“What took you so long?” Wesley tapped his foot in a fast pace, all while snapping his fingers in her direction. He was by far the most impatient of the bunch.

  “Mr. Hampton had a lunch meeting, and I was waiting for him to leave before I came down. I’ve told you not to wait on me. Just go ahead and eat.”

  “We don’t like to eat without you,” said Wesley, glancing over at LuLu who had a mouth full of roast beef. “Well, some of us like to wait on you.”

  LuLu replied, “I was hungry.”

  Lisa said, “You’re always hungry.”

  The four of them were an odd mix, but for some reason they worked. Probably because they all held the same general ideas when it came to theology. LuLu was short and round with a jolly disposition. She claimed that she was just a tad overweight. Wesley had the build of a football player, and his blond hair was cut in a military buzz. Lisa was tall and skinny and would have fit in on any runway. Elizabeth was completely average. She was five-foot-six inches tall—an average height for a woman. She weighed around one-hundred-forty pounds, although no one could tell with the baggy clothes she wore. She had plain green eyes that remained hidden behind thick glasses.

  Things could be different. Internally she was aware taking on this appearance had been recommended and voluntary. The Hamptons, or rather Janice, had given her the choice. Change your appearance and stay safe, or don’t change and put yourself in danger.

  Thinking more on her friends, she realized that indeed to the outside world, these four were an odd mix, while to their thinking, they were the perfect match. They were all Christians. They attended the same church. They held the same basic morals and beliefs with very few exceptions. So although the world viewed them as a strange clique, they viewed each other as family.

  Even with all these things in common, they still had their own demons to wrestle. After everyone placed food in their mouths, Lisa asked, “What’s the drama from your floor today?”

  The other three in the group shook their heads and Lisa looked a little deflated. “Surely there is something going on. You have to give me something, anything. You know I’m a gossip addict. You guys also know it never goes beyond us. If you don’t share, I won’t make it through the rest of the day without blurting out information I already know.”

  Today the four of them sat under overhanging branches. Sunlight streamed through the leaves and landed all around them, warming exposed skin. A breeze came through, lifting Elizabeth’s hair off the back of her neck.

  Elizabeth thought about what Lisa had said. She knew it was true. At one lunch break everyone remained silent about gossip or work-related news and Lisa had gone back to her floor and told everyone LuLu had dyed her hair purple. No one in the office really cared that LuLu once had purple hair, however the news reached LuLu’s father. He worked as a janitor in the building, and LuLu had received a scolding of gigantic proportions. Since LuLu probably wasn’t really in the mood for a repeat of that particular day, she decided to share.

  “There’s a bit of news from George’s floor.”

  Elizabeth began to squirm. If they discovered information about George’s secret marriage, they would begin to question her to see if she knew more. She didn’t make it a habit to share her employer’s personal information because of loyalty and for fear of being canned. Not to mention, when a person started to gossip about things they knew, sometimes they became out of hand and said more than they should. In her position, saying more than she should could be harmful to her health. Yes, it was better just to remain silent. Elizabeth waited and when LuLu spoke, she was surprised by what she shared.

  “George hired a new lawyer.”

  Lisa frowned. “That’s it? George brought in another lawyer. He’s always hiring new attorneys. Word is that he doesn’t like to work, so he just pretends by employing more legal representatives. That’s nothing. Old news. You better give me something else or there might be more purple on the horizon.”

  LuLu frowned before saying, “You don’t understand. He didn’t hire just any lawyer. He hired blue eyes himself!”

  “Ol’ blue eyes? Like in Frank Sinatra? I thought he was dead,” said Wesley.

  “I didn’t say ol’ blue eyes; I just said blue eyes. As in, he has the dreamiest blue eyes a woman has ever seen. Anyway, he is a high class defense attorney for some of the meanest criminals known to man. They say he prides himself in getting the guilty off scott-free.”

  Elizabeth frowned. Now why would George, who was an expert in white collar crime, hire such a high-profile criminal defense attorney?

