by Debbie Mason
He waved her off. “You’re a brilliant actress. You’ll pull it off. And I’m going to help get you into the role.” He walked to the back of the salon and disappeared into his office. “Cross your fingers I don’t blow…” There was a pop and what looked like blue sparks shooting from behind the door, then the lights went out.
“Ty, are you all right?” she called out at the same time her cell phone rang. Searching the workstation, she found her phone and picked it up. “Hello.” There was nothing but heavy breathing coming over the line. Her pulse kicked up. “Who is this?”
“I’m watching you. I’m coming to get you,” someone said in a creepy falsetto. The line went dead. There was a loud crash to her right, followed by an eerie moan. “Ty!” she shrieked, jumping from the chair. Her heart pounding, she raced to the back of the salon and slammed into someone. She ran on the spot, screaming. Ty screamed, too.
She stopped screaming and running and swatted him. “That’s not funny! You scared me half to death.”
“I scared myself,” he panted. “Just let me sit for a minute.” He put out his hands and felt for a chair. She heard him taking long, steadying breaths, then he got up and moved away from her. “Okay, call Easton now.”
“I don’t think this is a good idea, Ty.”
“Do you want to see Easton and talk this over with him?”
“Well, yes, but can’t I just call him?”
“Diva, you’re the one who said he’s lost interest because he no longer has to protect—”
“All right, I’ll do it.” She quickly punched in his number before she changed her mind.
He answered on the second ring. “Chloe?”
“Hello, ah, East—” Something grabbed her leg, and she screamed. Ty looked up from where he lay on the floor with a ghoulish smile on his face. She screamed again.
“Chloe, what’s going on?” Easton shouted over the line.
“Stalker, deep breathing on the phone, and a really creepy voice saying he’s watching me…” The front door rattled. She looked down. Ty wasn’t there anymore. “I think he’s trying to break into the salon.” Even though she knew it was Ty, she was freaked out, her heart thumping against her ribs.
“Calm down. Where’s Ty?”
“I don’t know where—” The receptionist chair rolled across the floor with Ty in it. He looked like he was… “Dead!”
“I’m on my way. It’ll take me about fifteen minutes to get to you, but I’m calling Gage as soon as I get off—”
“No. No Gage. That’s not a good—”
He talked right over her. “Stay away from the windows and lock yourself in Ty’s office. Gage’ll call you on your cell to let you know when he gets there.”
He disconnected. Chloe stared at the phone. Ty rolled the chair to her feet. “He’s sending Gage, isn’t he?” She nodded. “We’re so screwed,” he said and fell back in the chair.
“I told you this was a bad idea!”
He threw up his arms. “It would have been fine if you hadn’t told him I was dead!
“I know. I know. Now we have to figure a way to get ourselves out of this.” She paced in front of him, chewing on her thumbnail. “All right, I have an idea.” She ran to the front of the salon and peeked out the closed blinds. She saw movement outside the police station and turned. “Do you have a back door or window?”
“Both. Good idea, I’ll hide in the alley until I see Easton arrive. Then I’ll—”
Chloe’s cell phone rang. “Go, go,” she whispered. Ty ran to the back of the salon. She took a second to get into character, then answered in a tremulous voice, “H-hello.”
“Hang tight, Chloe. I’ll be there in a minute. Have you had another call?” Gage asked.
“No, no—”
“Diva, the painters sealed the door shut,” Ty called out in a panicked whisper.
Chloe threw her arms up to silently say what am I supposed to do about it? then responded to Gage, “No, no calls.”
“Okay, just calm down. I’m here now; you can let me in.” The front door rattled.
As Ty stood there staring at her, Chloe disconnected from Gage. “Go out the window.”
* * *
Easton’s tires squealed as he turned onto Main Street. He’d broken every posted speed limit to get there. When he pulled in front of Ty’s salon, the lights of his truck shone on Gage’s pissed-off face. The tension in Easton’s shoulders eased slightly. At least it wasn’t panic. His brother in his sheriff’s uniform stood outside Diva yelling into his phone.
Easton jumped from his truck. “Where’s Chloe?”
