Don't Make Me Choose Between You and My Shoes (9 page)

As soon as the applause died, Celina rose and started toward the steps, leaving the stage. She was confused and strangely disoriented. Had she just made a date, or was it all a joke? She felt a hand on her elbow and looked up.

“See you at seven,” the detective said softly.

She walked back to her seat dismayed. It had been disclosed to all present that she was single, had no children and was not staying at the hotel. She had fooled no one. Everyone in the room had read her clearly.

At the end of the session, members of the audience surrounded the two presenters, asking questions. Celina followed Debbie Sue and Edwina out into the hallway.

Edwina's hand came to her forearm. “Heavens to Betsy, girl. That piece of Yankee eye candy asked you out.”

“I don't think so, not really.”

“Oh, yes he did,” Debbie Sue said. “And you should
not
go alone.”

“I wasn't planning on going at all,” Celina said. “Why, I'd look like an idiot showing up at that fountain. Especially if he didn't.”

“No, you won't, because we're going with you.” Debbie Sue gestured at herself and then Edwina.

“That's right,” Edwina added. “We might have just met you, but hon, you're a fellow Texan. And you have no business going off with a man you barely know. Especially in New York City.”

“Ed, you sound like her mother,” Debbie Sue said.

“Don't get all teary-eyed,” Edwina said. “I've got selfish motives. I'd like another chance to look at him myself. He's like my Vic. He's the kind of man that makes you forget your thighs are too skinny and your boobs are too flat. He just makes you feel like a woman, like you're the center of his universe.”

“Wow,” Celina said, still dazed. She hadn't thought of all of that. “I think I can't wait for seven o'clock.”

The next presentation, conducted by the older detective, was “Blood Spatter at the Crime Scene and What It Reveals.” The accompanying slides were gross enough to entertain a group of preteen boys. Celina found herself shocked at the graphic nature of real homicides. She had never seen such pictures on the NAPI Web site. A tiny doubt crept into her ambition. Did she really have the stomach for detective work?

During happy hour, as they sipped margaritas, Celina confessed to Debbie Sue and Edwina that she was staying at the YWCA because that was what she could afford, but new money concerns had cropped up. She didn't think she could attend all of the sessions, taking expensive taxi rides back and forth between the Y and the hotel. She was still trying to decide if she dared walk or take mass transit. She was too embarrassed to mention the theft of her extra money on the bus.

“That's just nuts,” Debbie Sue said. “You're not going to commute back and forth from the Y. We've got a room upstairs bigger than most Salt Lick houses and it's not costing us a dime. You can bunk with us.”

“She's right,” Edwina added. “No point in you staying in that tiny room when we've got all that space. It's the least we can do. Hell, we Texans have to stick together in Yankeeland.”

Debbie Sue grunted. “Dammit, Ed, people can hear you. Would you please stop talking about Yankees? The Civil War is over.”

Celina's eyes grew moist. This trip was better than she could have imagined. Here she was, sitting with women she
admired and could now call friends. And she had caught the eye of a man she could only dream about in her other life in Dime Box, Texas.

She had always believed there came an opportunity in everyone's life when all the pieces fell together for a memorable moment. The hard part was recognizing it and not letting it slip past. Was this the time, the moment? If so, she had to get a Velcro grip on the situation. She was
not
going to waste her life being ordinary.

Not for the next four days, anyway.

A
t the end of happy hour, Celina excused herself and took a cab back to the YWCA to collect her belongings. Before leaving her tiny room, she called Granny Dee and gave her the big news.

“Well, sweetheart, it was awfully nice of those ladies to ask you to stay with them,” her grandmother said, a slight hesitation in her voice. “Are you sure you won't be putting them out?”

“I guess not,” Celina replied, “I haven't seen the size of their room, but they said it's big enough for all three of us. It was their idea.”

“And it won't cost you anything?”

