His Fair Lady (3 page)

“Aaaaah! You trying to give me a heart attack?” In a single motion, he straightened, spun, and plucked the can from her hand. The move was all grace and spoke to the great dancer he would one day be. He cracked the pop-top and drank deeply.

Josie shrugged, popped the top on her soda, and took a slow sip. “If you had a heart attack and died, who would dress me?”

“No one. You would walk around the rest of your college career looking like a ragamuffin.”

“Washerwoman, ragamuffin, where do you get this stuff?”

“Literature, my dear. You should try reading something other than the Cliff’s notes for a change.”

“Hey, I read.”

“Of course you do.” Kyle crushed his empty soda can and tossed it toward the trashcan before turning back to the cedar chest. He reached in and, seemingly at random, pulled out an emerald-green sweater.

Josie gulped the rest of her soda and set down the can. “Oh no, that’s too—”

“Too what? It’s perfect. C’mere.”

He held the sweater up against her and nodded. “It’s just right with your skin and hair. You’ll look like a movie star. Now, put it on and quit bitching.”

“Fine.”

Josie took the sweater, pulled it over her head and down, tucking it in the waistband of her skirt.

“And wear the biker boots. You’ll look so sexy butch.”

“I don’t want to look sexy butch.” But she shoved her feet into the boots anyway.

“Bitch and moan, bitch and moan. You don’t want to look too dressy. You don’t want to look too sexy. You don’t want to look too femme. You don’t want to look too butch. How the hell do you want to look, Joes?”

“I want to look like me.”

Saying nothing, Kyle turned her to face the mirror. The sweater hugged her slim torso; the deep v-neck made it look like she actually had cleavage. He was right about the color too. The bright jewel tone glowed warm against her pale skin and fiery hair. The denim skirt skimmed slender hips, and the boots added that little touch of bad-girl chic. Josie smiled at her reflection.

“You look beautiful,” Kyle said.

“Thanks to you.” She turned and hugged him. “Of course, in these boots, I’m screwed if I have to dance as part of the audition.”

Josie’s phone rang.

“OhmyGod!” She jumped like someone had goosed her and seized her phone, suddenly positive it was Mark. But a glance at the display told her it wasn’t, and the fist clutching her heart loosened. She raised the phone to her ear.

“Hi, Mom.”

“Hi, sweetie. Where are you?”

“I’m at home.”

“Hi, Mama Geri,” Kyle called in the background.

Knowing the drill, Josie held the phone away from her ear and tapped the Speaker icon.

“Hi, Kyle honey. How are you?

“I’m good,” Kyle said. “Just helping our girl get ready for an audition.”

Josie hissed and made a gun with her free hand, which she pointed at Kyle’s head and pulled the trigger.

Bang
, she mouthed.

“Oh, really?” Her mother’s trepidation came through loud and clear.

“It’s just a college production, Mom. And I probably won’t even get a part. It’s good practice, though.”

“Pfft. Just this, just that. She’s going to kick butt. You should see her, Mama Ger. She looks like a movie star.”

“I’m sure she does if you picked out her clothes,” Josie’s mother said.

Kyle made a V for victory. “She met a guy today too. He flirted with her in ethnography class.”

“Oh?”

If possible, her mother sounded even less thrilled by this news than she’d been by Kyle’s audition bombshell.

Shut. Up
. Josie silently mouthed the words.

“He’s a god, Mama Ger. An absolute hottie. You should see him.”

“Well, maybe I will when I come up for parents’ weekend.”

“Mom, I told you, you don’t have to come up for that. It isn’t even a real parents’ weekend. It’s just the spring festival.”

“Oh, but I want to. I want to see your apartment. And I want to see you, both of you. I miss you.”

Josie and Kyle exchanged a look. There was obvious worry in her mother’s voice. Convincing her not to visit was going to be no easy task.

You talk too much
, Josie said, still mouthing the words with no sound.

Kyle raised a hand to his ear and made his
what?
face.

“Mom, nobody’s parents are coming up for that.”

“Well, then, I’ll just come and see you.”

“It’s a really tiny apartment.”

“I can sleep on the couch. Didn’t you tell me you had a pullout couch?”

Kyle shook his head so hard a lock of hair flopped over his eyes.
Not me
, the gesture said.