Gage disconnected. “Inside. She won’t open the door because she says I could be the stalker impersonating a sheriff. Do I look like a stalker?” his brother gritted out from between clenched teeth.
No, but he did look kind of scary. “I’ll call her. Any sign of Ty?” he asked as he pulled out his cell phone.
“Cat said she was texting with them about an hour ago, and everything seemed fine. Although she thought they might have been drinking. She’s on her way. And Estelle hasn’t seen them for a few hours. They were here setting up for tomorrow’s grand opening.”
Chloe’s cell rang five times before going to voice mail. He pounded on the door. “Chloe, it’s Easton. Open up.”
His brother’s eyes narrowed. “Where were you?”
“Out for a drink with a…friend. Why?”
“Did Chloe happen to know you had a date tonight?”
“No, and it wasn’t a date.” At least he hadn’t thought it was. Nell had asked him to do her a favor and meet with a friend who needed computer advice. Easton hadn’t realized he’d been set up until he arrived at the restaurant. But there’s no way Chloe could have known about it.
“Good jeans, button-down shirt, and a jacket…It was a date. Keep trying to get Chloe to open the door while I check around back.”
He tried Chloe once more. Disconnecting when her cell went to voice mail again, he fought back a wave of panic. If he hadn’t known how much he cared about her before, he did now. The last twenty minutes had been hell.
Easton once again pounded on the door. It swung open to reveal his brother, who had one hand wrapped around the back of Chloe’s neck, the other wrapped around Ty’s. Gage was furious.
Easton frowned. “What’s going on?”
“That’s what we’re going to find out. I caught them trying to sneak out the window.” Gage steered them into the dark shop. His brother switched on a flashlight and aimed it at the stylist chairs. “Sit,” he snapped. “Easton, open up the blinds.”
He did a quick scan of Chloe before he did as his brother directed. She looked cover-model perfect in a peach wrap dress and matching heels. More importantly, she didn’t look like she’d been hurt. Though she did look nervous. But just as he registered the hint of nerves, her expression smoothed over.
She lifted her chin. “The only reason we were sneaking out the window was because we thought you were the stalker, and you were trying to break down the front door. Right, Ty?”
Ty nodded. “Right.”
Gage crossed his arms over his chest. “I thought Ty wasn’t with you. You told Easton—”
“Well, that’s the funny part of the story. I mean, it wasn’t funny at the time. But I was in the loo, and Ty told me he was going to grab us a bite to eat. And then the lights went out, and I couldn’t see a thing. Not even the hand in front of my face.” She gave them a quick demonstration before continuing. “Then I heard a crash, and someone moaning. I didn’t realize it at the time, but Ty had fallen over…the chair. And then when I walked by, he grabbed me by the leg. That’s when I called Easton.”
“Really, so did he also tell you he was watching you?” Gage said in an exasperated voice.
Easton raised an eyebrow at her, wondering how she was going to get around that one. He probably should be pissed at her, but oddly enough, he wasn’t. Indirectly this was his fault. He’d been avoiding her, and he
imagined this was her way of getting his attention. Most people would just pick up the phone, but not Chloe. He supposed that was one of the reasons he was attracted to her. Life with Chloe would never be boring. And, he was beginning to think, worth the effort he’d have to put into a long-distance relationship.
“Well, as you know, I have a vivid imagination. And Ty and I had been talking about our favorite stalker movies. Mine was Wait Until Dark. You may not have heard of it—the movie came out in the sixties—but Audrey Hepburn’s performance was brilliant.” She turned to Ty. “What was your favorite again?”
“Okay, I’ve heard enough. I don’t believe any of your story. And if your mother wasn’t married to my father, I’d throw you in jail right now for public mischief. This is serious, Chloe. While you were wasting my time playing games, someone could have—” He broke off when Chloe raised her finger.
“I don’t mean to interrupt you, Gage, or would you prefer Sherriff McBride? Anyhow, just so we’re clear on this, you have no grounds to arrest me.” His brother looked like he wanted to strangle her. “Easton called you, not me.”
