Chantelle hurried to retrieve his phone from the dressing room. As soon as she trotted back to him, he nodded for her to answer. She put the phone to his ear.
“Hello?” Lance said into the phone.
“Babe?” Andrea’s voice said. “I’m going to Paris!”
“What!” His body jerked. Thank goodness he didn’t feel needles in his skin.
“I got another gig and I couldn’t pass it up.”
He shook his head just as Mrs. Nelson returned.
“Don’t move,” she said. “Unless you want another round of pins, hold still.”
Chantelle covered her mouth as if to stifle her giggles.
Lance rolled his eyes before returning to his conversation with his fiancé. “Babe, I don’t think your taking another gig is good timing right now.”
“That’s why I called your mother already. She’ll help you.”
He sighed. “I appreciate the thought, but I’d rather have you here.”
“Lance, did you hear what I said? I’m going to Paris!”
“Babe—”
“This is a once in a lifetime opportunity, Lance. You know how much this means to me. Why can’t you be happy for me?”
“I am happy for you, but—”
“Lance, I have to go. I’ll call you back later, and we can talk about it more. Okay.” She hung up without allowing him to say goodbye.
Chantelle brought the phone down from his ear. “Is everything okay?”
“Are we finished yet, Mrs. Nelson?” he asked. He didn’t answer Chantelle’s question.
***
Chantelle didn’t respond to Lance, noting the clenching of his jaw. What made him so upset for his eyebrows to furrow? She wouldn’t ask him again. Instead, she smirked.
Lance raised an eyebrow. “What’s the sneaky smile for?”
Her mouth dropped open. “Sneaky? Me?”
His eyes squinted at her. “Chantelle?”
She gestured as if she were zipping her lips.
Lance blew out of his cheeks. “Fine.”
“How about late lunch early dinner? Have you eaten today?”
He shook his head. The most he had was a bagel and coffee.
“My treat?”
“Sure.”
After Mrs. Nelson finished her measurements, and Lance changed back into his clothes, he walked side by side with Chantelle to Jasper’s Diner. Chantelle clutched her purse to her side.