  Lisa interrupted her thoughts. “Oh, yeah, I’ve heard about him. He’s young, attractive, and likes to eat all over town with one beauty or another. He never dates anyone from work. He’s on all the society pages.”

  LuLu buttered a roll and asked, “How would you know? Have you been reading the society pages?”

  “Of course, I always read the society pages.”

  After that, the normal argument between LuLu and Lisa ensued. LuLu was of the opinion that reading the society pages was of the Devil, and Lisa took the position there was nothing wrong with it. The pastor had tried to reason with the two women using a theological explanation, but it had done no good. They were both firm in their beliefs. One said it was okay; the other that it was wrong. Wesley and Elizabeth had decided to just let them argue it out. They figured when one of them was personally convicted by Jesus, it would all work itself out.

  As the two ladies were going back and forth, Elizabeth spotted a new individual entering the promenade. He was tall with midnight black hair. His build was similar to that of Wesley’s, but he seemed broader in the shoulders.

  He sat down at a table and looked up, catching Elizabeth in the act of openly staring at him. He sent a smile in her direction, causing her to blush bright red. Her heart beat a rapid tattoo against her chest. Her throat tightened as she swallowed the food in her mouth. She lowered her gaze back to the table, but not before Wesley caught her.

  “I see you finally spotted someone you like.”

  “What?” Elizabeth asked in a shocked whisper.

  “Don’t be ashamed. That’s the first time in the year I’ve known you that you have openly stared at anyone.”

  “I was looking because he’s new. That’s all.”

  “Elizabeth, there’s nothing wrong with finding someone of the opposite sex attractive. In fact, I believe that’s God’s plan for all of us, or part of His plan.”

  “It doesn’t matter. You’re wrong. I was just staring because he’s new.” Sighing wistfully, she continued, “It wouldn’t matter anyway. I’m hardly the type of girl that would attract his attention.”

  “Why do you say that?”

  “Look at me, Wesley.”

  “I look at you a lot. You’re a very attractive and beautiful woman.” He lifted a piece of her brown hair. “You have lustrous brown hair and sparkling emerald green eyes, as well as a heart of gold.”

  “You’re just saying that to be nice,” Elizabeth said, feeling heat rise to her cheeks.

  “Nope,” he said, while popping a carrot into his mouth and crunching on it.

  With uncommon boldness, she asked, “Then how come you’ve never asked me out, hmm?”

  “Good question. Do you want to go out?”

  Elizabeth raised her eyebrow. “I don’t think Lisa would like that too much.”

  “How did you know?” asked Wesley, an eyebrow raising in surprise.

  Elizabeth shrugged. “It’s obvious. Why didn’t you guys just tell us?”

  “We didn’t want to change the friend dynamic by announcing that we were dating. We would still like to be friends if it doesn’t work out.”

  “Good. I’m glad to hear it. You guys will be great together.” Elizabeth thought for a moment and then looked at Lisa and LuLu, who were still hot and heavy with their moral discussion, before asking Wesley, “How would I go about getting the attention of someone like that?”

  “What kind of attention?”

  “That’s a good question. I mean, I could get attention from him now. He would probably think I was a frumpy housewife that had no time to take care of her personal being. I think I would rather be noticed as a woman, I mean a real woman.”

  Wesley tapped his forehead. “Maybe you should ask Lisa to help you with a makeover. She’s into clothes and looking her best and all that.”

  “I know Lisa could help me, but I don’t really want to try and be overly attractive and attract the wrong kind of guy. Not that Lisa does that. I mean, you’re a guy. And I just want to look womanly, I guess. How about you help me instead?”

  Wesley shifted. Elizabeth placed a hand on his arm, looked into his eyes, and said, “It’ll be okay.”

  Taking a deep breath, he finally answered, “Yeah, I’ll help you. When do you want to do this?”

  “When are you free?”

  “I don’t have a date with Lisa tonight, so maybe we could meet after work. Say at six. Here in the promenade.”

  “Sure. Thanks.”

