Thou Shalt Not

I woke up a little earlier than usual on Monday morning. I had called it an early night last night after dinner with Justin. I ended up confessing about Colin to Justin and threatened him with bodily harm if he said anything to anyone. Justin had been approving, just as Crystal had been. He felt the same way about Gunner as everyone else did - he didn't deserve me. Justin was over the moon for me and kept telling me how much I deserved to be happy with someone.

I had just finished dressing when Justin walked into my bedroom. "Curlers?" Justin asked with a knowing wink. "Nothing wrong with looking good for work, right?" I winked back and leaned over the sink to line my lips before sliding a matte red lipstick over them. "Hmm. We've got the boots with the highest heels I think you own, red lipstick and nail polish and your tightest jeans... Are we trying to make him explode when he sees you?" Justin laughed out loud.

"Too much?" I asked as I stepped out of the bathroom and pointed to the knee-high boots I had picked out. "Nope. I'm anxious to see his reaction." Justin smiled as he sat on top of my unmade bed. "Don't plan on it. I told him we should keep our space while on set. I'm not sure about the whole dating your co-worker thing." I shrugged and started to pull on my boots.

"I don't think it counts. Please don't take offense to what I'm about to say but I don't think they really care about you... You're not just a makeup artist to me but you are to them..." Justin trailed off and winced. I frowned. "Hm," I shrugged. "I guess your right. I didn't really think about it. I'm just a makeup artist." I sighed. "I said don't take offense." Justin said. "I'm not, Just." I smiled. "Still though, I don't think everyone needs to know right yet. You know, Gunner..." I said and Justin nodded in agreement.

I stood up, the world suddenly taller, and walked back into the bathroom to finish my hair. I pulled out the curlers and pulled half of it back, large bouncy curls with extreme volume falling down my back and over my shoulders. "You have the best hair." Justin said as he looked in on me. "Thank God," I laughed as I spritzed my hair with a fragrant hair spray and walked out of the bathroom. I slipped on my jacket and grabbed my gold leopard bag. "Are you ready? We have time to stop for coffee." I asked as I glanced at the time on my phone. "Of course. Let's go." Justin smiled and headed out of my room.

*

"Wow! Are we headed somewhere important? I know you didn't dress up for me, did you?" I smiled before I turned around. "Maybe I did." I chuckled as I turned around. "What's the occasion, sweets?" Robert asked as he shrugged out of his jacket and sat in the makeup chair with his coffee. I shrugged, "No occasion. I just wanted to dress up a little." He smiled that sideways grin he had. "You must take me as a rock laying in the middle of the road." Robert laughed out loud.

"What? No, I don't." I disagreed. He looked at me with a raised eyebrow. I rolled my eyes and went to prepping his skin. "Lacie," Robert said when I finished dabbing the skin prep around his mouth. "What?" I asked as I threw away the tissue and grabbed a paintbrush. "Give me a little bit of credit. I've worked with you for years. And while you've always looked beautiful and cared about your appearance, I have never saw this before." Robert said as he pointed towards my body. I exchanged a glance with him but went back to making his skin gold.

"I can't just go around and admit to what's happening, Rob. Not with, well, you know who." I confessed. I had already said too much but it was too late. Rob shook his head. "You're going to make things very difficult and very hard to come back from if you don't end it with him now and when I say now I mean today." Rob sighed. I looked up at him. Today? I couldn't do it today.

"I can't..." I shook my head and went back to busying myself with Robert's skin. We had a schedule to go by. "Lacie, I know why you think that you can't. What happened was terrible and what would have happened without Gunner stepping in would have been devastating but, sweet, you don't apply the same logic to a heart surgeon saving you after a heart attack. You express your gratitude and then move along." Robert said quietly. I guess he had a point.

"And if you're worried about him hurting you because you want to leave," Robert started and I instantly felt nervous. "Well, then, we're going to have to take care of that." Robert said and I smiled at him once I knew he was finished.

I finished with Robert's make up and seen him off to styling. I collapsed on the black leather couch and pulled out my phone. There was nothing from Colin. I couldn't help but to feel a little disappointed. I knew he was probably busy but sometimes my mind was my own worst enemy. I sighed and threw my phone down onto the couch and relaxed back into the leather.

It was the end of the day and Justin and I were heading to his car to go home for dinner. Justin was rambling on about some sexual tryst and I was half-listening when Colin stopped in front of us. He had changed back into his normal clothes only a little leftover eyeliner around his eyes.

"I saw you earlier during lunch." Colin said. "You did?" I asked, smiling from ear-to-ear. "I did. I'm sorry I haven't texted you today. I left my phone at home today accidentally." He apologized. And what I wanted to do was say, "Yeah, sure. You left your phone at home," but I didn't. I couldn't mistrust everyone because of my past. If he left his phone at home, he left at it home.

"That's okay." I brushed it off. I wasn't going to let this bother me. No, I was not.

Colin looked to Justin and then back to me. I smiled and bumped into Justin's arm. "I'll meet you in the car, okay?" I said. A wide grin took over his face and he winked at me before grabbing my bag and heading towards the car.

"I really wanted to talk to you today." Colin confessed and I frowned slightly. "I didn't say we couldn't talk, Colin. If you seen me at lunch why didn't you come over?" I asked and pulled my jacket tighter across my chest. It was a shame, too. I had wanted Colin to see me in this shirt. It made my chest look amazing and my waist look tiny.

"We were just heading out and it looked like you and Justin were bringing your food back." He shrugged. "For future reference, if you want to talk to me, just talk to me." I said. "But you said-" Colin started to protest. "I know what I said but I guess I was wrong. I thought about it and why hide anything? If we have to hide it, it means it's not right and I don't want to think that." I said. And not to mention, I was going to end it with Gunner.

Colin smiled and let out a chuckle. "Do you have plans tonight?" Colin asked. I shook my head. "I was just going to make dinner for me and Justin at home." I shrugged. "You said you had roommates - do you cook for them, too?" He asked and I laughed. "No. They kind of keep to themselves and usually do dinner out somewhere." I said with a careless shrug. "Ah," Colin laughed and I shivered. The sun was starting to set and it was getting colder.

"I'll let you get going. You look like your freezing. And by the way, you looked beautiful today." He smiled. So maybe this wasn't wasted good hair after all. "Thanks." I blushed. "If you don't have any plans, maybe you could come over for dinner?" I asked as I watched him think it out. "You sure?" He asked. "Of course I'm sure." I smiled with a confident nod. "Definitely. Say, what, a few hours from now?" He asked. I nodded and he kissed my cheek before heading off to his waiting transportation.

When I climbed up into Justin's SUV he sat smiling and looking at me. I rolled my eyes, "What?" He clicked his tongue before he spoke, "Girl, I don't think I've ever seen a more beautiful couple, seriously." He said as he threw the vehicle into drive. "Shut up!" I laughed.

"He's coming over for dinner." I said as we pulled out onto the highway. "Want me to go eat elsewhere?" Justin asked and I scoffed. "No! I'm not one of those friends, Justin. You are staying." I smiled and playfully shoved his arm. "Good, good." Justin smiled and accelerated down the highway.