by Magan Vernon
“Right?” It felt good to hear someone else say it.
“So, you never heard from him. No apology. Nothing?”
“My voicemail is full and texted me at least a dozen times, begging me to call him, so maybe. But call him? For what? So he could explain?”
He laughed.
“It’s not funny.”
“It sort of is. I mean, what the hell was he going to say? ‘It’s not what you think. I wasn’t sticking my dick in her.’”
“Funny and sad. He broke my heart.”
He stopped laughing. Very seriously, he said, “They don’t really break.”
What the hell was wrong with me? This poor guy. He’d been nice enough to help me when no one else would, and I’d nearly cried on his shoulder. I may as well tell him I was wearing a diaper. No, I wasn't going that far. And what did I expect him to say? “I guess for people who don’t have a heart. But then again, not everyone is given the same type of heart.”
“Life isn’t fair.”
I wasn’t so sure I liked this guy. Nice enough to stop and help, but he didn’t seem to have real feelings. Maybe he lacked empathy. Maybe he’d never had a broken heart? He probably didn’t make it into civilized society much, looking like he preferred being off the grid. Not my problem anyway, other than to thank him and be grateful that he had enough empathy to stop and help me.
I wiped my tears with the hem of my sweater and I put my hand out. “I don't believe I’ve thanked you yet. Thank you so much for stopping to help. I appreciate it.”
He shook my hand. A hearty shake, with the right amount of grip. The hands of a man who didn't work physical labor for a living. If that was his Bentley, point made. “Any gentleman would have done the same. We’re just lacking those in our society today, it seems. I’m Hugo Po-povits, by the way.”
And now I knew why the platinum blond chick looked so chic, Stella Popovits. The Popovits twins. Popo Oil Industries. I did my best to hide my fan girl moment. Stella oozed style supreme.
“I’m Maisy Tucker. I used to be a personal stylist to the stars, now I’m an unemployed girl living with her parents in Dallas, nice to meet you, Hugo.” Oh my God, what did I just say? He probably didn’t even want my name, much less my life story again.
“What exactly does a stylist to the stars do?” he asked.
He had to be yanking my chain, but his perplexed expression said otherwise.
I hip checked him. “You don’t think those busy starlets have time to put their wardrobes to-gether by themselves, do you? That they have all that fashion sense, and just look that cute all the time because they’re so adorable? Oh, no, no. They hire a stylist, who helps them find their look, then puts together clothes that make them look chic. Or fabulous. Or outrageous. They choose, we pull together the outfits. And when we’re not around, they have cheat cards to help them re-member what looks good with what.”
His unibrow raised. “Really? Is that how my sister does it? Because when we were kids, she couldn’t even match her socks.”
I really had no idea. But I’d love a chance to style Stella. I mean, getting a chance to work with such an icon outside of So Cal would put me on the map. And I didn’t even have so much as a business card. Life isn’t fair.
“She may just be fashion forward. She is beautiful.” With that hair, and those eyes, she could walk around in a bathrobe from Motel 6, if they offered one, and she’d be the talk of the town.
Hugo looked at his phone, then at me. “Stella is many things. I don’t think fashion forward is one of them.”
I elbowed him gently. “Do tell,” I said, then laughed, “I’m kidding.”
Hugo looked up the road. “Well, Maisy, your tow truck is here. And it looks like my driver is right behind him. It was a pleasure meeting you. I do hope we meet again.”
We shook hands again, and I looked past his hairy face to his eyes. They were icy blue like his sister’s. Only hers had a warmth behind them, his gave me a chill. Friendly as he seemed, no light shined in his eyes. Something sad lurked there.
To read the rest of Hello, click here to purchase the novel.
About Jamie Lee Scott
Jamie is the USA Today bestselling author of the Gotcha Detective Agency Mysteries.
With Hello, she’s diving into the world of romantic comedy with a vengeance.
When Jamie’s not writing, she’s riding, or making films.
She lives on a small farm with her husband, two dogs, two cats, and three horses. In her spare time she’s a competitive barrel racer and award winning screenwriter.
Connect with Jamie online:
www.jamieleescott.com
www.girlinapencilskirt.com
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Other books by Jamie Lee Scott
Gotcha Detective Agency Mysteries
Let Us Prey
Textual Relations
Death of a Sales Rep
What A Meth
Bad Vice
Electile Dysfunction
Who Gives A Split
Dressing a Billionaire Series
Hello
(Coming in 2016)
Style
Mine
Undressing a Billionaire Series
Titles TBA