Touch of Paradise

“I like your style. You’ve got a great eye for color.” She grinned. “You know I like you, and I want to help you.”

“Help me?”

“Yes. To get my brother. He needs someone like you.”

Rebecca leaned in closer with hope and longing. “Really?”

“Yes.” She lowered her voice. “He’s just getting over a really bad breakup and has been miserable. She was awful to him, but that night you were with him, you made him smile, and that’s not easy to do. Actually, we’re all worried about him.”

“Worried?”

“He really loved the other woman, and he may do something reckless. I think you’ll help him forget her. They’d been together two years, and she never once told him she loved him. He’s aching for a woman to tell him that.”

Rebecca felt her heart racing. She hated the thought of Aaron being sad or someone hurting him. She’d do whatever it took to make him smile again. She knew he was the one for her. “Tell me what I can do.”

* * *

“I don’t like this,” Marie said the next evening as she sat on her bed and watched Rebecca put on her lipstick.

“You’ve already said that ten times.”

Marie drew up her legs and rested her chin on her knees. “How do you know you can trust her?”

Rebecca put her lipstick away. “She’s been nice to me, and why wouldn’t you believe her?”

“Because she’s beautiful. Beautiful women don’t know what it’s like for the rest of us, and they can’t be trusted.”

“You sound jealous.”

“I’m not really. I’m just worried about you.”

Rebecca sat on the bed and patted Marie on the head the way she would an affectionate pet. “You’re always worried about me. But don’t be. He’s the one. I know he is.”

“I’ve never seen you like this.”

“I know,” Rebecca said, as surprised as her friend about how strong her feelings were. “That must mean something. I have this feeling that I have to be with him. When I first saw him, I felt this connection.”

“That’s only because you were filled with fear. It was probably just a regular chemical reaction.”

Rebecca shook her head. “No, it wasn’t that. It was something more. I can’t put how I feel into words.” She jumped to her feet, then slowly spun around with her arms held out to the sides. “How do I look?”

“Can I be honest?”

Rebecca stopped turning and let her arms fall. “Do you have to be?”

“Yes.”

Rebecca folded her arms and braced herself for her friend’s criticism. “Then go on.”