Jane Bites Back_ A Novel - Michael Thomas Ford [69]
“The Jane Fairfax?” Tomboy said, putting his hands on his hips.
“I let him read your book,” Comfort told Jane. “Bitch still hasn’t given it back to me.”
“And I’m not going to give it back,” said Tomboy. He put his hand on Jane’s shoulder. “I loved it,” he enthused.
“Sweetheart, do something about Miss Jane’s face,” Comfort ordered. “Make her pretty like you do me and the gargoyle.”
More cackling ensued, then Comfort strode out of the dressing room. Jane could hear her talking to Kelly and Bryce in the hallway. Her deep, rich voice was occasionally broken by laughter.
“She seems nice,” Jane said as Tomboy draped a white cloth around her neck.
“As nice as the other one is nasty,” said Tomboy. He picked up a cotton pad and dipped it in some cold cream. “Close your eyes,” he said.
Jane did as she was told, and a moment later she felt cream being applied to her eyelids. Tomboy’s touch was gentle, and it relaxed her frayed nerves. “Is Joy really that bad?” she asked.
Tomboy let out a low whistle. “Let’s just say her mama didn’t give her the right name,” he said. “Maybe if she’d waited until that girl was five or six she would have called her something like Crabapple. Isn’t there an actress just named her baby Apple?”
“I think so,” Jane said, not knowing whether this was true or not. “Joy always seems so nice on the show.” This too was a lie. She’d only watched one episode, and that was to prepare her for her visit. But Joy had seemed, if not exactly joyful, at least pleasant.
“They drug her up before the taping,” said Tomboy.
“You’re joking,” Jane said.
“Oh, nothing serious,” Tomboy replied as he wiped her eyelids with a warm cloth. “Just a couple of Valium. It keeps her from freaking out.”
“I had no idea,” said Jane.
“It’s for the good of the world,” Tomboy assured her. “Now look at me.”
Jane stared into his eyes, which were a lovely dark brown. His face was only inches from hers. He reached out and suddenly she felt a sharp pain in the vicinity of her brow. “Ouch!”
“Just tweezing these caterpillars,” said Tomboy. He plucked another hair, then another. Jane tried not to wince. When he finally stopped she found that she had been clutching the chair arms in a death grip. This in turn reminded her of Farrah’s missing body, and she became anxious all over again.
“Close your eyes,” Tomboy said.
Jane felt something—presumably eye shadow—being applied to her lids. She wondered what color it was, although anything would be better than the purple she’d smeared on.
“I really did love your book,” Tomboy said as he continued to work. “It’s so much better than most of the stuff out there. The characters seem like people you can actually believe exist, not like soap opera actors. It reminded me of Jane Austen.”
“Austen,” said Jane. “Really?”
“Mmm-hmm,” Tomboy murmured. He was running what felt like a pencil along her lower lid. “She’s my favorite. I must have read Mansfield Park at least a dozen times.”
“Mansfield Park? Really?” Jane was surprised. It was her own favorite out of all her books, but she was used to people disliking it. “Not Pride and Prejudice?“
“Oh, I like that one too,” said Tomboy. “But Mansfield Park has more, I don’t know, depth to it. Fanny’s a real person, you know? She basically can’t do anything right. Your novel kind of reminds me of that.”
He stepped back and looked at his handiwork. After applying a few more touches and adding some blush he said, “Take a look and see what you think.”
Jane was amazed. Tomboy had transformed her face. Instead of looking tired and stressed out, she looked fresh and alive. “I can’t believe that’s me,” she said. “Thank you.”
Tomboy smiled. “My pleasure,” he said. “Now go out there and knock them dead.”
As if on cue, Comfort walked in, took a look at Jane, and clucked her tongue. “He went all out on you, girl,” she told Jane. “I don’t know if I like you showing me up like this.”
“I don’t think that’s possible,” Jane told her. “But thank you.”
“Come on,” Comfort said, taking Jane’s hand. “Time to introduce you to the dragon lady.” She led Jane down the hallway