Friends and Lovers (8 page)

It was time to shape up and step away from her no frills existence and reconnect with her personality, because if she didn’t make her company more enjoyable even their seedling of a friendship could be in jeopardy. The thought made her shudder. She didn’t think she could endure Wes’s absence again.

Though she couldn’t really afford it, Lauren decided a shopping trip was in order. Her closet was teeming with business suits in uninspired colors, sensible heels, and no-nonsense blouses. Her wardrobe was as lackluster as her personality nowadays. That had to change.

Chapter 8

Because Gloria Fields Crisis Center was a short-term shelter intended to transition women out of dangerous situations and into safer, long-term alternatives they were losing two residents and gaining two more in one day. That wasn’t unusual. It was one of the reasons Lauren went in to work early, but she also had a second, more personal objective. She was going to make a delicate appeal to Jackie.

Lauren was hard at work when Jackie showed up twenty minutes later, right on time.

Jackie frowned at her from the connecting doorway. “You’re here early. Is something wrong?”

Lauren bit her lip and eased back from her keyboard. “I was hoping to talk to you about something this morning. Have you got a minute?”

“You know I do. Ask away.”

Lauren fiddled with the paperclip box on her desk, trying to get the words out. “Would you be willing to go shopping with me tonight?” she finally asked.

Jackie beamed. “Are you serious?”

“Dead serious.”

“Well, it’s about time! Girl, I’ve been waiting for the chance to drag you around.”

Lauren stared at her. “Really?”

“Hell yes.”

“How about after work?”

“Lookin’ forward to it.”

There was a look in Jackie’s eyes that actually frightened Lauren a little. She looked way too eager.

“Mmm, mmm,” Jackie said. “I’m going to have fun with you!”

Lauren might have lost a little color over that statement, but she couldn’t be sure. “Nothing extreme,” she pleaded, knowing it was probably too late to tack on that proviso.

“Don’t be a fool. You need serious help from a sista and lucky for you, you’re talkin’ to the right one. Trust me.”

Jackie sauntered out and Lauren drooped back in her chair with a groan. This did not bode well.

* * * *

The circular racks seemed to be closing in on Lauren from every direction. She couldn’t squeeze between them without some stray garment clinging to her. The way she frantically brushed at her clothes and leaped backward you would have thought there was a spider on her and not yet another harmless sleeve. Lauren was slowly coming unhinged. She turned her head, searching for her friend with a desperate look in her eyes. To her consternation Jackie didn’t even seem to notice they were drowning in shrieking colors and jarring music while poor Lauren had a severe case of the shakes from system overload.

“Now this is what I’m talking about,” Jackie declared, turning a slinky dress toward Lauren and jiggling the hanger.

Lauren staggered up to her and tugged on Jackie’s arm. “Let’s just go. Can we go?”

Jackie frowned. “But what do you think about this dress?”

Lauren tried to locate the exit over the endless field of racks. “I don’t think so. What’s the point of buying something like that if I never get to wear it?”

Jackie rolled her eyes. “This is a date dress. You wear this for a man.”

“One issue at a time.”

Jackie harrumphed and put the dress back. “Just so we’re on the same page, tell me what you’re thinking about then, because I’m stumped. You’ve turned your nose up at everything I’ve suggested so far.”

“It’s my casual wardrobe that needs help. I have plenty of professional clothes. Just remember my budget, because I have my rent payment coming up.”

Jackie gave her a long suffering look, her hand on her hip.

Lauren sighed. “I don’t know, think fun, maybe a little sassy—definitely feminine.” She shrank back from the clothing pressing in on her. “Nothing slutty, okay? I don’t like cheap crap.”

Jackie fixed her with a serious eye. “You need more color.”

“Agreed, but it better be tasteful.”

“Come with me.” Jackie grabbed Lauren’s hand and towed her out of the store.

“Wait a second,” Lauren said, fighting to keep up. “Where are we going?”

“First things first.”

“That’s not an answer.”

Jackie pulled Lauren into her favorite salon and walked Lauren backward until her legs hit the edge of the chair behind her and she dropped onto it.

“But I don’t need a haircut,” Lauren argued, starting to rise.

