All the while that Della prepared for work, the one thing on her mind was Matt Hawkins, and their lunch-date meeting the previous day. The way he looked, the laughter that could suddenly spark in his eyes, the sensation of his hand on hers, and most of all the fact that he wasn’t some callous, mean-spirited man, resonated within her. Rather, he was a man who’d been hurt, devastated by the loss of his family, and the only way he knew how to handle his pain was through his work, and sadly by transferring some of his pain onto the people he worked with. Did that make him evil, unworthy? No, it made him human. At least that’s what she believed.
She got the sense from talking with Matt that since his divorce there hadn’t been anyone that he was close with—not a woman, at least—in a relationship where he was able to be himself. And the longer he lived his life that way, the easier it became to lose his soul. His loneliness and withdrawal from relationships was something she could easily identify with. In her case she maintained a relationship with her daughter, she had good friends, and she had her business to sustain her. Matt wasn’t that lucky.
Since her own divorce, her first goal had been to change her life. Then, when she began working at the shop, it had been to transform others. Maybe it was only in subtle ways, like a new rinse or an updated cut. It was turning a frown into a smile. Easing a long day with some girl-talk. Making everyone who walked through the door feel special. But ultimately it was about creating a level of trust between herself and the clients, which allowed her to work her magic.
She smiled as she stepped into her heels. It had been a while since she’d had to work her charm with a man. Matt Hawkins was a prime candidate for a life makeover, and she was just the one to take him through the steps of transformation.
* * *
“Oh, I get it,” Reggie said. “You’re going to throw him some whip appeal, jiggle his mind so bad he won’t be able to add up all those numbers you owe.” He pursed his lips and stared her down.
Della sucked her teeth and added insult to injury by rolling her eyes. “When have you ever known me to be that kind of woman, Reginald Davis?”
“Ooh, girl, when you call me by my full name, I know I’m in trouble.” He sauntered across the room, plopped down in a chair, and crossed his leather-clad legs. “Consider me duly chastised. But,” he added under his breath, “desperate times call for desperate measures.”
“Don’t think I didn’t hear that, Reggie,” Della countered, and rounded her desk.
“Then please explain this to me, Dee. I don’t get it. This man is in the process of dismantling your life, pulling the rug out from under you, and you’re talking about cooking the brother a home-cooked meal and giving him a rubdown. Tell me what’s wrong with this picture.”
“It’s … it’s not that simple, Reggie. I wish I could explain. It’s just a gut feeling I have about him, who he really is beneath the tight collar and the red tape.”
Reggie leaned forward. “But, Della, hon, think about this scenario for one minute. What if you go through all this, put your heart, your time, and your soul on the line for this man, and he still winds up being the one to take this shop from you? What then? How are you going to feel? Are you willing to risk everything on a hunch?”
Della inhaled deeply. The same questions had plagued her all night and into the morning. What if? “I’m not going to lose this shop, Reg. I know that in my heart. Whatever it takes to keep it, that’s what I’m going to do. I won’t let you all down. And yes, I’m willing to take the risk.” She slowly shook her head. “It’s been so long, Reggie, since I’ve felt anything for any man. A very long time. I’ve been too busy, or too scared, or too something. And then here he comes, Matt Hawkins, of all the people in the world, and my heart just stood still, Reg. I couldn’t help it and I don’t want to.” Her eyes filled.
Reggie got up and came around to her side of the desk, draping his arm around her shoulder. She pressed her head against his chest. “Hon, if this is what you want, you know I’m behind you one hundred percent. But I’m telling you now, if Mr. Dark and Lovely breaks your heart, he’ll wish I really was the Avon lady when I come knocking on his door.”
Della sniffed and laughed softly against Reggie’s chest. “That’s why I love ya, Reg. You always know what to say.”
He gently patted her shoulders. “So, Ms. Dee, what’s the plan…?”
* * *
Matt worked right through lunch, going over all the computer information he had on hand about Della’s tax situation, and still couldn’t find where the discrepancy arose. This one time he didn’t want to be right. After talking with her and spending those few hours with her at the restaurant, he was more convinced than ever that Della Frazier was the kind of woman he wanted in his life. He wanted to be the one who rode in on the white horse to save the day. He wanted her to admire him, to think of him kindly. Della’s opinion mattered. He wanted to make this right—for her.
But how? He banged his fist on his desk in utter frustration, just as Paul poked his head in the door.
