Roxann Delaney - A Whole New Man

Her eyes widened, and the pulse beating at the base of her throat picked up speed. “We’ll just double our efforts,” she said, her voice slightly unsteady.

Her answer narrowed down the possibilities that had run through his mind while he had waited for her to arrive. She needed the money. Luckily he didn’t. He’d made good money at every job he’d ever worked, and there had been no expenses but his own day-to-day living. The foreman’s job would pay better than he’d been getting on his old crew, so he didn’t have to worry. But he wondered why, with a fancy business, money was an issue for her.

“Where’s our first stop?” he asked.

She cleared her throat and tugged at the hem of her skirt. “The apartment won’t be ready until tomorrow, so I thought we’d start with some shopping at The Plaza today.”

“Shopping?”

“Clothes shopping.”

He wasn’t surprised. She obviously believed the outside was the place to start. “Clothes make the man, huh?” he asked with a grin.

She lifted her head and stared at him. “How did you—” A blush painted her cheekbones and she pressed her lips together.

“How did I know? Well, the limo is as much for show as for the self-image,” he explained, enchanted by her high color. “Clothes would be the same.”

“You’re much more perceptive than I’d imagined. Do you have it all figured out?”

Her smile was sincere, and he knew she’d just paid him a compliment. “Not all of it. Is this what you do for fun?”

“Fun?” She shook her head. “I don’t have much time for fun. Running a business takes a lot of time.”

“But everybody should take the time to cut loose and have some fun once in a while.”

“I agree, but it depends on your definition of the word,” she pointed out.

Hank thought about it. For most of his life, he had done what he wanted, when he wanted. Life had been hard at times, but he had never failed to enjoy it. So why had he signed up to have his “image” changed?

Because he’d been bored. Because the ad in the magazine had caught his attention, and he thought it might be fun. And it wouldn’t hurt to make a good impression. He’d still be Hank, when all was said and done. New clothes wouldn’t change that.

He shot her his best grin. “I think working with you is going to be fun. What do you think?”

She opened her mouth to answer, then shut it again. “I think it’ll be interesting.”

For the time being, her answer was good enough for him, but it definitely raised his curiosity.

“But I like blue jeans.”

Hank’s announcement brought stares from the other customers in the expensive men’s clothing store, and he nearly laughed. He didn’t give a fig what he wore. Never had. But he wanted to put a little scratch in the veneer Lizzie wore and see her reaction.

Holding a pair of khaki trousers draped over one arm, her face was a mask of patience and calm. “There are times and places for denim, Hank. Trust me. But you’ll need something for your first day at Crown and something for casual wear.”

“That’s what jeans are for,” he argued, while she nudged him toward the dressing room. It was on the tip of his tongue to tell her she could wear the damned pants herself, when her features softened, and he saw her bite back a smile.

So, she does know how to loosen up. She just didn’t want to do it. He would remember that. Maybe the next two weeks wouldn’t be so bad, after all.

“We’ll check out the jeans as soon as we’ve finished with these.” With another nudge in the direction of the dressing room, she handed him the khakis. “Please, Hank?”

Whether it was the tone of her voice or the sound of his name, he didn’t know. He stopped in his tracks and took the pants from her. “Now, how can I say no when I can see how much it means to you?”

Her grateful smile was enhanced by the shades of rose blooming on her cheeks. She pulled another item from a rack. “And take this shirt with you,” she said, pressing a sport shirt into his free hand. “Oh, and these pants and shirt, too.”

Hank chuckled and shook his head. “Do all your clients get this kind of special treatment?”

“Of course they do. All my clients are special.” She turned around and headed in the direction of one of the clerks.

In the dressing room, he was ready to dump the pile on the floor and tell her everything fit fine, but he thought better of the idea. She had a point. He wanted to look his best for the new job. It was important that he make a good impression. Whether he stuck with the job or not, he wanted to start out on the right foot. Wasn’t that why he’d hired Lizzie?

He stripped out of the clothes he felt most comfortable in—had always felt most comfortable in—and into the clothes she’d given him.

He didn’t bother with the mirror when he stepped out of the dressing room. Instead he went looking for Lizzie and found her comparing ties. “How’s this?” he asked, standing beside her.

“Oh, Hank, they’re perfect!”

The admiring gleam in her eye and the smile on her face took him by surprise. He shrugged to cover it and tried for indifference. “If you like it, it’s good enough for me. I hate to admit it, Lizzie, but you have good taste. I only have one question.”

She looked up from the tie she was holding against a shirt. “What’s that?”

“Are you helping me pick out my underwear, too?” he asked, giving in to the temptation to tease her.

“Hank!”

Her eyes, wide with surprise, closed, and she pursed her lips. Then he saw her bite back a smile and noticed how her shoulders shook. He’d hit his mark. “Come on. Socks and shorts are over here,” he said taking her arm and propelling her to the other side of the store.

“Stop, Hank!” she cried, laughing.

Her words didn’t stop him, but the sound of her bubbling laughter did. It was like flowers bursting open in the springtime. Warm and refreshing. He looked at her and saw a sparkle and shine in her eyes that made his heart skip a beat. That wasn’t good. He needed to get a grip. Fun was fun, but…He wasn’t in the habit of falling too hard for women, but just because it hadn’t happened before, didn’t mean it wouldn’t. Considering the circumstances, this was the wrong woman to be the first.

She was the first to regain her composure. “I—I think I’ll leave those to you, if that’s all right.”

“Yeah,” he said, still stunned. “I think I can handle it myself.”

She slipped from his grasp and took a few steps away from him, then turned back. “When you’re finished, we’ll take care of the purchases.”

He started for the dressing room, only to see his reflection in the mirror, surprised that he looked like the same old Hank, only…different. Behind him, Lizzie stood watching. Their gazes met, and once again his heart skipped. Damn!

Before he had a chance to think of something to say to lighten the moment, she spun on her heel and found the nearest clerk. “We’ll take what we’ve already chosen and everything in the dressing room,” he heard her say.

The clerk glanced from her to Hank, then hesitated before ringing up the assortment of items. Letting out the breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding, Hank returned to the dressing room and quickly changed back into his familiar jeans and shirt.

When he had finished, he met Lizzie at the counter and gave the purchases to the clerk. While the young man tallied their total, Hank reached for the pen Lizzie held poised to sign the receipt and slipped it from her fingers.

“What are you doing?” she asked.

“They’re my clothes, I’ll pay for them.”

“It’s part of the agreement,” she replied and attempted to retrieve the pen.