Stress and The City

Hang on. Regroup. Nothing productive could come of her mind descending into negativity. That would lead to misery and depression and then she’d have to create an alternate world just to survive. And then she’d get dizzy and confused, try to eat a fork and end up dancing with a pillar. Then everyone would nod sagely, as if they’d all been right in predicting her complete mental breakdown after the Incident.

More chocolate needed.

Cassie took the largest piece of fudge, jammed it against the next biggest piece and shoved the whole thing in her mouth. Close eyes. Absorb chocolate. She was idolized by men. Worshiped by young girls. Inundated with rich clients all paying their bills ahead of time. A sexy diva with a killer tan. Her strappy sandals might be wildly inappropriate for the frigid December weather and snow on the ground, but they were perfect for showing off tanned feet. And they perfectly complemented the narrow black skirt and off-white angora sweater she’d donned to set off her lusciously golden skin. The entire ensemble also had been selected to make herself look sophisticated and classy. Like a woman to be reckoned with…not a woman who had just returned from a solitary honeymoon.

Yes, indeed. She was recovered and she was a dynamic, sexy single woman.…Ah. She felt better now.

Cassie opened her eyes and managed to smile calmly at her friend. “Is this a new recipe? It’s amazing.”

“As it should be. I’d have no right to call my chocolate shop Blissful Heaven if my creations weren’t heavenly.” Leo picked up a selection with shredded walnuts in it. “Try this one.”

“One is good for me now.” No need to admit she’d already eaten three. Sometimes it was better to deny reality, especially if it might make her question her inner fortitude. “I’m not in need. Yet. Do you have a pocket or something? I’m sure I’ll need it later.”

Later. Like when she ran into that miserable ex-fiancé who had nearly destroyed her life.…No. Be positive. Hmm…she’d need the chocolate later when she ran into the man to whom she owed all sorts of thanks for sparing her from making a horrible mistake.…

Nope. Couldn’t think altruistic thoughts about her ex-fiancé just yet. For now she’d just imagine him with his head chopped off and all would be good.

Leo wrapped the treat in a tissue and slid it into her purse. “For a stress management consultant with a Ph.D. in psychology, you’re awfully uncreative when it comes to managing your own anxiety.”

“So chocolate works best for me. Why is that uncreative?”

“It’s just that you have about a zillion options in your arsenal when you’re helping clients. I find it interesting that chocolate is the only thing that helps you.”

“Maybe I’m just really dialed into myself. Self-aware.” Brilliant, also. And gorgeous and sexy and…

“Or maybe you’re just a chocoholic and you use stress as an excuse.”

“Entirely possible.” Cassie wiped her fingers with a napkin, then tossed it in the trash. “Besides, I’m not stressed. It’s just the cold weather that’s getting to me. Single digit weather and snowdrifts are a bit harsh after the sunny Bahamas.”

“I thought you had bad weather?”

“No, why?” It had been gorgeous blue sky and bright yellow sun. Perfect weather to lure all those honeymooning couples out on the beach every day, cuddling and cooing. And those damn voodoo dolls Cassie had bought in that alley had done absolutely nothing to torture those imbecilic happy couples. Not that she’d really wanted to interfere with their blissful euphoria. It had merely been a scientific experiment designed to help her become an even better stress management consultant. If she’d managed to induce a tear or two from one of those asinine brides…well, all the better. No! She meant she would have gone over and apologized, not relished their suffering. Yeesh!

“You didn’t spend your entire three weeks indoors, pining in misery for the wedding that didn’t happen?”

Cassie stiffened. As if she’d spend a day weeping over that adulterous snake. “I was out in the sun the whole time. Why?”

“Huh.”

“Huh, what?”

“How come you aren’t tanned?”

“What? I’m so tanned.”

Leo raised a blond eyebrow skeptically. “Are you?”

She’d left the Bahamas only this morning. Surely her tan couldn’t have faded already? It was her proof to the world that she was psychologically stable. Recovered. How could anyone with a ravishing tan be anything but an emotional rock?

Okay, so it was a tenuous relationship at best, but it was all she had to work with. Cassie unfastened her gold watch and held out her wrist. “See? Tan line.” Phew.

Leo squinted and lifted Cassie’s wrist up close. “Oh, yeah. I can see a faint mark. If I squint and pretend I’m on hallucinogenic drugs.”

“Funny.” Just what she needed right now: a sarcastic friend pretending not to notice her drop-dead-gorgeous tan. If Cassie wasn’t so self-confident and stable, she might actually believe that Leo couldn’t tell she was tan. And then she’d crumble into a sniveling lump because…

No! She’d promised herself there would be no thinking about cheating ex-fiancé’s tonight. Who wanted a fiancé, anyway? Certainly not her. Nope. She was a movin’ and shakin’ kind of gal who was soon going to be inundated with requests to dance from all the gorgeous rich men at this very fancy affair.

Okay, so it was a school gym. So what? It was still decorated with streamers and balloons. And the DJ was really quite good. At any moment one of those gyrating teenagers or jitterbugging senior citizens was going to realize she was available and come racing across the floor to buy her a drink. Okay, fine. So they’d offer to get her a Coke. It was dark, crowded and loud; therefore, it was a party and the place to be.

Oh, yeah. She could shake with the best of them. Bump and grind. She elbowed Leo. “I think that kid over there wants to ask me to dance.” She nodded toward a skinny redhead with braces. “He’s pointing at me.”

“He was supposed to be one of the ushers at your wedding. He’s pointing you out so everyone will notice you’re here.”

“Oh.” Well. Wasn’t that a kicker? No, that was fine. Let them stare. Cassie lifted her chin. They’d see she was a total diva. “I’m Teflon.”

Leo lifted her eyebrow. “Pardon?”

“I’m Teflon. No comments are going to get to me.”

“Is that one of the lines you feed your strung-out clients?”

“It works.”

“How? By deluding yourself?”

“Delusions can be very effective in managing tension,” Cassie said.

“Doesn’t mean they’re a good thing. Just ask any exjunkie who tried to make love to a motorcycle.”

“What are you talking about?”

Leo grinned. “I have a date with a biker tomorrow night. Gotta get in the mind-set.”

“Sometimes you frighten me.”

“And you scare me all the time. Obviously, that’s why we’re best buds. A perfect match.” Leo peered out into the crowd, no doubt searching for a man with whom she could bring in the New Year, if the low cut of her sweater and the waggle of her hips was any indication.

“So, any hot dates while I was gone?” Leo’s sordid social life would be certain to distract Cassie from the fact that this dance was supposed to be her first appearance in town as Mrs. Drew Smothers and, instead, she was alone, bitter and barely tan. Or that’s how she probably looked to outsiders. Internally, she was overwhelmed with a genuine appreciation for the wonder that was her life.

“Oh, you know. Plenty of dates. None of them hot enough to satisfy a bitter divorced woman like myself.” Leo straightened her spine and narrowed her gaze on a distant corner. “But now that you’re single, you can double-date with me as we conquer the world of single men.”

Cassie’s smile faltered. “I’ve been single for three weeks. After four years of being in a relationship, I’m not ready to date. Especially a biker.”

“I didn’t invite you on that date. I’m keeping him for myself.” Leo peered at her. “I do, however, think you should get out there again.”

“You’re wrong.” What a ridiculous thing to say.

“Am I?”