Eternally Yours - Brenda Jackson [63]
On a long breath, Clayton fought back the anger consuming him. As nonchalantly as he could, he simply said, “She looks all right.”
Bernard Wilson raised a brow. “I think she looks better than all right. I love the color of her hair, and the color of her eyes is so sexy. And look at the size of her waistline. I just love slender, well-built women.” He then turned to Justin. “I understand she’s a good friend of your wife, Justin. You’ll have to introduce us.”
Justin flicked a quick glance at Clayton, then back to Bernard and said, “Sure.”
Clayton looked at his brother in disbelief, ignoring Justin’s “what else could I say” expression. He then decided to take matters into his owns hands. If Wilson thought he was interested in Syneda, he may as well get disinterested.
“You like slender, well-built women, huh? Then you may want to think twice about asking Justin for an introduction.”
Bernard Wilson frowned in confusion. “Why?”
“Because less than six months ago, Syneda was almost a hundred pounds heavier.”
Dex, who had been quietly listening, and who had just taken a sip of wine, nearly choked when he heard Clayton’s blatant lie. He coughed a few times to clear his throat.
Clayton gave Dex a few whacks on the back. “You shouldn’t drink your wine so fast, Dex,” he said calmly, as Dex tried to regain his composure.
“She used to weigh over a hundred pounds more?” Bernard asked incredulously.
So as not to get caught in the middle of Clayton’s lie, Justin simply shrugged and said nothing.
When Dex started to deny it, the look Clayton gave him clearly said he’d better keep his mouth shut.
“Yes, it’s hard to believe, isn’t it,” Clayton answered smoothly. “I understand she went on one of those quick-weight-loss programs. She was determined to get in that particular dress tonight. And you’re right, she does look good in it. But you know what they say.”
“What?” Bernard, Justin and Dex all asked simultaneously. Bernard asked out of curiosity. Justin asked because he was eager to see just how far Clayton would go with this farce. And Dex asked because he was clearly in the dark and didn’t have a clue as to what was going on. He cast Justin a curious glance, and all he got was a shrug for an answer.
“They say it never stays off when you get rid of it that fast. In a few months she’ll be looking like her old self again. Plump.”
Justin thought Clayton had gone a little bit too far and decided to step in. “There’s more to a person than looks, Clayton.”
“Yeah,” Dex agreed, still clearly lost.
“I agree. And I’m sure Syneda feels her colored eye contacts will—”
“Colored eye contacts?” Dex asked, not believing what he was hearing. Clayton knew green was Syneda’s real eye color.
“But I thought they were hers,” Bernard said, his frown deepening.
“They are,” Clayton answered him. “She bought them didn’t she?”
Dex took a huge gulp of Jack Daniels from the glass he held in his hand. Justin suddenly became preoccupied with brushing off a nonexistent speck of lint from his suit.
“And her hair color?” Bernard asked drily. His interest in Syneda was clearly fading.
“From a bottle.” Seeing Bernard’s sullen expression Clayton added, “With all the enhancements available to women these days, you never know what’s real and what’s not.”
Bernard nodded. “Thanks for leveling with me, man.”
Clayton smiled. “Hey, don’t mention it. We players have to stick together.” He put his arm around Bernard’s shoulder. “Don’t look so down. I think there’s a woman here tonight that’s probably just what you’re looking for. And I do believe you’re just her type.”
Bernard’s mood brightened some. “Really? Where?”
“She’s around here someplace. Her name is Felicia Laverne Evans. You’ll know her when you see her. She’s dressed in a leopard outfit.”
Bernard smiled. “Hey, thanks, you’re an all right guy.” He turned to Justin. “Forget about that introduction, Justin. I’ll see you guys later.” Then he walked off.
“I don’t know why you did what you just did,” Dex said, glaring at his brother. “And maybe it’s best that I don’t know. All I have to