Callie's Cowboy (26 page)

She smiled at the vision and closed her eyes to concentrate on her appointment—and her plan of attack. Her head was a clutter of strategies and hopes, rehearsals, bits of conversation guaranteed to impress. Leaning forward, she tipped up her chin and flipped down the visor mirror. Smiling, she showed a white flash of perfect teeth and a darling dimple.

“Oh, hello, Mr. Ross,” she said to her reflection. “How nice to meet you. Why, you're much younger than I expected
for
a man of your accomplishments.” Pause. Smile. A toss of her blazing red hair.

“Good grief, sis, what are you doing?” Nikki asked, glancing over at Suzy.

“Practicing!” Suzy said, frowning.

“You don't have to practice. You're perfect!”

“Uh-uh. Christie Brinkley's perfect. Cybill Shepherd.”

“You're as perfect as they are!” Nikki said, and laughed. “The world just hasn't seen as much of you yet. Besides, if you ask Mom, no one's perfect except Suzy Parker, and
you're
about to follow in her footsteps.”

“Sure, Nikki. And if you ask Mom, Dad's a combination of Lee Iacocca and Paul Newman and you're Mother Theresa! Ohhh,” Suzy groaned. “Maybe I should forget it, or at least wait until Lorraine comes back on Monday.”

“Don't be silly, Suz! You've gone to interviews without your agent before. And as you said, if you wait, someone's liable to beat you out and become the ‘one and only, sure to be famous' Kevin's Kookies girl, and you will miss this golden opportunity, this next rung up on the ladder of success, and lovely Lorraine will wring her hands, and—”

“Enough! I give! Just tell me, do I look all right?”

“Gorgeous! You'll knock his socks off!”

Suzy's mouth twitched up at the corners. “Great, and what if he has hairy feet?”

“Well, you'll soon find out, kiddo. Here's your exit.”

In minutes they were parked in front of a square, squat dusty-red brick warehouse. No frills. No flashy sign. This building meant business, all business. And what about the man who owned it? What would he be like? Suzy wondered. Would he like her? Would she project the right image, match that fantasy in his head? Would he hire her?

“Go for it, sis,” Nikki said. “Good luck … and break a leg!”

“Wrong business, but thanks anyway.” Grinning, Suzy stepped out of the car, slipped her portfolio and its cache of publicity pictures from the backseat, then leaned over to her sister. “ 'Bye, Nikki.”

“Sure you don't want me to wait?”

“No, you go buy your water bed. I'll grab a cab to celebrate! See you later.”

Moving like bright water in her silk dress, Suzy walked slowly to the front door. She hesitated there, her hand on the old wooden knob, feeling the hot sun on her shoulders and the backs of her legs. Another minute and her hair would begin to curl ever so slightly across the nape of her neck, and that wouldn't do at all. Not now.

She blew a puff of air up under her heavy bangs. Mid-August and hot in Kansas City, and hot and still here in the warehouse district, the heat shimmering off the pavement. The fish market across the street was locked, the shades drawn. But the telltale smell of salmon and swordfish, flounder, snapper, and catfish clung to the street. Nearby, the stalls in the farmers' market were empty, everyone having fled by noon. It was quiet, so quiet she could hear her own breathing, the nervous rat-a-tat-tat of her heartbeat. With bold determination Suzy squared her shoulders, knocked once for formality's sake, and pulled open the heavy wooden door.

The noise hit her like a splash of ice water in the face. Conveyor belts, motors, timers, bright yellow fork-lifts hustling boxes across the wide floor. Doors swung open and banged shut again. The ceiling, latticed with steel beams, caught all the noise and threw it right back down at her.

Suzy flinched and covered her ears with both hands. Her portfolio thumped to the floor and she let it lay there. She could feel the noise right through to her bones. How could these people work like this? she wondered, shocked.

She looked around at the bustling activity. There were people everywhere—lifting, stacking, sealing, pulling and pushing boxes of cookies. And no one at all seemed bothered by the din. No one but Suzy.

“Hello?” She tried calling, lowering one hand in a faint little wave. “Hello? Is Mr. Ross around?”

