Angie fluffed my curls as her dangling earrings bobbled beneath her short apple-red hair. “It’s hot.” She whirled my chair so I could see the back of my head in the wall mirror. “It’s easy care, and you look adorable.”
I watched myself frown. “In my line of work, ‘adorable’ could be a problem.”
“Well, you looked adorable when you came in, even in black sweats. Now you look even better.” Angie turned to the stylists working on other clients. “Girls, what do you think of Donna’s new hairdo?”
Irene, who was wearing cropped embroidered jeans topped with a red boat-necked tee, stopped clipping her client’s hair. She waved her scissors and said, “Donna, you should have done this years ago.”
“You don’t think this cut makes me look like Tinker Bell?”
“Far from it,” Janie from behind the register said. “You look hot.”
Angie laughed. “That’s what I told her.”
Later that night, I’d lightly applied a little tinted moisturizer, blush, and eyeliner and brushed my lashes with a wave of mascara, as Lisa Leann had taught me just before my last court date. Then I slipped into my new black pants and tank. I even added the jewelry, though I thought it created a “look” that went over the top.
As I stood in front of my mirror inside my closet door, I barely recognized myself. All too soon, I answered David’s knock at the door. When I let him in, I caught a whiff of his spicy cologne. He looked great in his dark suit coupled with a white shirt. “Wow! Donna!” David said when he saw me. “You look amazing.”
“Wow yourself. But are you sure you want to be seen with me looking like this? I feel like I’m in a costume.”
David grinned. “You look nice. You’re undercover, right?”
“That’s my excuse. What’s yours, Mr. Fancy Pants?”
He pulled my hand into his. “I’m your undercover date, remember?”
“Yes.” I stepped back to retrieve my shawl, which I’d draped across the top of my couch. David helped me nestle it around my shoulders. Before we left, I walked to my kitchen table and grabbed my ragged, purple quilted handbag, which had been in hiding on the top shelf of my closet, a leftover from the nineties. I guess I should have gotten a small black clutch, but I had to have something big enough to put my camera and notebook inside, and of course, my gun.
“Are you ready?” David asked.
“Guess so.”
Once I was in his Mazda, I didn’t know what to say or how to act so I began to fidget with my wrap.
“Are you okay?” David asked.
“Not really. I don’t even know what to say to you, dressed in this getup.”
“Just be yourself.” David adjusted his CD player, which began to croon “Unbreak My Heart” by Il Divo. “That’s the girl I admire.”
I turned and stared at him. “You admire me? Why?”
“Well, you’re funny, smart, and I think you’re pretty cute.”
When I didn’t answer, he gave me a sideways glance. “Did I just embarrass you?”
I gave a little nod. “I admit it, I’m feeling uncomfortable.”
David chuckled.
“What’s so funny?”
“You are.”
I crossed my arms. “Well, what about you?”
“Me?”
“Yeah, here you are, some kind of millionaire paramedic from Hollywood. You could be dating starlets. Not small-time deputies from the Colorado outback.”
“I like real women. I’m not interested in starlets.”
“Yeah, but you were interested in Velvet,” I pushed on. “Speaking of, what did you say to explain things to her?”
David shifted uncomfortably before turning the music down. “I . . . I reminded her I only wanted to be friends.”
“Oh? How did she take that?”
“She hung up on me.”
“Ouch.”
“How did you explain things to Wade?”
“Wade and I, we’re not dating. So, what’s to explain?”
His eyes shifted from the roadway back to me. “You didn’t say anything?”
“David, our date tonight is an experiment. I mean, maybe when you get to know me a little better, you’ll lose your infatuation. Maybe Velvet will seem like your dream girl.”
He tried to hide a smile. “That’s not possible.”
I pulled my shawl closer. “You think I’ll swoon and fall all over you, don’t you?”
David raised his eyebrows and stared at the highway ahead. “Would that be bad?”
“You’re not getting through this process based on your good looks, you know.”