“Mom, I really have to get going, or I’ll be late,” Josie said.

Once I-love-yous and phone kisses were exchanged all around, Josie tapped the End button and slipped the phone into her pocket.

They glared at each other.

“You talk too damn much, Kyle Edward DiStefano.”

“What? She worries about you. I just wanted her to know you were doing good.”

“I didn’t want her to know about the show. You know how she is about the theater stuff.”

“She doesn’t want you to get hurt. That’s all.”

“She doesn’t want me to call attention to myself. And whatever possessed you to tell her about Mark? You want her to have a stroke?”

“I think it’s great you met somebody, and your mom will too once she gets used to the idea.”

Her mother would never get used to that idea, but Josie didn’t say so.

“It won’t go anywhere anyway, so it doesn’t really matter.”

“You said he flirted with you all during class.”

“He flirted with some girl he thought was hot. Listen, Kyle, you and I both know that straight boys don’t go for transgirls, especially ones who still have their dangly bits.”

“Look, if you like him and he likes you, then it’ll all be good. You’ll work it out.”

“Until he finds out I’m a chick with a dick, and he runs screaming into the night.”

“Mark might be different, Joes.”

Yeah, right. Not that dating Mark, or any guy, made her the woman she was; she had always been Josie, at least in her own head and heart. But she suspected being desired would somehow validate her femaleness in a way she didn’t think Kyle, or any man, could truly comprehend.

“I don’t believe that,” she whispered. To her horror, her eyes filled, and a lump of emotion clogged her throat. She shook her head as if to deny her own beliefs.

“I know you don’t, and it hurts me more than anything. C’mon now, don’t cry.”

“I’m not crying.” Josie turned away, wiping furiously at her eyes and smearing her makeup all to hell. She wouldn’t spare a tear for something she didn’t have and would probably never have. Who cared anyway? She had a good life, the life she’d always wanted, and she was going to her first audition. She was not going to show up with a blotchy face and puffy eyes.

Pulling a tissue from the box on the dresser, Josie wiped her eyes then blew her nose.

“Go fix your makeup; then I’ll drive you over to campus for your audition.”

Chapter Two

Though it was the first time he’d heard her sing, Mark knew the voice before he ever saw the singer. Low and rough and a little bluesy, her voice flowed around and through him like warm honey and had his juices running high.

Mark lingered in the lobby of the theater, a miniscule anteroom that resembled a lobby only by the greatest stretch of imagination. The interior doors stood open, and he had no trouble listening while remaining out of sight.

“…The skies above are blue. My heart was wrapped up in clover, the night I looked at you.”

God, he could listen to her all night.

Mark edged closer to the open door and peered cautiously around the jamb. He had no business being there, but the need to see her on stage was irresistible.

Alone on the stage, Josie stood, eyes closed, head thrown back, voice lifted and filling the theater.

“…And here we are in heaven, for you are mine at last.”

As the song ended and the last piano notes faded, Josie opened her eyes and seemed to look directly at him, though from the stage there was no way she could see him.

Mark felt his heart give a little stutter before settling back into its normal beat. Butterflies spun and fluttered in his belly, which was totally girly and ridiculous. Still, he took a careful step back into the shadows.

The words of the director were nothing more than a buzzing in his ears, as was Josie’s reply. Mark scrubbed a hand over his face as if just waking from a vivid dream. He felt hot all over and tugged at the zipper on his sweatshirt. It wasn’t hot in the theater; if anything, it was chilly. He must be getting sick.

The outside door opened.

Mark turned in time to see Vi’s smile of pleasure when she spotted him.

Uh-oh.

“Hey, Mark!” She bounced over to where he stood by the inner doors. “You came. That was so sweet. I didn’t expect you.”

Yeah, right.

“I needed to see Kierra about the audition spot.” It was only a small lie, since he had indeed seen Kierra albeit from a distance. He had also signed up on the fly and had an audition that very afternoon.

Vi smiled, flashing dimples. “I’m so glad you decided to audition. It’ll be so much fun doing Henry and Eliza.”

“If we get the parts.”

“Who else would she give them to? You and I are the best singers they’ve got.”

From what he’d just heard, Mark thought Vi had some competition for that title. Probably best not to say so.

