Bona Fide Beauty

by Landra Graf

  Kat hesitated, but only for a minute. When her eyes were shut, he stepped closer.

  Keeping his voice low, designed to invoke a sense of peace, he spoke the next set of instructions. “Breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth. With each breath out, envision your nervousness leaving, your fears. Replace it with strength, confidence. No one will laugh at you. At the least, they will ignore you, and the most, they will engage you in conversation and want to know more.”

  Her breathing continued, and after thirty seconds—“Now open your eyes.”

  She did, and her shoulders relaxed, the tension melting away, and her frame straightened up.

  “Feel better?” Betty asked from behind him.

  “Yes.” She nodded her head once. “I think I can do this. I’m ready.”

  They all migrated to the living room, Kat collecting her purse, which she bemoaned about. “This is why pants are perfect. They have pockets for keys and cards. This dress-and-purse stuff is for the crazy ladies of the world.”

  “Hey!” Betty sounded only a little offended. “I’m not crazy.”

  “You took time off work to help me get ready for a party you have nothing to do with,” Kat replied.

  “That’s not crazy; it’s called friendship. And now I’m going home to my dog and a bottle of wine. You both have a marvelous time.” Betty stepped up to Kat and gave her a brief, barely there hug before she turned on Dev. “She better make it home safe, or you’ll have to answer to me and two other women.”

  The woman’s no-nonsense, dead-eyed expression gave him a bit of a chill, and he replied, “Yes.”

  Betty clicked her way out of the house, and once the door shut behind her, Kat asked, “One last time, are you sure I look okay?”

  “The scary feelings coming back?”

  “Maybe a little.”

  He wanted to touch her to soothe the nervousness, but being in the living room brought back to mind the near kiss the last time he’d been there. Better to get out the door. “It will be fine, and you look wonderful. Let’s get going.”

  “If you want to review anything in the car, I need to get my index cards.”

  “No cards. No reviewing. We’re going, and we will have a good time, at the least.”

  She nodded in agreement and readjusted the strap of her purse on her shoulder. “Let’s get it on.”

  * * *

  Twenty minutes later they’d found a place to park and walked into the fancy 2Squared Hotel. The dinner was being held in one of the conference rooms. Fancy and elaborate, no doubt one of Pru’s ideas. The hotel stood in the heart of downtown and attracted celebrities all the time. Pru and Dev’s idea for downtown had sprouted after the hotel was built, over dinner at the Digs restaurant. Since their breakup, this was the one place he’d refused to come back to. This had been the location of their first anniversary, where they’d decided to move into together. It was also where he’d decided enough was enough. Fitting he’d walk in here with a different woman on his arm, one he found himself more interested in. Kat had curiousity, a flair for the dramatic, and a sweet enthusiasm he wanted to explore to its fullest extent.

  They came up to the hostess.

  “Two for Bentonville’s Beautification Celebration.” Dev handed over the invitation.

  A quick glance by the hostess and she replied, “Follow me, sir.”

  They walked across the bar area and past the crowd of folks talking, through a set of double doors. Once inside, the hostess bid them a good evening. Back along the left wall was a replica of downtown Bentonville and the surrounding blocks. Small green and purple flags with the board’s logo were planted in front of the houses that had agreed to the remodel. They approached it slowly, moving around a couple of people standing there. No one Dev knew had seen them yet, nor had anyone greeted them.

  Kat’s face turned ashen. “There’s a flag in front of my house.”

  “Don’t let it get to you. It’s a show-off piece.” Dev whispered.

  “But she may as well already have it. I don’t have the rest of the money.”

  “Stop. Those kinds of thoughts will end up driving you crazy. Let’s mingle; dinner will be served in about twenty minutes. We’ve got time to get a drink.” He didn’t mean to, but he put a hand on the small of her back. The contact sent a tingle up his arm as he guided her away from the model and right into Pru and her godfather, Jim.

