Karen loved this time of day. Six in the morning on a blustery day didn’t beckon too many people out of bed very easily. The office was quiet, not a soul in sight. She could do whatever she liked, and today she wanted two hours to pore over the shots from last year. As she walked down the long hallway, she turned on all the lights, flicked on the radio, and grabbed the photo book from behind Natasha’s assistant’s desk. One of her co-workers had a daylight lamp to help with mood disorders, and that was where she sat as she studied the previous year’s designs.
Clutches, jumpsuits, ponchos, mixed prints, capes, overalls, bomber jackets, crop tops, and denim were the hottest trends of the year before. The one that caught her eye and kept her coming back for a second and third look was the tuxedo. The straight lines and slim design took masculine attire and feminized it beautifully. Single lapels with shimmer and open-collared shirts showcased dazzling necklaces. Three-inch heels and bejeweled clutches completed the look. One word summed up these creations: stunning.
There was something timeless about the tuxedo—whether on a man or a woman, it never went out of style. Karen sensed the beginnings of her excitement when the butterflies in her stomach started to flutter non-stop and she couldn’t sit still. Rummaging through her co-worker’s desk, she found a pad of paper and a pencil and set to sketching what her brain had conjured so clearly.
The ding of the elevator bell startled her from her concentration. Dammit! She didn’t want anyone to see her there. She tore off the piece of paper she’d been sketching on and stuffed it in her pocket. She tucked the pad and pencil back in the drawer and then turned off the lamp, grabbed the photo book, and made her way to the back of the room where the kitchen was located. The office was coming alive with voices. There was no way she was going to get the photo book back to its proper place without anyone seeing her.
“Karen?”
Pulse roaring in her ears, Karen turned around to find Stacey looking at her. Shit.
“You scared me to death. What is it?”
“Ms. Vale is looking for you.”
“Okay, thanks. I’d better go. Don’t want to keep her waiting, right?” Her gaze darted from Stacey to the door and back. Sweat formed on her upper lip as she tucked the photo book under her arm. She almost escaped out the door when she felt a tap on her shoulder.
“What is that?” Stacey nudged her chin at the book. “Looks like last year’s photo book.”
“This?” Karen mocked surprise as she held the album close to her chest.
Stacey pried the photo book from Karen’s tight grasp and yanked it away. “This is last year’s photo book,” she squealed. “Why do you have it?”
“Well, I…you see…”
“You stole it from my book case.” Her pointed finger was only an inch from Karen’s nose. “My area is off-limits. How dare you!”
“I didn’t know it was off-limits. Stacey, wait!”
Stacey took off at a run down the hall and made a beeline for Ms. Vale’s office. Tackling Stacey to the ground made a delightful image, but that was all—when she burst into Ms. Vale’s office without knocking, Karen knew she’d get punished.
As will I, she noted as she followed Stacey in.
“Stacey. What is the meaning of this?”
Stacey stammered as Ms. Vale marched up to her. Karen came to a grinding halt when she noticed Leo standing at the desk with photos in his hands. Their eyes met, and a zap of anxiety rushed down to her toes. Was he already showing the boss photos from yesterday’s shoot? For some reason, she had thought they’d show Ms. Vale together, instead of her being beckoned by the assistant.
“Ms. Vale, Karen stole last year’s photo book from my bookshelf, and I know you told me no one can touch anything on those shelves unless they ask you, so I came to tell you right away. I’m sorry for interrupting. Can I get you a coffee?”
Karen watched in awe as Stacey, without taking a breath during her verbal rampage, waved her arms like a magician about to do the world’s best trick.
Ms. Vale turned her full attention on Karen now. “Is this true?” Her voice was barely above a whisper, and Karen had to strain to hear.
“I didn’t know that shelf was off-limits.”
Ms. Vale walked back to her desk and picked up the photos Leo had put down. “All the rules were outlined for you the day you were hired.”