No one turned, no one waved back, no one noticed Suzy Keller at all. So much for first impressions! she thought. Retrieving her portfolio, she picked her way around a stack of unsealed cartons and over to the nearest workman.

“Hi,” she said, then louder, “Hi! Excuse me, I'm looking for Mr. Ross. Sir …?”

She tapped him on the shoulder and he spun toward her, knocking a carton off the conveyor belt as he turned. Forty-eight boxes of chocolate chip cookies slid across the floor.

“Oh … oh, no! I'm so sorry!” Suzy exclaimed, horrified. “I—I was looking for Mr. Ross's office. I am
so
sorry!”

The man's initial anger vanished and his bushy mustache twitched as he smiled. He patted her once on the arm, winked, and pointed toward the rear of the warehouse.

By then two younger men, eyes glued to Suzy in rapt adoration, were busy picking the cookie boxes up from around her ankles. They stuffed them back into the carton, then stood there, staring at Suzy like lovesick pups.

The older man gave a short, soundless laugh and sent the two boys back to their jobs with a quick jerk of his thumb. Another wink and he turned back to his job.

Suzy headed on, the quick tap of her heels unheard amid the noise. She carefully avoided the conveyor lines of cartons, the stacks of flour and sugar sacks leaning against each other on metal pallets, and the sudden, startling advance of the fork-lifts. A pretty young woman, her ponytail sticking out from beneath her hard hat, zipped by in a little go-cart, its back loaded with boxes labeled Kevin's Kookies. Someday, Suzy wondered, would
her
picture be on that label? On billboards? On nationwide TV screens during the commercial break for
The Cosby Show
? Oh, yes, she thought; grinning. Yes, yes, yes! She could feel it. Today was her lucky day.…

Or would be, she added, groaning as she slowed to a halt, if she could only get to this interview!

The entire back wall of the warehouse was covered with doors. Wide ones, narrow ones, all unlabeled!

“This is
not
fair,” Suzy muttered aloud. She pushed back her thick hair, which now curled rebelliously against the nape of her neck from an uncontrollable flush of nervousness. The start of a headache fluttered just above her eyes. Clutching her portfolio tightly, she marched over to the nearest workman.

“Excuse me,” she said, letting out a sigh of ill-concealed exasperation, “but could you
please
tell me which is Mr. Ross's office?”

The fellow continued to shift flour sacks from one table to another.

Suzy cleared her throat, raised her voice, and just about yelled, “Pardon me, but where is Mr. Ross's office?”

He didn't budge.

She put a hand lightly on his arm. He turned and dusted the front of her dress and her nose with a good helping of flour.

Suzy's eyes shot wide open, then she burst into surprised laughter. And when the workman, already blushing, dazzled, and wide-eyed, started to brush off the front of her, she collapsed into giggles.

“That's all right, really, I'll get it,” she said. “If you could just please tell me where Mr. Ross's office is …”

He sent flour flying in a dusty arc toward the door at the far left.

“You're sure?” she teased, making his blush deepen.

He nodded, shy and silent, but as she walked away he gave a piercing, if off-key, wolf whistle.

Suzy gulped. Even with the blast of noise at her back, there was no missing that sharp signal of sexual approval. Now her own cheeks were flaming, but there was no turning back. With the flat of one hand she tried to brush away the comet's trail of flour across her breasts. White flour on sapphire silk … it was hopeless! She rubbed the tip of her nose, gazed ruefully at the unmarked door in front of her, and gave it three good hard raps.

Was that a “come in” she heard? Who could tell? “Well, here goes everything!” she whispered, and stepped into the office.

“Hello!” she said loudly. “Mr. Ross, I'm Suzy Keller and I'm here for the interview—”

Her voice echoed around the quiet, beautifully paneled office.

“Oh, goodness,” she whispered, her blush spreading downward across her throat and breasts. For a moment she closed her eyes, wishing she could start this day over.

The two men in the office stood mesmerized.

One was a handsome blond in a suit and tie standing just behind the desk. The other was taller, darker, broader, compelling even in jeans and a T-shirt as he leaned against the wall.

