Weekend with the Tycoon Read Online Free

onto the barstool seat Marlene indicated.
    “You aren’t wearing very much,” Judy said, wiping at Samantha’s face after she’d climbed up onto the barstool.
    “No, I don’t like a lot of makeup and what I do wear is organic, is that what you use?” Samantha asked.
    “No, I use what works. It’s all about improving your appearance, not hugging trees,” Judy said, grinning widely.
    Samantha bit her tongue, hoping her makeup transformation would be quick, and knowing she could scrub it all off once she was out of here, and away from Marlene, of course.
    Then a thought stopped her cold. What if Marlene were coming on this business trip? That would make sense. She was Mr. Putnam’s PA. Perfectly normal for her to come. That thought made her lunch swirl uncomfortable in her stomach along with her champagne. Somehow Mr. Putnam seemed less intimidating than Marlene, but now she could be suffering their aloof superiority in stereo.
    She wondered how to ask the question without appearing to care about the answer while Judy created her “daytime look,” took a photo, and then scrubbed Samantha’s face. Next she created the “evening look” and then the “Main Event” look. Each time she took a photo, she’d show it to Marlene who would approve it or not. Samantha realized they were forwarding the photos to someone.
    “Where are you sending those photos?” Samantha asked.
    “Mr. Putnam needs to approve each transformation,” Marlene said evenly, not even looking at her.
    Good thing because her mouth was hanging open. She snapped it shut. She was his employee, not his Barbie.
    Control freak , she thought, annoyed. He’s actually trying to turn me into someone else. Her newly manicured nails curled into her palms. Well, you can change the outside, Mr. Putnam, but not the inside.
    “Another champagne, please,” she said, handing Marlene her empty glass.
    “You’ve had enough. You can hardly arrive staggering about,” she said, and nodded at the reply that came through on the tablet. “We are cleared,” she told Judy. “It’s 2:15. The car’s due back soon, and we are on a tight schedule.”
    “Of course,” Judy murmured as she scrubbed Samantha’s face one last time, applied the “travel day look” snapped a photo and smiled.
    “Time to get changed!” Raymond said clapping his hands together and smiling.
    Samantha jumped out of the makeup chair and hurried over to his side of the store.
    “Calling Audrey Hepburn,” Raymond sang out. “Try not to get any makeup on the black dress dear.”
    As Samantha changed into the new linen dress, new shoes and slipped the pearl earrings into her ears she looked at herself in the mirror. A stranger stared back at her.
    Be strong , she told her reflection.
    This is an odd way to begin a working weekend, but then again, it would be a great story to tell her friends. And she loved all the clothes, all of them. Even the dresses. She wondered when would be the best time to pitch her idea about new ancestry testing protocols to Mr. Putman. In the car? After dinner? Maybe she should wait until Saturday afternoon after he had seen more of her knowledge and negotiating skills.
    “Hurry up, Samantha, I need to do your hair,” Judy said, breaking the spell.
    Samantha hurried out of the dressing room, with Raymond encouraging her along the way, and popped back into the makeup chair. Judy brushed her hair and secured it in a long ponytail, tied with her new Chanel scarf. Next came a furious blast of hairspray, leaving Samantha coughing in the chair.
    “Effortless beauty,” Raymond said, without a trace of sarcasm. “You’re perfect now! I’ve placed all of your old things in a bag and Marlene will have them dry cleaned and waiting for you upon your return. You’ll find some beautiful Hanky Panky underwear in your suitcase and some other fun underlings I picked out for you. Do have a fabulous time, hope to see you again dear,” Raymond added, kissing her on both