He laughed out loud. “So, you admit you think I’m good looking?”
I sighed loudly. “Stop grinning.”
“Yes, sir, Officer. But I have an idea. Let’s try to relax and maybe even enjoy the evening.”
I took a deep breath. “Okay, I’ll try. But don’t forget, we’re undercover. So, follow my lead and never look surprised.”
“Yes, ma’am. I’ll do as I’m told.”
I grinned then. “Now that’s the attitude of a man I could be attracted to.”
“Like you’re not already.”
“Better not push your luck, bucko.”
“Don’t worry. Tonight, I’m playing by your rules.”
Later, after we’d been seated in the restaurant, the waitress dropped by. “Would you like anything to drink?”
“I’ll have water with lemon,” I said after David ordered an iced tea. I looked up at the blonde whose hair was so neatly pulled back into a ponytail, and she greeted me with a single raised eyebrow. I closed my menu and turned to David. “I’m off to powder my nose,” I said, grabbing my purse. “I’ll be right back.”
David watched as I slipped out of the seat. “I’ll be waiting.”
A few minutes later, I stood in a closed bathroom stall when the door of the bathroom opened. “Donna?” a soft voice whispered.
I stepped out. “Trisha, appreciate you dropping in.” I opened up my purse and pulled out my digital camera and handed it to my old high school classmate and showed her the zoom feature.
“You don’t think I could lose my job over this, do you?”
“Just don’t get caught.”
“Well, he’s with LaRita now. They’re supposed to walk out of the hotel room in exactly five minutes.”
“Wow, how do you know that?”
“I’ve got their MO down, and besides, LaRita is set to take over my shift, since she thinks I have to take off for a family emergency.”
“Okay, then you’d better hurry; I’ll meet you back here.”
Trisha slipped out of the restroom. I waited until she returned. Her cheeks were pink, and she held the camera over her head. “I got it!”
I hugged her. “Did they see you?”
“No, they were preoccupied. See.”
She handed the camera to me, and I turned on the review feature and watched the colorful shots of Clark Wilkes kissing a very young redhead through an open hotel room door. “Wow. Good work.”
“Thanks to the zoom on your camera,” Trisha said. “Well, I gotta get back to work so LaRita can relieve me.”
“Yeah, I bet David is wondering where I went.”
Trisha paused at the door. “He’s hot.”
I bit my lower lip and nodded. “Yeah. So he tells me.”
Trisha scurried down the hallway, and soon I slipped back into my chair across from David.
“I thought maybe you got lost,” he said.
“Nope, just, ah . . .”
“Sneaking around undercover?”
“Keep your voice down.”
No sooner than I gave the warning, Trisha approached our table with LaRita, a young redhead with flashing green eyes. Trisha said, “I’m about to go off duty for the night, and LaRita is here to take your order.”
As Trisha headed back toward the kitchen, I smiled sweetly at the waitress. She was a cutie, tall, long hair, and she look
ed all of eighteen. I said, “LaRita, you look familiar, aren’t you from Summit View?”
“Yeah, I was a cheerleader up till last year, but I’m a graduate now.”
“I thought I recognized you. So, is this your regular job?”
“Yeah, though I’ve recently made some connections, and I’m expecting better opportunities here at the resort.”
I tried to look impressed. “Oh, that’s nice.”
David was still staring at the two of us. I hesitated. “Did I introduce you to David Smith, my fiancé?”
I stared David down with a look that said, “Don’t react.”
She turned to David and smiled. “Nice to meet you.”
“We have an appointment tonight with Clark Wilkes to talk about our upcoming wedding this summer. We’re planning it here at the hotel. Do you know Clark?”
She nodded. “Yeah, he’s actually the one who’s going to promote me.”
“Really, so he’s a nice guy?”
She nodded and smiled shyly. “Yeah, he’s okay.”
“I know him from church,” I said. “He’s a swell family man.”