“Consider this your last warning, Chloe. Next time you pull a stunt, any stunt at all, I’m throwing you in jail.” As Gage pivoted and strode for the door, his cell rang. “Hey, Liz, no, she’s fine. It was just Chloe being Chloe. She probably found out about Easton’s date tonight.”
Chloe stared up at him. “You had a date tonight?”
Chapter Seventeen
Chloe adjusted her sunglasses as she and Estelle stepped into the early morning sunshine. At the sound of yelling and hammering, she glanced to her left. The park was a hub of activity. Men and women were busy setting up chairs and the stage for this afternoon’s fashion show. She couldn’t see it from where she stood outside the bakery, but she knew a tent was being erected behind the stage. They were getting their hair and makeup done at the salon, but they’d be changing in the tent.
“Thank goodness the press hasn’t arrived. The last thing either of us needs is a photo without our makeup on appearing in the tabloids.” Estelle said, and looped her arm through Chloe’s.
Chloe shuddered at the thought. With her recent spate of bad publicity, that was the last thing she needed. “It’s a little early for them to arrive, but to be on the safe side, maybe we should forgo picking up a coffee. I’m sure Ty will have a pot on.”
“Good idea, my dear,” Estelle said as they headed to the salon. She patted Chloe’s hand. “I’m going to miss you, you know. If I get the part, I probably won’t be back in the States for some time.”
“I’ll miss you, too. But this is a fabulous opportunity for you, Estelle, and I have no doubt it’s the first of many. Just look at Betty White. Besides, I’m already making plans to visit you in London. And we can Skype every day.”
The older woman sniffed and nodded, then stopped walking to remove a handkerchief from her purse.
“Oh, Estelle, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you cry,” she said, rubbing the older woman’s arm. “Do you not want to go?”
“No, I’m excited about the thought of being in front of the camera again. But…” She offered Chloe a small smile. “You’ve become very dear to me. I’m closer to you than my own grandchildren. And I’d hoped one day, in the not-too-distant future, you would be family.”
“You’re going to make me cry.” Chloe sniffed, then gave Estelle a heartfelt hug before saying, “We don’t need to be related by blood or to have a piece of paper to make it so. You’re the grandmother of my heart, Estelle. And if you give Cat a chance, you can have two granddaughters.”
“I don’t know, my dear. I think I may have ruined any chance of that happening. My grandson is barely speaking to me.”
“That’s as much my fault as it is yours. And I plan to repair your relationship with Grayson, and my sister, before you leave for London. You just leave everything to me.” She took the handkerchief from Estelle’s hand and gently dabbed at the older woman’s damp cheeks. “We’ll start with Cat first. She’s in the fashion show, so we’ll…Oh my, goodness, this is too perfect. While you distract my sister, I’ll get hold of her phone and invite Grayson. Knowing Cat, she hasn’t told him she’ll be making an appearance. We’ll kill two birds with one stone. You’ll have an opportunity to talk to your grandson face-to-face, and Cat will look so fabulous that Grayson will forget about their problems.”
Chloe chewed on her bottom lip. There was one problem with her plan. “We’ll have to sneak out to the tent to see what she’s wearing. If the outfit’s casual or tailored, we’ll switch it up with something sexy. Actually, I have the perfect dress in mind. No one will know it wasn’t from Naughty and Nice.”
“You’re a wonder, my dear.”
Chloe smiled absently as she went over the plan in her head. She had to talk to Ty about Cat’s hair and makeup. Maybe Chloe would do it herself. The time had come for her to take her sister’s beauty regimen in hand. And her love life. She winced at the thought, reminding herself that’s what had gotten her into trouble in the first place. But now that she was honestly acting in Cat’s best interest, everything would—well, should—turn out just fine.
Her excitement faded a little as they reached Diva. The salon was packed. Through the front window, she saw that Nell and her friends were already in the stylist chairs. As she went to open the door, Chloe squared her shoulders and lifted her chin. Without her makeup on and hair styled, it wasn’t easy swanning into the salon like she owned the place, but she did. Ty had warned her that he’d kick her behind if she played the shrinking violet as she had at Naughty and Nice.
She pasted a confident smile on her face. “Good morning, ladies. Is everyone excited for the big show today?”
