His Halloween Kisses (8 page)

Kathy
loves reading and writing even more. She homeschools her three kids, so in between unsuccessfully explaining the difference between subject and predicate or how to divide fractions, she enters an imaginary world of troubled and passionate characters whose stories take over the page. Kathy lives in Kwazulu Natal, South Africa, where the summers are hot, the winters cool, and bugs thrive. Her first published novel,
Wedding Gown Girl
, came out in 2012 with Astraea Press. She belongs to the Romance Writers of South Africa Group (ROSA) which has been her greatest support and inspiration the last few years.

Chapter One

It is believed that the first people to use cosmetics were the Ancient Egyptians. Natural cosmetics still used today — kohl and henna — both originated in Africa. Kohl was even considered as sun or eye protection and was sometimes applied to an infant's eyes after birth. Today, it is still used as mascara or face markings in Southern Asia and Africa.

“May I talk to you in my office, please?” The editor in chief's voice boomed from behind Lisa. She closed the document without saving and turned around to face him. Before her stood the dashing executive editor of Prominence, one of South Africa's most successful periodical magazines.

“Yes, sir.” He wouldn't have seen her document, would he? Not standing right by the door.

“Now.”

Lisa stood up and followed him, trying to calm the staccato beat of her heart. He sounded intense. Not that Daniel Loriet ever didn't sound intense. She watched his confident stride as he walked down the long passage to his end office, which she'd only been in twice — once for her interview and the other time to find out what her job entailed. Since then, she'd pretty much been left on her own. In a way, it felt safer that way. Daniel was sexy and definitely not for grabs for way too many reasons. And most of the time, those who were called into the office were in trouble. If it was a positive thing, he came to their work space.

Maybe he'd found out that she'd been writing. It's not like there was much to do. The models only posed for photos twice a week. Choosing and applying their make-up wasn't a full-time job. But she wasn't going to say that it wasn't worthy of her first decent salary.

He opened the glass door to his office, and she followed him across the expanse of laminate flooring to a grand desk that she was sure was designed by a contemporary architect, the way it resembled a huge edifice.

“Sit.” Daniel walked round to his throne and faced her, his eyes boring into hers. They were dark, fiery and really worked well with the purple pinstripe shirt he wore. Why was he looking at her like that?

As Lisa sat down, her face heated and her lips quivered. “Thank you.”

“I have a request to make from you.”

Lisa's heart rate calmed just a little. So she wasn't getting fired? But what did he want?

“Well, don't you want to know what it is?”

Lisa nodded, afraid that if she spoke it would come out like a donkey's squawk.

He sighed. “Okay, this is what I need.” He threw a paper onto the desk opposite her. She took the paper and studied the photo of a beautiful young woman with dark brown hair, sleek and straight down her back, and flawless, radiant skin.
She must be one of the new models. What colours would go with her features best?

“I need you to make yourself look like her.”

Lisa cleared her throat and it sounded like a ‘no.'

“Now this is important to me. I know you don't appear quite the same.” The way he peered down his nose at her, confirmed the decision she'd made months ago to never allow the attraction she had for him to go any further than that. Okay, she was kind of plain. Even though she was a cosmetic artist, she spent little time on herself. Why bother, when you didn't have the figure to match? Or the money to buy the best quality cosmetics?

“Yes, sir.”

“That ‘yes sir' is going to have to be ditched first.”

“Okay.” She swallowed a golf ball-sized lump in her throat.

“Right. I need you to pose as my fiancée for a week.”

Lisa wondered if she had actually woken up this morning at all. Maybe this was all a crazy dream? “I'm sorry?”

His whole face transformed before her eyes. Instead of the imposing executive who ruled her work, his eyes and mouth crinkled into a delightful smile. “I know. It sounds mad. Let me explain.” He clasped his arms together in front of him and his triceps bulged through the thin fabric of his shirt. Was Lisa spotting some awkwardness on his part? He was embarrassed. Suddenly, her nerves took flight. What was he up to? All her friends at work had informed her what he was like with women. He was a charmer but only kept them for a few months and dumped them. No! He wasn't going to mess with her.

“What's in this for me?” She had to ask.

“Um… I hadn't thought.” He bent back and eased the muscles at the back of his neck with his large hand and then stretched out like one of the big cats. Lisa expected a lion's roar or growl to emanate from him. Instead he yawned wide.

“I'm sorry. It's been a tough two days.”

She narrowed her eyes at him. Was he trying to garner her sympathy?

“My fiancée took flight two days ago and she'll never be back.” He chanced some eye contact with her. She kept her gaze steady — give him the impression she wasn't going to be a pushover.

“We're having this big family reunion for New Year — the whole family's going to be there — all my siblings, aunts and uncles — the whole tribe. Anyway, I haven't told them that my fiancée has left. I don't need all that attention now — not with everyone there. I just need you to pretend you're her.”

