my best to keep up and stay upright on the high heels I rarely

wore. I got the distinct impression that she was uncomfortable

with the way Zoe and I were behaving. When we were led to the

table, she inserted herself between Zoe and me so that we were

forced to sit across from each other.

“So, Shannon, are you nervous about the presentation

tomorrow?” Angela asked after she ordered another round of

Stankys for us all.

I wanted to say no, but since I was doing this for her, I felt

she should share in some of the nervous anticipation that I was

feeling. “I’m terrified.”

“You’ve spoken publicly before,” Angela said with a smile

that faltered. “Haven’t you?”

I shook my head. “Kalen is the mouth and I’m the brain.”

I chanced a quick glance at Zoe, who seemed to be enjoying

Angela’s unease.

“The speech has already been prepared, and Shannon knows

it in her sleep, “Marvin said.

Angela nodded and looked back at me. “Let me give you

some advice. First get a good night’s sleep.” Angela jumped like

she’d been kicked under the table. She glanced angrily at Zoe for

a fleeting second and looked back at me. “You don’t really need

to come to the booth tomorrow. Have a massage in your room.

That’s what I do when I have to give a presentation. You’ll be nice

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Robin Alexander

and relaxed, and the speech will be over before you know it.”

“I find the Jacuzzi to be equally as relaxing,” Zoe said. She

tilted her head and looked at me with a smoldering gaze. “I have

one in my room.”

I couldn’t look at Zoe for more than a second. The promise

of sex practically oozed from her pores. I looked back at Angela,

then the muscles in her jaw twitched. She seemed pissed.

Marvin gazed back at me and smiled when I looked at him.

As though my discomfort was obvious, he spoke up. “Ladies, I

think all this relaxation talk might be making things worse.”

I nodded and looked around the table sheepishly. “What

I need right now is some food. These Stanky things are going

straight to my head.”

We ordered dinner, and the tension between Zoe and Angela

seemed to lift. The discussion went back to the convention and

the gossip that was floating around among competing salons and

vendors. I had no interest in any of it, so I concentrated on my

steak. The food seemed to clear some of the haze from my brain.

I ate fast, hoping that I could somehow draw this evening to a

quick close.

“Excuse me.” I stood, hoping that I wasn’t going to stagger.

“I’m going to the ladies’ room.”

Zoe looked as though she were about to get up, as well, when

Angela jumped up and took my arm. “I’ll go with you.”

Angela stood with her arms folded, leaning against the vanity

when I came out of the bathroom stall. “Feeling all right?”

I washed my hands and wet a towel that I held to my neck.

“Are you and Zoe…?” I let the meaning of my question hang in

the air.

“God, no, she’s a pariah, and I’m straight.”

“Then what’s the deal?”

“Your sister gave me strict instructions to keep you away

from her. She likes to brag about her conquests. If she beds you,

everyone will know about it before breakfast.”

“Then why did you invite her to dinner?” I asked, feeling a

bit pissed that I was being chaperoned by not only Marvin, but

Angela, too.

10

Pitifully Ugly

“She’s a client.” Angela sighed.

“I’ll make it easy on you,” I said, feeling very tired and

longing for bed—alone. “I’m ready to turn in for the night, and

not with Zoe.”

My cell phone buzzed in my pocket. I fished it out and looked

at the screen. She’s headed for the bathroom. Somebody stopped

her, don’t know how long—

“Zoe’s on her way in here,” I said quickly and stuffed my

phone into my pocket. Maybe it was the Stanky Legs or maybe

it was just spite, but I pulled Angela into my arms and laid one

on her.

I heard the bathroom door open and Zoe say, “ah,” then

chuckle.

I tried to appear surprised at the interruption. Angela didn’t

have to act as she stood there with her lipstick smeared. “We…

uh…we don’t tell anyone.” I gestured between Angela and me. “It

might be considered unprofessional.”

“Your secret is safe with me,” Zoe said with a smirk as she

slipped into one of the stalls. This time, I took Angela’s hand and

led her back to the table.

I motioned for the check once we were seated. I looked over

at Angela, who still looked stunned. “I don’t think either of us has

to worry about Zoe now.” I reached over and wiped some of my

lipstick off of Angela’s bottom lip. “And tell my sister that I can

take care of myself.”

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Chapter 20

Valium is not my friend.

The next morning, Marvin was still laughing at my antics

from the previous evening. He begged to be the one to tell Kalen

what happened, but I thought it would have more impact if

Angela passed the story on. I wanted to laugh along with him,

but the Stanky Legs gave me one hell of a headache. Marvin ate

his breakfast quickly, eager to get down to the booth and see what

Angela had to say. I took her advice and stayed in the room.

I spent the morning reading and rereading the speech. I wasn’t

satisfied until I’d memorized the whole thing. I stood in front of

the bathroom mirror reciting it to my hungover reflection, trying

to look confident and composed. I failed miserably. Even alone I

couldn’t stop myself from fidgeting. I knew in front of a room full

of people, I’d be worse.

By the time lunch rolled around, I was ready to jump out

the window. Marvin brought me something to eat, but I couldn’t

force anything down. My stomach was a bundle of nerves.

“The massage was a good idea.” Marvin looked at me

compassionately. “If we pay a little extra, we might be able to get

someone up here on short notice. Want me to try?”

I nodded as I chewed at my nails. I’d never done it in my life

and wondered what the appeal was. I grabbed a pillow off the sofa

and tried to squeeze it to release some tension. That didn’t work,

either.

“Someone will be up within the hour,” Marvin said as he took

a seat next to me. “Angela didn’t say a thing about last night. I

waited all morning for her to bring it up, but she was tight-lipped.

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Pitifully Ugly

I finally asked what happened in the bathroom, and she told me

that you put Zoe in her place.” Marvin threw back his head and

laughed. “That’s all she would say, but she sure had a funny look

on her face.”

I wanted to laugh, too, but I couldn’t. I felt a little bad for

what I’d done. I probably didn’t do Angela any favors with that

stunt, and I felt even more pressure to do well on the speech.

Marvin left me alone with the masseuse. She was a tall

woman with broad shoulders. I figured she’d wrench every kink

out of my body with a flick of her wrist. She kept telling me to

relax. At one point, she had to tap me on the shoulder to get me

to release the legs on the table so that she could work my arms.

When it was all said and done, I was no better off.

I soaked in the tub and sipped on the water that she told me I

had to drink. I was just about to call Marvin up to the room and

tell him that he’d have to give the presentation when I remembered

the Valium that Kalen had given me. I got out of the tub and dug

out the bottle with the two tiny pills. There was a V stamped in

the middle of each one, and I wondered how that wafer-thin tablet

was going to calm me down. Half of it was missing because of

the logo.

I looked at the clock and realized that I had less than two

hours to make a fool of myself and ruin Angela’s career. I popped

a pill in my mouth and swallowed it with what was left of my

water. Thirty minutes later, I didn’t feel any different, so I made

myself a strong Bloody Mary. As I showered, I felt a calmness

wash over me. I can do this, I thought.

Marvin commented on how relaxed I looked as he did my

hair and makeup. He thought it was the massage, and I didn’t

tell him about the wonder pill. After we were dressed, we went

downstairs to have a cocktail with Angela. I had another Bloody

Mary, and I was feeling good.

I leaned against the bar and listened to Marvin and Angela

chat about their day in the booth. I couldn’t keep from smiling,

even though they were talking about colors and rinses. It sounded

perfectly delightful.

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Robin Alexander

“Shannon, do you have,” Marvin began as he turned and

looked at me. His jaw slid open and one eye began to twitch.

“Good God, you’re drooling.”