Chapter Nine

They worked for two hours that day. Wil, who usually didn’t have a problem focusing when it came to work, found he was having a problem. He was focusing all right, but focusing on Nicole. Her perfume reminded him of the English teacher he had had a crush on in seventh grade. And when Nicole laughed, her cheeks turned a light shade of pink. And she spoke with her hands when she was trying to get a point across.

He’d been called “obsessive” before by the people closest to him. They understood his single-minded determination to succeed. They accepted that it was probably fueled by his father leaving the family in dire financial straits when he was a boy. Fixing his attention unwaveringly on what he wanted had always served him well. Wanting Nicole wasn’t just an obsession. It was an ache, a longing that clouded his brain.

“Earth to Wil,” Nicole said, staring at him.

He couldn’t understand this power she had over him. It had never happened before with any other woman. “I’m here,” he answered, trying to shake the fog from his head.

“I said your collection is not your usual athletic pants and T-shirts mothers like me usually wear. It’s similar to yoga wear or casual wear, but definitely more hip.” She flipped through a few more pages of his designs. “Why did you choose an Asian theme?” she asked, referring to the Chinese symbols and graphics he had used on his outfits.

“Asian is huge right now.”

“You don’t usually follow the masses though.”

He smiled. “True, but if I want to go suburban, baby, then I can’t be too far out there. Besides, I threw enough of my personal touch in there to make it unique.”

“I noticed you chose only two symbols: Love and Family.”

“Aren’t those the most important things to a woman in her thirties and forties?”

“What about career?” she shot at him.

“Is that up there with love and family for you?” he shot back.

She shook her head no. “My job is certainly crucial for providing me with a sense of achievement, but I certainly won’t be on my deathbed wishing I had worked more hours.”

“Before, I was targeting young adults who were searching for some kind of identity, because I could relate, you know? This time I wanted a challenge, so I chose older women.”

“But why?”

He knew she was still unclear as to why he would choose a demographic he was unfamiliar with. Wil leaned closer until his mouth was almost to her ear. “Do you know how beautiful an older woman is when she knows who she is; when she knows what she wants and isn’t afraid to ask for it?”

He watched her swallow and part her lips slightly.

“Trust me, it’s the sexiest thing in the world,” he said, his words an octave lower.

“I think we need some coffee,” she decided.

In the four minutes it took Wil to get them some caffeine, Nicole managed to do a 360-degree transformation. He hadn’t even sat down before she’d thrust some papers at him.

“Here’s a list of publications in which I’d like to advertise that hit our target audience. They’re a little more conservative than what you’re used to, but they’re the ones your demographic reads. I also think we should stay in some of the Latin magazines you’ve advertised in before. Here’s a time frame for the entire operation, and the budget. I’ll need you to look it over and approve it as soon as possible. I’ll handle the booking of the models and be there at the shoot. I think black-and-white ads are definitely the way to go. They’re classier.”

Wil watched her while she rambled. He said nothing, although that might have been because he couldn’t get a word in edgewise.

“Of course, that’s just my opinion,” she quickly added. “You have the final say in everything.”

“Obviously not everything.”

Her eyes held his for a few beats before she looked away. “All we need to do now is create the right message. A brilliant tag line that will emotionally connect the consumers to your line.”

“Nicole, look at me.” When she did, Wil said, “You’re killing me, you know.”

She shook her head. “You promised, Wil. I can’t do this any other way. It has to stay all business, unless you want me off the account. But then I’d really kill you!”

He took a deep, frustrated breath and let it out slowly. “Damn older women,” he muttered under his breath.

“I thought you worshipped us,” she said, trying to lighten the mood.

“Yeah, I do, but they can’t be persuaded like younger girls can.”

He knew when to back off, and now was that time. Yes, he wanted her, but he didn’t want to have to beat her over the head with a club and throw her over his shoulder caveman-style either.

“Can we continue?” she asked. Wil nodded glumly and took another sip of his coffee. “You used phrases from poetry on the backs of the tanks and long- and short-sleeved tees. This one is for Family.” She pulled a sheet of paper from her briefcase and read:

“‘I doubted Heaven before your touch; My angel who I love so much.’

“Wil Blanco,” Nicole said with obvious admiration.