“So, I have to take on her name and everything? Haven't they met her before?”

“No, my family lives all the way in Northern Cape. I don't go there often. They've only seen pictures on social networking sites or photos that I've sent them.”

He was actually sweet enough to send pictures of his fiancée to his family? Maybe he could actually be a family man? Was that possible?

“And maybe we can stage a fight later — after the holiday I mean. I don't know how to go about it, but I want to be in all the pictures with a woman. Everyone else is hooked up. Do you know what I mean?”

She nodded and clamped her lips together. Of course she knew what it was like to be one of the only singles around.

“So, will you be able to help me? If I give you… what would you like me to do in return?”

“Um… Actually, I've been thinking. I would like you to change a policy.”

He frowned, his shoulders tightening and his jaw rock hard. “What policy?”

“Well, I've heard that you don't give internal promotions.”

“Who told you that?” Back was the gruff voice, dark orbs, and thin mouth.

“It's just what I've heard.” Lisa's face was flushed now. What had she just said? Desperation made her do impetuous things sometimes. She would regret this later.

“Just people have wanted to advance, but they're never allowed to.”

“Never?” His voice deepened even further.

“It's what I've heard. From some people.”

“I'll promote someone if I think they're right for the job. I'm fair and I think carefully about each decision.”

“I know. I'm sorry. It's just I have a couple of friends who have wanted to broaden their horizons. They've applied for positions, but the positions have always been given to outsiders.”

“I'm not going to ask you who because you shouldn't even be telling me this.” He pierced her with his eyes.

“I know.” She rested her head in her hand. “I'm a blabber-mouth sometimes.”
And I desperately want a promotion for myself!

“I just think you don't have your facts straight. If you let me know what friends want a promotion, I will seriously consider them. I need you to help me in New Year. Will that suffice?”

She would have to spill the beans about her friends eventually. Not about herself though. Maybe he did have some kindness in him and would consider them. Maybe all the rumours weren't true. “Yes, thank you.”

He picked up the picture of his fiancée. “So, take this picture and try to make yourself look as much like her as possible — have a hairdo and do that magic you do with make-up; buy a new wardrobe. Enough money for all those things will be in your account when you get home this afternoon.”

“Oh, thank you.”

“As soon as you've done yourself up, come to my office, and we'll work out the finer details. Three weeks — that's all you have, so get cracking.”

“Yes… um… Mr L ...”

“Dan.”

“Dan.” She disappeared out the door as fast as she could and almost ran to her desk. Her life was spinning out of control. A whole new wardrobe? A hairdo? She was being used, but it was going to be fun. She sincerely hoped she could play the part and wouldn't mess it up for him. If she did, would he fire her? No-one was that mean, were they? And maybe, just maybe, she could get a promotion out of it if he changed his promotions policy and not have to carry out the plan she'd been concocting over the last few months — learn as much about writing as possible and get herself a position at another magazine she'd been longing for. A position where she could write her own articles and catch the readers' attention, just like Sunita Singh, one of the writers she admired at Prominence, did.

****

Dan pressed send on the email to the printing department. Everything was nearly in order except for the artwork. December was the worst — trying to get a magazine out before Christmas instead of before the turn of the month. And with Tammy leaving… at least he'd come up with a workable solution. His only concern was that Lisa was too quiet. His family may not be convinced that he would go for a shy, reserved woman like her. Although she'd shown a little spunk earlier that had surprised him. He smiled and leaned back against the chair. But the girl was naïve — what did she know about running a magazine? People would get promoted if they deserved it — simple as that. He didn't have any policy in place to stop internal promotions.

The phone rang to interrupt his thoughts.

“Hello.”

“Dan, how are you?” It was the deep, melodic sound of his sister's voice.

“Pam? What's up, Sis?”

“Are you coming?”

“Of course I'm coming.”

“You missed the last two family reunions.”

“I know, I know.”

“It may be Grampy's last.”

Dan sighed. “I've thought of that.”

“Mom wants to know if you're bringing anyone.”

“I told her that Tammy was coming with.”

“Right.” The sarcasm took the singing tone away and made it a grating screech.

“What?” He raised his voice to match hers. Did she know that Tammy had left?

“I'm just doubtful about her. I'm sorry, Dan. She seems like a brunette bimbo, if you know what I mean?”

“How would you know?”

“Her posts on the social networks, her looks — can't explain it. Just excuse your older sister — she can be cranky and critical.”

“Tammy's great. Have an open mind.”

“You should talk about having an open mind.” He could imagine her eye-roll.

“I have an open mind.”

“No, you don't. That's why you've never settled down with anyone — you only look at the outer shell, and then you get tired of her quickly because she's got nothing inside.”

