A Whole New Man

Hank thought about it. For most of his life, he had done what he wanted, when he wanted. Life had been hard at times, but he had never failed to enjoy it. So why had he signed up to have his “image” changed?

Because he’d been bored. Because the ad in the magazine had caught his attention, and he thought it might be fun. And it wouldn’t hurt to make a good impression. He’d still be Hank, when all was said and done. New clothes wouldn’t change that.

He shot her his best grin. “I think working with you is going to be fun. What do you think?”

She opened her mouth to answer, then shut it again. “I think it’ll be interesting.”

For the time being, her answer was good enough for him, but it definitely raised his curiosity.

Chapter Two

“But I like blue jeans.”

Hank’s announcement brought stares from the other customers in the expensive men’s clothing store, and he nearly laughed. He didn’t give a fig what he wore. Never had. But he wanted to put a little scratch in the veneer Lizzie wore and see her reaction.

Holding a pair of khaki trousers draped over one arm, her face was a mask of patience and calm. “There are times and places for denim, Hank. Trust me. But you’ll need something for your first day at Crown and something for casual wear.”

“That’s what jeans are for,” he argued, while she nudged him toward the dressing room. It was on the tip of his tongue to tell her she could wear the damned pants herself, when her features softened, and he saw her bite back a smile.

So, she does know how to loosen up. She just didn’t want to do it. He would remember that. Maybe the next two weeks wouldn’t be so bad, after all.

“We’ll check out the jeans as soon as we’ve finished with these.” With another nudge in the direction of the dressing room, she handed him the khakis. “Please, Hank?”

Whether it was the tone of her voice or the sound of his name, he didn’t know. He stopped in his tracks and took the pants from her. “Now, how can I say no when I can see how much it means to you?”

Her grateful smile was enhanced by the shades of rose blooming on her cheeks. She pulled another item from a rack. “And take this shirt with you,” she said, pressing a sport shirt into his free hand. “Oh, and these pants and shirt, too.”

Hank chuckled and shook his head. “Do all your clients get this kind of special treatment?”

“Of course they do. All my clients are special.” She turned around and headed in the direction of one of the clerks.

In the dressing room, he was ready to dump the pile on the floor and tell her everything fit fine, but he thought better of the idea. She had a point. He wanted to look his best for the new job. It was important that he make a good impression. Whether he stuck with the job or not, he wanted to start out on the right foot. Wasn’t that why he’d hired Lizzie?

He stripped out of the clothes he felt most comfortable in—had always felt most comfortable in—and into the clothes she’d given him.

He didn’t bother with the mirror when he stepped out of the dressing room. Instead he went looking for Lizzie and found her comparing ties. “How’s this?” he asked, standing beside her.

“Oh, Hank, they’re perfect!”

The admiring gleam in her eye and the smile on her face took him by surprise. He shrugged to cover it and tried for indifference. “If you like it, it’s good enough for me. I hate to admit it, Lizzie, but you have good taste. I only have one question.”

She looked up from the tie she was holding against a shirt. “What’s that?”

“Are you helping me pick out my underwear, too?” he asked, giving in to the temptation to tease her.

“Hank!”

Her eyes, wide with surprise, closed, and she pursed her lips. Then he saw her bite back a smile and noticed how her shoulders shook. He’d hit his mark. “Come on. Socks and shorts are over here,” he said taking her arm and propelling her to the other side of the store.

“Stop, Hank!” she cried, laughing.

Her words didn’t stop him, but the sound of her bubbling laughter did. It was like flowers bursting open in the springtime. Warm and refreshing. He looked at her and saw a sparkle and shine in her eyes that made his heart skip a beat. That wasn’t good. He needed to get a grip. Fun was fun, but…He wasn’t in the habit of falling too hard for women, but just because it hadn’t happened before, didn’t mean it wouldn’t. Considering the circumstances, this was the wrong woman to be the first.

She was the first to regain her composure. “I—I think I’ll leave those to you, if that’s all right.”

“Yeah,” he said, still stunned. “I think I can handle it myself.”

She slipped from his grasp and took a few steps away from him, then turned back. “When you’re finished, we’ll take care of the purchases.”

He started for the dressing room, only to see his reflection in the mirror, surprised that he looked like the same old Hank, only…different. Behind him, Lizzie stood watching. Their gazes met, and once again his heart skipped. Damn!

Before he had a chance to think of something to say to lighten the moment, she spun on her heel and found the nearest clerk. “We’ll take what we’ve already chosen and everything in the dressing room,” he heard her say.

The clerk glanced from her to Hank, then hesitated before ringing up the assortment of items. Letting out the breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding, Hank returned to the dressing room and quickly changed back into his familiar jeans and shirt.

When he had finished, he met Lizzie at the counter and gave the purchases to the clerk. While the young man tallied their total, Hank reached for the pen Lizzie held poised to sign the receipt and slipped it from her fingers.

“What are you doing?” she asked.

“They’re my clothes, I’ll pay for them.”

“It’s part of the agreement,” she replied and attempted to retrieve the pen.

“I’m taking care of it anyway.” He placed the pen on the counter far enough away so Lizzie couldn’t reach it. Digging in his back pocket, he pulled out his wallet and slipped out his credit card.

“Hank—”

“Don’t worry about it. I’ve got it covered. If we’re going to argue about every penny, then you’ll have to find another guy.”

Pearly teeth scraped her lower lip, her eyes narrowed and frown lines appeared between them. “All right,” she relented. “This time. But really, Hank—”

He gave her a look that silenced her, then signed the receipt the clerk slid across the counter. “There,” he said, grabbing the bags in one hand and taking her arm with the other. “That’s all settled. Now we can get those jeans.”

Lizzie glanced at her watch. “We’ll have to do it tomorrow. You have a date at the fitness center.”

“Fitness center? You’re kidding.”

She swept past him to the door. “You’ll need to keep fit,” she said as she stepped outside. “And the gym is the perfect place to meet people. You’re new in town. You’ll want to make some friends you can—”

“Hang out with?” he finished for her.

“Exactly.”

He caught up with her on the sidewalk and Bailey took the packages from him. “Wait just a minute, Lizzie. I’ve played a little pickup basketball in my life and lifted some barbells, but I doubt I’ve ever stepped foot in the kind of place you’re talking about. I’ll be a real fish out of water.”

She slid him a glance he couldn’t read, then slipped into the open door of the limo. He followed her, but couldn’t help glancing at the curve of her thigh as he settled across from her. It was getting to be a bad habit. One that needed breaking as soon as possible. Lizzie was far too tempting for his peace of mind. If this kept up, he wouldn’t last two weeks.

They rode a few blocks in silence before she spoke again. “You need to understand that being a member of this particular center is important,” she said, stubbornly refusing to budge on the subject. “Your membership at the fitness center and at other places throughout the city are key to becoming a part of the Kansas City business world. Even more importantly, it gets you into the heart of Kansas City society.”