Mr. Right Now. Kate Hoffmann

life,” Lizbeth cried.

      Nina sighed, then sat down across the desk from her and began to recount the events of the night before. She made a special point of telling Lizbeth how she refused his invitation to dinner. “That was good, right? I mean, I didn’t want to seem too enthusiastic, or too easy.”

      â€œYou did very well.”

      She smiled proudly. “I did. And oh, he just makes me feel so good. I get all warm inside and my knees go a little soft and my brain doesn’t seem to work right, and—and I can barely breathe. Do you know that feeling?”

      Lizbeth raised an eyebrow. “Honey, I invented that feeling. Now, when is he coming to take you to lunch?”

      â€œIn about fifteen minutes,” Nina said.

      She gave Nina the once-over. “That gives us just enough time.”

      â€œFor what?”

      â€œTo fix you up.”

      Nina glanced down at the outfit she’d so carefully chosen that morning. The little sweater dress was from the sixties, pale melon pink with bugle bead starbursts on the cuffs, collar and hem. She considered it a conservative choice paired with knee-high black boots. Nina had taken special care with her hair, wearing it loose and unbound in soft waves, pushed away from her face by a black headband. “What’s wrong?”

      â€œHe was wearing a handmade French shirt and a designer suit, Hugo Boss if I’m not mistaken. The guy knows fashion.” Lizbeth jumped to her feet and began snatching clothes from around the room—a long, pencil-thin skirt, a body-hugging sweater, both in black. “The boots are good, the rest has to go.”

      â€œWhy?”

      â€œHoney, you’ve got that whole groovy sixties thing going. Or maybe it’s seventies, I’m not sure. If he dressed in Nehru jackets or leisure suits, then I’d say go for it but we’re not playing Austin Powers today.”

      Nina reluctantly changed into the clothes Lizbeth had chosen, secretly pleased that she was able to fit into the sample sizes. Though the calf-length skirt nearly reached her ankles, Lizbeth pronounced that length equally fashionable. When she was dressed, her friend pulled her hair back into a sleek ponytail and tied it with an expensive black silk scarf.

      Nina stood in front of the mirror that Lizbeth had cleared and looked at herself. The clothes did show her figure to its best advantage. And the black made her look even thinner and more sophisticated. But the outfit didn’t have any character or color. It said nothing about the person she was. “Now I look like everyone else that lives in this city. This is like the uniform for young, professional women.”

      â€œWhich is exactly what he’ll like.” Lizbeth’s phone rang and she picked it up, then smiled at Nina. “Yup, she’s here, and she’ll be right out.” She put the phone down. “He’s in reception. Would you like me to walk out with you? Never mind, I’m going to walk out with you. But I won’t act like I’m going down to see him, I’ll just run across the street and get a cup of coffee.”

      They both headed for the reception area on the ground floor of the building. When they stepped out of the elevator, Nina saw him, sitting in an overstuffed leather chair near the window. He was focussed on the most recent issue of Attitudes, his brow furrowed, his expression dubious. Instead of a suit, he was wearing faded jeans that hugged his long legs and a canvas jacket that hid a T-shirt. “See,” Nina said. “He’s not wearing a suit.”

      â€œYum,” Lizbeth breathed. “What a hottie!” She turned and straightened Nina’s collar. “Ride ’em, cowgirl.”

      Her friend kept walking, right out the door, and Nina stopped in front of Jack. “Hi,” she said, unable to stop a smile from curling the corners of her lips.

      He looked up. Surprise colored his expression as he rose to his feet, taking in her appearance. He reached out and took her hand, a gesture that seemed so natural but sent her heart racing. And when he bent and brushed a kiss on her cheek, she truly thought she might swoon. “Hi. For a minute there I didn’t recognize you.” His gaze slowly raked her body. “You look a little different.”