Austin studied her lashes. At least they weren’t ridiculously long like some women wore. Like Cheyenne always wore. Debbie’s lashes were the perfect length and thickness to emphasize her gorgeous eyes instead of detracting from them. She wore little makeup; her blue eyes with flecks of green in them were striking enough without it. Her eyes reminded him of pictures he’d seen of the Caribbean ocean.
His mouth went dry as he acknowledged how attractive Debbie was. He sat back in his chair and drew in a slow, steady breath. The last thing he needed was to get messed up with another pretty redhead. Especially a wealthy one.
Debbie must have just been getting warmed up because she kept talking. “And yeah, my nails are fake obviously, but come on, what woman doesn’t like having pretty nails? And it’s not like they’re so long I can’t function.”
Her glanced at her delicate hands as she displayed her nails. Her pink-tipped fingers were no more extravagant than her eyelashes. Just long enough to make people notice and wonder if they were real or not.
Cheyenne had often insisted on having acrylic nails. But she’d worn hers so long it hampered her ability to do things like change diapers and wash dishes.
“Okay, so maybe I am a big fat fake,” Debbie said in a dejected tone. She pointed to her chest. “Because these are fake too.”
Austin choked on the bite of cake he’d just put into his mouth. Tears streamed down his face as he tried to get his coughing under control. Did she really just say that?
“I mean, I was a late bloomer, but I certainly didn’t bloom that much. I had a good reason for getting an enhancement though. It wasn’t just because I was vain.”
Do not look. Don’t look at her chest.
Stunned by her frankness, he found his gaze dipping to her ample bust-line. Though not overly large, she was definitely bustier than most women with such a slender waist. Heat filled his cheeks when he realized he was staring, and Debbie had stopped talking.
He raised his gaze to her face. Her animation and the hint of haughtiness she’d displayed earlier had dimmed.
He should say something, but“they look nice”didn’t sound appropriate. “I…uh.”
“I’ve never been happy with my figure. I mean, my younger sisters inherited my mom’s curves. It wasn’t fair. Why did I have to be the only flat-chested female in my family?”
Austin raised a hand to stop Debbie. This was not the direction he thought this conversation would go. “I don’t need to know—“
“No, it’s fine.” Debbie waved away his protest. “It’s not like it’s a secret, and I did say my life was an open book. So if it helps you make up your mind about letting Savannah paint my mural, then I’ll tell you whatever you want to know.”
Austin couldn’t think of a way to circle back to the negative influence thing again without offending her.
Debbie cleared her throat and started talking again. “Seven years ago, I married a very wealthy older gentleman.”
Austin’s interest piqued. “How much older?” The words were out before he could stop them.
Debbie raised her chin again, her gaze narrowing, as if she knew her response wouldn’t be well-received. “I was twenty-nine, and he was sixty eighty. It was a marriage in name only, and contrary to what people believe, I didn’t marry him for his money.”
Austin resisted the urge to let out a long whistle.
Talk about older alright.
Debbie pushed cake crumbs around her plate with her fork. “I had my reasons for marrying him, but most people don’t understand them, so I don’t bother sharing them anymore.” She gave a tight smile. “People called me Peter’s trophy wife. Except I wasn’t much of a trophy. I was skinny, plain, and flat-chested. I was frequently criticized and ridiculed in Peter’s social circles. But he had a good friend whose wife took me under her wing. And yes, Sofia was a trophy wife. At the advice of Sofia, and with Peter’s encouragement, I had surgery. And I’ve been much happier with my figure ever since.”
Austin couldn’t fault Debbie for getting augmentation to help her self-esteem, but he still saw uncertainty in her eyes each time she squared her shoulders and raised her chin in that haughty air he’d seen from rich people too many times to count.
If not for the money, why did she marry such an old man? It obviously wasn’t for an intimate relationship if it was in name only.
And why on earth is she telling me all of this?
Austin shoved another bite of cake into his mouth before scratching his neck again. “I haven’t heard anyone call you fake, and although I’d heard you’d been married twice, I didn’t need to know any of that other stuff.”
“Oh.” Another flush covered Debbie’s cheeks. “Apparently, I’m a little too talkative, as well as impulsive.”
Austin forged on, coming straight to the point. “I’ve heard you’re looking for husband number three, and I just want you to know you’re barking up the wrong tree.”
“What?” Debbie sprang to her feet. “You think I want to hire your daughter to get your attention? What an arrogant assumption!”
Austin came to his feet too. “I’m not saying I’m some great catch, because I’m not. I’m far from perfect. But I’ve heard that in recent years, you’ve thrown yourself at one man after another in town trying to find husband number three. I won’t allow my young, impressionable daughter to work for someone who has questionable morals.”
