Page 30 of Zane

Abigail's eyes flew to her left hand.

"I turned him down."

The woman nodded in approval. "Good for you. He would have made a lousy husband and I'm speaking from experience. So, after refusing the ring-there was a ring, right?"

Kara nodded with a slight smile. "An exquisite square-cut diamond."

"Wouldn't have suited you." Abigail gave her a speculative once-over. "Too predictable. Emeralds or topaz. Anyway." She waved a hand. "What do you need?"

"How busy are you now?"

The gleam in Abigail's eyes became brighter.

"Nothing too pressing. What do you have in mind?"

"I'm about to blow several thousand on a complete makeover. And I feel sick. Literally sick. I need you to tell me I'm making a mistake. That I should march right back to Goodwill and grab the two garbage bags of my fairly expensive suits and take them back home. Same for the thrift store."

"Probably all gone by now. You're not the only boring dresser this side of town." Pushing back her chair, she rose, giving Kara the opportunity to admire the rose pink pantsuit she was wearing. "Let's go get you more gorgeous than you already are." She clapped her hands gleefully. "I know just the places."

*****

With her arches weeping, her credit card severely abused, Kara stared in horror at the mounting packages on the back seat. And that was not all of it. Romano's. Oh dear God! Romano's of all places. The most expensive and exclusive store in town.

They delivered, and some were already on their way to her front door. They had not stopped at suits and dresses for work, but fancy outfits, in jeweled colors and hardly any material to speak of. They had also stocked up on the most scandalous lingerie Kara had ever seen.

According to Abigail and the saleslady, you could not just do the outerwear and not think about what was underneath. That would not do.

"Now for Barry's." Slamming the car door shut and pressing the alarm to secure it, Abigail turned toward the delightful storefront shops near the mall. "I called in a favor, and the dear man is waiting for us. He has people lined up to do the facial, mani and pedi and a full body massage." She glanced at her phone and sent off a quick text message to her assistant.

"We're supposed to be working," Kara concluded weakly. "Instead of traipsing all over the place on a vanity run."

Abigail merely glanced at her as she pushed the door of the salon open. "It's necessary. Darling!" she gushed as a towering black man glided forward, his hair as pink as cotton candy, his teeth dazzlingly white.

"If it isn't my favorite DA." He embraced her, twirling her around in his big strong arms, before putting her down and staring at Kara. She jolted when he cupped her face and studied her like a man on a mission.

"Exceptional pores, beautiful skin. Reminds me of the way I like my coffee, dark with just a hint of cream. Lips to die for." He muttered something under his breath.

She started again when he let her go to tug at her hair. "Thick and healthy. I have just the color to liven it up."

"Nothing too bright," she managed to squeak.

He merely smiled and patted her cheek. "Leave everything to Uncle Barry. Selene! You slut, get cracking. We have special clients."

Selene the slut just cast him an icy look before gliding over. "Let's get you on a table."

"The hair is last," Barry told her with a wide smile. "We have champagne," he said to Abigail.

"You just called my name," Abigail said.

*****

She was pummeled, tweaked, buffeted, rubbed, and massaged, until her limbs were completely fluid. She didn't even protest when the towel was her only covering. By the time Irene and Selene had finished and she had imbibed two glasses of champagne, she was floating. Draping a robe over her, the women propelled her toward the shampoo chair where Barry was waiting to do his 'magic,' as he told her, the anticipatory gleam in his eyes making her quake.

Before she could protest and remind him that she didn't want anything outrageous, he had doused her head with warm water. Giving up, Kara closed her eyes and sighed as his nimble fingers massaged her scalp. She drifted off to some titillating gossip about someone by the name of Michelle Day and her scandalous affair with a married senator. The scent of rose petals and lavender tickled her nostrils and made her even more relaxed, if that was at all possible.

Barry gently turned her toward the chair in front of the mirror and whipped a cape around her. When he picked up the scissors, she tensed automatically, making him grin. Leaning down from his lofty height, he whispered in her ear, his breath smelling of peppermint candy. "Relax, darling, and let Uncle Barry take very good care of you."

She did just that and closed her eyes and ears to the snipping of the scissors.