A knock sounded at the door and I opened it. An attractive woman, her blonde hair falling in perfect symmetry to her face and her make up flawless, smiled at me.
“I’m Margo. I’m ready to do your makeup,” she said.
“Go,” Amy ordered. “I’ll have the outfits ready when you return.
I wasn’t comfortable with all the fuss. I would much rather take a photo in the woods, show the real me, but if I made a fuss this would take longer, and I just wanted it done. I had seen Ian all of ten minutes and I actually missed him.
I was falling for him whether I wanted to admit it or not.
As soon as Margo draped a wrap around me, I said, “I want to see me in that mirror when you’re done.”
She smiled. “Ian and you are so cute. He said the same thing.”
Did the man actually know me that well?
I was impressed when Margo turned the chair around and showed me the results. It was me but highlighted.
“You have beautiful skin and features. You’re what we call a natural beauty. Make up can enhance some of that, but too much wouldn’t do you justice,” Margo said.
I thanked Margo and headed back to Amy, at least I thought I did. The rooms on this floor had been for guests and though I’d been to the lodge many times it was never as a paying guest. Ian had turned them into quarters for those who were here for shoots, then there were rooms designated for makeup, hair, and wardrobe.
Most of the doors had been left open and naturally my nosy nature had me peeking inside some of them. Some were messy, others spotless, though all had the same minimalist Scandinavian-vibe furniture, with a small fridge, and a coffee maker.
I peeked in one but didn’t see anything lying about that looked of interest. I continued on, turning corners until I came to a door that I didn’t recall going through. Had I taken a wrong turn somewhere?
I walked back the way I came and looked up and down the hall. Nothing looked familiar. I looked back to the door and saw it closing slowly. Someone had gone through it, but no one had passed me. Had the person come out of one of the rooms? And who was it? And where did the door lead to?
Naturally, my curiosity got the better of me and I headed through the door. I stopped when I got on the other side. It was obvious at first glance that renovations had only begun on this section of the lodge. An array of tools, paint cans, boards of sheetrock, and more occupied the space and only a dim light led the way. I didn’t see anyone about or hear anyone for that matter. So where had the person who had entered here disappeared to?
I walked down the hallway, more rooms branching off to each side and each in dire need of repair and updating. Ian really had taken on a big remodeling job here.
A noise broke the silence, startling me. Someone was here. I crept along slowly, not sure who I would face or if I would have to run. That thought was generated by all the suspense and horror movies I’ve watched.
I was about to take another step when something light settled on my shoulder. I turned to see a ghost standing right behind me, his eyes glaring red and his grin ready to devour me, and without thought I threw a punch and knocked the ghost out cold. It didn’t take long for me to realize it hadn’t been a ghost, but someone made up to look like one.
“Oh my God, what did you do?” Amy said, rushing toward me and dropped down beside the ghost. “It’s Beau. How did you knock out Beau? Never mind, for a moment I forgot you grew up with three brothers.”
Beau began to groan.
The next thing I knew there was a crowd of people around, but Ian was nowhere in sight.
“You laid Beau low?” Thad asked, staring down at a stirring Beau.
“I didn’t mean to,” I explained, though it sounded like a lame excuse.
“The makeup is excellent. It makes him look like a threatening ghost,” Amy said in my defense, bless her.
“Thanks,” Margo called out from somewhere in the crowd of people that had formed.
Amy helped Beau to sit up.
“What happened?” Ian asked everyone parting to let him through.
“I knocked out Beau,” I confessed as he made his way to me.
“You did?” Beau asked, staring up at me in shock.
“She mistook you for a ghost,” Amy said, offering him her arm to help him stand, and he took it.
A hand went up in the crowd. “My fault. The makeup really makes Beau look like a ghost.”
“Threatening ghost,” Amy corrected.
“I’ve never been knocked out by a woman,” Beau said, staring at Amy in disbelief. “Who taught her to throw a punch like that?” He rubbed his jaw.