Read A Half Dozen Fools Online

Authors: Susana Falcon

Tags: #Romance

A Half Dozen Fools (7 page)

BOOK: A Half Dozen Fools
12.35Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
ads

Much to her chagrin, Elyse was now awake. "So," she asked with a yawn, "you're divorced. Legally?"

"Working on it."

"Oh, for God's sake, Joel! You're
not
divorced?"

"I've filed--"

"Filing doesn't count. For crying out loud! I told you to call me when you got divorced. I meant legally."

"But I need to know that you're there for me, Elyse. This isn't easy, you know."

"I know, Joel, I know."

"Have dinner with me--"

"Once you're legally divorced, Joel."

"Elyse, come on--"

"When it's finalized. For real."

With that, she hung up. She waited a couple of seconds and took the receiver back off the hook. With a huff, she pulled the pillow back over her head, hoping to reenter that delicious sleep from which she'd been so rudely plucked.

* * * *

The next morning, Rod Hoffenzimmer was in a bear of a mood. He lectured Elyse and the new makeup artist, named Nissa, on their job responsibilities.

"I expect both of you to make twenty phone calls each. Get some holiday appointments booked. After all, 'tis the season, ladies, for parties and gift giving--all the reasons women need your services. I know you're new, Nissa, but you may as well get on board, right away. Book appointments--let's go. Let's make it happen--fill those studios, every hour on the hour!"

He banged a hand down on the counter for emphasis, then turned and crossed the waiting area back to his office. Once inside, he shut the door abruptly.

Elyse scratched her neck, glanced at her new coworker, and pointed toward an ancient Rolodex at the end of the counter.

"We can divide it by section, if you want, or just share every other card." She went behind the counter and blew dust off the top of the file cards. "Let's give it the old college try."

Nissa bit the side of a black-lacquered thumbnail and spit out the skin. "Rod can go fuck himself. He's a prick."

"Maybe so, but he's on a roll, so we better get cracking."

Carla finished tidying up the manicure station and joined them by the retail counter.

"I heard him tell Judy the other day sales are worse than ever this year," she said quietly.

Nissa snarled. "Well, why doesn't he make some phone calls himself? I'm a makeup artist. I didn't know cold-calling was part of the deal."

Elyse set the Rolodex atop the counter in front of them. "I guess we can start at A and work our way back."

"You probably gonna find out lotta those numbers have changed," Carla said. "They from a long time ago, I think."

Elyse shrugged. "Well, we've got to start somewhere. Let's see what happens."

Nissa couldn't have been less interested.

"Hey," she exclaimed, "did you guys see the stuff I just added to my book?" She didn't wait for an answer as she headed for her studio. "Check it out!"

She hurried back to the retail area with a black portfolio in hand. Unzipping it fast, she laid it across the counter. The spiral rings held dozens of glossy photographs inside plastic pages.

Elyse and Carla flipped through, "ooing" and "aahing" at the models featured in fashion layouts and advertisements.

"Beautiful," Elyse commented. "What amazing pictures. And you did all the makeup?"

Nissa nodded and ran her fingers through her chin-length, bobbed hair.

"Yours truly, sho' nuff," she said. "It's what I do best--
not
making cold calls to strangers. That's the owner's job, if you ask me. Let him get his lazy ass cracking and drum up some business."

Elyse shot a desultory glance toward Rod's office. "I do wonder what he does all day long behind closed doors."

"He don't do shit," Carla half-whispered. "Not for years! When they first buy this place, it used to be sooo busy! They don' have to do nothing to make money. Now they got troubles."

Nissa blurted, "And he still doesn't do shit!"

The girls all sniggered.

Elyse glanced at Nissa's portfolio. "So, how'd you book these fashion shoots anyway?"

"Networking. It's all who you know. Got to get out and about, talk to people. Never know you who you might meet. Just got to step up when the time is right!"

Elyse heard echoes of a similar strain she'd only recently heard. She tried to recall who else had said something along these lines. But with her sleep interrupted by Joel's phone call at two-thirty in the morning, she was slightly fog-brained and fighting drowsiness.

"I'm beat today," she said. "Anybody up for a cup of coffee? I'll run across the street."

"I'd lo-o-ove one!" Nissa blurted.

"None for me," Carla said. "I drank a pot at home already."

Elyse looked at Nissa as she threw on her coat.

"Just make it look like you're doing something, in case Rod comes out of the office. How do you take your coffee?"

"Black is fine." She made a little face. "Fuck that old grouch! I'm out of here as soon as I get something big."

