Untraceable by Griffin Laura

Author:Griffin, Laura [Griffin, Laura]
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: POCKET STAR BOOKS
Published: 2009-11-23T21:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Alex was late, and she was counting on a trayful of grande lattes to smooth things over. She could have been here sooner, but she’d needed some time to collect herself before she could walk into her office and pull off some semblance of normal.

But nothing was normal. Even a change of clothes and a second shower with her own, non-Nathan-scented shampoo had done nothing to ease the knot in her stomach.

Alex took a deep breath and shook it off. It didn’t matter. She hated relationships. And if she made room for one in her life right now, she’d have to deal with the void when it went away.

Alex strode up to the door of her business and tapped her knuckles on the glass. Sophie emerged from behind Alex’s closed office door, and her face brightened when she spotted the cardboard tray.

“Oh my God, you read my mind.”

Alex stepped into the office and handed Sophie a cup. From behind the closed door, she heard the murmur of female voices.

“Courtney’s here already?”

“She’s been here almost an hour,” Sophie said. “And she’s incredible. I’m going to have to hire her before my next round of head shots.”

Alex crossed the reception room. “Draw those mini-blinds, would you?” she asked over her shoulder. You never know who might come knocking.

She should have been prepared for the scene inside her office, but she wasn’t. And Sophie was right. Courtney was incredible.

“Wow,” Alex said. Behind her desk, in the big leather swivel chair, was a completely transformed Melanie Bess.

Courtney shot Alex a look. “You’re late.”

“I stopped by Starbucks.” She set the tray of drinks on the desk.

“You’re forgiven.”

Which wasn’t exactly surprising. Besides being a personal friend, the tall, auburn-haired stylist was one of Alex’s former clients. She belonged to a subset Nathan had labeled “basket-case women,” although she no longer fit that description, thanks in part to Alex. Courtney had turned her life around and recently managed to land a job at Austin’s hippest salon.

Alex fixed her gaze on Courtney’s latest masterpiece. “How did you do that?”

Melanie cast a sheepish look in Alex’s direction. “You like it?”

“Yes.” She stepped around the desk for a better view. Gone was the pasty skin, the dark circles. And yet—thanks to Courtney’s skill—she didn’t have that base-face look that Alex despised. Also gone was the choppy black hair, replaced with a light brown pixie cut that seemed completely natural. And unnoticeable, which was the entire point. Melanie needed to blend in with the crowd, not stand out. And—unbeknownst to Courtney, Sophie, and Melanie herself—she was having a new passport photo taken this morning.

“We made a mess of your bathroom,” Courtney said, applying coral lip liner to Melanie’s mouth. “But nothing a little Lysol won’t take care of.”

“I’ll do it,” Sophie said.

“What did you do to her eyes?” Alex leaned in for a closer look.

“White eye pencil,” Courtney said. “On the inner rims. That combined with the eyelash curler really wakes her up. Makes her look younger. My older clients love it.

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