by Vi Keeland
But he didn’t frown. Instead he smiled as his blue eyes traveled over Jess and then met Mina’s gaze. “Hey guys,” Mina said quietly, feeling somehow defeated as she and Jess approached the table and Eric’s smile didn’t waver.
The low hum of Jess’s chair’s motor quieted as she reached the table and stopped at its edge. “Eric, this is my sister Jess. Jess, this is Eric, the artist I told you about on the way here.”
Eric’s smile widened a little as he extended a hand. “Nice to meet you, Jess. I hear you’re an artist too.”
Jess’s eyes sparkled as she took his hand and nodded. “I like to draw, mostly.”
“The tattoo you designed for your sister is amazing.”
Jess beamed as a hint of color crept into her cheeks. “Thanks.”
Mina unslung her purse from her shoulder and slid her jacket off, preparing to sit.
“Here, give me your purse,” Karen said. “I’ll put it over here with mine so you’ll have more room over there.”
Over there? Suspicion settled over Mina as she eyed the chair beside Karen. She’d deposited her purse directly onto the seat and was already taking Mina’s, putting it with her own. The fact that Karen suddenly thought that handbags required their own seats left only the chair beside Eric open. She settled into it, shooting Karen a suspicious glance.
Oblivious, or perhaps only pretending to be, Karen grinned back innocently.
A waitress appeared out of nowhere, chatted with Karen, looked twice at Eric and finally took their orders. By the time the food arrived they’d made a little small talk and listened to Karen rave about the day’s photos more than once. Mina wished she’d shut up. It would be just like her to ‘accidentally’ forget herself and give a detailed account of their on-camera kiss in front of the whole restaurant. “I’ll be back in a minute,” Mina said, pushing back her chair with a wistful glance at her barely-touched grilled shrimp and veggie kabobs. “Jess, do you want to come to the restroom with me?”
Jess shook her head, rendered speechless by a mouthful of fries.
Mina breathed a small sigh of relief and checked to make sure that Eric’s attention was on his sandwich before shooting Karen a meaningful glance.
Karen downed one last bite of her salad before excusing herself and accompanying Mina.
“What do you think you’re doing?” Mina asked when they were safely inside the restroom.
“Accompanying my best friend to the restroom for an impromptu interrogation, apparently.” She narrowed her eyes at Mina. “Do you even have to go?”
“No, but I need to talk to you without Jess and Eric around.”
“About what?”
“I need you to stop talking about the photo shoot.”
Karen looked flabbergasted. “Why? It’s the reason we’re here celebrating.”
“Because Jess doesn’t know the particulars about the photos and I don’t want her to know if and until I decide to tell her about them myself.”
Karen finally sobered up. “Oh, Mina. It’s not that big of a deal. I mean, there were a couple photos where your silk slipped a little, but I deleted them before we left the studio, I swear.”
Mina shook her head. “The poses were just really intimate. I don’t want Jess to get the wrong idea and think that I’m…you know…”
Karen shrugged. “What? An awesome model?”
“No. Promiscuous. I don’t want her to think I’m promiscuous.”
Karen rolled her eyes. “Trust me, Mina. You’re the last person in danger of being accused of promiscuity.”
Mina ignored Karen’s last remark. “Please just try not to mention the photos anymore tonight. There are lots of other things we can talk about.”
“Okay.” Karen smiled and turned for the door, presumably thinking of her waiting salad.
“Wait.” Mina laid a hand on her arm. “One more thing.”
Karen paused mid-stride. “What is it?”
“Are you trying to set me up with Eric?”
The blush that flared in Karen’s fair cheeks gave her away.
Mina sighed. “Please, please stop trying.”
“No, no Mina. I won’t stop.”
Mina tightened her grip on Karen’s arm, lest she sprint out of the restroom like a red-headed gazelle hell-bent on matchmaking. “Why not?”
“Just hear me out,” Karen said. “After you guys kissed in the studio, I thought that maybe, well… Mina, how long has it been since you’ve had a boyfriend?”
Mina clenched her teeth, biting down on nothing. “That’s irrelevant.”
“No it’s not. You’re only twenty-four and you’ve already given up on trying to find someone. Eric seems like a really nice guy, and he’s sort of just fallen into your lap. If I need to facilitate things to fan the spark that’s already there, then so be it.”
“I haven’t given up on finding someone. I’m just not interested in a relationship right now.” Her cheeks warmed as she lied smoothly.
“That’s ridiculous. Nobody deserves to be alone, least of all you.”
“I don’t have time for a boyfriend.”
“Yes you do. You’re here now, aren’t you? There’s no reason why you and Eric couldn’t be here together alone next Sunday.” She donned a mischievous grin. “I’d be glad to hang out with Jess if you feel guilty about leaving her behind to go on a date.”
Mina shook her head. “It’s not just that.”
Karen donned an incredulous look, her red brows climbing her forehead. “Then what is it?”