Nell, with red dye in her hair, swiveled in the stylist chair and gave Chloe an up-and-down look. “I see you’ve recovered after your close encounter with your fake stalker. Though you are looking a little the worse for wear.”
Before Chloe had a chance to respond, Ty, standing behind Mrs. Tate’s chair, pointed his scissors at Nell. “Another word out of you, and you’ll have pink hair. I’ll wash out your color before it’s set.”
Estelle tittered.
Nell’s eyes narrowed. “I thought you were heading to London. Hope you didn’t stick around for this. We already have—”
Estelle interrupted her. “I was supposed to leave today, but Ty begged me to stay. He needs at least one mature woman who knows what she’s doing on stage. And I didn’t have the heart to disappoint Fred and Ted.”
Ty’s eyes went wide. He looked at Chloe and lifted his chin to the back of the salon. He didn’t have to tell her twice. Chloe was already on Nell’s hit list, and if Estelle shared…
“By the by, Nell, did Fred tell you he planned to join me in London? Oh, my, I can tell by your expression that he didn’t. I never was very good at keeping—”
Chloe tugged on Estelle’s arm. “You can chat later. We have to get started on our treatments.”
The door opened, and her mother and sister, along with Brandi, entered the salon. Cat had already had words with Chloe about her and Ty’s stalkercapade. Last night, her sister had arrived seconds after Chloe had learned that Easton had been on a date. Two days after he’d sort of kind of broken up with her, he’d been out with someone else. So of course she hadn’t been in the mood to be lectured by her sister, who had kissed Easton. And Chloe left the salon without speaking to either one of them. She also hadn’t spoken to her mother since Gage had ratted her out.
But she didn’t have much choice now. She gave her mother and sister a wide, welcoming smile. “Good morning, Mommsy and Kit Kat. We’re all going to have so much fun today, aren’t we?” She could hope, couldn’t she? But she was already feeling overwrought, and that feeling only intensified when she caught the gleam in Nell’s eyes.
“Brandi, you’re looking beautiful, girlie. Ty won’t have to do a thing with you. Probably just as well since some of these ladies need a whole l
ot of help.” She cast Chloe and Estelle a pointed look before continuing, leaving no doubt who she was referring to. “Nothing like love to put a twinkle in your eye and a flush in your cheeks. How was your date with Easton, by the way?”
Chloe’s jaw dropped. Then, despite the knife-like pain in her chest, she pasted a smile on her face. But when Brandi, looking as beautiful as Nell said she did, opened her mouth, Chloe knew she couldn’t stand there listening to a blow-by-blow of their night together without her reaction showing on her face. Even she wasn’t that good of an actress.
“Pardon me, nature calls,” she said, and speed-walked to the bathroom. She shut the door, leaning against it for support. Her legs were shaky, and she felt sick to her stomach. She was about to lock the door when Ty pushed his way inside.
He took one look at her, lowered the toilet’s lid, and sat her down. “Don’t let Nell get to you, Diva. She pulled a fast one on Easton. He didn’t know it was a date until he got to the restaurant. And if you would have stuck around last night, instead of flouncing off in a huff, he would have told you himself.”
“But you don’t understand, Ty. Brandi is exactly what Easton’s looking for. She’s beautiful, and she needs his protection. Truly needs it. Her ex-husband’s an abusive alcoholic, and she’s raising her son on her own.”
“Oh, I thought you were upset because she was one of the mean girls who bullied you in high school.”
“She was.” Chloe glanced at the door. “I don’t think I can go out there. They all know how I feel about Easton. How I’ve always felt about him. And now—” She broke off when the door opened.
“You okay?” her sister asked.
“I can’t face them,” Chloe said, repeating her fears to Cat. Her sister turned to Ty. “Can you give us a minute?”
“Sure thing, Pus…” He looked at Chloe and sighed. “Kit Kat.”
When Ty shut the door behind him, her sister crouched in front of her. “You can’t let them get to you. You did the same thing back in high school, Chloe. You’re the perfect target. You don’t stand up for yourself and fight back. You even did it again at Naughty and Nice the other day.” She angled her head, her gaze roaming Chloe’s face. “I don’t get it. You weren’t like this in LA.”