“It isn't costing
them
anything. It's one of their perks for being invited speakers. I'll save me a lot on carfare alone.”

“Bless their hearts, this is just a godsend, isn't it?”

“Yes, ma'am, a godsend.”

Celina and her grandmother talked a few more minutes before saying good-bye, but Celina made no mention of the Detective McDermott and the dinner plans for the evening. The date was still an uncertainty. Fantasies like the one in which she was presently suspended just didn't happen to girls from Dime Box, Texas. If they did, she would know about it. Following knowing about it, she would have read about it and studied what her reaction should be, which would have resulted in her feeling far more confident than she did now.

In the process of refolding and packing her clothing, she slipped her high heels off and wiggled her toes. She rarely wore high heels, but believing she needed them for her trip, she had bought them. In fact, she had a suitcase full of new clothes she and Granny Dee had gone to Austin and bought. She had maxed out her only credit card.

Still, what she wouldn't give to be wearing her boots, her tried and true Tony Lamas. She found herself wondering if Detective McDermott ever wore boots, or if he even owned a pair. She had always worn cowboy boots. And living a country life in a country setting, she had always imagined a cowboy in her future. The idea of anyone else had never crossed her mind, so why was she thinking about it now?

The answer was basic. Primal, in fact. Detective McDermott had turned her on like she'd never been turned on before. Sam might be comfortable, but he didn't give her a giddy feeling all the way to her toes. He didn't make her so nervous she couldn't talk. And until the detective had
drawn her up onto that stage and she had looked into his deep brown eyes, she didn't even know those feelings were absent from her life.

She stopped at the registration desk and checked out, dragging her heavy suitcase or sometimes pushing it with her foot. Her run of good luck was apparently holding up, because just outside the Y's door, right in front of her, a man was climbing out of the backseat of a cab. She walked to the cab driver's window. “Excuse me, but could you please take me to Times Square?”

“I ain't doing this for my health,” the driver said, without looking at her. “Get in.”

Just a day ago, this sharp reply would have brought her near to tears, but today, she laughed. It just goes to show you, she thought. You can take the girl out of the country, but you can't take the best day this country girl has ever had and diminish it.

 

Edwina surveyed the hors d'oeuvres spread before her. She hadn't expected this much food on a complimentary buffet in the bar. A bag of Doritos and some hot sauce would have been just fine, but this was a banquet fit for a king.

Taking a seat and a table for two, she scanned the room for Debbie Sue. They had left the Big Apple Room together, but an overcrowded elevator forced them to separate. She didn't spot her, but she did notice several men sitting at a table together. Frank Rogenstein, the detective who had been partnered with Detective McDermott onstage earlier, was among the group. He caught her eye and raised his glass to her.

Edwina smiled and returned the gesture. It seemed like a harmless-enough response, but apparently he thought it was an invitation. He pushed his chair back and said something to his companions that caused raucous laughter. Then he headed in her direction. As far as Edwina was concerned, a man approached a strange woman with a drink in his hand and a stagger in his step for only one reason.
Shit. Where the hell is Debbie Sue?

“Mind if I join you?” he asked.

Okay, she told herself, there was no reason to make a cynical assumption. She was a visitor in his city and, compared to him, a novice detective. No point in being rude. She smiled up at him. “Suit yourself, cowboy.” She pushed the chair across from her away from the table with her foot.

He moved the chair around until it was adjacent to her and sat down, only inches away. “You're a cowgirl, eh?”

Edwina looked down at her clothing. Today she had on a hot-pink broomskirt and a glitzy white western shirt. “Naw. I'm a Broadway star. I'm in costume.”

He chuckled and threw back a gulp of his drink. “Smart mouth.”

She gave him a mouth-only grin.

He put his face close to hers. “You and your friend staying at the hotel?”

His whiskey breath almost singed her eyebrows. She leaned away from him. “Yes, we're in…” She caught herself. Good God, she had almost given him their room number. “Uh, we're on the eighth floor,” she lied. “Great view.”

