Read Online Hysterical Blondeness by Suzanne Macpherson - Free Book Online Page A

now, tell me all about yourself.”
    Patricia figured anytime a guy wanted to know all about you he really just wanted to tell you all about himself.
    “Oh, I’m just an average gal. I grew up around here, just like you. I went to the U. How about you?”
    “I went to Stanford. I wanted to go to the U, but my parents preferred to spend their college money elsewhere, so where their money went, so did I.” Brett laughed.
    “Makes perfect sense to me,” Patricia replied.She glanced at Brett and thought how young he was, really. He couldn’t be more than one or two years older than her, maybe early thirties. And here he was, manager of the flagship store of the West Coast chain of Nordquist stores.
    The elevator dinged and they stepped out onto the sixth floor. Sixth floor: china, housewares, customer service, Java Jive Coffee Shop, Via Restaurant—Patricia did Pinky’s elevator operator imitation in her head to distract her from thinking about beautiful Brett. He had on an interesting dark blue serge suit, which blended nicely with her dress.
    As she walked slightly behind him, letting him lead the way, she pretended they were shopping for housewares. She pretended they were filling out their wedding registry in her head. Oh Brett, how about the Portmeirion? Too flowery? The Dansk would work for everyday, wouldn’t it? Oh, I prefer sterling myself, darling, and yes, you are right, the Royal Doulton has more class. Did you even know Donna Karan had a line of tableware? Oh yes, I adore the Flora Danica, dear, but it’s just too expensive. What? Oh, you are the most generous fiancé I’ve ever had.
    Patricia rattled on in her head as they passedthe various china patterns. She paused on the Flora Danica and feasted her eyes on the beautiful pattern. For some reason, expensive china gave her a pang of longing unlike anything else. This one was way out of her ever-lovin’ reach, even with her employee discount. A cup and saucer went for five hundred bucks. Patricia sighed.
    “Window-shopping?” Brett asked.
    Sheesh, she didn’t think it was that obvious. But, of course, what she was really shopping for was…him. She put on her new, more deceptive face and smiled. “Pretty china always calls to me.”
    Brett actually paused and looked at the Royal Copenhagen display behind the glass case. “Quite lovely, isn’t it?”
    “Divine,” Patricia answered, referring to both the china and the man.
    “You have expensive taste.”
    “A girl can dream.” No kidding. She caught her reflection in the glass case and still felt a zing of shock seeing her hair so very, very blonde.
    Brett gestured toward the entrance of Via. “Let’s dream of lunch, I’m starving.”
    Fairy tales can come true , she hummed toherself. Having lunch with Brett, oh yes, she was having lunch with Brett. Maybe a buzz would go around the room. Who is that woman having lunch with Brett? That one, the blonde? Since no one even knew she existed before this, they would hardly know who she was.
     
    Paul could hardly believe his eyes. He’d barely sat down and ordered and his gaze had fallen on Patricia, his Patricia in an intimate booth for two with Brett Nordquist. What the hell was she doing having lunch with the boss?
    That snot-nosed, shifty-eyed, smarmy son of a bitch, he was leaning her way, clinking his glass against hers, probably lying his head off about something. Like Brett had even known Patricia was alive before today. What had changed?
    Then it struck him again that she looked amazing in her blue dress, with her new, shockingly blonde hair.
    Paul shook his head. Why, oh why did her hair color change the way he thought about her? She was the same old Patricia, quirky and full of spit and vinegar, able to quote great works of literature at the drop of a hat.
    His Patricia, who always thought the best ofeveryone. But sometimes Patricia was so naïve. Did she know that Brett Nordquist had been dating Lizbeth Summers for over a year now? Did