Mina leaned back against the side of an empty stall with a sigh, her resolve not to talk about the issue wavering. “Karen, I’m boring.” The rest of her confession tumbled out in a rush. “You’re right – Eric does seem like a really nice guy, plus he’s super-hot. Women probably come on to him all the time. Someone like me wouldn’t be capable of holding his interest for long.”
Karen looked at Mina like she’d sprouted a set of antlers. “Boring? Seriously? Mina, you’re one of the most beautiful and interesting people I know.”
Mina rolled her eyes. “You have to say that. You’re my best friend.”
But it was too late. Her green eyes glinting dangerously, Karen had already settled a hand on either of Mina’s arms. “This is for your own good.”
A spike of alarm pierced Mina’s annoyance. “What?”
Karen began steering her toward the door. Mina tried to resist, but the soles of her shoes slid effortlessly over the smooth floor tiles, unable to gain traction. The door was perilously close. “Karen! Listen, you don’t understand. Eric already asked me on a date and I—”
Karen pushed the door wide open, ending their private conversation.
“…blew it,” Mina finished under her breath. She leaned in close to whisper in Karen’s ear as they made their way toward the table. “I am never going to pose for you again.”
Karen ignored her, settling down in front of her salad with a cheery grin. “Did we miss anything exciting?”
Jess piped up with a smile. “Eric thinks I could be a professional tattoo designer if I wanted to.”
Karen shot Mina a questioning look and she shrugged, smiling as she settled into her chair, greeted by the tempting aroma of her still-warm entrée. “I bet you could, Jess.”
“I hope you don’t mind me telling her that,” Eric said.
“Not at all,” Mina replied, taking a sip of her iced tea. “She definitely has a talent for it.”
Eric smiled ruefully. “Yeah, well, it’s not exactly the career most people would choose for their kids. I’m sure your parents would rather she went to college.”
That was hardly the case, but Mina let his assumption pass without comment. She wasn’t about to crash the light-hearted dinner with a sudden revelation of her and Jess’s depressing childhoods. She would have liked to let him know that she was Jess’s guardian, since he apparently didn’t realize that, but Jess was already chattering enthusiastically.
“I am going to
go to college,” she informed Eric, “art school.” Mina and Karen had already heard all about Jess’s college hopes a hundred times, but Eric was a fresh target. She gave him the briefest rundown of her carefully laid plans that Mina had ever heard, but she was still breathless by the time she finished.
“That sounds like a great plan,” Eric said. “I wanted to go to art school too when I was your age.”
“But you never did?” Jess asked.
He shook his head. “Nah. Life got in the way too fast for me, and before I knew it I was tattooing. I’m sure you’ll get there though.”
The afternoon stretched on, and they all lingered after lunch, with Jess and Karen doing most of the talking. Mina didn’t mind letting them dominate the conversation. Talking a mile a minute just didn’t come naturally to her. Eric seemed content to listen too. Mina watched him quietly, waiting for him to look toward the door or pull out his cell phone and glance at the time. He never did, just sat there looking as if he were genuinely enjoying himself. He was a nice guy. Maybe too nice for his own good. If Mina didn’t intervene, Jess and Karen would talk his ears off. “Come on, Jess. We’d better get going if I’m going to help you with that research paper.”
Jess frowned and cast a glance down at her plate. It was empty of fries, which left her with no excuse to stall. “All right.” Her tone held all the enthusiasm that could be expected of a teenager agreeing to leave someplace fun to do homework.
“Tell you what – we’ll order your dress today,” Mina added.
Jess’s face lit up like a Christmas tree at the mention of her homecoming gown. “Really?”
Mina nodded. Karen had given her a check from Hot Ink for her modeling, and the payment combined with what she’d managed to save was just enough to buy the gown.
“I have to go too,” Karen announced. “I want to get a little rest before I have to come back here to work tonight. Come on Jess, I’ll help you into Mina’s car.”
Before Mina could object they were gone, leaving her alone with Eric as she hurried to don her jacket. When she’d finally done up every last button and couldn’t think of any other ways to procrastinate without being rude, she turned to him. “This was fun.” At least, it had been for her, but maybe that was just a mark of her lackluster social life. He’d probably been bored to death listening Karen and Jess, though he’d managed not to show it.
He smiled as he laid a tip on the table. “Yeah. It was. Can I walk you to your car?”
It was maybe half a minute’s journey away, but Mina didn’t point that out. “Sure.”
He stopped just a few yards outside the door. “Can we get together again sometime soon?”
Mina tried to hide her surprise, but the look that passed through his eyes told her she’d been unsuccessful.
“After all, I owe you a coffee.”
She smiled. “Actually, I think it’s the other way around. You bought me a latte and I abandoned it.”
A sharp gust of wind sent Mina’s hair dancing and he closed the distance between them, invading her personal space in a way that made her want to run through the poses they’d struck together earlier that afternoon in the studio. “Okay. You got me. I just want an excuse to see you again.”
A shiver of mingled delight and alarm raced through Mina’s being. “Really?” she asked before she could stop herself.
“Yeah. I’d kind of hoped you’d gleaned that from the kiss, though.”
