* * *
Lana had learned early the way to hold the power in a room was to know exactly the outfit everyone else would be wearing and then wear something a touch more. In a room where everyone had their hair up, wear her hair down. In a room of two-inch heels, have two-and-a-half-inch heels. Order champagne when everyone else drank wine. Decline the champagne when everyone else was drinking it and sip a scotch on the rocks instead.
In a world of pencils, have a pen.
The problem with her upbringing was the one-upmanship wasn’t a rule, it was a way of life. But Lana hadn’t been on a date in years with a man she liked anywhere close to as much as she liked Rick. In an effort to make herself perfect for this date, she was second-guessing everything.
“While I understand the need to bring in reinforcements,” Zoey said as she applied Lana’s eyeliner, “I’m not sure I count.”
“Nonsense. I have absolutely no business holding any sort of beauty product. I’m liable to poke my eye out, and then where would I be?”
“The most beautiful woman I know in an eye patch.”
Not for the first time, Lana wondered if Zoey had any clue how talented she was as a makeup artist. Tonight was important to Lana, so she’d requested the use of the resort’s salon. Under the professional lighting of the beautician’s station and with full use of all Lana’s beauty supplies, Zoey was putting Lana into passable shape. More than passable if she knew her friend. A rock steady hand with liquid eyeliner was Zoey’s superpower.
Really, it was beyond her why Zoey didn’t do this for a living instead of giving tours. Probably because tours were what Zoey loved. Makeup was only something she did.
Lana didn’t know what that was like. She’d been raised that what she did was who she was. And who she was was a businesswoman.
“I should have studied marine biology,” Lana mused. “I might have liked swimming with dolphins for a living.”
Zoey moved onto her lower lids. “Random comment of the night number four. If I didn’t know better, I’d think you were nervous.”
“I’m going out with a man who I like very much, one who absolutely deserves better than my lifestyle and relationship timetable. One who likes me despite my accidentally grazing him—”
“Shooting him.”
“It was definitely a graze. And because a tattooed woman with a helicopter told me I shouldn’t ask him out, I marched right up to him and did it anyway. Either tonight will go badly, in which we will both end up disappointed, or tonight will go wonderfully, in which we’ll both end up disappointed. I’m scared to death,” Lana said under her breath.
“I was wondering what pushed you into saying something. You never could resist a challenge.” Lana couldn’t open her eyes, but she could hear her friend’s amusement. “You know you’re going to make that poor man’s eyes fall out, right?”
“What do you mean?”
“The dress. The heels.”
“Is it too much?” Lana risked Zoey’s handiwork by opening her eyes and glancing down at herself in concern. “Honestly, he gave me very little to go on.”
“He’ll be in jeans. I don’t know if he owns anything else.”
“Maybe this is too much.” She glanced down again, brow furrowing deeply enough that she could feel the lines. “Is the dress too dark for winter?”
“Fret with your eyes closed,” Zoey encouraged her. “Or you’re not going to be ready in time.”
“Wouldn’t that be the perfect social faux pas to start the night?”
“Lana, this is Rick. He’s a nice, sweet man. I think that’s why everyone’s so worried about him. He’s kind of…a duckling.”
“I’m sorry?”
“Ducklings are really good with other ducklings, but when they’re alone, anyone with a heart is going to want to protect him.”
They had both been very good at ignoring the figure in the corner, but at Zoey’s comment, the third wheel in the room snickered. “If Rick heard you describe him as a duckling, he’d never get over the shame.”
“Hush, Graham,” Zoey said. “No one is listening to you right now. Open your eyes, Lana, and look up.”
“Is there a reason you brought him?” Lana asked her friend, dutifully following her directions.
“The brat brought himself. Graham, be useful and tell us what you think of Lana’s dress.”
Lana couldn’t see his face, but she could hear Graham’s voice, only half joking when he answered. “I think two more dresses worth of material and she might have something she won’t freeze in.”
“Graham.”
“The dress looks fine. L already knows she looks fine.”
“It looks great.” Zoey shook her head. “Ignore him.”
“What do you think? Is this a terrible decision?” Lana asked Graham.
At Lana’s question, Graham rose and crossed the room from the corner Zoey had long since banished him to, sitting on the next station’s chair.
Taking Lana’s hands, Graham squeezed her fingers. “No. You two like each other. That much is obvious. Just take it easy on him, okay? And take it easy on yourself. I don’t want to see either of you get hurt.”
Not for the first time since she’d walked into Rick’s and asked him out, Lana wondered if she had made a mistake. But would it hurt him more to cancel? Especially when she didn’t want to cancel. Lana wanted this night for herself.
A night with a man she was attracted to, one whose kind voice and strong hands she couldn’t get out of her mind.
Hating that she’d begun to doubt herself, Lana squeezed Graham’s hands once before letting go, resting them in her lap. Having few real friends meant she was overly susceptible to their opinions. It was highly possible that between them, Zoey and Graham could convince her to stay home. It was possible a part of her wanted them to try.
“Well, I’ll do my best not to break any unsuspecting hearts,” Lana told him, aiming for her normal breeziness, but even she could hear her joke fall flat.
Graham gave her a sympathetic look. “We know you wouldn’t do it on purpose, darlin’. I’m just worried about the accidental heartbreak on both sides.”
“If I promise to be on my best behavior, will you be able to keep yourself from sneaking around and spying on us tonight?”
“Why would you think I was going to do that?” Graham asked, trying for casual and innocent, but it was clear by the way he wouldn’t meet her eyes that Lana had busted him.