“All right,” Dante said, a wide smile spreading over his face as he leaned forward, rubbing his hands together. “Let’s get down to business, then. I’ve learned a few things about human women, and I’m happy to impart them.”
Adrien pulled out his phone, opened up the notepad, and got ready to write everything down.
If anything Dante said meant the difference in winning Kelsey, he’d better not miss even one word of it.
Nine
Kelsey was feeling awesome, carrying several bags of clothing and accessories, ready to head over to the makeup store with Robbie, when Robbie stopped abruptly and jerked Kelsey’s arm, pulling her around a pillar and then into a nearby store.
“Whoa,” Kelsey said, rubbing her arm as she looked at her friend, who was staring out carefully around the doors of the store as if she didn’t want to be seen.
“That was a close one,” Robbie muttered.
“What’s going on?” Kelsey asked, but Robbie put a finger up to her lips, and Kelsey shushed.
Robbie’s usually sunny, positive disposition had changed to one of stress, and there was a deep crease between her brows. “Dammit, what are they doing here?”
Then she did something that shocked Kelsey utterly. She raised her wrists and sniffed gingerly, then nodded. “No, I’m still wearing masking agent. They couldn’t scent me.”
What? Masking agent? Was Robbie just babbling in shock or something?
But no, as Robbie gently took Kelsey’s arm and pulled her to the other side of the store to look out of a window, Kelsey could sense her friend was feeling very real tension over the situation.
“What is masking agent? Some kind of perfume?”
“Something like that,” Robbie said. She scratched her head and stared out the window nervously. “Okay, I think they’re leaving. Phew.”
She stepped out into the store’s entrance and watched a group of three guys walking down the hall away from them, then let out a sigh of relief.
Robbie was so dominant, so powerful in her personality, that Kelsey hadn’t ever thought she would see her scared of something.
“Who were those guys?”
Robbie gave her a wary glance. “I don’t know if I can explain it,” she said.
“Come on,” Kelsey said. “I know what it’s like to have some guys you’re afraid of. I have a few I wouldn’t want to see. Is one of them an ex of yours?”
“Um, something like that,” Robbie said.
“How so?”
“Come on. Let’s go get your makeup before they decide to come back this direction or something.” Robbie darted back out into the hallway, and Kelsey followed.
When they entered the store, one of the associates, a beautiful, skinny woman with immaculate makeup, came over to greet them.
“This is my friend,” Robbie said. “And I want her hooked up with everything she could possibly want.”
The woman grinned brightly. “Anything for you, Robbie.”
“Business still going well?” Robbie asked.
“Yes, so much better ever since you,” the woman said.
“Glad to hear it, Glory,” Robbie replied.
As Kelsey sat in a chair in front of a makeup station with a mirror, she looked between the two women curiously.
“Robbie came in and did some management training for our store,” Glory said, answering Kelsey’s silent question.
As Glory began to put makeup on Kelsey, showing her different shades and getting her opinion, she couldn’t help watching Robbie, who continued creeping to the store entrance and peeking out as if still nervous about the guys from before.
Glory had to go to the back to grab something, so Kelsey waved for Robbie to come over.
Robbie’s forehead was still creased with stress. “Yes?” she asked. “You look gorgeous by the way. Not that you already didn’t.”
“Not that I don’t appreciate your flattery, because I totally do, but what is going on? Come on. You can tell me.”
“I don’t know,” Robbie said. “It’s not something I really talk about.” She snuck another peek outside. “But since you’re probably thinking I’m pretty weird anyway, I guess it can’t hurt to tell you. Just don’t… tell anyone else, okay?”
Kelsey pressed her lips together. If Robbie was actually in danger, was that a secret she should keep from the others? Especially since they all worked together.
Still, once she gave her word, she kept it. “I won’t tell. It’s your secret. But if I think someone should know, I might tell you I think you should tell them.”
“I know. Okay,” Robbie said. “So here it is. That guy out there? He’s from my hometown. He and the other guys. They… have probably been trying to find me. I mean, that’s probably not why they’re here, but let’s just say if they knew I was here, they would want me to leave with them.”