"Okay, but let's try and keep the peace 'til then."

* * * *

After several fruitless phone calls to names listed in the card file, Elyse realized it would help to have something concrete to promote. Nissa had lost interest and was flipping through a magazine pointing out makeup tricks used on models and celebrities.

"You know," Elyse announced, "I'm gonna go ask Rod what we can offer here to entice customers in. We need a hook to stoke their interest, not just a call reminding them we exist."

Nissa cast her a doubtful look as she slapped the magazine shut and stuffed it in her handbag. Determined to state her case, Elyse crossed the sitting area toward Rod's office. She knocked lightly on the closed door.

"Rod? May I ask you something?"

Through the door, he called, "Yeah, what is it?"

Elyse figured his "Yeah" meant, "Come in," so she opened the door. But she recoiled in surprise when she saw him sitting there with a best-selling mystery novel propped on the desk before him. He shut the book fast and looked at her in disgust.

"Did I say to come in?"

"Oh, sorry," Elyse answered, flustered. Learning what he'd actually been doing in there momentarily stumped her. "I, uh, I thought you meant to come in--I mean, I thought that's what you wanted, when you said, 'Yeah.'"

He shoved the book down inside a drawer and folded his hands neatly on top of the desk. "What is it, Elyse?"

"Oh! Well, I was wondering if we should be doing some kind of, like, promotion or something for Christmas. A gift-with-purchase maybe? Or, maybe, a red lipstick with a makeup session, for holiday parties? Or, something along those lines."

From the way he stared, she guessed her suggestion was a terrible idea.

She added quickly, "I mean, that's the kind of thing we did at Black's to rev up sales, you know?"

"Well, this isn't Black's Fifth Avenue. I don't have the deep pockets those companies have. I can't be giving away the profits to promote sales. It makes no sense."

"No, well, sure, I didn't mean that, of course--"

"Although, we have done special events, in the past, around holiday time..."

He drummed his fingers along the desk top and stared into space. Elyse waited for him to throw her a bone.

"Lemme call Judy," he finally said. "I'll find out what we did last year. I'll get back to you on it."

"Sure, Rod. Thanks."

She backed away and started to shut the door.

"Oh, and Elyse?"

"Yes, Rod?"

"Next time, don't just knock and open the door. Wait 'til you're told to come in."

"Right! Sure, Rod, sorry about that. Won't happen again. Just sort of jumped the gun, there--"

"You can go now."

Elyse closed the door behind herself and glanced over to see if Carla had caught this exchange. But, no, Carla was engrossed in giving a pedicure. Elyse swallowed her bruised pride and returned to the retail counter.

"What'd he say?" Nissa asked.

"He doesn't know. He's calling Judy to find out what they did last Christmas." She was having a hard time, however, controlling the burn of embarrassment searing her chest from opening the door too soon.

"Whatsa matter, girl? You look about to cry."

Elyse shook her head, not sure how to describe her feelings. In truth, she felt hurt by the way Rod had just talked down to her.

"You know," she blurted, "all I'm trying to do is drum up some business, right?"

"Yeah..."

"And he doesn't even appreciate it! Just treats me like some kind of moron, like I'm an idiot who knows nothing about anything! And forget about so much as a 'Thank you.'"

"Like I said before, the man's an asshole. But, what'd he do--"

The conversation was cut short when Rod suddenly opened his office door. "Elyse!" he shouted.

Elyse shot back to his office. "Yes, Rod?"

He handed her a flyer. "Here's what we did, last year. Just do the same thing again. Make a hundred copies. Take the money from the drawer. Leave the receipt in there for Judy."

"Okay, Rod, sounds good."

With that, his office door clicked to a close. Elyse smirked. Now he could get back to that mystery novel.

She perused the flyer on her way back to the retail counter.

Nissa was leaning on her elbows with a smug smile on her face. "So, what's the genius marketing strategy, this time?"

Elyse looked at Nissa with an intentionally bland expression. Nissa burst out laughing.

"Lemme see it, girl!"

Elyse shot the sheet across the counter, and Nissa snatched it up. She studied it while Elyse fetched her coat from her studio. When she came back out, Nissa shot her a deadpan look.

"You have got to be kidding."

Elyse snuffed a little laugh. "Tacky, right? I mean, the artwork, alone."

"And, might I add, it's not much of a bargain." Nissa heaved a sigh. "Jee-sus, do I pray for my big break, soon." She clasped her hands in prayer position, eyes up to the sky. "Get me outta this place, God, please?" She glanced at Elyse. "You, too!"