“One day I saw my baby niece lying on her back, on my mother’s living room rug. My sister, Monica, was over her, tickling her. I’ll never forget the look of happiness on both their faces. Those lines describe that connection between the two of them.”

“That would be a good shot for a photo.” Nicole jotted down a note. “You used the Sufi poet, Rumi, also for Family:

‘In your light I learn how to love.’

That’s exactly how I feel about my son.” She paused, reflecting for a moment on the words before pulling another sheet of paper from her briefcase. “Now for Love…”

Wil closed his eyes and recited:

“‘Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same.’”

He opened his eyes again and smiled. “One of my favorite poets, Emily Bronte.”

Nicole cleared her throat and looked down at her paper.

“‘Our moments today make up our forever.’ Also Wil Blanco,” she said. “It’s perfect for Love, because it makes you stop and appreciate what you have at the moment, instead of taking a person for granted.”

Wil reached out and tucked a strand of soft hair behind her ear. “See, I knew we were on the same wavelength. You understand what I’m trying to express.”

She nodded excitedly. “I absolutely love this line also by you.”

Wil said it before she did:

“‘Life’s transiency beckons sweetness.’”

“Passionate words,” Nicole said softly.

“I’m a passionate man.”

Their eyes held for a moment.

He recited Rumi again.

“‘With passion pray. With passion work. With passion make love. With passion eat and drink and dance and play. Why look like a dead fish in this ocean of God?’”

“Never in my years have I ever had a man recite poetry to me. It was something I thought only artists or lit majors did. You are a complete anomaly.” Her eyes lit up. “God, I wish I had myself together at twenty-five like you do now.”

“At least you went to college. I barely got through high school.”

“Yes, but I can’t recite poetry aloud.”

He gave her a shrug. “I can do it because it interests me.”

She took a sip of her coffee and held the cup with both hands to her chest. “I used to have a lot of interests. I don’t know what happened.”

“You got married and had a kid.”

“Got divorced,” she added.

“Why did you get divorced?”

She shifted nervously in her seat, then crossed and uncrossed her legs.

If the question made her uncomfortable, he was sorry. But Wil figured it might give him some insight into why she was so wary of dating.

“Oh, you know…”

“Actually, I don’t. I’ve never been married.”

“Right.” Nicole thought for a minute. “Well, Stephen always put his film career first,” she began to explain. “We moved from Los Angeles to the suburbs after I found out I was pregnant, because we figured it would be a better area to raise a child. I stayed home with Josh once he was born and Stephen went to work. The problem with being in the film industry is you have to be in the city in order to get work, and in his case, work often meant a lot of time away.” She looked down at the paper napkin she had mutilated. “I ended up feeling like a single mother most of the time, and when Stephen was home we’d end up fighting and saying things to each other we couldn’t take back.”

“Was it your decision to end it?” Wil asked.

She shook her head. “Stephen came home after a three-week shoot and said he didn’t want to be married anymore.”

“Out of the blue, just like that?”

“I was completely blindsided.” Her tone was solemn.

“I can’t understand how a man can put his career ahead of his family,” Wil said, “and yet I see it happen all the time.”

Nicole looked at him in surprise. “What about you? Your career takes up an enormous amount of time and energy. You have to travel constantly, and your cell is like an extra appendage.”

“My family always comes first. If I had to choose, I’d give up all my success in a second and never look back.”

“You’re a better man than my ex-husband.”

Wil had to admit he was pleased to hear it. “Ever think about getting married again?”

She almost choked on her coffee. “Sure, I’d marry again. As soon as scientists discover a way to reverse aging, or cure cancer, or stop global warming, or…” Nicole cupped a hand over her mouth. “Did that come out sounding as bitter as I think it did?”

“A little bit, yeah,” Wil said.

Her cell rang. It was Eric wanting to know when she’d be back in the office.

Wil stood, glancing at his watch. “It’s later than I thought.”

“I need to get going anyway,” she said, standing and gathering her things. “The sooner you can look over those papers I gave you, the better.” She was back to being all business.

“Yeah, sure.”

“As soon as I get your approval for the go-ahead I’ll be in touch.” She held out her hand for Wil to shake.

He kissed her cheek instead, catching another whiff of her citrusy perfume. “Don’t forget Nicole, a deal’s a deal,” he reminded her. “We’ll do it your way. All business. For now.”