  “Dev, you made it.” The look Pru gave him, the open admiration, immediately turned sour as she glanced at Kat. “And you brought a guest.”

  Jim didn’t seem the least bit affected by Pru’s disapproval and stuck out a hand toward Kat. “I’m Jim Hunt, Treasurer and board member. You are?”

  “Kathleen Baum.” She shook his hand, and Dev didn’t appreciate the gaze Jim leveled at her bosom. A spiral of unwanted emotion circled in his belly.

  “What do you do, Kathleen?”

  Pru didn’t wait for Kat to answer. “She works for a marketing company pushing papers.”

  The venom in her words was visible to everyone and pissed him off. He’d seen the same type of attitude ruin a woman’s self-esteem. So he did the next best thing. Dev wrapped his arm all the way around Kat, loving the feel of her waist beneath his palm. A small tug and she fit right against him. Heat, chiffon, and soft women nestled in beside him. His slacks tightened in the groin area, and he willed his semi-arousal to disappear.

  But the movement evoked even more anger from Pru. “Her house is also on the verge of being condemned. It’s the little one off Central. The two-bedroom, tiny thing with the tile roofing. You remember, Uncle Jim.” She wrapped an arm around her godfather’s elbow.

  Jim frowned. “I don’t believe I do remember; regardless, I’m sorry to hear that.”

  “Me too,” Kat replied. “The house has been in my family for nearly seventy five years. My great-grandparents bought the property and built the house from their savings.”

  The words appeared to touch a soft spot for Jim, just like he knew they would. History was very important to him, as it was for all the members of the board. It’s how Pru had convinced them to agree to the project. “Why is it condemned?”

  “Outdated wiring, plumbing, and a few other issues. Of course, I never knew about them until a surprise inspection by the code department.”

  “Uncle Jim, I see a few people I’d like you to meet. We’ll leave Dev and Kathleen to get settled.” Pru’s voice sounded a bit panicked because the truth of her deliberate deception hovered right at the surface. No doubt the board members weren’t familiar with her tricks.

  “Mr. Hunt, I haven’t seen the other board members here this evening. Are Hugh and Richard in attendance?” If they couldn’t work Jim, they’d move on to the others, but it wouldn’t hurt to find out where they were within the monstrosity of the room.

  “I’m afraid both of them had pressing obligations this evening, but Kinyon’s wandering around here somewhere if you don’t mind putting up with him.” Jim started to walk away with Pru, but as they passed, Dev whispered, “The truth will come out.”

  Pru shot dagger eyes at him and then click-clacked off. If her reaction was any indication, the night could only get better.

  15

  Kat survived the fire. Once Purple People Eater left them alone, things had gone swimmingly. There were dozens of people to meet, and meet them she did. Dev introduced her around the room. A lot of the folks he knew from dating Pru, but it seemed the Purple People Eater’s circle of influence didn’t include a mean girls group.

  As they sat down to dinner, Kat caught a glimpse of Mark a few tables over. Maybe him seeing her tonight would secure the rest of the money by proving she’d finished the makeover, which gave her the light at the end of this fucked up tunnel. The strange thing was, Dev hadn’t talked about beyond tonight, and her stomach gave a twinge at the idea of this being the last time they spent together. Over the last month, he’d become a part of her life, particularly her weekends, and they
’d come to find a lot of things in common. Sure they spent most of their time talking tips and development topics, but then she’d make a movie reference or mention a silly nickname and he’d pick up on it.

  Tonight, the urge to kiss him had come on strong. Especially when he’d walked into her house earlier and taken away her fears, calmed her down by declaring her a beauty. The admiration in his eyes made her believe him. There’d been a moment after Betty left that she’d sworn they might have shared a kiss. Now he walked over to Mark, who stood up from his chair. They clasped hands, and Dev pointed to Kat. Mark’s eyes went wide, and the two began talking.

  “Is this seat taken?” asked a male voice from beside her, the tone rich and cultured.

