Thanks for stopping by! Charisse is helping Marie get ready for her night with Conor, but Charisse wishes she was going instead. Oh what to do! If you’re here for the first time, please begin at the beginning!
Charisse swiped the false eyelashes off the vanity at the apartment she shared with Marie and shoved them in her jeans pocket.
“Hey!” exclaimed Marie. “Give those back.”
“No way. You’re not wearing those eye spiders tonight. This is a conservative cocktail party, not a sorority bash.”
Charisse had left work after closing it down at six and headed immediately to the little apartment she shared with Marie. It was something they’d inherited, if that’s what you could call it, after their mother had disappeared. Charisse had moved out briefly during the time she fancied herself in love, but had headed right back when he’d ditched her.
Marie pushed her lower lip out, pouting as well as any French woman. They’d fought over the dress and the hair, and Charisse had won both times. But Marie never gave in easily. “You’re not letting me wear anything I want tonight.”
Charisse put her hands on Maire’s shoulders and turned her back to face the mirror. “Can you really argue with my results?”
Charisse had used a straightening iron on Marie’s locks so they fell perfectly over her shoulder without any strays wisps to ruin the picture. She’d insisted on a little black dress rather than the scarlet one Marie had wanted. It accentuated her in all the right places without being loud about it. “All you need is a little bit of makeup, and you’ll be a billionaire’s delight,” said Charisse.
“Are you sure you don’t have time to redo my nails?”
Charisse gave an exasperated sigh. “His car is going to be here to pick you up any minute. And the blue sets you apart without being obnoxious about it.”
“Okay, okay, I know I should trust you when it comes to this stuff. You’re the queen of beauty.” Marie turned back around so Charisse could apply her make-up.
Charisse sighed and said, “Yeah, but you know how to work a room.
Marie grinned and said, “I do, don’t I? But I was really worried I wouldn’t get a date with Conor. What happened when you were shampooing his hair? He looked like a beast when he came out.”
Charisse kept her gaze on Marie’s cheekbones as she applied powder foundation. They hadn’t talked about Conor except for Marie saying over and over that she was seeing a billionaire. Charisse didn’t really want to start talking about him now.
“Come on,” prompted Marie. “Honestly, I thought he’d ask you out, the way he looked at you when he came in the salon.”
Charisse blushed, remembering the way she’d responded to his entrance—and then the shampooing. But he was Marie’s type. Not hers.
“OMG,” said Marie. “You like him.”
Charisse stared straight at her. “No, I don’t. You know I swore off suits.”
“Did he ask you out, and you told him off?”
Charisse didn’t want to tell her about Conor falling asleep in the chair. Besides she wasn’t entirely sure that was what had upset him. “No. He told me he’d bought Daddy out last year, and I called him a rat bastard.”
Marie pursed her lips, and her face appeared pinched in anger. “That fucker.”
“Oh, I don’t know. I think I was a little harsh on him–”
“I was talking about Daddy.”
Charisse had been swiping a brush through some blush but paused. “Marie! Watch your mouth! What did Daddy do to you?”
“Seriously?” Marie grabbed the brush and applied her own blush. “I thought this was just a date, dammit.”
“What are you talking about?”
Marie dropped the brush, curled her eyelashes and applied her own mascara before answering. “I can’t believe that after everything that happened with Josh, you can still be so naïve. How do I look?”
Charisse gave her a once-over. The anger seemed to make Marie glow. “Gorgeous as ever.”
The doorbell rang. Marie strutted out of the bedroom in black spiked heels and called back, “Off to make sure Daddy doesn’t lose his job. Don’t wait up for me.”
Confused, Charisse followed her, expecting to see a driver when Marie opened the door.
“Oh!” Marie bounced back to reveal Conor standing in the doorway.
If you live in ABQ, go get your nails done by Christine at Adoro! She does fabulous work! Please come back Monday and follow my blog so you don’t miss a scene!
Evelyn Aster 