“Hey, buddy, any luck?”
Matt looked up with a scowl on his face. “None.”
Paul closed the door behind him and stepped in. “Maybe you’re going to have to accept the truth.”
Matt turned off this computer. “And what might that be?”
“That Ms. Frazier owes the money. Plain and simple. It happens, Matt. You know that as well as I do. It happens every day.”
Matt massaged the back of his neck. “Yeah, I know. I just don’t want to believe it, that’s all.”
“So what are you going to do? You know the monthly audit is coming up in two weeks. You’re going to have a lot of explaining to do if you can’t get this straightened out by then. Burke isn’t going to sit still for some lame reasoning that you like this woman so you think she’s right and we’re wrong. All he wants is results.”
Matt had been so preoccupied with finding a solution to Della’s dilemma, he’d completely forgotten about the monthly audit. All of the examiners had to provide a verbal and written update on all of their cases for the month, with a grand total of the money expected from each client. Horace Burke would have done well in the Marines. He was ruthless and had no qualms about browbeating his staff, embarrassing them in front of everyone else, and making life as miserable as possible for those who couldn’t cut it.
Fortunately, Matt had never come under Burke’s gun, but he’d been witness to what Burke had done to some of his colleagues over the years and was always thankful it had never been him. There’s nothing worse than seeing a grown man cry.
“I’ll have it together by then,” Matt said.
“I sure hope so. Anyway, if there’s anything I can do, let me know. I have a pretty light week coming up.”
“Thanks, man.”
“So are you going to see her again?”
“We met yesterday for lunch. And I, uh asked her to join me this weekend. There’s a jazz concert in Bryant Park.”
Paul’s eyes widened in shock. “A date? Are you crazy? It’s one thing to try to work out some glitches in a client’s tax statement. That’s bad enough. But dating one of your clients … Have you totally lost your mind? If Burke finds out, he’ll hang your butt out to dry.”
“Then he won’t find out.”
“Get yourself off this case, Matt. I’m warning you. This is nothing but a disaster waiting to happen.”
“I can’t do that.”
“Well, you better do something. What if she’s just using you to make things light on herself? You ever think of that?”
“Della’s not like that. She—”
“You don’t know what she’s like. You barely know the woman. When people’s backs are against the wall, they’re liable to do anything to save themselves.”
Matt had no answer, no comeback. He knew what his friend was saying was true. He’d been told all kinds of lies, had all kinds of promises made to him from people in the same position as Della. But he couldn’t believe that Della was that devious.
“What in the world did she do to you?” Paul asked, totally perplexed.
Matt looked at Paul. “She made me remember that I do have a heart. That I’m not this unfeeling pencil pusher. She woke me up, Paul. And to tell you the truth, I don’t want to go back to sleep again.”
“Hmm. Just be careful, man.” Paul turned toward the door. “I’d hate to see your face on America’s Most Wanted. ’Cause Burke will hunt you down and make your life a pure hell.”
“Thanks for the words of encouragement,” he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
“That’s what friends are for. See you Monday.”
“Yeah, take it easy.”
Matt sat there for a few minutes more, thinking about Paul’s words of caution. He knew Paul was right about Burke. And suppose he was right about Della as well. Maybe she was planning to use him. He’d opened himself up to her, opened himself up to hurt and possible repercussions at his job.
He grabbed his jacket from the back of his chair and headed for the door. He’d settle all the what ifs once and for all.
* * *
Della sat in the chair at Reggie’s station. The crowd in the shop had thinned considerably since earlier in the day and several of the technicians had already finished with their last customers.
Reggie draped a black plastic cape around Della’s neck and shoulders. He ran his hands through Della’s mane of hair from the roots to get a better look.
“Only a few unwanteds,” he said.
Music drifted in from the speakers tucked away in the walls.
Della leaned back and closed her eyes. “Just work your magic, Reg. When I open my eyes, I want them to be a distant memory.”
“You got it.” He reached into his cabinet of rinses and dyes and mixed a bottle of bronze and cinnamon together. Satisfied with the results, he began applying it to her hair beginning at the roots.
“So how did lunch go with Mr. Man yesterday?”
“Fine.”
“Any news?” he asked.
“No changes,” she answered dreamily.
“What does that mean?” he quizzed, massaging the rinse through her hair.
“We talked.”
“About what?”
“Reggie,” she sighed in exasperation.