Of course, somebody with his background and skills
would have no problem with a small challenge like getting a hotel room number if that was what he wanted.
Damn
.

“I'm on six. Haven't checked out the view. When you've lived in this city as long as I have, you've seen every view there is. Good and bad.”

“Oh, I'm surprised you're staying here at the hotel. I mean you actually live in the city, right?”

“The rooms were part of the speaking offer, so McDermott and I decided to take them. It's convenient and we both got nobody to rush home to. Where's your partner?” He leaned back and adjusted his tie.

“Oh, she's got to be around here somewhere. We got split up on separate elevators. Where's yours?”

“Oh, he's around somewhere, upholding the law and defending the defenseless.” He settled a look on her that she was positive was a leer. “You know how these young pups are, full of piss and vinegar. He's on a quest to make the city a better place.”

“That doesn't sound like such a bad thing,” Edwina said. “At least he's not robbing banks.”

“It's an exercise in futility.” He tilted up his glass and drained it, then motioned the waitress over. “How'd you and your partner get to be private eyes?”

Edwina spent ten non-stop minutes explaining how The Domestic Equalizers came to be. She figured she would bore him with an overload of detail and he would find something else to do. It appeared she was right. His eyes darted about the room. It didn't take a body-language expert to figure out that he wasn't listening.

To her surprise, he suddenly focused on her and leaned toward her. “You two were pretty smart, using a tracking device on that horse. Be sure to check out the vendor show while you're here. McDermott and I do some demonstrations on equipment that will blow your mind. Pure state of the art. You won't find anything like it in Texas.”

Before Edwina could reply, Debbie Sue walked up. Taking a seat, she extended her hand to Rogenstein. “Hi. I'm Debbie Sue Overstreet. I enjoyed your speech this morning.”

“Thanks. I was just telling your friend about some communications equipment you need to look at while you're here. It's a couple of steps up from the two tin cans and a string you country girls most likely use.” He tilted his head back and guffawed.

Uh-oh
. Edwina had seen Debbie Sue react to being laughed at before. Glancing her way, Edwina could almost see her hackles rise.

Debbie Sue glared, her chin thrust forward. “Tell you what, Slick—”

“Hi,” Celina said. “I've checked out of the Y. Got my suitcase with me. Hope y'all weren't kidding about me staying with you.” Their leggy new friend struggled to the table, dragging a suitcase the size of Dallas.

Debbie Sue shifted her attention to Celina. “No, we weren't kidding. The more, the merrier.”

“It'll be like a slumber party,” Edwina said, relieved at the interruption. “Let's go upstairs and get you settled in.”

As they stood to leave, a beefy hand reached out and
grabbed Debbie Sue's wrist, pulling her down until her hair fell forward and brushed the surface of the table.

“If you girls want somebody to crash your little party, just let me know.”

Debbie Sue pushed her hair back and gave him a sweet smile. “Tell you what we'll do if you're willing.”

“You name it, babe. I guarantee I'm willing.”

“We'll take off our clothes and get a couple of cans and some string, and when we're ready for you, we'll call you.”

 

After a struggle to get her suitcase into the elevator, the doors closed on Celina and her two new friends.

Debbie Sue turned to her. “What's in that suitcase, bricks?”

Celina smiled sheepishly. “Everything I own, practically.”

“Are you excited?”

“About what?”

“Your date this evening. It's only an hour from now. C'mon, tell me you just can't wait.”

“You've got to be excited,” Edwina put in. “Christ, that dude's so hot he probably wears flame-retardant shorts.”

Celina laughed. It felt as if she had known these two forever. The new friendship reminded her of high-school years. Until this moment, she hadn't realized she missed female friends in her life. She made a mental note to remedy that situation when she returned home.

“Debbie Sue,” she asked, “isn't your husband in law enforcement?”