LaRita raised her eyebrows. “What do you mean?”
“His wife is one great lady. You’ve met her?”
Her eyebrows shot up. “He’s married?”
“Oh yeah, with kids too. He and his wife make the perfect couple.”
LaRita looked angry, then embarrassed. She seemed to catch her breath before she said, “Look at me, I almost forgot to take your order.”
David said, “Well, I’m going to have steak, medium rare with all the trimmings.”
“I’ll have the same.”
In a flash, LaRita was gone.
David stared me down. “Fiancé?”
I reached across the table and squeezed his hand. “Thanks for playing along.”
“I take it we have a meeting with Clark Wilkes to, ah, plan our wedding?”
I shifted in my chair. “You said you wouldn’t act surprised, remember?”
He sighed. “Will he help us plan our honeymoon too?”
“Don’t bet on it.”
David smiled as if he had other ideas.
“Stop it,” I said, trying not to smile at his mirth.
“You started it.”
“I know this is awkward, but I appreciate you being a good sport.”
“Why not? I’m having the time of my life.”
As we were finishing our shared dessert, death by chocolate cake, Clark Wilkes dropped by the table. He was a handsome man, a man a woman like Lisa Leann would certainly approve of. Judging from his haircut and the cut of his suit, he looked like he was stepping out on the red carpet. He said, “The maître d’ pointed the two of you out to me. I was wondering if I could escort you on a tour of our facility.”
David said, “We haven’t paid our bill.”
“Oh, don’t worry about that. Dinner’s on the house, Mr. Smith. Your lovely Donna here is thinking of serving our steaks at your wedding rehearsal dinner. I hope you enjoyed them.”
David looked at me. “They were excellent.”
I smiled sweetly. “Yes, we would like to take the tour of the ballrooms.”
David helped me with my chair and my wrap, then we followed our host down to the Tabor Grande Ballroom. Clark opened the door. “Take a look, I think this room would meet your requirements.”
David said, “Dear, how many people have you invited to our wedding?”
I smiled. “Now, we’ve discussed that, darling.”
“Well,” Clark continued, “this room will easily seat the five hundred on your guest list.”
I exchanged looks with David. And he nodded with a silly grin on his face as he said, “Sounds like what we were looking for.”
“Now, let me take you to our Silverheels Room. I think it would be perfect for your wedding reception.” We walked down the hall and he opened another set of double doors.
“Ah,” David said, “this is perfect.”
I smiled up at him. Clark turned to us. “Would you like to see your complimentary honeymoon suite?”
I shook my head, but David said, “Oh yes, we’re quite interested.” He draped an arm across my shoulder. “Aren’t we, dear?”
I had no choice but to nod as I meekly followed the men down to the suite. Clark opened the door to a masterpiece of a suite, rich with designer couches, desks, flat-screen TVs, a liquor cabinet, and a wide open door to a master bedroom glowing in lavenders and mauve. David made a beeline through the master bedroom door and sat down on the bed. Clark followed him, and I trailed behind. David patted a spot beside him. “Try it, dear.”
“Oh, I, ah . . .” I looked at Clark, who said, “You two make yourselves at home. I’ll step down to my office and wait for you there. You know the way, don’t you, Donna?”
“Yes, I do.”
Clark discreetly closed the door behind him.
David lay back on the bed. “I think I like undercover work.”
I turned and kicked at his foot. “Cut it out, you knucklehead. Let’s get down to Clark’s office.”
David laughed as he stood and followed me to the door. “Your wish is my command.”
Soon we were sitting in front of Clark’s desk, looking over the pricy contract. Zow!
I looked at David, then looked at Clark. “Do you mind if we take a minute alone?”
“Sure. I need to run to the restaurant to check on an employee matter. I’ll be right back.”
As soon as he left his office, I stood and stared at his desk and noticed a paper only partially covered by his telephone.
“So, it’s Clark we’re investigating,” David said. “But aren’t you performing an illegal search?”