From the corner of his eye Mark spied Josie coming up the center aisle.

“I think you’re up,” he said.

She glanced into the theater, saw Josie, and her smile dimmed. She turned back to him. “Okay, well…”

What was she waiting for? Then he knew. Their tradition.

“Break a leg, Violet.” Mark leaned in and dropped a brief kiss at the corner of her mouth.

In happier days, it would have been a lengthy and heated lip-lock. But these were not happier days, and besides, the girl he was hoping to get with stood only feet away watching the drama play out.

That little peck was going to require some ‘splaining. As Vi entered the theater, Mark turned to Josie and smiled.

“That was totally awesome. You have an incredible voice.”

“Thanks. What are you doing here? I didn’t see your name on the list.”

“I just signed up and had my audition this afternoon.”

“Oh, I thought all the slots were filled.”

“I missed the original sign-up, but Kierra’s doing me a favor.” Silently Mark congratulated himself on skillfully sidestepping the what-are-you-doing-here question. “So, how about that double espresso?”

“Don’t you think it’s sort of, oh, I don’t know, wrong to kiss one girl, then turn around and ask another out for espresso?”

“That was just a kiss for luck. Didn’t anybody ever kiss you for luck before an audition?”

Josie shook her head.

“So how about it?”

She gaped at him, her eyes wide. “How about what?”

“Coffee. What did you think I meant?”

“Nothing. Never mind.” But she was blushing.

Suddenly he knew exactly what she thought he meant, and he laughed. “You thought I meant how about a kiss.”

“I did not.”

“Did too.”

“Did not.” The blush was spreading down her neck and into her hair.

“Whatever you say. But you really should know that I wouldn’t mind kissing you.”

“For luck.”

“For luck,” he agreed.

“But I already had my audition, so it’s too late.”

“It’s never too late for a kiss.” Mark reached up and tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear. He was dying to get his hands on that hair, to plunge his fingers in and hold her still while he plundered that sexy, slightly sulky mouth.

She must have seen something of his desire in his eyes, because she stepped back. “I have to go home.”

“What about our coffee date?” Mark followed her to the door. But when she reached for it, he stepped in front of her and opened it.

Outside, the clear night had turned ill-tempered and rainy. A chilly wind blew the fat drops sideways. They struck the brick path, the sound like frying bacon.

“Holy crap, it’s pouring.” Mark let the door swing shut. He turned to Josie. “You’re going to get drenched. What dorm do you live in? Let me drive you home.”

“I don’t live in a dorm. I have an apartment off campus. And you totally don’t have to drive me home. I can just call my roommate to come get me.”

“Why drag her out in this weather? I’m here. I have a car. I’ll take you.”

“My roommate’s not a she; he’s a he. His name is Kyle.”

“Kyle, huh? Boyfriend?”

She shook her head. “No, just friend.”

The relief he felt at that news flash was way out of proportion. But why dwell on that?

“Still, why make him come out in the rain? I’ll even go get the car and pick you up so you don’t have to get wet.”

“I don’t want to put you to any trouble.”

Mark knew then he’d won, and he suppressed a grin. “It’s no trouble. Wait here and I’ll—”

“No, I’ll walk to the car with you.”

“Are you sure?”

“I’m sure.”

Mark opened the door. The rain was coming down in sheets so heavy it was hard to see more than a few feet ahead.

“You ready?”

“Ready.”

They stepped outside.

On an impulse, Mark reached out, caught her hand in his, and they ran.

IT TOOK LESS than five minutes to reach Mark’s car and get inside. Still, Josie was soaked down to her underwear by the time she pulled the door shut behind her. She wiped her face on her sopping-wet sleeve and shivered.

“You’re freezing,” Mark said and stuck the key in the ignition. The engine purred to life, and frigid air blasted in their faces. Mark turned the fan down. “Sorry. It’ll warm up pretty fast. And by the way, where am I going?”

“At least it’s dry in here.” Josie gave her address and gathered her dripping hair in both hands. She was about to wring it out when she remembered she was sitting in Mark’s car. Oops. She let go, and it settled around her in a soggy curtain. “Do you know where that is?”

“Sure. It’s not that far, but you would have drowned walking home in this.”