Karen sighed in frustration. “I’m sure they were, but—”
“You are expected to obey all the rules here at Vale Designs as everyone else does. I do not tolerate my rules being broken.” She flipped through the pictures at lightning speed, which snapped the last bit of patience Karen had left.
“How are you seeing anything when you go that fast?” Karen blurted out. Stacey gasped then covered her mouth. Leo gave her a weary glance and shook his head as if telling her she was in for it now.
Ms. Vale tossed the photos down with such force they flew across the desk and landed on the floor.
“Now you’re telling me how to do my job?”
“Of course not. I asked a question—”
Ms. Vale launched into her once-a-week passionate speech about her career, how she’d had to scrape and claw to get where she was and rules were in place for a reason. Karen tuned out and kept her attention focused on Leo. He really was a piece of work, standing there not caring about what was going on. It was obvious how much he valued his weeklong job over their friendship. Was she the only one who was paying attention to the spark that ignited when they were alone? Maybe she was repeating the past in thinking there was more between them than there actually was.
“Earth to Kara. Did you hear a word I said?”
“It’s Karen.”
Well, at least that hadn’t come from her mouth this time. Karen looked at Leo and then Ms. Vale, who stopped her rant. Look out, Leo, she’s about to chop your head off.
“Yes, of course. Really, you should think about changing your name. It’s so plain I can never remember it.”
Knife plunge in the chest and twist. Ouch.
“Ms. Vale?”
“What is it, Stacey?”
Stacey picked up a piece of paper off the floor and handed it to Ms. Vale. It was Karen’s sketch. It must have fallen out of my pocket.
Natasha examined the wrinkled piece of paper for a very long time. When her gaze finally left the paper and met Karen’s, it was full of loathing.
“Is this yours?”
She knew if she were smart she’d deny it.
“Yes.”
“Is this your idea of a joke?” Natasha folded the paper carefully and tossed it onto her desk.
“Excuse me?” Karen’s stomach was in knots and nausea rose up her throat. Ms. Vale was going to take her sketch. She wrung her hands to keep from reaching out and snatching the piece of paper off the desk.
“You sketched a copy of a design from last year? What were you hoping to achieve? You are so out of touch, it’s laughable.”
Heat flooded Karen’s cheeks and spread to her neck. Was this happening in front of her ex-lover and the gossipiest woman she’d ever met?
“I knew you were washed up from the moment I met you.”
Karen saw red. “How dare you?” she spat, and she charged at Natasha.
Leo stepped between them and put his hands on her shoulders. “Karen.”
She looked into his eyes and saw concern, and maybe a lingering fear. For her or him, she couldn’t tell. Her eyes grew large and wet, her tell-tale sign of a big cry, and Leo knew it. He spun her around and walked her to the door.
“Karen is going to get you a coffee,” he called out, and he closed the door behind them.
Dammit! Dammit! Karen’s mind screamed as Leo escorted her to the washroom. “What are you doing?” her voice squeaked in surprise as he followed her inside.
“You know the drill.” His voice rumbled low and sexy, and her heart skipped a beat.
“Anyone in here?” she called out as she opened the three stall doors. Empty. “Coast is clear.”
“Good.”
Karen faced the mirror and gasped. Her face was as white as a sheet, her hair looked washed out, and her eyes looked too big for her face. Zombie, anyone?
“You okay?” She watched in the mirror as Leo approached her from behind. Standing like that together brought up past moments of wishful thinking about a happily-ever-after. The kind you had after a night of passionate lovemaking—sorry, sex, she reminded herself. No one left after lovemaking and never talked to you again. She shook her head to rid herself of those negative and unwanted thoughts. She had enough on her plate already without rehashing the past.
“Can you believe what she did in there? What she said?”
Leo met her gaze in the mirror, and then turned her around to face him. “Yes, I can believe it. And so can you.”
“I—”
“After three months, you should’ve figured out how Natasha works.”
“Well, yes, but—”
“She is a nasty little witch.”