A prideful grin spread across Debbie Sue's mouth. “He's a DPS trooper, working out of Midland. He's home now, studying for the state exam. He's trying for an appointment to the Texas Rangers.”

“Texas Rangers! Are you serious? I've never even seen a Texas Ranger. You must be so proud.”

“Proud?” Edwina said. “Look at her face. She's grinning like a virgin on prom night.”

All of them laughed.

“Don't get off the subject, Celina,” Debbie Sue said. “Seriously, aren't you excited about tonight?”

“I would be if I thought he'd really be waiting for me.”

“I tell you what,” Edwina said. “If he doesn't show up, it's his loss and our gain. One way or the other, we're gonna see the city tonight.”

“Oh, gosh, if that's true, I've got to change shoes.”

“You and me both,” Debbie Sue and Edwina said in unison.

They reached their door, Debbie Sue swiped the key card and lifted Celina's suitcase. “Ugh,” she said and set it back on the floor. “Damn, I'm used to lifting sacks of oats and bales of hay, but that sucker's heavy as lead.”

“Let me help you,” Celina said, and with one of them pushing and the other pulling, they slid the suitcase into the room.

“Make yourself comfortable,” Edwina said.

Celina walked in, slowly looking around. The room was cavernous compared to the one she'd just left at the Y. “Oh,
my Lord. This is fantastic. I mean, it's so, so, fancy. My grandmother said y'all were a godsend for asking me to stay with you and she was right. Thank you so much.”

“Go on, now, it's our privilege.” Edwina gestured toward the dresser. “Half those drawers are empty and there's plenty of room in the closet.” She opened the door on the small refrigerator near the room's entrance. “Check out this courtesy bar, shug. I don't know what you do for a living, but I'll bet you could blow a month's pay on a Snickers bar.”

Debbie Sue giggled. “Ed and I learned that the hard way. We checked out of a room in Fort Worth once and the tab for the”—she crimped the air with two fingers of each hand—“‘courtesy bar' was higher than what we paid for the room. It took us three credit cards, getting out of there.”

“Well, hell's bells,” Edwina said indignantly. “How was I supposed to know? Who ever heard of paying five bucks for an undersized candy bar? Christ, I give away candy bars bigger than that at Halloween.” She slammed the refrigerator door. “And all those cute little bottles of liquor were just there for the taking. I thought they were souvenirs. They shouldn't call it courtesy when it ain't free.”

“Listen,” Debbie Sue said, looking up at Celina, “all Ed and I need to do is slip on some comfortable shoes. You probably want the room to yourself while you freshen up, so we'll just grab our shoes and get out of your hair.”

Edwina chuckled. “Hair. Get it?”

Celina blinked at the skinny brunette.

“Hair. We're
hair
dressers. Get it?”

“Oh, yes,” Celina said, laughing. “I do get it. But you don't have to leave. I'll just change my shoes, too. Really. I don't need to do anything else.”

Looks volleyed between Edwina and Debbie Sue, then settled on Celina. She suddenly felt uncomfortable. “What? What is it?”

“Your Granny Dee was right, sweet cheeks,” Edwina said. “We are godsends. You've got a hot date tonight and we're the best damn hairdressers and cosmeticians in Salt Lick, Texas. Debbie Sue, grab your makeup kit and I'll get the hair spray.”

“Uh, wait a minute. How many other hairdressers are there in Salt Lick?”

“Two.” Edwina pulled a straight-backed chair from the desk and planted it in the center of the room. Then she grasped Celina's shoulders, moved her to the chair seat with a plop and started in on Celina's long hair before she could say another word.

While Edwina styled, Debbie Sue applied fresh makeup to her face. “Hey, you've got great cheekbones,” she said as she brushed on blush. “Your eyes are the color of Martina McBride's and I've got this cool frosty lavender eye shadow. It's a perfect color for blue eyes.” Debbie Sue dug through her makeup. “I brought this earthy rose color of lipstick—”