  She swiveled in her chair and made eye contact with smoky grays, a tan face with grayish-brown hair, and a matching goatee-mustache combo. He smiled at her with perfect teeth, white and pearly.

  “No,” she replied. “Not at the moment.”

  “Then I’ll join you.” He slid into the chair, a knee brushing against hers. It didn’t creep her out, but made her more aware of her new acquaintance as a man. A niggle at the back of her brain screamed familiarity.

  “Colton Kinyon, nice to meet you.”

  Ding ding ding, we have a winner. This was the one man Dev had insisted she talk to tonight, but he’d grown facial hair and a tanned since the photo for the board had been taken.

  “Kathleen Baum, and likewise.” She stuck out her hand. “I was told you were the man I needed to speak with.”

  “Oh, really?” His eyebrows went up, and he gave a secret smile. “I’m happy to help however I can.”

  He’d probably regret saying such a thing when she got done with him. While she didn’t have strong religious beliefs or bind herself up in a church like most of her family, she did believe in signs. This man—the one with no ties to Pru or Dev outside of the Beautification Board, of which he served as Vice President—sitting at her table, one of many with empty chairs, appeared to be a sign.

  “How can a house on the Beautification Board’s list of prospects get removed?”

  Colton appeared surprised by the question, but regained his composure as fast as it took to drink from his wine glass. “Before I can answer that, I’d have to understand why they would want to be removed. The houses selected are all in need of updating, remodeling, and we’re doing the owners a service otherwise unavailable to them. It’s not often a bunch of millionaires would offer to spend their money to fix up houses they will never live in or gain an asset from.”

  The elegant words struck a chord with her—a somewhat negative one. “You have a point, but typically when someone remodels their home, they get a say in how the house looks. Based on the paperwork, these owners have no say in the final product. It’s the discretion of the board what the inside and outside of these houses will look like, which takes away from the history of the house. Ruins it. How can you say you’re preserving anything when the homes are bent to your every idea and whim? While no monetary gain is earned, playing God with someone’s home is a reward in itself.”

  Leaning toward her, Colton gave the most apologetic look—softened eyes and a downturn of his lips—a sad face. “My dear Kathleen, you’re so passionate about our project. I take it you have a house on our list?”

  She nodded, afraid to open her mouth and utter an expletive. “No shit, Sherlock” would have been fitting.

  “Have you accepted the contract?”

  “No, for the reasons I just stated,” she replied.

  “Ah.” He said, sounding like a doctor who’d just been told some secret. “Then you’re the lovely, fiery young woman I’ve heard so much about, the one who cannot afford to bring her house up to code. Why would you want to keep living in a death trap?”

  “It was my grandmother’s. Two generations of her family were born and raised in the home. I’m the second female to own and live in the house. There’s history you can’t begin to understand—”

  “One errant spark and the history crumbles to dust.” He interrupted her, the arrogant ass.

  She wanted to stamp her foot and resort to the easiest tactic in the book, name-calling. Instead, she took a sip of her beverage, a fruity Moscato, and glanced around the room. Waitstaff had begun to put plates on the tables with dinner near the front of the room. It wouldn’t be long now before everyone would sit and eat, discussing all the good work being done, as if this project was the greatest in the world, a charitable endeavor people should be appreciative of, instead of the reality where they were selling out houses’ histories like cows at auction.

  Colton touched her hand, and she started. “Kathleen?”

  “What?” She didn’t tug away like she should, the warm, callused palm a welcome heat source in the chilly room.

  He removed his hand from hers, politely. “Do you have any plans for taking care of your ancestral home?”

  “I’m working on getting things updated now. It’s taking a bit of time and some money, but coming along.”

  “But therein lies the problem, the funds for the upkeep. How much is it putting you back?”

  Anger rushed through her veins at the question, and she couldn’t admit she’d entered into a deal with her despicable cousin to get the money. “A pretty penny, but what matters is I retain control of my home. I won’t be a visitor, and the history of my family won’t be cast aside for a fake one.”