  By now Lisa and LuLu had stopped arguing about society pages and were discussing what they were eating. Lisa was on LuLu about counting her calories so she would eat less; LuLu was on Lisa to count her calories so she would eat more. Wesley and Elizabeth rolled their eyes, sat back and enjoyed their meal, and the brief rest from work.

  Elizabeth stared down at her food, thinking. She didn’t know what had possessed her to want to appear more feminine. Surely just looking at a tall, attractive man wouldn’t cause her to just drop this style and change back to what she’d worn before. But she had been looking at herself in the mirror a lot more lately. She knew she wasn’t a beauty queen; she also knew she wasn’t completely ugly. Her family wondered why she wasn’t married yet, and of course she hadn’t told them about her change in appearance. If they knew she’d changed just so she could work as a secretary, they might not have been too happy.

  When Elizabeth glanced back up at the man with the black hair, he was watching her. She smiled in his direction, because it felt like the right thing to do. His eyes stayed locked on her. Elizabeth sighed and angled her gaze downward. When she looked down, she noticed her sloppy appearance. A sigh parted her lips. How was she ever going to meet anyone under these circumstances? Who would want to have anything to do with her? Not only did she look terrible, but she was a walking time bomb. She wasn’t safe to be around. The what-ifs continued to swirl through her mind until a headache set up behind her eyes. Taking a deep breath, she wondered, What am I doing to myself?

  Chancing a glance at her watch, Elizabeth noticed her lunch break was over. She said good-bye to the group, gathered her things and left. As her feet slapped the shiny tile floor, Elizabeth’s mind wondered. Would Mr. Hampton be upset when he returned from lunch? Had George’s announcement been a pleasant surprise?

  As she continued on her way back to the office, she was struck by a flash of color. In the middle of the promenade was a huge round brick planter that was filled with trees, green foliage, and real blooming flowers. Elizabeth directed her feet to their location. On one of the leaves sat an interesting sight. It was a butterfly.

  Elizabeth bent over and studied the unique features of the creature. When the wings were shut, they were a drab brown, and when they opened they displayed an intricate design of orange and black, with a hint of blue. Elizabeth placed her hand forward. The butterfly walked onto her waiting palm.

  “That’s a very nice specimen. Vanessa cardui, or Painted Lady, I believe.”

  His voice was deep and sent chills down her spine, causing Elizabeth to take a swift breath. With the movement, the creature flew away.

  Looking into the stranger’s face, the first thing she noticed was his deep blue eyes. He was even more attractive at this range. Her tongue stuck to the top of her mouth, refusing to work.

  Bowing her head, Elizabeth barreled toward the elevator, leaving him at the bushes alone. More than ever, she needed Wesley’s help.

  Chapter Two

  Bruce leaned back in his office chair, the soft black leather conformed to his body. Taking off his glasses and placing them down on his desk, he rubbed his temples for the thousandth time today. A headache brewed beneath the surface.

  Sighing, Bruce tipped back in the chair and propped his feet up, his long legs tensed at the odd angle. The antique oak finish of the desk glinted brightly from the Tiffany-style touch lamp that graced it. His mother would be mortified if she saw his feet propped on her early 1800s escritoire. With a thud, he dropped his feet to the floor and continued to stare at the ceiling.

  First he studied the lines and angles in the room. Yep, they all appeared straight. Then he studied the corner. Yep, they were perfectly perpendicular. As the vein in his head throbbed, his eyes were drawn to the objects on his desk.

  Bruce’s nine-year-old nephew, Austin, had given him a fake emerald for his birthday. It was three inches in diameter and gaudy, but Austin knew green was Bruce’s favorite color. While on a school trip to Cherokee, North Carolina, the child had spent his own money on the gift. Bruce had been touched and promised that when he had a big fancy office the emerald would go with him.

  Next to the emerald sat another gift. It was a perfectly round orb of amber. Encased inside the amber was a painted lady butterfly. When he was younger he’d been fascinated with insects, and in particular butterflies. How could this creature change so drastically from an ugly caterpillar to an object of such beauty?