“Leo,” she chastised, and she checked to make sure no one had walked in on them.
“And she has an ego as big as the city she lives in.” Karen couldn’t help but giggle. “But, she’s one of the best because of it.”
“Whose side are you on?” she mumbled.
Leo stepped back and ran his hands through his hair, making it messy. No matter what he did, he always turned out gorgeous. Karen gave her head a shake.
“I’m here to do a job. One week and that’s it. Then I’m outta here.”
“Right.” The deep hollowness in her stomach grew as she realized how artificial the connection between them these last couple of days had been. “Speaking of jobs, how did you get this one? I have a very hard time picturing you sitting down to create a resumé and taking the time to apply for a job across the pond in the middle of winter when you could be sunbathing by your pool in Tuscany.”
“I do have other talents besides sunbathing.”
“Glad to hear it.”
“Natasha called me.”
They had been lovers, she realized. Probably were still. Why else would Natasha have his number? And when had this hollowness spread to her heart?
“You hang in the same circles then.” Her voice hitched with emotion. Why did she even care? A few more days and he’d be gone.
“Used to—a long time ago.”
She knew it. Wait… “What?”
“We were friends in high school senior year, but when my parents divorced, we moved away. Kept in touch, of course, but didn’t really hang out anymore unless she had something to celebrate or launch.”
Old friends? She wanted to believe him. “And your photography?”
“Passion of mine forever. It’s more of a hobby than a career. Nat wanted amateur eyes not used to the fashion scene. She wanted a fresh perspective on this year’s lines.”
“Smart.” Karen didn’t know what else to say. Her sadness dissipated like steam off water.
“She is that.”
“Why didn’t you tell me any of this before?”
“You didn’t ask.”
Karen closed her eyes and took three deep breaths. Didn’t help.
“You’re still an insensitive, shallow jerk who thinks only of himself.”
“Karen—”
“Here I thought I had a friend, an ally to make this internship more tolerable.”
“You do.”
“I don’t. I’m alone…as always.” She pushed him aside and walked out of the bathroom and to the elevator. It wasn’t until the elevator doors closed that she succumbed to the anger building up inside her and punched the wall.
»»•««
Leo had barely stepped inside his penthouse when his cell phone rang. He put the phone to his ear.
“You didn’t have to call and check on me, Mom.” She was waking up, and he was getting ready for bed. Love that time difference.
“Hi to you too.”
First his brother and now his mom. He had to make more of an effort to say hello first when he answered their calls.
“Hi, Mom. How are you today?”
“Fine, darling, just fine. You?” His exhausted sigh apparently put his mom on high alert. “You are partying too much with those models and not getting enough sleep and exercise.”
“I’ve been to one party since I’ve been here, and I’m in the weight room and pool every day.” Sleep had been lacking, but she didn’t need to know that. His mind refused to stop thinking about Karen. Even in his dreams he saw her naked body writhing beneath him that night in his dorm room. She’d been such a good friend to him in the short time he’d known her, it had made the act of sex with her mean something.
“You’ve talked to Luke?”
“Yeah. He mentioned you wanted me to check out a winery outside of town?”
“It would be lovely if you could. Since you’re already there.”
“Can you give me more details? Like location.”
“It’s an adorable little cottage about two hours north of the city. It’s small but quite popular. The owners are looking to retire.”
“Almost sounds too good to be true.”
“Your father said the same thing. That’s why I want you to go in person and see.”
“I know nothing about wineries, Mom. I’ve purposely avoided learning anything about them.”
His mother laughed, and it sounded so good. He missed her.
“Wineries are in your blood, Leopold. There is no escaping it. You’ve breathed and absorbed their essence right from birth.”
“That’s not possible, Mom.”
“Anything is possible if you want it bad enough.”
“I don’t want—”
“Don’t want it for yourself then. Want it for me.”
The silence that followed didn’t feel awkward or pressured like it often had in the past. He could do this for her. He was so close anyway, and Luke and his dad had other commitments.