But it was the blond who broke the silence and drew Suzy's attention. “Ms. Keller? We weren't expecting you until Monday. Your agency called to postpone—”

“Oh, they weren't supposed to! I decided to come out on my own, and now I'm probably interrupting something important, but, Mr. Ross, I was just afraid someone else would show up for the interview today and you'd hire her and I really think I am perfect for this job. I
know
I am! Here.” She quickly placed her leather folder on the desk before him and slipped out a breathtaking series of eight by ten glossies. “If you'll just take a look at my portfolio—”

The blond's brows jumped in appreciation but his voice was steady. “Whoa! Ms. Keller, I would
love
to look at your portfolio! I'd even like to borrow it for a day … or a week. But you may rescind the offer when I tell you I am not Mr. Ross. I'm Mike Pepper, and I'm yours if you ever need a lawyer. But this”—he pointed across the room—“this lucky fella is Kevin Ross.”

Suzy turned her emerald gaze to the silent man in the corner and, as her eyes met his, her heart took a quick little leap up to her throat and then down to her toes. He was gorgeous. Not pretty like the men she was often paired with in the ads, not even like those at the endless parties and dinners she attended at her agent's insistence. But solid. Dark and solid and strong-looking, with thick black hair over deep dark eyes. Straight, determined brows and the start of worry lines around his eyes and at the sides of his mouth. A beautiful mouth, which even as she stared lifted into a wide, easy grin.

The grin startled her, teased her, and she began talking again, just to cover her surprise. “Mr. Ross, I'm so glad to meet you. And I hope I'm not interrupting anything, but as I said, I really think I would do a terrific job as the Kevin's Kookies girl. I've done many food commercials before—breakfast cereal, hot dogs, even tortillas. Here, would
you
like to see my portfolio?” She took a quick step toward him and thrust the pictures into his hands, aware of the brush of her fingertips against his, feeling suddenly dizzy and giddy and happy.

“And, Mr. Ross,” she went on hurriedly, “I know I should let my agent tell you all these good things about me, but since she's not here, I'll just mention that I'm very versatile, and can appeal to the family audience as well as present a more sophisticated image, and even appear quite a number of years younger—or older!—if your marketing campaign should require that. See?” In one quick gesture she pushed her heavy bangs back off her face and caught the fiery sweep of her hair into a knot at the nape of her neck. She smiled up into his dark eyes.

His
smile broadened but, unaccountably, hers wobbled just the tiniest bit.

Nerves, she chided herself silently. Calm down! Just be confident, poised.… You've done this all before! “I think you would be pleased, Mr. Ross, with both my publicity photos and my tapings … as well as any personal appearances the job might require. And …” She paused, praying that he would say something, anything, but he seemed to be enjoying himself too darn much, so she rushed on, undaunted. “
And
if you would like to see any particular walk or stance …?” Still talking, she turned and began to circle the room, moving with the languid grace of long practice.

Mike Pepper's laugh cut her short. “Whoa again! Here, sit down. Take it easy.” He pulled the chair out from behind the desk. “Now, go on and tell him everything you want, but you've got to face him. Kevin's deaf.”

“What?” Her eyes widened in surprise as they shot from Mike to Kevin, then back again. Her voice softened in awe. “I can't believe it. He's done
all
this and he's deaf?” Admiration shone like a clear light that she turned on Kevin's face.

Caught by her gaze, it was Kevin's turn to blush and he did, a dark, handsome flush that Suzy knew didn't stop at the top of his T-shirt. Oh, he had beautiful shoulders. And a strong, broad chest. Tilting her head to the side, she smiled at him. “Sorry. I didn't mean to embarrass you. It's just … Well, I think you must be quite amazing. This is a big business you've built here, single-handedly … or so my agent said. And—” Her hand flew to her mouth in sudden comprehension. “And all your employees are deaf also! That explains the flying carton … and my run-in with the flour sack!” She touched her fingertips absentmindedly to the front of her dress, her concentration locked on the man in front of her. “Amazing.” Then she realized she was staring and felt the blood rise to her cheeks. She straightened her skirt and settled her hands demurely in her lap. “I mean, Mr. Ross, you're much different than I expected for a man of your accomplishments.”

His laugh was low and husky and exciting.

Suzy's face relaxed into a charming smile. “I want you to know I practiced that line … or at least something like it! You … you're reading my lips, aren't you? Oh, my. Do I look all right?”