where is he taking you and what am I working with?” she asked, keeping an eye out in case Pudding ambushed her. Already the fat cat had hidden somewhere. He didn’t like Cassidy and her loudness.
“Um, I’m not actually too sure where we are going yet. But he bought some things for me, they are on the bed,” I said, flicking my chin towards my room, gesturing for her to have a look. After a moment of silence she dashed back into the room.
“Are you kidding me Clover? It’s all utterly stunning. That I can work with,” she beamed. “What a pretty price tag it must have came with as well.”
“I couldn’t bring myself to ask. How is work?” I asked, offering her a coffee. She tapped on one of my bar stools, insisting that I sit so she could get straight to work. She pulled out her equipment, starting with the hair straighteners. As she waited for them to warm up, she pulled other items out.
“Well Debra darling is getting a divorce. Officially the story goes that it’s because her husband can’t keep up with her work schedule and they grew apart. But it is sooooooo because she is having an affair. But what makes it even more interesting is that one of the journalists told me that apparently her husband has been cheating on her for the last four years with their cleaner. So it’s a pretty messy divorce. However, as only he has witnesses of her cheating, he is taking her for every penny he can get from the divorce.”
Karma…, echoed in my mind. Debra had made my life a living hell because her husband fancied me, and to find out now that they were both cheating on one another seemed fitting.
“I’m doing okay. Me and that hockey player dude broke up,” Cassidy continued. When one of her relationships didn’t work out, she referred to her former lover only by something he did. Never by his name. “Oh my gosh! I heard that Hayden Zilch is writing for Be True ? Is he as handsome as he was in last year’s ‘Top Fifty Bachelors’ images? Damn, that man knows how to keep himself in shape.”
I couldn’t help but laugh. “Hayden?” I said, looking up at her. She tugged on my hair lightly to say ‘don’t move’ and began straightening out my curly hair. “I used to go to university with him. He hasn’t changed a bit. He has always been like that.”
“You went to uni with him? No fair Clover, you keep all the hotties to yourself. Do you reckon we could organise a meeting? Like go out for a few drinks or something? I’d love to meet him.” I could hear the excitement in her voice.
“Well, I suppose I could organise something like that. I mean, it’s not like he is taken or anything. But Cassidy, he is a major player.”
“Please, I can handle boys, and you don’t know how it will go until you try.” Her bouncy curls cascaded over my shoulder as she looked at my side profile up close. “And who knows, I might be the one and only who can tame the utterly gorgeous Hayden Zilch,” she teased with a wink. “I mean, if you were able to tame Damon Brogardt, maybe I might have the same lady luck being around you.”
“Maybe,” I said with a small smile. “But first, you need to concentrate on my hair before you burn it away.” It surprised me how appealing Hayden Zilch was to everyone. I remembered him to be the smug boy from university that every girl wanted. Not much had changed since then — only that he succeeded at absolutely everything he did, apparently.
Chapter Fourteen
W ith only minutes to spare after Cassidy left, I completed the outfit by putting on the beautiful golden bangle and dangling earrings. I couldn’t help but admire the knee-length red cocktail dress. I felt like I was worth millions, yet I knew the moment Damon looked at me it would seem irrelevant what I was wearing.
Damon knocked on my door. Instead of letting himself in, he waited until I opened the door. I held my gold clutch tightly, absorbing his beautiful masculinity. He wore a black tux with a
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