“Nonsense. Look, I have to go. I'll be there with Tammy on Friday night. Send my love to Mom.”

“Travel safe.”

“Thanks.”

Dan stared at the computer screen. What would they think of Lisa? She couldn't have much intellect being a make-up artist? Hopefully she was a good actress. He'd seen her chatting with her colleagues in the coffee bar. She could get quite animated with her gestures and facial expressions. Just why was she so deadpan with him? That was going to have to change. He would have to be the perfect gentleman to her — take her out of her shell. At least she was as attractive as Tammy although not the type of girl he went for.

Oh, bother!
He picked up the phone and called her internal line. “Lisa?”

“Yes, Mr Loriet.”

“Dan. Please call me Dan now. Don't tell a soul about my plan. Not a soul, okay? I hope you haven't told everyone yet.”

“No, I haven't. I was busy.”

“Good.”

“Listen, would you be free this Friday night? I need to prime you on my family a bit and on myself. You can't go there totally ignorant.”

“I'm free.” She sounded like he was inviting her to a torture session.

“Look, I know you don't really like me, but you're going to have to act more enthusiastic when …”

“I don't dislike you.”

“Yeah, right.”

“I'll go out with you Friday night.”

“Great. I'll pick you up at your house at seven?”

“Okay.” Her voice almost disappeared into nothing.

What had he just done?

****

Lisa stood in front of her wardrobe mirror and pulled a tongue at herself. She hadn't had the hairdo yet, but had managed to buy a new outfit for her “date” with “Dan.”

She laughed and then ran to her stereo to play a couple of rock songs. Coming back to the mirror, she jived to the beat. She actually liked the way she looked in her tight jeans — could pass for mildly sexy. Why hadn't she bothered to buy a set of decent jeans before? Maybe she wasn't that plump. This new look appealed to her. Where was he planning to take her? What if someone from work saw her with him?

“Lisa, you look gorgeous!” Her roommate Joy came up to her. “Why won't you tell me who you're going out with? And since when do you buy yourself new clothes? This has to be serious.”

“I'm not actually going on a date. It's a work dinner.”

Joy winked at her. “Who are you conning?”

“Listen, Joy, you have to promise not to tell anyone, but I have to tell you. I know you don't even know anyone from my work, so… Just promise you won't tell a soul.”

Joy sat on the bed, her blue eyes wide like a baby owl's. “Do tell.”

“It's nothing exciting. It's scary. I don't know why I agreed to do this.”

“What?” Her voice went shrill, her hands waved about.

“Okay.” Lisa took a deep breath and plonked herself on the bed. “My boss asked me to pose as his ex-fiancée.”

“Who — Daniel Loriet? The playboy cum top editor in the country? Why would he do that?”

Lisa laughed. “Because I'm the make-up artist, he thinks I can make myself look like her.”

“Why do you need to impersonate her?”

“She's left him, and he wants to create a good impression with his family.”

“That's preposterous. How can you pretend to be someone else?”

“I don't know. I've never done it before, but I'm going to try. He gave me half a month's salary of extra money to do myself up to look like her.”

“How does she look?”

Lisa ran to her bedside table and took out the picture of his fiancée which she'd folded in four, then smoothed it out to hand over.

“She looks like a model.”

“I think she's much taller than me, but we have the same type of complexion and similar features. He must have chosen me based on that too. I'll just have to darken my hair some and work on the make-up to take away my freckles.”

“And you need a boob job.”

“Hey, my boobs aren't bad.”

“I didn't say that — just she's huge.”

“She's average.”

“Average? 36 D is average?”

“Some models are big, well, not many of them.”

“You just always think everyone has bigger breasts than you. It doesn't mean everyone is a Barbie like her.” Joy jammed her finger into the picture.

Lisa laughed. “I would think you're jealous of her?”

“Aren't you? She's engaged to Dan — one of the most eligible bachelors in Pretoria.”

“She left him, and he's also the last bachelor any sensible woman would want. ‘Specially me — I'm not into any kind of relationship at the moment as I have career goals. I'll just have to pretend I am for one week.” Lisa screamed and clamped her hand over her mouth. “What if I have to kiss him to play the part?”

“Enjoy.” Joy had a wicked twinkle in her eyes. “I would. The pictures you've shown me of Daniel Loriet — he's dreamy.”

“Joy! Forget him! He doesn't act dreamy.” Although Lisa had to admit he'd been really sweet about the whole thing. But that was because he wanted something out of her. What would it be like to kiss him? What if she made a mess-up with that? What if he found her disgusting to kiss? Oh, well. He'd have to grin and bear it. She giggled as she stood up to style her hair and put some make-up on. This was going to be an adventure! And if she got her promotion, it would be all worth it in the end. Then her life would make sense and be satisfying. She would be doing what she loved and she wouldn't be the black sheep of the family anymore.