  Picking up the amber and holding it on his palm, Bruce remembered why he’d entered law school. The promise that creatures could change had precipitated his choice.

  With every criminal Bruce defended, guilty or not guilty, he looked for a change in their lives. For a metamorphosis to take place. Examples existed from the beginning of time, so why could they not happen now?

  As Bruce continued to stare at the imitation emerald and the piece of amber in his hands, his mind was drawn to another green object he’d seen earlier in the day. More like a set of objects.

  Those eyes.

  Bruce admitted he’d been placed a tad off-guard by the young lady’s gaze. She didn’t seem like most women. She was plain, almost dowdy in her appearance. If he’d seen her on the street, he would have thrown her a quarter. But something about her was different.

  The instant their eyes connected, Bruce knew it was all an act. She was hiding something. It was like a mystery begging to be solved.

  Sitting up straight, Bruce placed his glasses back on his face. Why was he sitting here as if he had nothing to do? He’d been hired by George Hampton because he was one of the best criminal defense attorneys in the state. This was no time to shirk his duty or ruin his reputation. If anything, Bruce had to prove he was really worth the money he was being paid.

  ****

  At the end the day, Elizabeth met Wesley at the promenade. She was afraid they would accidentally run into Lisa and would have to explain why they were together. Of course, there was the off chance she could run into the new guy. A flower caught her attention. The blue petals were an exact match to the new lawyer’s eyes.

  A deep sigh parted her lips. Fortunately either encounter wasn’t likely to happen.

  “Don’t worry about running into Lisa. She went home early today. Her mother’s coming in for a visit and she wanted to be prepared.”

  “That explains why she’s been so much more like her old self here lately. Reading the society pages, gossiping, arguing with LuLu about everything.”

  Wesley snickered. “Yeah, it does. She’s been putting off telling her mother she was saved because she didn’t want to do it over the phone. Now her mother has come for a visit, and she’s more nervous than ever.”

  “Will her mom be happy for her?”

  Wesley’s speech reflected sadness. “I don’t think so. Her mother’s an atheist. She doesn’t believe in anything. Lisa really wants her mother to be happy for her but more than that, she wants her to understand her decision. Lisa plans to ask her to attend church with us this weekend. She’s really worried her mother will say no.”

  “Then we’ll just have to pray Lisa’s mother has a change of heart.”

  “Yeah, I’ve been doing that for weeks. I wanted to share with you guys what was happening, but Lisa was afraid her mother would change her mind about visiting. Then she would have to explain it to you guys, and it would be like a double whammy to her ego.”

  “I understand. You know, just because she didn’t want to tell me, doesn’t mean we can’t pray for her now.”

  “True.”

  Wesley started to walk away when Elizabeth grabbed his arm and sat down on one of the settees. “No, I mean right now.” They sat together, and Elizabeth voiced a prayer for Lisa and her mother, asking that Lisa would receive guidance on the matter at hand and that God’s will be done. When she finished, they stood and walked out of the lobby.

  ****

  Wesley had been thinking all day about how to tell Elizabeth what he saw as her problem areas. No man should ever tell a woman these things. However he had a job to do. He was about to back out when she looked up at him with those big green eyes and asked, “Where to first?”

  “To my car.” Once there he was going to have to talk to her. When they both settled in the seats and strapped in, he looked at her. “Elizabeth, I don’t want to hurt your feelings.”

  “Oh, you won’t hurt my feelings.”

  “You don’t know that. You’re asking me to make you attractive to a man. You’re asking me to make you look different. The problem is I already see you as beautiful. Anything I change about you today will make you think that part of you wasn’t attractive before. Do you see how this could work out?”

  “Wesley, I know my appearance isn’t one of my best features.” He began to interrupt, but she stopped him. “That’s because I’ve been hiding behind myself. I’ve let my hair go so it would fall in my face and hide my emotions. I’ve worn my skirts at a longer length so no one can tell I have legs. I’ve let my shirts get baggy because I don’t want anyone staring at me. It’s time for this turtle to emerge from her shell. But just a little. Okay?”