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Ander cockedone eyebrow, looking slightly amused, albeit not in a warm way. “Why would youfeel shitty? About my losing a client?”

She shifteduncomfortably, wishing Ander wasn’t being so cool and standoffish tonight. Ifhe would just be himself, they could have gotten through this with lessawkwardness. “No. I mean, not really. But we’ve been doing this for a whilenow. And it seemed kind of rude to just cancel your services over email.” Shestared down at her hands. “I don’t know.”

“Do you want tocancel my services now? Face to face?”

“I don’t know.I don’t think so. I don’t know.” Tired of feeling like a fool, she raised hereyes and scowled at him. “You don’t have to be snotty about it, anyway. It’s notthat strange. I feel bad if I have to find a new hairdresser.”

Ander met hereyes evenly. “I believe you. But if you have someone at home who can do yourhair to your satisfaction, you have no reason to pay a professional.”

Lori felt alittle flicker of amusement at the way he’d stretched the analogy, but sheunderstood what he was saying. “Yeah. I guess so. That’s not the case with me.Not yet, anyway.”

“So you haven’tyet had the chance to practice your new experience?” Despite the smooth,indirect question, for the first time she saw something other than coolness inhis eyes. “I had assumed, from what I saw—”

“It was a firstdate,” she explained. “A second date, actually. Obviously, if things becomemore serious, I’ll have to...to discontinue our engagements.”

“Of course.”

“It’s nothingpersonal. You know how much I respect you and your...your talents. It’s justthat...”

“There’s noneed for an explanation, Lori. We have a business arrangement, and it can beterminated at any time. I hadn’t expected you to a long-term client anyway.”

She sucked in abreath, feeling oddly insulted by his impersonal words. “What does that mean?”

“It wasn’t aninsult. I just meant that, of course, you would like to move on to a permanentrelationship with a man you could love.”

His words weretrue. She wanted a healthy, committed relationship with a man she loved and wholoved her. But something about the way Ander had worded his comment caused herbelly to twist. “Oh. Yeah.”

Ander wassilent for a minute, sitting perfectly still in his chair. Then he cleared histhroat. “Did you want to proceed with our engagement tonight?”

She stared athim, wondering what had happened, why he had turned into this poised, detachedstranger instead of the Ander she’d known for the last few months. He’d neverbeen emotional or open or vulnerable, but he’d seemed real. In a way he didn’ttonight.

“Well?” he prompted,raising his eyebrows again. “I would have guessed you weren’t in the mood, butmaybe my charms are simply too irresistible.”

Then he smiledat her. That smile she couldn’t stand.

“What’s wrongwith you?” she snarled, nearly snapping her teeth with frustration.

Ander blinked,the smile fading abruptly. “Excuse me?”

“Why are youacting this way tonight? Totally fake.”

“I don’t knowwhat you’re talking about, Lori. We were having a conversation. Obviously, Ibehave differently when I talk than I do when I provide other servic—”

“Don’t give methat crap. That’s not what I’m talking about. You’re not acting like yourself.You’re all cold and...and fake.”

“I am myself.This is me.” He met her eyes with a look that was almost a challenge.

“No, it’s not.I mean, this isn’t how you’ve been with me before. And I don’t like it.” Shestuck out her chin and glared at him, wishing he’d just break down and get madat her like a normal person.

“My apologies.”He stood up and picked up his case. “In that case, I’ll just—”

Lori stood uptoo with a gasp. “I didn’t say you should go. I just wanted you to act likeyourself again.”

Ander shook hishead and started to walk toward the door, still perfectly polite, perfectlycool. “Obviously, this isn’t what you want anymore. I think it’s best if wejust call it off. I wish you the best.”

And then thebastard just walked out the door.

Lori had beenexpecting an argument. She’d actually kind of wanted an argument—since then atleast Ander would have been genuine. She certainly hadn’t expected him to justleave.

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