“Okay. I’ll do it.”
“Are you sure? If you can’t, I understand. You are a busy man.”
“Mom, I said I’d do it.”
“Thank you, darling.”
“Of course.”
“I’ll send you an email with all the specs.”
“Okay.”
“Love you.”
“Love you too, Mom.”
The call ended, and he placed his phone on the table with his wallet. He was doing a good thing. He didn’t have to commit past this one favor. He’d be able to return to his drag racing, parties, and women. It was what he wanted. It was what he was good at.
He made his way to the floor-to-ceiling windows that boasted a spectacular view of Times Square. No traffic or pedestrian sounds could bother him up here. The street lights below glittered like stars, but he didn’t even notice, his mind on his mother’s tone. She’d placated him. They all did. Luke not so much, but he still recognized it for what it was. His family didn’t take him seriously, and it didn’t bother him in the least. Or it hadn’t until now.
Emily’s death had changed the family. It separated his parents, and Luke had to grow up fast to help run the family business. As for Leo, he’d run. His need for adrenaline had gone from a hobby to a passion. He’d do anything he could to feel alive, to have the exhilaration of his heart pumping so fast he might burst. To simply feel and fill the void in his center that had belonged to his sister.
Karen had tried, although unknowingly, to fill that void with her care and concern all those years ago. And he’d panicked and run again. Would he ever stop running?
He looked out at the lights below him. Boring. He’d seen it all. That initial euphoria of seeing and doing something new was gone. He hadn’t realized how much he missed that feeling.
A flashing red heart on one of the billboards caught his eye. Valentine’s Day. He’d forgotten about the commercialized day of love for some and bitterness for most. Well, he didn’t have any plans. Tomorrow he’d order flowers for the office. An extra-large bouquet for Natasha—she’d expect nothing less.
And Karen. The thought of wining and dining her appealed to him more than taking this photography gig. Leo moved away from the window. Yes, he liked that idea. A lot.
He dialed the number of one of his favorite restaurants and made a reservation. Leo couldn’t wait to ask her.
»»•««
“You did not.”
“Come on, Karen. He’s a great guy.”
Karen had agreed to meet her roommate, Mike, for lunch at their favorite little café overlooking Central Park. Over bowls of mushroom soup and fresh French bread, he’d spilled the beans. She’d been set up on a blind double date for Valentine’s Day.
She scooped some soup onto her spoon and blew on it before sipping. “I know you don’t remember much about our high school days, Mike, but I’ve never been a fan of Valentine’s Day.”
“Oh, I remember,” he started as he pulled a chunk of bread off the loaf and dipped it in his soup. “Especially since I was the unlucky bloke who had the nerve to ask you in grade eleven.”
Karen’s head tilted back with her laugh. “Ah, yes. Poor Mike.”
The café was full of people squished around tiny tables. The hum of conversation was loud, so to hear anything from the person sitting across from you required raising your voice. The smell of freshly baked bread, rosemary, and coffee beans filled the air, and the waitress kept up with the chaos with good spirits. This was not a place to come for peace and quiet. This was where Karen liked to come to get energized and lost in a New York experience.
“The four of us will meet at the house after work tomorrow.”
Karen rolled her eyes and let out a world-weary sigh. “And where are we going?”
“That is mine and Paul’s surprise for you ladies.”
“Paul? Do I know him?”
“He’s a colleague of mine.”
Karen’s eyes narrowed as she sat back in her chair. “Is he going to be a boring stiff then?”
Mike choked down the soup in his mouth. “What?”
“I mean, you’re an exception to the rule, but most lawyers—”
“Stop worrying. I hang out with Paul all the time. He’s fun.” He wiped his mouth with his napkin. “You’ll like him.”
“Fine.”
They ate the rest of their food in silence. Why did the idea of a double date upset her? Mike would never set her up with some jerk he didn’t know. There would be four of them, so if things didn’t work out, there would be a safety net.