Elyse took the flyer on her way to the door. "Yeah, well, until that big break? I've got to earn my rent."

* * * *

The cold, gray November day perfectly reflected the dark thoughts running through Elyse's mind as she crossed the street to the copy shop. Between Rod's demands and his lousy attitude, not to mention sleep deprivation from Joel's stupid phone call, her positive energy was waning. By the time she was ramming her shoulder against the swollen copy shop door, she was grumbling about the unfairness of life, cursing the jangling bells for adding to her headache.

She entered the store while the current customer finished paying his tab. As she passed the art supplies, she was struck with a pang of desire to put color on canvas again. Suppressing that thought, she stepped aside and let the customer pass. She was surprised to see Keb behind the counter again.

"Hey," he said cheerily, "it's my Polish girl."

"American," Elyse said dryly, "of Polish descent. Half."

"Right, of course, pardon my fallacious presumption."

She frowned and wondered if he was making fun of her.

"So," he said in an upbeat voice, "how are you? It's Elyse, right?"

She looked at him, secretly flattered that he remembered her name.

"Good memory, Keb. Egyptian god of hairy chests, or whatever it is."

"Touché, Miss Poland."

Elyse licked her forefinger and ran it down an invisible score card. "That's one for Wazinski, folks."

Keb laughed.

She grinned. "Good to know that, in spite of being exhausted, I can still make a funny." She pulled the Make-Up Place flyer from a manila envelope. "And, now, drum roll, please. Here's our latest genius marketing concept. Which we'll need a hundred copies of." She handed him the eight-by-ten sheet of paper.

Keb skimmed the page, nodded, and chuckled.

Out loud, he read: "Let Santa's Helpers define a whole new look for you in just one hour." He focused his dark eyeglass-framed eyes on Elyse. "So, Santa's Little Helper, could you define a new look for me?"

Elyse focused on his face and was surprised at the rush of adrenaline that suddenly shot through her torso. When her nipples swelled and hardened with desire, she swallowed.

Get a hold of yourself, Wazinski. This is the copy shop guy!

She cleared her throat and spoke in a businesslike manner. "Even as tired as I am, sir, I can see you need very little improvement. In fact, you really don't need any help at all. I like your eyeglasses, by the way."

Keb gave her a flirty little look. "Really? Why, thank you. That's nice to hear."

"Guys have it easy anyway," she said curtly. "Women are the ones with all the pressure. We have to be pretty and look our best all the time. I mean, who'd they invent makeup for, in the first place?"

"Good point. And, might I say, you're doing an excellent job at keeping up appearances. In spite of being tired, as you say."

Elyse blinked. "Well, thank you."

Keb looked at her. "But why so tired today? If you don't mind me asking."

Elyse shrugged. "This idiot called me at two-thirty in the morning. I didn't get back to sleep 'til after four and I had to be up at seven-thirty."

Keb raised his eyebrows. "A male idiot, I presume?"

Elyse nodded.

"Calling to profess his love for you? Courage perhaps lubricated by copious amounts of alcohol?"

"Maybe. And maybe the guy's a jerk who's still married and I don't need to know about his undying love 'til he gets a divorce."

She grew uneasy under the scrutiny of Keb's gaze. But since he was showing interest an urge to purge propelled her on.

"And guess what else? My dumbo boss is making us do a thousand cold calls while he sits there reading a mystery novel. Not that I mind working. It's just--we could use some help getting customers in, since we were hired as makeup artists and not just sales. I mean, I expect to do sales, of course, that's okay. It's just--there he is, the owner, sitting on his butt all day doing nothing!"

Keb nodded thoughtfully. "I see."

Elyse exhaled, feeling a little lighter.

Keb placed the flyer facedown on the machine behind him and turned it on. As it spewed out copies, he turned to Elyse. "Unfortunately, most people don't want to do what it takes to get ahead. Pass the buck, whenever they can. Like your boss there."

BOOK: A Half Dozen Fools
12.35Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
ads

Other books

Spike by Kathy Reichs, Brendan Reichs
First Round Lottery Pick by Franklin White
Our Gang by Philip Roth
Wicked Prey by John Sandford
ANTONIO: Diablos MC by Barbara Overly
A Knight's Persuasion by Catherine Kean
Rescue Me by Farrah Rochon
Reasonable Doubt 3 by Whitney Gracia Williams
Back In the Game by Holly Chamberlin