Beneath the heavy makeup she hadn’t taken the time to wash off in the studio, Mina blushed. He was almost close enough to kiss her again, and her heart was racing as if he were about to.
“How about Tuesday?” he asked. “I’m not working late that night.”
She searched her mind for a prior obligation or excuse but found nothing.
He misread her silence. “Do you have to work then?”
She shook her head. “No. Tuesday will be fine.” She’d meet him and use the time alone with him to explain who she really was. When he found out that she and Jess were a package deal, he wouldn’t be interested in seeing her again and that would be okay. It would sting, but she couldn’t leave him in the dark. Not after the kiss. The memory of it sent her heart racing, and she could have used a little heartbreak to balance the effect.
“I’ll pick you up. Any time after six will be fine with me.”
“How about seven?” That would give her time to cook dinner for Jess before she left.
“Perfect.” He leaned in suddenly, settling his hands on Mina’s sides and pulling her to him. The kiss he gave her was sweet, but she sensed the tension beneath his restrained movements. She felt it too but didn’t dare give in. After all, this would be their last kiss.
“Mina, take a look at this.”
Mina tucked a stack of bills into her register, closed the drawer and turned to face her co-worker Amy. Amy was holding a cell phone, a snapshot on display on the screen. “You took a picture?” Ashley was the subject of the photo, looking annoyed as she stood behind the bank counter in her white sweater with its comically positioned salad dressing stain. After lunch that day she’d gone about her work for an hour before finally catching sight of her reflection in the drive-through teller window and noticing the bright orange smudge.
Amy shook her head. “Not me. Brian took it.”
Laughter echoed across the lobby. Mina turned to see Brian, one of the loan officers, peeking out from his cubicle and flashing her and Amy a mischievous grin. It wasn’t just the other tellers who couldn’t stand Ashley. She’d only been working at the bank for three weeks and she’d already succeeded in offending almost every one of the employees, except for the managers. She treated anyone with a lick of power like royalty, simpering and ‘brown-nosing’, as Brian liked to call it.
“He’s calling her ‘Thousand Island Tits’,” Amy said, returning Brian’s grin.
The bank’s front double-doors swung open and Mina suppressed a snigger as a customer entered. “I think it was actually French dressing.”
Amy cast a glance over her shoulder.
“I’ll take care of him,” Mina said, nodding at the customer as she stepped toward her register.
She didn’t quite make it. An argyle blur collided with her shoulder and sent her spinning. She tipped into Amy, knocking her against the counter. As they struggled to regain their balance and untangle themselves, something clattered against the floor tiles.
Amy’s cell phone. It ricocheted off the wall and hit the spiked heel of Ashley’s shoe. She stood there glaring from above the high neck of her argyle sweater, her eyes darting between the phone, Amy and Mina. Whether or not she’d realized that Amy and Mina had been talking about her at first, she’d seen the photo now.
“Are you okay?” Amy brushed a few stray curls out of her eyes and shot Mina a look of concern. It was a good thing neither she nor Mina were wearing shoes like Ashley’s. They probably would have broken their ankles if they had been.
Ashley turned on her heel, somehow managing to simultaneously send the cell phone flying across the floor again before marching away, her shoes beating a staccato rhythm against the tiles, echoing noisily.
“I’m fine,” Mina said, rubbing her shoulder. It would probably bruise where Ashley’s bony arm had collided with it. “I’m not sure if the same can be said for your phone.”
Amy stooped to retrieve the device. After a quick check, she pronounced it to be fine. “Ugh, I can’t stand her,” she mumbled quietly, glancing balefully in the direction Ashley had gone.
Mina silently agreed. A part of her would have liked to knock Ashley down in retaliation, but she didn’t dare. Unlike that spoiled brat, she needed her job. It was hard enough making ends meet on her teller’s pay as it was – unemployment was not an option. Besides, she was in the running for the junior loan officer position that had opened up a few weeks ago. If she got the job, she’d have her own Ashley-free cubicle, not to mention a pay increase. The possibility of promotion had been in the back of her
mind ever since she’d submitted her application, though she tried not to think about it too much. If she got her hopes up any higher she’d end up hating her current job if she didn’t get the position. Suppressing a sigh, she attended to the customer who’d arrived and watched the whole spectacle with a look of surprise pasted across his face. She quickly cashed his check and gave it to him in the requested small bills.
“Are you still being considered for that junior loan officer position?” Amy asked after the man left.
Mina nodded. “As far as I know.”
Amy frowned. “So I guess you’re not interested in helping me kidnap Ashley, drive her to the nearest body of water and toss her in?”
Mina snorted. “I’m afraid not. Not that the idea doesn’t have a certain appeal…”
Amy laughed. “Don’t worry. I’m sure you’ll be out of here and in your own cubicle soon enough.”
It was a mark of how miserable Ashley had made their jobs that they fantasized about a cubicle. “Why,” Mina asked, “did Chris say anything about the job?”
Amy shook her head. “No, but you’re the best teller we have and he said he’d prefer to hire a current employee instead of an outside candidate.”
The doors swung open, admitting several customers at once.
“I hope you’re right.”
Chapter Five