  “We’re the devil, aren’t we?” This time, Colton smiled, big and wide without guilt or the appearance of shame.

  She shook her head in disbelief. “A devil with money pouring out of your checking account. How do you see this as right? You don’t even care about how this perverts history instead of preserving it.”

  “Good evening, cousin.” Mark’s voice came from behind her, and she looked over her shoulder to see him with his typical lowball of whiskey in hand. His red-and-black suit made him look more flashy than usual. Well hello, Satan.

  Colton piped up then. “Cousins? Mark, you’re related to this enchanting young woman?”

  “Yes,” Kat spoke before her cousin could. “We have parents who share the mother who, until her death, owned the house I live in.”

  Instead of responding to her, Mark focused his attention on her companion. “Do you mind if I borrow her for a minute?”

  “Not a problem. I need a refill from the bar anyway.” Colton got up and left, giving Mark a chance to slide into his seat.

  “Didn’t expect to see you here.” The sassy tone in her voice came without volition. Maybe it was because Mark had no smile, no life. He looked absolutely bored and cold.

  “The same would go for me, but Dev mentioned something about your house being on the chopping block and that this party was a perfect chance to test out what you’ve learned about the board members. You haven’t been running your mouth about our little agreement, have you?”

  “No, my lips are sealed. How am I doing with the board members?”

  He took a sip of whiskey and gave some weird half smile, “Horrible. If the angry way in which you talked to Mr. Kinyon is any example of what you’ve learned, I’m afraid to see the rest. I heard you ticked off Dev’s ex too.”

  “From what my image consultant says, we have common enemies. She’s after your business and my house.” For once she’d like to align with her cousin on something. to be working together because so far her deal with him felt terribly one-sided.

  “She’s not our enemy, but as important as any client. We have to ensure she makes money as much as we do. That’s the purpose of investors. They give the funds, and the business makes the moolah to pay them back. The investors also ensure business decisions are sound, and speaking of, Dev tells me you’re done. If he gives you the gold stamp tonight, then it’s all over.”

  Her heart jostled with joy and sadness at the announcement. The goal of passing the inspection and saving the house was within her grasp; she just had to last through dinner. “Consider my part of the
deal complete.”

  Mark pushed out of the chair. “We’ll see.”

  Dev got back to his and Kat’s table with fresh drinks in time to watch Mark stalk off, Colton Kinyon take a chair next to her, and dinner to be placed in front of him. The way Kinyon grabbed hold of the back of Kat’s chair as he sat resonated within Dev. Primal, territorial emotions invaded his being, which seemed unlike him. He didn’t get jealous.

  Sure, this woman held his interest more than any in the past, and he’d shared sexually charged moments with her that had never led anywhere, thank the Lord. When Mark had quizzed him on why he’d brought her, he’d done his best to make it all about work, about the consulting. He’d proudly confessed she’d impressed him over the past several weeks. She wasn’t changed, but equipped for social events, and this happened to be the final test.

  The word “final” set off a reality bomb inside him. They’d been building up to this moment for the last two weeks. A one-time performance and after this, then what? Did they see each other on weekends or go for runs or out to eat? Would she want him to come on shopping trips? Use her newfound style and tips to get a new job or maybe set up a competitive company? If his sister were here to offer a suggestion, she’d predict the worst. Somehow he couldn’t imagine Kat being as two-faced as Pru, but he did have a ton of unanswered questions and no clue on when to begin asking them. The only questions that mattered were where he fit in after tonight and why the hell was he worried about it?

  “Your dinner’s going to get cold,” Pru whispered into his ear.

  He fought every instinct to stay still and not jerk away from her as quickly as possible. Without looking at her, he parried, “What is on the menu tonight, besides humiliation tactics and glowering stares?”

  “You’re still holding my comments on your arrival against me? I was caught by surprise, and I didn’t say anything untrue.” Her reaction was typical, fluttering a hand in the air to dismiss his truth and replace it with one of her own.