an old woman with a broken hip. It aches a little this morning, but I’ll survive.”

  “I was hoping for life on a higher plane. Just surviving isn’t fun.”

  Gloria smiled. “You think you can perky your way out of me noticing the changes, but you’re wrong. Now stand in the middle of the room and turn slowly.”

  “You don’t pay me to model.”

  “I pay you to cater to my whims. Now go on.”

  Feeling foolish and a little self-conscious, Lori did as instructed. She stood in the center of the room and turned in a slow circle.

  Gloria studied her, then nodded slowly. “Better,” she said. “Much better. You saw Ramon?”

  “Yes. He did the cut and showed me how to use some fairly sticky products on my hair.”

  “The clothes are nice, as well. You finally look like a woman instead of a blob.”

  Lori chuckled. “Blob, huh?”

  “If I had to see that brown sweater one more time, I was going back to the skilled nursing facility.”

  “I doubt that.”

  “Your sister help you with your clothes?”

  Lori thought about saying she was more than capable on her own, but they both knew it wasn’t true. “Yes. She picked everything out. It’s kind of embarrassing that I don’t know what looks good on me.”

  “You do now.” Gloria leaned forward. “But we have to do something about those glasses.”

  “I can’t wear contacts and don’t start on me about the Lasik surgery. I’m not interested in getting my corneas burned off, okay?”

  “It’s not like they burn off the whole thing, but fine. You look lovely. Reid will be very impressed.”