“Not if I find something out in the open that gives me probable cause. Say, what’s this?” I leaned closer to peer at the paper listing female employees, complete with special notations.
David walked around the desk and looked over my shoulder.
“What did you find?” He read the hand-jotted words beside LaRita Jones’s name. “Excellent in bed?” He looked up at me, concerned. “You say this guy goes to our church?”
“Not for long.” I pulled out my camera from my purse and began snapping pictures of the document. David went and stood by the door then whispered, “Donna, better wrap it up. I think he’s coming.”
Quickly, David and I slipped into our chairs just as Clark opened the door. I pushed my camera into my purse and smiled as if nothing had happened. I looked up with all innocence. “Do you mind if we take these contracts home and study them, then I can call you with my questions.”
“Sure, if I can’t trust a deputy, who can I trust?”
David and I stood to go, and Clark shook David’s hand and mine. He said, “I’m looking forward to your call.”
Half an hour later, as we neared Summit View, David asked, “So, do you take all your first dates to honeymoon suites?”
“You’re the first. But what about you? Do you bounce on the bed with everyone you go out with?”
David shook his head. “Believe it or not, I’m an old-fashioned guy. What about you?”
Before I could stop myself, I blurted, “I’m . . . I’m celibate.”
After a stunned silence, David grinned. “Ah, I see.”
I frowned and studied my hands, which I’d folded into my lap. “Yeah, and I’m guessing that’s a deal breaker for you.”
“Well, Donna, I’m not looking for a party girl. I’m looking for someone I can build a life with. So, actually, it’s nice to hear you’ve been celibate.”
I felt my face burn. “Well, ah, we all have a past.”
David slowly nodded. “Let’s think of the future and—”
So help me, I snapped. “I just can’t be pressured, David, I can’t.”
David looked surprised. “Well, since I played your fiancé tonight, you can’t blame me for merging our undercover assignment with a little wishful thinking.”
&nbs
p; “Take a reality check. I’m only getting to know you. I’m not ready to think of the future with you or anyone else, for that matter.”
“Fair enough.” David pulled onto my street. “Maybe, though, we need to try another date. Just to see where this thing is going in the short term.”
I leaned back into my seat and stared up at the mountains glowing beneath the starlight. “Okay, you were a good sport tonight.” I smiled. “And I had a good time.”
He pulled into my driveway and wiggled his eyebrows. “Good enough for a good-night kiss?”
So help me if I didn’t say, “Why don’t you step under the porch light with me and find out?”
Moments later, he did. When he wrapped his arms around me, our lips touched, and my heart stirred in a way I hadn’t expected. Our lips lingered before I could push away. “Good night, David.”
“Good night, Deputy. And you’re a good kisser.”
I smiled shyly. “Then that makes two of us.” I slipped inside my front door, my heart hammering. I shut the door and leaned against it, almost in a panic. I had to slow this situation down.
I looked out the kitchen window as David pulled out of my driveway. Oh Lord, what am I getting myself into? This will never work. It can’t. Besides, Velvet will never forgive me.
Lisa Leann
26
Dicey Meeting
Chopping onions is always a great smoke screen for a good cry. At least, that’s what my mama always said, and today, it was certainly true.
I laid down my knife and wiped away the gathering dampness with the back of my hand, careful not to rub onion juice into my eyes. How is it that everything in my life is so out of control?
I hopped off my stool and went to rinse my hands in my large stainless steel sink while my eyes continued to water, not so much from the pungent onion but from an overflow of heartaches.
Maybe I was crying because Lizzie, the mother of our little bride, had accused me of sabotaging her daughter’s wedding dress. (How could I have known Esther was butting in where she shouldn’t?)
Or, maybe it was because I missed Henry. How could he have left me for a church mission trip at a time like this? Not only did I desperately need his help, he had unwittingly left me alone to face a lovesick Clark.
I blotted my eyes with a tissue and turned to look at the clock on the wall.
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