Jackie’s warning finger came out. “Bullshit. And you’re getting highlights too.”

Lauren slumped back peevishly. “I’ve never highlighted my hair.”

Jackie snorted and rolled her eyes. “There’s a surprise.”

“
Come on
.”

“Don’t whine at me. This is going to jump start your new look and give us some direction about colors. So just chill, all right?”

Lauren snatched a magazine off the table and flipped through it irritably. As far as she was concerned, this was completely unnecessary.

When her name was called they both went back with the stylist, but as Lauren was lost behind the swirling cape Jackie took over, telling the woman exactly what she had in mind while Lauren fought to interject. She was hushed every time. Both women pulled at Lauren’s hair, fluffed it up, and nodded as they came to a mutual understanding that didn’t require Lauren’s input at all.

An hour and a half later, Lauren looked at herself in the mirror and had to admit, Jackie knew what she was talking about. The cut was soft around her face yet still easy to manage. She could blow-dry and go, which was important to her. How did Jackie know that? The highlights were subtle but flattering and made Lauren feel younger. Not only that, it looked like she spent more time outdoors than she actually did.

“Tell me you don’t love it,” said Jackie smugly.

“I can’t. I love it.”

“
Now
we’re ready to shop.”

* * * *

They closed down the mall. Lauren had never closed down a mall before. When she dragged herself home she was exhausted, but she still couldn’t resist pulling everything out of the bags to look at what she’d bought. She loved, absolutely loved, the soft linen slacks and matching vest. She had two new flirty skirts and several tops to pair with the skirts or jeans. Then there was lingerie.

Jackie insisted that rejuvenation begins close to the skin and what gave a woman a confident attitude? Why sexy lingerie, of course! Lauren’s pattern and color choices weren’t exactly what Jackie would have picked and she had found Lauren’s resistance to thong panties downright exasperating, but even Jackie couldn’t deny that the styles were on the right track. Lauren didn’t doubt that in due time Jackie would get her into bolder colors, hot prints, and easy access vamp wear. But for now she seemed content with the fact that baby steps were still steps in the right direction. Rome wasn’t built in a day.

* * * *

Saturday came and Lauren checked herself in the mirror at least five times while she waited for Wes. She chose to wear the linen suit to the shower then added her favorite gold earrings and a wide bracelet. She considered a necklace but in the end decided against it. Her neckline plunged enough as it was without drawing more attention to the obvious. Lauren was so tense when the knock finally came that she jumped and dropped her hairbrush.

Facing the door, she popped up on her toes and strained to see through the peephole. Wes’s wonderful face looked back at her. Lauren slid back the chain, flipped open the deadbolt, turned the lock on the knob, and finally opened the door.

“Think you’ve got enough locks?” Wes’s teasing chuckle died abruptly with his first glimpse of her.

The look on his face, not to mention the whoosh of breath that went with it, tickled Lauren and banished her insecurities, but when his blatant stare turned into a visual caress all her amusement drained away. His warm eyes brushed over her like a lover’s touch. It smoothed over her hair, brushed across her cheek ever so subtly, and slid down her throat like warm kisses.

Lauren’s entire body flared with heat at Wes’s thorough appraisal. She shifted her bare shoulders self-consciously when his gaze lingered on her cleavage. Lauren slowly glanced down herself, wondering just how much he could see from his vantage point. Quite a lot actually. With his height Wes had a very good view of her barely-there lace bra and what it was covering. Deeply embarrassed, Lauren’s hand flew to her chest, cutting off the peep show.

Too late to plead innocent, Wes laughed instead. “Would it help if I told you how stunning you look?”

“It’s possible.” The words were calm enough, but she knew her deep blush gave her away.

“Lauren, you’re a vision. I’m so sorry I made you uncomfortable.” He gave her a disarming smile and added, “You did something to your hair.”

Her hand went to her head self-consciously. “Highlights.”

Wes caught her wrist and brought it down. “Don’t be embarrassed. It looks great.”

Lauren bit her lip and fidgeted, not sure whether his frank approval or his touch was affecting her more. “Thank you.”

“So, you ready to go?”

“Just let me get my purse.”