If she were honest with herself, she couldn’t get Leo out of her head. That morning half a dozen bouquets had come to the office and were placed on random desks, none on hers. Natasha’s bouquet was stunning, with blood red roses and red lilies interspersed with baby’s breath. Everyone knew who the flowers had come from. Karen knew it was a grand gesture to make sure no one felt left out, and she appreciated that.
Yet for some reason she took offense that nothing special had been on her desk. Each day the obvious hints were dropped in front of her that she didn’t mean anything to him anymore. She’d have to figure out how to be okay with that, and step one was to accept this date and move on.
“It’ll be more than fine, Mike. Tell Paul I’m looking forward to meeting him.”
“Excellent.” A mixed look of surprise and happiness on his face had Karen laughing again.
“And I’ll be good, I promise.”
“That’s what I was worried about.” He sighed his relief as he tossed down some cash to pay for the meal.
»»•««
Karen placed her coat on the back of her desk chair and took a sip of her latte. The energy that hummed through the office was contagious, and she couldn’t help but smile. Sunshine peaked through the slits in the blinds and cast rainbows on the walls from the prism that hung in the center window. Someone had taken all the flowers and put them in the foyer near the elevator. The floral scent overwhelmed the small space, but visually it was gorgeous.
“Hey, you busy?”
Leo sat on the corner of her desk. His gray shirt stretched across his shoulders and tapered down to his waist. Karen’s fingers itched to trace his abs. He should not have been allowed to dress like that at work. She refused to let her gaze linger too long on his legs in those jeans.
“I…uh…no. Got back from lunch a few minutes ago. What’s up?” Good save. She gave herself a mental high-five, even though her cheeks burned with embarrassment at having been caught checking him out.
“I want to go over those corset prints with you.”
Taken aback, Karen held onto her coffee cup with shaking hands. “Why?” Her question came out harsher than she’d wished. “I mean, why with me? Isn’t that something you and Natasha have to do?”
“I haven’t had a chance to show her these ones yet. I thought you and I could grab some coffee and take a look.”
“Already have the coffee.” She lifted her cup up to show him. “Let’s go into the kitchen and I’ll make you a cup.”
Leo turned up his nose. “Office coffee? Are you serious?”
“You’re right. I don’t know what I was thinking,” she said, hiding her smirk behind her coffee cup.
“Can you get away?” His golden eyes held her in place and time slowed down. He covered her hand with his. His hands were a mixture of rough calluses and smoothness, and oh, they were so warm.
“I’d love to—”
“Karen. Ms. Vale wants these prints filed in the next hour, and then she wants you to go and get her dry cleaning.” Stacey dropped a huge pile on her desk before sauntering away.
“But I can’t,” Karen finished, and she sat back in her chair with a weary sigh.
Leo’s cell phone beeped an incoming text. “It’s Nat,” he said as he read it. “I have another shoot tonight. Wanna come along? I could use your insight.”
Karen’s heart raced with excitement. Another chance to put her touch on designs being used in the Fashion Week shows made her giddy.
“What is it this time?”
“Fur coats.”
“Hmm…” Luxurious furs. Not much to be done there. But it would be more time with Leo. After her big freak-out episode in the washroom earlier, she’d realized she needed to be in his good books. He’d stuck up for her in Natasha’s office. She could imagine how helpful he’d be if they weren’t at each other’s throats all the time.
“Okay, I’m in. Where is it?”
His fingers flew across the screen of his phone. “The Rockefeller Center ice rink.”
“Wow. Haven’t been there yet.”
Leo looked up from his phone. “Seriously?”
“I’m afraid so.” Karen started to sort through the pile on her desk.
“Well, then this will be quite the adventure.”
“There won’t be any adventure for me if I don’t get this done.”
“Right.” Silence stretched between them, clarifying the mundane sounds of a photocopier and a phone ringing nearby.
“What time shall I meet you?” Karen asked as she grabbed her latte and took a small sip.
