everyone, you signed it."
"I did?" She sifted through her thoughts. "Oh, yes I remember." She lied, or at least she very vaguely remembered, but not names, it had seemed so unimportant.
"We're getting married next year. What about you, or is it too early?"
"Oh much too early. We're both concentrating on work."
"Oh. What does he do?"
Damn, she had fallen into a trap, however innocent Shirley's question was, it might be one lie too far. She couldn't say escort, but what career would a man like Dan have other than entertaining women.
"He's in construction."
"Wow. Is that how you met?"
"No," she said quickly, remembering their conversation last night. Rather stupidly it was the only part of their story they had got straight in the end. "We met by the beach."
"Oh, really. Where?"
Max, looked at her watch, feeling uncomfortable with her lies. "Listen, Shirley, why don't you get home, this can wait until tomorrow. We'll catch up later."
"Oh. Sure, if you don't mind."
"No. Not at all. See you later." With a grateful sigh Max left the building, and went home. Her excitement building at the thought of seeing Dan again.
***
"So how did it go?" Robin asked.
"Fine. Phil had already told everyone about Dan. So I guess I'll have to take him with me tonight, or else everyone will think he was a one night stand."
"What opposed to a male escort? My those tongues will be wagging after this evening."
"No they won't. Everyone will get drunk, and forget all about my date."
"You wish. All of those lonely secretaries will be like bees around a honey pot if he's as good looking as you say."
"I know,” Max said miserably, reminded once more of the only reason Dan would be with her. Money.
"Hey, come on. Sorry I was so down about it this morning, you know it's only because I love you." Robin came over and gave her a hug. "I guess I'm scared you'll blame me if this goes wrong."
"I won't blame you. I'm glad you talked me into this, no matter what."
"Great. I’ll make you a snack."
"Oh, I don't think I can risk eating before I go." She placed her hand on her stomach. "I'm so nervous I think I might throw up."
"I'll make you some tea, while you run a bath. You'll feel better after that, and then I insist you eat something. You know you they won’t serve dinner until late. We don't want you passing out with hunger before."
"More like nerves."
"You'll do great. You must have had some business meeting s that were more nerve racking than this."
Max thought for a moment. "No. No I don't believe I have. Business is a completely different beast to personal stuff."
"You'll do great. Now go and run that bath."
Max did as she was told, but didn't feel much better, even when Robin bought her tea and toast. "OK, let's have a look at you," Robin said.
Max sat in front of the mirror, her damp hair hanging down around her shoulders, not a scrap of make-up on her face. Her skin looked red and blotchy from the steam in the bathroom, not a pretty sight.
"You have less than an hour to do your magic, Robin," Max said, glancing at the clock.
"No problem. Let's start on your hair, and then I can do your make up."
"I look awful," she complained.
"You won't when I've finished with you. Don't worry."
"I'm so nervous, Robin."
"What of? The whole dinner with your boss thing, or seeing Dan again?"
"Both. I'm glad these things are only once a year."
"I know, or else it would cost you a fortune hiring a man like Dan all the time."
She blew the air out of her cheeks, then sighed. "I'm going to have to do a fake break up thing aren't I?"
"Yep." Robin was drying her hair, and then styling it. Piling it on top of her head, and then letting tendrils cascade down around her shoulders. Slowly, the whole look came together. Robin transformed Max into a sexy woman. Her make up understated, but killer sexy.
"Wow. You should do make overs, you would make so many women happy."
"I always did like playing with dolls when I was a kid, something you never
"I did?" She sifted through her thoughts. "Oh, yes I remember." She lied, or at least she very vaguely remembered, but not names, it had seemed so unimportant.
"We're getting married next year. What about you, or is it too early?"
"Oh much too early. We're both concentrating on work."
"Oh. What does he do?"
Damn, she had fallen into a trap, however innocent Shirley's question was, it might be one lie too far. She couldn't say escort, but what career would a man like Dan have other than entertaining women.
"He's in construction."
"Wow. Is that how you met?"
"No," she said quickly, remembering their conversation last night. Rather stupidly it was the only part of their story they had got straight in the end. "We met by the beach."
"Oh, really. Where?"
Max, looked at her watch, feeling uncomfortable with her lies. "Listen, Shirley, why don't you get home, this can wait until tomorrow. We'll catch up later."
"Oh. Sure, if you don't mind."
"No. Not at all. See you later." With a grateful sigh Max left the building, and went home. Her excitement building at the thought of seeing Dan again.
***
"So how did it go?" Robin asked.
"Fine. Phil had already told everyone about Dan. So I guess I'll have to take him with me tonight, or else everyone will think he was a one night stand."
"What opposed to a male escort? My those tongues will be wagging after this evening."
"No they won't. Everyone will get drunk, and forget all about my date."
"You wish. All of those lonely secretaries will be like bees around a honey pot if he's as good looking as you say."
"I know,” Max said miserably, reminded once more of the only reason Dan would be with her. Money.
"Hey, come on. Sorry I was so down about it this morning, you know it's only because I love you." Robin came over and gave her a hug. "I guess I'm scared you'll blame me if this goes wrong."
"I won't blame you. I'm glad you talked me into this, no matter what."
"Great. I’ll make you a snack."
"Oh, I don't think I can risk eating before I go." She placed her hand on her stomach. "I'm so nervous I think I might throw up."
"I'll make you some tea, while you run a bath. You'll feel better after that, and then I insist you eat something. You know you they won’t serve dinner until late. We don't want you passing out with hunger before."
"More like nerves."
"You'll do great. You must have had some business meeting s that were more nerve racking than this."
Max thought for a moment. "No. No I don't believe I have. Business is a completely different beast to personal stuff."
"You'll do great. Now go and run that bath."
Max did as she was told, but didn't feel much better, even when Robin bought her tea and toast. "OK, let's have a look at you," Robin said.
Max sat in front of the mirror, her damp hair hanging down around her shoulders, not a scrap of make-up on her face. Her skin looked red and blotchy from the steam in the bathroom, not a pretty sight.
"You have less than an hour to do your magic, Robin," Max said, glancing at the clock.
"No problem. Let's start on your hair, and then I can do your make up."
"I look awful," she complained.
"You won't when I've finished with you. Don't worry."
"I'm so nervous, Robin."
"What of? The whole dinner with your boss thing, or seeing Dan again?"
"Both. I'm glad these things are only once a year."
"I know, or else it would cost you a fortune hiring a man like Dan all the time."
She blew the air out of her cheeks, then sighed. "I'm going to have to do a fake break up thing aren't I?"
"Yep." Robin was drying her hair, and then styling it. Piling it on top of her head, and then letting tendrils cascade down around her shoulders. Slowly, the whole look came together. Robin transformed Max into a sexy woman. Her make up understated, but killer sexy.
"Wow. You should do make overs, you would make so many women happy."
"I always did like playing with dolls when I was a kid, something you never
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