Washed Up and Laid Bare

Robert's Return

She looked at him completely befuddled.

‘You haven’t seen it?’

No’ she retorted. ‘Thank you for helping me out Ed but I really need to work now.’

‘What hasn’t she seen?’ Robert butted in. He turned his head, and she felt herself suck a deep breath in through her teeth. She knew Eddie was a wizard with a hairbrush and scissors but she had no idea that this undeniably, sexy specimen of a man had hidden under that matted hair. He looked years younger, the silver in his hair restored to a deep jet black. They perfectly accentuated his bright blue eyes, that before now she had no idea were so blue.

‘She hasn’t seen ‘A Gift for Valentine’ can you believe that?!’ Eddie responded, and stepped forwards teasing Robert’s hair this way and that.

‘Oh really.’ He grinned, giving her the most seductive, smouldering look she had ever witnessed in her entire life. Either the floor beneath her sagged, or her knees just got a whole lot weaker. She shook herself out of it, this was business and he was about as much bad news as you could come by. Getting involved with him would be the world’s most stupid idea. In spite of his breath taking good looks, he was the kind of man that she was repelled by. Curse her female hormones.

She passed a slip of paper to him without meeting his eyes and helped Eddie pack his hair styling products back into his wheel along case.

‘What is this?’ he asked, unfolding it.

‘You’re to make a speech in five minutes in front of the hospital board, the senior doctors and the esteemed guests. Stick to the script, no improvising, no jokes. If you go rogue then this as good as over.’

He raised an eyebrow at the petite woman, now wearing a shapeless smock. Her matronly attitude was starting to irk him, even though he had to admit her friend had done an amazing job restoring his look to it’s former glory. Bed head back to it’s best and the fine lines around his eyes adequately covered, he’d humour her and deliver the speech. As they walked out into the corridor he read the first few lines and winced.

‘You’ll read it with conviction.’ She assured him. ‘The local press are here, so let’s go out there and show them what you’re made of.’