“Six. I can pick you up at your place.”
“I’ll still be here.”
Leo ran a hand through his hair. “Okay. Six o’clock out front?”
“It’s a date.”
Leo smiled and sat his cute little behind back on the corner of her desk. “A date?”
“Well…it’s a figure of speech.”
“Of course.”
“It is,” she huffed and waved her hand, causing a few prints to fly off the pile and onto the floor. “Dammit!”
Leo and Karen hunched down at the same time, knees touching and their faces only a breath apart. “I can get them,” she whispered, her breath shallow and wispy.
“So can I.” His eyes darkened to the color of molten honey as his gaze dropped to her lips. She licked them and he growled. The sound excited her, and she started to tremble.
“Leo, I…”
He exhaled slowly and closed his eyes, and the connection was lost. Standing, he extended his hand and helped her up. “Here you go.” He handed her the prints and stepped back. “See you at six?”
Karen nodded and watched him leave. Sitting back down, she willed her pulse to its normal rhythm. How had that happened? That was not what she’d had in mind when she’d told herself to get in his good books. They’d almost kissed. At work. In front of a bunch of gossiping busy bodies. That couldn’t happen again.
She tackled the pile of prints with a vengeance and spent the next hour alphabetizing and going back and forth to Stacey’s desk asking for each binder as she needed them. Stacey wouldn’t let anything off her shelves or out of her line of sight. By the time she’d made the cold trek to the dry cleaners, Karen’s body ached, and she had to fight to keep her eyes from drooping closed.
The store was busy. People were dropping off and picking up garments, and some were chatting near the window, prolonging the inevitable—having to go back outside. As she waited for her turn, an incredible exhaustion took over and her nose started to drip. Digging in her purse for a tissue, she didn’t see the two women who walked in.
“If it ain’t Miss Goody Two Shoes.”
Karen looked up and saw two women she worked with who were Stacey’s BFFs and rented out the space around the water cooler. For the life of her, she couldn’t remember their names. She’d improvise.
“Well, if it ain’t Barbie One and Barbie Two.” She noticed their scowls and blew her nose.
“What are you doing here?” Barbie One asked as she ran her hand up and down her mink stole.
“My job.”
“Yeah, well, you took our Stacey’s job, and she’s miserable.” Barbie Two clicked the gum she chewed then blew a big bubble.
“I’m the intern. I do all the menial tasks for everyone, including your Stacey, as per Ms. Vale’s strict instructions. Right now, I am here to pick up her dress.”
Barbie One sauntered up to Karen so they were only inches apart. “Look, you might know and say all the right things, but you will never fit in.” Her gaze dragged over Karen’s body slowly, and through the layers her skin burned and sweat kicked in.
“And short hair is sooo last year,” Barbie Two chimed in. “What’s with the brown streak anyway? Makes your hair look dirty.”
“Why do you insist on wearing clothes that hang on you? We know you have no figure, but really,” Barbie One added.
“Enough!” Richard rushed from behind the counter and stood beside Karen, his hands gesturing wildly. All of this seemed to be happening from miles away. Because she was sweating, her body cooled rapidly and shivering kicked in. Her heartbeat roared in her ears…and she was twelve years old again, but not alone. This time she had a friend.
“You will apologize to Ms. Allen, and then you will leave my store and never come back. If I so much as see you walk by my window, I will put in a personal call to Ms. Vale and have you both fired faster than you can say ‘tacky.’”
Karen would’ve laughed at their feeble attempts at an apology, but she was in awe of Richard and what he’d done for her.
“Thank you so much.” Her voice was shaky, and her tired eyes started to burn.
“You are very welcome, darling. I hope this does not cause any issues for you at work.” Even if it did, Karen knew she’d be okay. One word from her to Richard, and the Barbie twins would be out of a job. She swiped at a tear that rolled down her cheek. Her first bully protector was a world-famous dry cleaner to the stars and her first New York friend.