Now she knew something was up. “What is wrong with you? One minute you’re talking about diets and the next minute you’re acting all freaky.” She waved away the drink Jane offered her. “No. No thank you. And nothing to eat, either.” Instead, she stalked to the bar and grabbed Jane’s arm to make her stop fiddling with the bottles and look at her. “Jane Riggins-Barton, what are you hiding from me?” Jane tried to pull away, but she held on tight.

“Nothing. Not a th—”

“Bullshit.” She clutched Jane’s other arm, too, finally getting her friend to stop fidgeting. “You are definitely hiding something. What is it? Did you discover a secret weight loss pill?”

Jane scoffed a brittle-sounding laugh. “Does it look like I did?”

“Then what? I know you, Jane, and you’re avoiding answering me. Spill it or I stay until you do.”

“I can’t. Brandon would kill me if I let his secret out.”

Jane’s gaze met Mel’s and she could see the plea in them. But she couldn’t let this slide. “I’m sorry, but I have to know. Please, Jane, you have to tell me. Brandon will understand. He likes me, right? He’d want you to help me.”

“I don’t know. This is pretty huge. If it ever got out…” Jane glanced toward the stairs.

“It can’t hurt to ask him, can it?” Mel clasped her hands together and brought out the big guns of begging. “You want me to be as happy as you are, don’t you, Jane? Doesn’t Brandon? Or do you want me to stay sad and lonely all my life?” She could almost see the oh, crap in Jane’s mind as she realized she couldn’t refuse her best friend’s pleas.

“Okay.” Having made the decision, the fidgeting was gone and a new resolve slid onto Jane’s face. “But this is major, Mel. You have to promise to never ever tell another living soul. Promise?”

Mel placed her right hand over her heart. “I swear to never ever tell another living soul.” She leaned over the counter and whispered, “So? Tell me.”

Again, Jane glanced at the stairs. “I really should ask Brandon first, but—”

“If you don’t ask first, he can’t say no.” Mel grinned at Jane, knowing her friend had thought the same thing. “Tell me now.” She bit down on her lip to keep from adding before you chicken out.

“All right, here’s the thing. Do you remember how I was torn between Charlie and Brandon?”

“Charlie? Yeah, sure. But what does he have to do with anything?” Mel tossed her a suspicious look and kept her accusation to herself. After Jane and Brandon found each other, Charlie had disappeared from the company.

“Well, Charlie and Brandon looked different, but they acted very much alike. They even wore the same black stone necklace.”

“Yeah. I remember the necklace. So?” She clamped down on her impatience and held her breath. Go on, Jane. Get to it.

“The reason they seemed so much alike is because Brandon was Charlie.” Jane crossed her arms and gave her an expectant look.

Huh? Why is Jane playing around like this? “What are you doing? Quit trying to confuse me. What do you mean Brandon was Charlie?”

Jane went around the wet bar, took Mel by the hand and led her back to the sofa. “You probably need to sit down for this.” Once seated, she took a deep breath as though getting ready to reveal the greatest secret of all time. “Brandon turned into Charlie.”

“Damn it, Jane, I don’t have time for games. How can Brandon turn into Charlie?”

“I mean Brandon physically transformed his appearance into Charlie. He was Brandon underneath Charlie’s exterior.” Jane sat back as though she’d explained everything perfectly.

“Wow.” Mel blew out an exaggerated breath. “You really don’t want to tell me the truth, huh? To make up such a fantastic lie just to get out of revealing this huge secret you profess to have is frickin’ amazing. If I had time to waste, I’d ask to see the genie Brandon commanded to change him into Charlie.” If Jane kept up this ruse, she’d end up losing her temper big time. The only thing she couldn’t figure out was why Jane would treat her so miserably?

“I’m not making anything up, Mel. The necklace, which was the same necklace on both men because both men were the same man, is a magical necklace. Anyone wearing the necklace can change their appearance.”

She was dumbstruck. Not because she believed Jane, but because her best friend kept lying to her. “Okay, I get it. You don’t want to help me.” She stood, snatching up her purse as she rose. “You don’t have to go on and I won’t ask you again. But if you were in trouble, you know I’d do anything for you. I sure as hell wouldn’t make up some stupid story to put you off.” Without waiting for a response, she swiveled and started for the front door.

“Please, Mel, you have to believe me. I’m telling you the truth.” Jane hurried behind her. “I swear on my mother’s grave.” Mel whirled on her. “You’re mother’s not dead.”

Jane’s mischievous grin spread over her face. “Yeah, I know. But I got you to stop.”

“Not for long.” Mel turned on her heel, but Jane was faster.

“Move in with Brandon and me. I mean, you need someplace to stay other than all alone in your old apartment, so move in here awhile. Use my clothes to change and, while you’re gone to pick up a few things, I’ll get the necklace from Brandon, along with his permission, to let you borrow it for a little while.”

What is she up to? She did need a place to stay and she hadn’t even thought about holding up in her old apartment. “You’ll have this necklace ready for me to try? Not that I believe your wild tale, of course.”

Jane’s grin grew bigger. “Oh, but you will, Mel. You will.”