“You won’t.We all know you’re going way above and beyond the call of duty.Don’t think we’ll ever forget that.”
“Yeah, but if Sierra’s people don’t think I—”
“That’s on them.Their poor judgment is not your problem.Six Points won’t go out of business if Sierra Page decides not to grace us with her presence.”Nina gave a smile full of warmth and affection, and it took the edge off her nerves.“You got this.Now let’s go kick some ass.”
After one last deep, fortifying breath, Sloane tipped up her chin, squared her shoulders, and followed Nina inside.Austin stood by the conference table with a man and woman she assumed were Sierra’s representatives.
The guy was young, mid-twenties at the most, wearing tan slacks that were a little too short and a white dress shirt under a black blazer.His tie was purple, his glasses wire-rimmed, and his hair had so much gel in it that the tracks from his comb were still visible.
But it was the woman with short, spikey blonde hair who was clearly in charge.Tall and slender, with killer cheekbones and a flawless complexion, she resembled an older version of Sierra, perhaps a sister or a cousin.She exuded confidence and power in a scarlet dress that accentuated the curves of her body, while sky-high heels gave her an extra three or four inches of height.She tossed a glance in Sloane’s direction, her blue eyes colder than ice.
Always the professional, Austin met Sloane’s gaze and gave a subtle nod of greeting.He wore a full suit, a rarity for him, one tailored to accommodate his muscular build, and it underscored just how much he wanted to land this contract.“Ms.Watson, Mr.Fields, you already know my wife, Nina.I’d like you to meet Sloane Welker.”
Here goes nothing.Sloane mentally cracked her knuckles as she crossed to where the pair stood and shook the hand Fields offered.“It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
Watson made no effort to shake Sloane’s hand.Instead, she stared down her nose at Sloane as if she were something she’d scraped off the bottom of one of her expensive heels.
“Do you honestly think this…” she gestured toward Sloane, “is what Sierra Page looks like?”
The woman’s jaw barely moved when she spoke, as if it had been wired shut.Still, her voice was thick with disdain, and even though part of Sloane wanted to cringe, the comment sparked her temper.A smartass reply perched on the tip of her tongue, and it was all she could do to keep from saying something that would rear its ugly head on a future performance review.This was too important to let her emotions get the better of her.
“That’s exactly what she looked like on October twelfth of last year.”Austin picked up the remote on the conference table.He pressed a button, and an image of Sierra from that day appeared on the wall-mounted screen at the far end of the room.
The woman waved a hand in dismissal.“Her breasts are too small.”
“A little extra padding would take care of that,” Nina said with all the determination of a car salesman trying to convince a customer to pay extra for the undercoating.“Or she could wear a jacket that’s loose enough so the difference wouldn’t be noticeable.”
“It doesn’t matter.She walks too stiffly.”
“Jeez, you want to check my teeth while you’re at it?”She couldn’t help it; it just slipped out.
Nina ignored the comment.“She doesn’t normally walk in heels this high.An hour or two of practice, and she’ll be just fine.”
Watson seemed far from convinced.Lips pursed and eyes narrowed, she walked a predatory circle around Sloane as if cataloguing each and every perceived deficiency.Her gaze drifted up, meeting Sloane’s, and Sloane felt like she was in high school again, bracing for a mean girl’s insult.
The older woman’s head tilted a little to the right.“With a few fillers, she might be acceptable.”
Oh, hell no, she was not injecting shit into her face.She’d rather work at one of those stores that repaired cracked screens on cell phones.She opened her mouth to express that opinion, but closed it when she saw Nina give a slight shake of her head.
The vein on Austin’s forehead looked as if it might explode.He crossed his arms over his chest.“Ma’am, with all due respect, Ms.Welker bears a stronger resemblance to Ms.Page than your previous body double.I will not require, or even suggest, that my employee undergo any sort of cosmetic procedure to meet your approval.It’s insulting and unnecessary.If that doesn’t work for you, then I’m afraid we’ve wasted your time.”
An uncomfortable silence settled over the conference room.
Austin stared at Watson; she glared at him in return, while Fields suddenly took an interest in something on the floor.
Sloane appreciated Austin’s support, especially given the fact it might cost his company a lucrative contract.She also hated the thought of having gone through all this crap for nothing.If things didn’t work out, she’d stop at the store on her way home from work for a box of hair color, because she didn’t want to have to explain to her neighbors why she’d decided out of the blue to make such a drastic—
“Very well.”Watson sounded thoroughly put out.“Considering the time constraints, we’ll move forward with Ms.Welker.However, I will insist that her hair, makeup, and wardrobe be provided by our stylists.No offense.”
“None taken,” Austin said, the edge gone from his voice.
Nina’s expression suggested otherwise, which was totally understandable.She’d invested a lot of time and effort into transforming Sloane into Sierra.
Watson reached into her cavernous purse to retrieve her phone.“Shall we discuss the terms of the contract now, or would you prefer to schedule a time?”
“Now works.”It wasn’t surprising that Austin wanted to seal the deal before she changed her mind.“As soon as the contract is finalized, we can iron out the particulars for Ms.Page’s plans that require Ms.Welker.”
Chapter 3