“Don’t keep me in suspense, Ms. Dee.” He piled her hair atop her head and put a plastic cap on it, then took a seat next to her. “Inquiring minds want to know.”
“Inquiring minds are just busybodies with a new name.”
“Fine, don’t tell me.”
She could tell he was pouting, even with her eyes closed. She bit back a smile.
“We’re going to listen to some music tomorrow night,” she confessed. “If you must know.”
“Music, hmm, that’s always a way to soothe the savage beast. You go, Ms. Dee. Use everything you got. Then when you have him where you want him, go in for the kill.”
“Do you really think that’s what it’s all about, Reggie? I’m a little too old to play those kinds of games.”
“Hey, all is fair in love and war, Della. And believe me, Ms. Girl, this is war. The man is out to ruin you if he can have his way.”
“I don’t believe that.”
“Well, tell me, what do you believe?”
“I believe he’s a man doing his job. Maybe an ugly one, but doing his job nonetheless. But that doesn’t make him some sort of monster. He’s really a decent guy, Reggie.”
“‘You are what you do,’ as the saying goes.”
“That’s not the saying, Reg. It’s, ‘You are what you eat.’”
“Whatever.”
Della sighed. “I thought you were on my side.”
“I am. I just don’t want to see you get your hopes up about this guy only to get your feelings hurt.”
“Why would you think I would get my feelings hurt?”
“The bottom line is, Dee, if he has to choose between his job and you, he’ll choose his job. That’s his bread and butter.”
“Is that what you think, too, Della?”
Della’s eyes flew open and she spun around in the chair, nearly knocking Reggie over. “Matt.”
Matt came closer, glanced briefly at a stunned Reggie, then focused his total attention on Della. “Is it?”
Blaize peeked down the row to catch the goings-on, then nudged Melody, whose mouth dropped open.
Della stared at Matt for several moments. Every negative thing that had been said about Matt and the dismal prospects for a relationship between them buzzed in her head. And then she thought of the Matt Hawkins who warmed her heart, who’d let her into a dark part of his life, who was willing to risk his job to help her.
“No, I don’t,” she answered, more sure about that than she’d ever been about anything.
A slow smile moved like daybreak across Matt’s handsome face. He walked right up to her, then glanced around at the audience. “If you all would excuse us for just a moment…” He looked down into Della’s brown eyes, lowered his head, and placed a Kodak-moment kiss on her lips.
Lights went off and on in rapid succession in Della’s head and she thanked the stars above that she was sitting down. She forgot all about the fact that she was being seduced in the middle of a beauty parlor with everyone watching. All she could think about was how good his lips felt, how magnificent his hands felt caressing her face. And she didn’t care who was looking.
Reluctantly Matt eased away, but he didn’t release the hold he had on her face. He stared into her eyes. “I’m going to go home and change. How much time do you think you’ll need?”
Della swallowed. She looked up at Reggie, as she’d lost all sense of time and space.
Reggie shrugged helplessly. “About an hour.”
“I’ll see you in an hour.” He stepped back and turned to go, then stopped. “Do you like seafood?”
Della nodded. “Yes.”
“Great. See you in an hour.” He looked around at the stunned faces. “Good night, everyone.” He walked out, closing the door softly behind him.
Reggie planted his hand on his hip. “Well, Ms. Dee, the only thing missing from that scene was Mr. Man sweeping you out of your chair and carrying you off to the applause of the staff,” he teased.
Della slapped his arm. “Just do my hair, Reggie, and let me worry about being swept away.” She looked up at him and grinned. “That would have been awesome, though.”
Blaize and Melody came scurrying over.
“Who—was—that?” Blaize asked.
Della cleared her throat. “Mr. Hawkins … from the IRS.”
“Get outta town. Well, work your magic, girl. And find out if he has any friends who look just like him.”
“I wouldn’t mind an audit from him, myself,” Melody chimed in.
“A government man, huh?” Blaize mused, looking Della up and down. “Well, sister girl, let’s give him a run for his 1040s. I’ll do your nails.” She spun toward Melody. “Mel, get Tricia from upstairs and tell her Ms. Dee needs an instant facial and neck massage.” She glared at Reggie. “Well, don’t just stand there, Reg, get the woman’s hair done. We got a date with the government man!”
All Della could do was sit back and relax as everyone ran around waiting on her and fussing with each other. Della sighed as Tricia applied a mask to her face. It was wonderful to have friends.