what she wanted, but she was serious enough to draw up a contract?”
“Apparently she’d been thinking about it for quite a while.”
“Okay. What did she say when you asked about changing the contract if you both wanted to?”
“That’s when she froze.”
Charlotte didn’t laugh, but he wasn’t comforted by her silence either. He removed his boots while he waited.
At last she said, “I don’t think she means to insult you. If she thought you were hideous, she wouldn’t want to sleep with you at all—at least not for free. Maybe she’s just jaded as far as love is concerned. That I can understand.”
“Yeah, she said she saw too many relationships and marriages fall apart in Hollywood. It’s hard for her to trust—”
“Hollywood?” Charlotte interrupted excitedly. “You mean where the game shows happen?” She lowered her voice to mimic an announcer . “Coming to you from the entertainment capital of the world, Hollywood, California...”
Ethan chuckled. “Yeah. That Hollywood. She moved there right after high school and lived there for about ten years.”
“Ohhh!” He heard Charlotte clapping.
“She didn’t like it,” Ethan said and stretched his legs. “Well, maybe she did for a while, but eventually her hopes of an acting career died there. It’s not uncommon.”
“She couldn’t get a job spinning the wheel or holding the briefcases? But she’s so pretty.”
“That’s the problem. There are a lot of pretty people out there all hoping to get the same parts.”
“I see. That’s very sad. So she had no job and no husband. She could wind up like me. A lot of us women—”
Ethan held up one hand. “No. She has a job that she loves now. It’s not an acting job, but it suits her personality. She takes care of animals.”
“But animals wouldn’t know how pretty she is.”
“Maybe that’s part of the attraction. She doesn’t have to be pretty for animals to love her. They just love her because she loves them.”
“Ah. I see now. But at least you know she’s capable of love. Maybe she’ll love you too someday.”
“That’s just it. I don’t think she wants to—even if she could.” Ethan frowned.
“Humph. Now I’m mad at her again.”
“I didn’t know you were mad at her before.”
“Well, I didn’t like how she reacted to me the first time she saw me. Maybe she’s so used to pretty people she doesn’t like imperfection. I’m not ugly. I just have one little dagger sticking out of my head. Is she the reason you think you’re not attractive?”
“No. Well, yeah.” He sighed. “I don’t know what to think.”
“Okay. I’m going to be serious. You know it doesn’t happen often, so listen up. You are not ugly. In fact, you’re very handsome. Granted, I’ve known you since you were born, but I don’t think that matters. There was a time when you were little and cute and a time when you were gawky and shy. Then you grew into a handsome young man and changed again. You were confident, even cocky. And if you haven’t noticed, you’re changing even now. The young man was full of mischief. You said you wanted to play the field, and you did. A lot! How can you think you’re ugly when so many girls liked you? Now, just because of this one girl you doubt yourself? She doesn’t deserve you.”
Ethan shook his head. “Well, thanks for the vote of confidence, but I’m still confused by the mixed message.”
“Seriously, if I had a body, I wouldn’t charge you more than once or twice .”
He laughed.
“But if there was one itty bitty thing I could change about you...”
Ethan groaned. “Okay. Tell me. What is it?”
“Your hair. I think you should grow it long while it’s still all one lovely dark color. Someday it will turn gray and then white. Or thin—even bald. Why not flaunt it while you’ve got it.”
Ethan laughed. “Long hair went out in the eighties. Besides, could you see me on the boat with my hair in my eyes all day
“Apparently she’d been thinking about it for quite a while.”
“Okay. What did she say when you asked about changing the contract if you both wanted to?”
“That’s when she froze.”
Charlotte didn’t laugh, but he wasn’t comforted by her silence either. He removed his boots while he waited.
At last she said, “I don’t think she means to insult you. If she thought you were hideous, she wouldn’t want to sleep with you at all—at least not for free. Maybe she’s just jaded as far as love is concerned. That I can understand.”
“Yeah, she said she saw too many relationships and marriages fall apart in Hollywood. It’s hard for her to trust—”
“Hollywood?” Charlotte interrupted excitedly. “You mean where the game shows happen?” She lowered her voice to mimic an announcer . “Coming to you from the entertainment capital of the world, Hollywood, California...”
Ethan chuckled. “Yeah. That Hollywood. She moved there right after high school and lived there for about ten years.”
“Ohhh!” He heard Charlotte clapping.
“She didn’t like it,” Ethan said and stretched his legs. “Well, maybe she did for a while, but eventually her hopes of an acting career died there. It’s not uncommon.”
“She couldn’t get a job spinning the wheel or holding the briefcases? But she’s so pretty.”
“That’s the problem. There are a lot of pretty people out there all hoping to get the same parts.”
“I see. That’s very sad. So she had no job and no husband. She could wind up like me. A lot of us women—”
Ethan held up one hand. “No. She has a job that she loves now. It’s not an acting job, but it suits her personality. She takes care of animals.”
“But animals wouldn’t know how pretty she is.”
“Maybe that’s part of the attraction. She doesn’t have to be pretty for animals to love her. They just love her because she loves them.”
“Ah. I see now. But at least you know she’s capable of love. Maybe she’ll love you too someday.”
“That’s just it. I don’t think she wants to—even if she could.” Ethan frowned.
“Humph. Now I’m mad at her again.”
“I didn’t know you were mad at her before.”
“Well, I didn’t like how she reacted to me the first time she saw me. Maybe she’s so used to pretty people she doesn’t like imperfection. I’m not ugly. I just have one little dagger sticking out of my head. Is she the reason you think you’re not attractive?”
“No. Well, yeah.” He sighed. “I don’t know what to think.”
“Okay. I’m going to be serious. You know it doesn’t happen often, so listen up. You are not ugly. In fact, you’re very handsome. Granted, I’ve known you since you were born, but I don’t think that matters. There was a time when you were little and cute and a time when you were gawky and shy. Then you grew into a handsome young man and changed again. You were confident, even cocky. And if you haven’t noticed, you’re changing even now. The young man was full of mischief. You said you wanted to play the field, and you did. A lot! How can you think you’re ugly when so many girls liked you? Now, just because of this one girl you doubt yourself? She doesn’t deserve you.”
Ethan shook his head. “Well, thanks for the vote of confidence, but I’m still confused by the mixed message.”
“Seriously, if I had a body, I wouldn’t charge you more than once or twice .”
He laughed.
“But if there was one itty bitty thing I could change about you...”
Ethan groaned. “Okay. Tell me. What is it?”
“Your hair. I think you should grow it long while it’s still all one lovely dark color. Someday it will turn gray and then white. Or thin—even bald. Why not flaunt it while you’ve got it.”
Ethan laughed. “Long hair went out in the eighties. Besides, could you see me on the boat with my hair in my eyes all day
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