“Mmmm, that’s the problem: I do know you, Crystal. I know you too well.”
“To know me is to love me.” She smiled at him.
“Ain’t that the truth,” Mike said, with a smile in his voice. “Still, if you know the person who was responsible for the lipstick vandalism, I would be very appreciative if you told them to stop. The last thing Willow Bay needs now, especially slap bang in the middle of tourist season, is a lipstick vandal on the loose. Especially considering what the lipstick vandal was drawing.”
She gave him a huge smile. “I’ll be sure to pass the message on. If I ever happen to find out who this lipstick vandal is.” She winked at him and he shook his head.
“That’s a nice lipstick color you’re wearing, by the way,” Mike teased.
“Thanks. It’s called Russian Red. Suits every skin tone. Would even suit a redhead like you,” she said to me, and then smacked her lips together.
Mike sighed and she smiled even more.
“Would you like some?” she asked me, taking it out from a small make-up bag she kept behind the counter.
“I’m okay,” I replied.
“Come on,” she urged. “You’ll look great. Every girl should wear red.”
“I really don’t think fire-engine red would suit me.” I glanced down at the lipstick now; she’d rolled the whole thing out.
She shook her head. “Every skin tone,” she reiterated. “Even a pale person, like you.”
“Pale!” I exclaimed, and then stopped. “Yeah, I’m pale.”
“Although,” Mike leaned in, “looks like you got a little bit of sun today. Were you outside much?” He flashed me another smile. Killer smile.
“Ha ha.” I felt a little giddy from his obvious flirtation.
“Come on, try it.” Techno Tannie started leaning over the counter and the lipstick was coming closer to me. I pursed my lips together tightly in defiance and gave my head a tiny shake.
“Come on,” Mike echoed.
“What is this? Peer pressure?” I asked.
“Come. Bring me those lips,” she said, not really giving me a choice because the lipstick was now centimeters away.
I sighed. “Fiiinnne,” I conceded. “But, I’m telling you, I’ll look like a clown.”
“You’re wrong,” she said, as she started painting my lips with great focus and care.
I looked over at Mike; he was watching intently, his eyes glued to my lips, and I wished I could see what was happening.
When she’d finished, she stood back and looked at me.
“Stunning!” she declared loudly.
I highly doubted that, and turned to face Mike. He was smiling at first, and then suddenly he wasn’t. His eyes zoned in on my lips and a look flashed across his face.What was that?
“Looks like someone is speechless,” Techno Tannie teased, rolling the lipstick back up and putting the lid on with a click. “My work here is done,” she said, and then she slipped the lipstick back into the bag and zipped it up with a dramatic flick of the wrist, as if she were performing.
“You look . . .” Mike finally spoke. “Good,” he said softly. “She’s right—it suits you.”
“Uh, thanks,” I said, hoping my cheeks weren’t also now Russian Red. Mike continued to look at me and I held his penetrating gaze. And then he opened his mouth and said some words that rendered me rather speechless. “That black and white author photo was a mistake. So were the glasses. They should have just taken the photo like this,” he said, not taking his eyes off me.
I swallowed, despite the fact that my tongue felt big and swollen in my mouth now.
“Soooo, what are you two lovebirds drinking?” Crystal asked, breaking the strange moment between us. We both turned and looked at her.
