Forgotten Dawn (Forgotten Book 2)

Chapter 15

Anna pulled into the parking lot of the club three and a half hours before she needed to be there. She was so paranoid over her stalker coming in the night, that she didn't fall asleep until the sun had come up. Jerry had called her at the ungodly hour of noon to ask for a favor. He wanted to get on the promotional flyers immediately.

Originally, she had declined, because she knew that would mean working with Chad. Back in Oklahoma, she had caved into her carnal desires when she thought she would never have to see him again. If she had known they would be working together, worse, he would be photographing her almost naked, she never would have crossed that line with him.

He was a pompous jerk and not even her type. Then again, she knew she was lying to herself. He was exactly her type. Broken. She also knew that the pompous jerk façade was just a front to keep people away. Him being her type is what made her agreeing to the photo shoot the worst decision she had ever made. Had Jerry not offered her an absurd amount of money, she would still be in bed, waiting on her alarm to wake her for her shift. Instead, here she sat staring at a huge blue truck that looked out of place amongst the more practical cars in the lot.

Resigned to her fate, she stepped out of her car. It was a gray, sunless day that promised there would be rain, so she pulled the umbrella from her back seat before going inside. Carly and Kandy were already at their dressing tables applying their makeup. Anna tossed her umbrella and purse in the large drawer of her table. She undressed and slipped into her robe, pulling her hair up into a tight bun before she began sifting through the array of bottles and tubes in front of her.

"I hear Tif's hot new brother will be taking the pictures today," Carly remarked as she applied rouge to her high cheekbones. "I totally regret not hooking up with him at the wedding. Although the Native guy was more my cup of tea."

Anna tensed at the image of Carly with Chad. She loved Carly like a sister, but the thought of her with Chad set her teeth on edge. "He was kind of an ass," Anna interjected. "The cowboy anyway. I didn't really talk to the other guy."

Kandy stood and peered over the mirror, "I can't believe I didn't go to the wedding. I caught a glimpse of the cowboy last night, and wowza!"

"You two have no taste in men," Anna bristled.

Carly capped her lipstick and turned toward Anna before speaking. "One doth protest too much."

Anna threw a makeup brush at Carly's grinning face. She easily batted it away, while Kandy dropped back into her chair to avoid any other projectiles that might be thrown. Anna picked up another brush and continued applying her eyeshadow. "You didn't have to endure him for the two extra days. It was a good thing Tiffany came back early."

"How is Tiffany? Have you heard from her?" Carly asked, slipping her wig cap over her blonde hair.

"She's overwhelmed, but what new mother wouldn't be? Especially a new mother to twins. I feel really bad leaving her." Anna drew her attention back to making the wings of her eyeliner perfect.

"I just can't imagine. One was plenty for me. I love that little rascal, but there are days I'd like to ship him off to boarding school," Carly laughed as she lovingly ran her finger over a photograph taped to her mirror. Carly's son was a spitting image of his mother with his platinum blonde hair and blue eyes. He was the result of a one-night-stand over five years ago, and the reason Anna now kept pregnancy tests in her drawer for any of the girls who may need one. Carly hadn't been in a serious relationship for as long as Anna knew her, and she had never once spoken about the kid's father.

"Chase has a good support system. I think she'll be okay." Anna applied her lipstick and checked that none had transferred to her teeth.

Carly let out a laugh, "Chase is a good support system. Maybe even a life support system. I think he could bring a woman back from the dead with just one look. I don't know how Tiffany lucked out to bring all those sexy cowboys into her life, but damn, I'd like to get my hands on just one of them."