* * * *

Standing on the front steps of the strange house, Lauren knew that if Wes weren’t beside her, she would have bolted. She turned her head and looked at all the unfamiliar cars parked in the driveway and along the road. She wasn’t ready for this.

Wes pressed the doorbell again and a second later the door swung open. A pretty brunette squealed in delight when she saw him. She reached for Wes’s hand and pulled him inside, nearly knocking Lauren off the edge of the steps at the same time. Lauren was not amused.

“Oh good, you made it! Come on in, we’re just about to start,” the woman said.

Lauren was appeased, temporarily, when Wes slipped his arm around her waist and pulled her in with him.

“Jolene, this is Lauren McKay.”

“Lauren.” The woman offered her hand with a friendly smile. “I’m so glad you could come.”

Wes eased back, nodding to Jolene as she took possession of Lauren, leading her down the hallway, chattering the entire time.

Anxious, Lauren looked over her shoulder and Wes smiled back. “I’ll bring in our gift.”

Resigned to the inevitable, Lauren tried to relax and get into the spirit of the occasion. Then her footsteps faltered. There was Sherry, surrounded by a crowd of unfamiliar women.

Seeing her again was so much harder than Lauren expected. Pain, there was actual pain, both physical and emotional, now that Lauren was mere feet from her dearest friend. She’d learned to live with the ache of separation, the longing, and the haunting dreams of loss, but this was too much. It hit her like a snowball in the face—stinging and cold—that
she
was the stranger here. It was even more startling to realize that all this time she’d been mourning the loss of two of the most important women in her life, not just one.

Sherry turned and saw Lauren. There was hesitation and sorrow in her eyes, but then the corners of Sherry’s mouth flickered up and she broke away from the pack and waddled over.

Lauren was trembling all over again. On the verge of a panic attack, she wondered whether being flayed alive wouldn’t be a whole lot easier.

Then Lauren noticed Sherry’s comical gait and found she could smile after all. That alone helped ease her tension, at least temporarily.

Sherry stopped in front of Lauren and took both of her hands. “I’m so glad you came.”

“Me too.”

It was difficult to say who moved first but suddenly they were hugging and crying, swaying back and forth as they tried to accommodate the solid belly between them. The mass gave Lauren a boot and she pulled back with a gasp.

Sherry laughed and caressed her belly. “Happens all the time.”

* * * *

Wes was in the middle of fighting the chair through the doorway when he saw their emotional hug. Feeling a bit overcome himself, he paused with the rocker suspended in midair and waited it out. Seeing them together again warmed him inside like hot cocoa.

Sherry brushed the tears from the corner of her eyes and finally noticed her brother. “What have you got there?”

“It’s your present from Lauren and me.”

She looked back and forth between them with startled eyes. “You didn’t.”

“We did,” said Lauren.

“Excellent! Bring it in here,” she said, waving impatiently at her brother.

She tore off the bow and sat down with a happy sigh. “This is great, really great.”

Wes bent and kissed the top of Sherry’s head and she beamed up at him. Then, turning back to Lauren, Wes whispered in her ear, “So I’ll be back for you around three.”

“You’re leaving?” she sputtered.

“Notice any other guys hanging around?”

“I guess not.”

“I won’t forget you.”
Ever.
“Have fun today, okay?”

“I’ll try.” Her attempt at a brave smile failed.

Wes chucked her under the chin. “You’ll be fine. See you in a couple of hours.”

* * * *

Watching his swift exit, Lauren felt abandoned but Sherry stepped in and took Lauren around, making introductions. Lauren didn’t think she’d remember even one third of the names.

Afterward, standing all forlorn by the buffet table, Lauren watched the happy chatter with a sinking heart. This was tougher than she thought it would be.

“How’s the cheese spread?”

Startled, Lauren turned and admitted, “I haven’t tried it yet.”

The woman was beautiful, tall and blonde with cornflower blue eyes and a perfect smile.

“Then I’ll let you know.” She buttered a cracker and took a taste. “Mmm, not bad, but mine’s better.”

Lauren grinned. “I’m Lauren McKay.”

“Kelli Murphy.” Kelli turned and watched the gaggle of women with a slight smile. “I couldn’t help noticing, you don’t exactly know anyone here besides Sherry either.”

“I don’t.”