Like she often did, Zoe gawked at him, leaving him feeling either the butt of an inside joke or worse, inferior. “And you’re the CEO of Ravens Cosmetics?”
At headquarters, Eva and Dana bailed him out when it came to terminology. Naomi and Joyce prepped him with flash cards before big meetings. In Southwood he was on his own. A nervous chuckle escaped his throat. “I see I’m not going to get away with much with you. What was this beatdown you gave?”
“You’re representing the company as one of the judges?”
Inadequacies washed over him. The pressure reminded him of his first penalty kick. Will had eventually gotten over it and he’d get over not knowing terms. He could learn. “I am.”
“Well, you’ll see my beatdown there.” Zoe winked. Then she let him off the hook with a shake of her head. “Okay, fine, a beatdown is when a woman’s makeup is flawless, which is what my work is. Your company’s products and my skills…” She shook her head again, but this time let out a low whistle.
“Ravens Cosmetics has been sponsoring this pageant for a while now.”
The corners of Zoe’s lips tugged upward. “You guys donate a lot of materials.”
“We do.”
Zoe lifted a lavender tube with RC printed in gold. “Yes. And do you know what this is?”
Confident after remembering what Kenzie said, Will nodded. “Well, it’s our famous lipstick line, Much Needed. You’re holding Much Needed Nude, of course.”
“I…” Zoe said as she pressed the tube against her chest. The dramatic effect was to possibly show her confidence, but all Will saw was the swell of her breasts underneath the dress. “I am what makes this lipstick famous. When I blend this nude with a shade from RC’s Get line, Get Him Back, the deep, winey red mixed with nude gives it a blackberry color that makes for a sensual lip.”
“Interesting use of our products.” Will grinned when she nodded in approval. He admired her. “And that’s a good reason to keep you around, isn’t it.”
“That, and you need my insight on what products and colors to keep. You guys discontinued this merlot color last year, so I make a mental note to check out all the beauty supply stores and drug stores in every town I’m working in to buy every tube I come across.”
Another reason RC needed a Creative Design Director. He needed a better idea of what needed to stay and go. “Duly noted. Low sales of Get Him Back forced us to cut back on the product. But I like your concoction.”
“You need to keep that in mind when you’re going over your list of interviewees. What was I? Number six?” Zoe winked.
“Actually you’re a ten,” Will said as he wiggled his brows at her.
A horn sounded outside and her gold hoops jingled as she bobbed her head back and forth and said, “We need to get going before Kenzie has a fit.”
“She scares me,” said Will. He ambled down the steps and extended his elbow for Zoe to take.
Zoe accepted his gesture, wrapping her blue-polish-tipped fingers against his skin. An image popped into Will’s mind, one of Zoe touching him this same way, only with her wearing a white dress and him a tuxedo.
“You should be scared of her. Kenzie used to be the head cheerleader for Southwood High. She is used to commanding large crowds of people to having spirit.”
“Ah, Southwood High,” Will joked. “Will we be visiting the school today on our tour?”
“Probably.”
The bright sun accosted his eyes. Will blinked several times, and while he waited for his eyes to adjust, the sweet scent of blooming magnolias filled the air. When his eyes cleared, all the faces of the guests peered out the van’s window at the two of them. He felt the flex of excitement when Zoe’s hand twitched.
Ramon Torres stepped out of the driver’s side and lifted his aviator glasses. “You folks are welcome to ride with us, but Will, man, I think with your height you might be a little uncomfortable in the back.”
The last thing he wanted to do was make someone else switch seats. Will turned his head toward the spot where the Maserati sat parked under a magnolia tree. He turned back to Zoe. “You’re familiar with the area in case we get lost while following them, right?”