Stage Fright by Gabrielle Holly

toolbox in one big hand and extended his other towards Suzanne. She reached out and he dropped a pea-sized diamond earring into her upturned palm.
    Suzanne tossed the jewellery beside her cell phone, then pressed her hand against the man’s bulging upper arm. She dipped her chin and looked up at him through a fringe of pharmaceutically enhanced lashes.
    “Oh, Billy, I just knew you’d be able to get it!”
    Without removing her hand from Billy’s biceps, Suzanne turned towards her guests to explain. “I dropped it in the sink this afternoon. I didn’t even bother calling our regular plumber—he wouldn’t have come out right away. But this was an emergency and I just knew I could count on Billy. John found him downtown doing some work on an old house. He’s turned out to be such a treasure! He can fix absolutely anything!”
    Suzanne’s voice dropped a full octave when she dragged out the word ‘anything’.
    Deena was vaguely aware of the shifting and giggling around her, but she was more focused on the awesome creature in front of her. She watched his masculine face carefully. He seemed embarrassed by Suzanne’s obvious flirtation and forced a small, closed-lip smile that looked more like a grimace. Deena saw a ball of muscle gather at the corner of his square jaw and guessed that he must be clenching his teeth.
    Suzanne stared at him for a long, awkward moment. The handyman cleared his throat and took a half step backward, breaking Suzanne’s grip on his arm.
    “How rude of me!” Suzanne exclaimed. “Billy, you’ve met the girls,” Deena noticed half a dozen fingertip waves in her periphery, “but I don’t think you’ve met our neighbour, Deena. She lives in the old farmhouse behind us.”
    Billy swivelled his head to find the newcomer in the group. His blue eyes locked on Deena and the grimace dissolved. It was replaced with a broad smile. His full lips framed white, even teeth and a matched set of dimples appeared on his stubbled cheeks. He set down his toolbox and took a step forward, his right hand extended.
    Deena suddenly realised that her jaw had stopped moving the moment he’d walked in and she still had a mouthful of cookie. She chewed quickly and swallowed hard, then reached out her hand to meet his. His hand covered hers completely and she was enjoying the warmth of it when Suzanne’s fake laugh pierced through the moment. Everyone turned towards the hostess.
    “Cat got your tongue, Deena?” Suzanne asked. “Or should I say, ‘cookie got your tongue’?”
    Suzanne cackled and the others joined in.
    Suzanne reached up and patted the handyman on his shoulder. She stage whispered to him, loud enough for even those in the cheap seats to hear, “Deena’s so lucky. She never gives calories a second thought. We’re all totally jealous!”
    With a self-satisfied grin on her flawless face, Suzanne spun around towards the cupboards and reached up for a fresh wine glass. The other women had stopped laughing, but Deena felt the heat creep up the sides of her neck and rush into her cheeks. She knew she must have been blushing deep red. She dropped her eyes to the granite island top and tried to pull her hand away from Billy’s. He held it for another moment and then gave two quick squeezes before letting her go. Deena was confused by the tiny, secret exchange. She looked up and saw that Billy was still watching her. He gave her a covert wink. She wondered if the others had seen it, but, when she looked around, everyone but Suzanne had dropped their gaze, seemingly engrossed in their fingernails.
    Suzanne set a wine glass in front of Deena and held out a half-empty bottle of wine.
    “Something to wash down your treat, Deena?”
    Deena started to nod her assent, but suddenly found her voice. She covered her glass with one hand then nodded towards the bottle she’d brought.
    “Thanks, but I prefer the good stuff.”
    A couple of the women covered their mouths to stifle giggles. Billy let out a