With Love,
Your Big Sister, Abby Branson Blake
P.S. Since the kitchen will be torn up, I had the chef stock the guesthouse with lots of food. Check the fridge and freezer there for healthy meals – you won’t be disappointed. Enjoy!
~
Claire’s eyes got misty as she re-read her sister’s note. Even though she had put on a happy face during the months leading up to her sister’s big day, she should have known that Abby wouldn’t buy it. They were too close to hide their true feelings from one another.
Just like Claire knew, without a doubt, that Abby was head over heels in love with Stephen Blake, the older Branson sister knew that her younger sibling was suffering a crisis of confidence. At 29 years of age, Claire was trying to figure out what she wanted out of life.
Career-wise, she still hadn’t found...what did Robbie call it? Oh, yeah. Her calling. From waitress to pizza maker and shipping clerk to various temp positions, she had held a lot of dead-end jobs that left her unfulfilled and more confused than ever. She had managed to get her AA degree in General Studies from the local community college, although that distinction didn’t mean much when opportunities were limited by the constraints of small town life.
Abby had urged her to move to the city, but timid Claire was afraid to leave her comfort zone behind for the unknown. Besides, their parents traveled quite a bit and depended on Claire to take care of the house when they were gone, much like she was doing for Abby and Stephen while they were on their extended honeymoon.
Claire needed to do some soul-searching over the next month to figure out her future. While she hadn’t planned on coming face-to-face with her past, seeing Robbie Halliday again was the reality check she needed to get her life back on track.
With renewed enthusiasm, she picked up her cell phone and made an appointment at Salon Henri. Surprisingly, he found a way to fit her in the next day. Then she dialed the number on Lois Carlyle’s business card.
~~~
Later that day, Claire snuck out of the house to meet with Lois Carlyle, making sure to avoid another run-in with Robbie. When she arrived at the large, nondescript one-story building just outside of the downtown business district, Lois greeted Claire as if she were an old friend, pulling the younger woman against her ample bosom and hugging her tightly.
“I’m so glad you called. Abby has told me so much about you,” the plus-size personal shopper gushed. She was impeccably dressed in a well-tailored suit that accented her attributes and downplayed her imperfections.
“I can’t believe you were able to fit me in this afternoon,” Claire responded, looking around at the small, sparsely decorated office space and feeling a little less than impressed by the spartan surroundings.
“Abby is my best customer, and I promised to take excellent care of her younger sister.” Lois looked Claire up and down and circled her entire body before typing something into the laptop sitting on a desk. “Are you ready to get started?”
“I guess so,” Claire responded, feeling a little uncomfortable with the personal shopper’s assessment of her figure. “How does this all work? Do we hop in the car and head to the mall or something?”
Lois laughed heartily. “Not exactly. Follow me, dear.” She led Claire toward a set of double doors at the back of the office and used an electronic keycard to open them.
Claire gasped at the sight before her. Beyond the tiny office was a huge, open warehouse filled with racks and racks of clothing, lingerie, shoes, and accessories. She noticed several attendants weaving through the racks and placing items on portable valets carts.
In one corner was a spacious mirror-lined dressing room, and in the center of the space was a well-lit modeling platform surrounded on three sides by full-length mirrors. Next to the platform was a small seating area with several plush chairs and a table that held a laptop and a large screen monitor.
“I had no idea this was even here!” Claire exclaimed.
“I try to keep a low profile to protect my clients’ privacy,” Lois explained. “Being a plus-size personal shopper can get a bit delicate at times.”
“Do you own all these clothes?”
“Good heavens, no! Everything you see here is on consignment, direct from the designers. Have a seat, Claire, so we can talk about your wardrobe needs.”
Claire sank into one of the chairs. “My wardrobe needs are pretty simple, Lois. I usually wear baggy jeans and t-shirts.”
Lois smiled and patted the back of Claire’s hand. “That’s about to change, dear.” She clicked a few keys on the computer screen and an image popped up. “While your sister and I are both apples, your body type is a classic pear shape.”
“It is?” Claire had never thought of her shape as anything other than disproportionately large below the waist.
“Yes, you are. To dress you for success, we need to emphasize your narrow shoulders and smaller waist and camouflage your larger hips and thighs.” She clicked through a series of images to demonstrate her point.
“I get what you’re saying, Lois, and all of those outfits are really nice, but Abby must have forgotten to mention that I don’t usually go anywhere that requires dressing up.”
“Comfortable and casual doesn’t need to look...frumpy,” Lois responded, making Claire wish that the plush chair would swallow her up so she could disappear. “Tell me, dear, what kind of work do you do?”
Claire hesitated. “I’m sort of between jobs.”
“Well, what kind of work would you like to do?”
“Honestly, Lois, that’s what I’m trying to figure out. So far, I only know what I don’t like to do.”
“Hmmm,” Lois murmured, tapping her manicured finger on her cheek. “Then tell me what type of work you don’t enjoy.”
That was easy for Claire, and she rattled off a long list. “Since I have a good memory, I’m a decent waitress, but the food service industry has limitations that frustrate me. I don’t like sitting still for hours at a time, so receptionist and data entry jobs are out. I thought about going back to school for nursing because I really like to help people, but blood makes me squeamish. I worked as a shipping clerk once, but all that heavy lifting was hard on my back. While I like the idea of marketing, I can’t really pursue something like that because I’m much more shy and reserved than my sister.”
After taking the time to enter a few notes in the computer, Lois looked at Claire with a thoughtful gaze. “So, you’re good with details and helping out wherever needed.”
Claire coughed nervously. Lois took those points away from her monologue? “I suppose you could say that.”
“Keep in mind that I’m a personal shopper and not a career counselor, but have you considered starting your own business as a personal assistant?” Lois asked. “You could set your own hours and help people by taking care of the details that they don’t have time to deal with.”
“I’ve never really thought of myself as the entrepreneurial type,” Claire said. “But now that you mention it, I do enjoy the type of work that would be required of a personal assistant.”
“Why don’t we dress you for success in that type of business environment? Our goal will be to build you a complete wardrobe that’s comfortable and casual, yet still professional.”
For the first time since entering Lois’s office, Claire was actually excited about the idea of trying on new clothes. And now that the seed was planted in her mind, she was also excited by the possibility, however remote, of starting her own business. “That sounds like a great idea!”
“Excellent,” Lois said. She typed something else into the computer on the table and stood up, motioning for Claire to do the same. “Let’s get started.”
Lois led Claire toward the dressing room and by the time they had walked across the warehouse floor, the attendants had arrived with their valet carts full of clothing and accessories. Lois began sorting through the clothes and putting items in the dressing room.
“We’ll begin with
the basics. Flat front trousers with a bit of stretch and a boot cut leg. Flowy blouses with V-necks to draw the eye up and away from your hip area. Well-fitting jackets that nip in your waist. And dresses, of course, preferably ones that will take you from day to evening.”
For the next hour, Claire tried on outfit after outfit. She couldn’t hide her surprise at how well most of the items that Lois chose for her fit. While some items were quickly discarded by the personal shopper and other things needed tailoring, many of the clothes fit her right off the rack.
“How in the world do you know what kind of clothes fit my body?” Claire asked. “When I go shopping, I almost never find anything that fits right.”
“It’s my job to know, dear. Most women don’t have the faintest idea how to properly dress the body they live in every day. They get caught up in sizing when dressing for success has nothing to do with that. Whether your body is a size 2, 12, or 22, looking good is all about fit, fabric, and style. And I’m not talking about trendy styles either. I’m talking about a classic style that will work for you today as well as years from now.”
“I never thought my body could look good, so I guess I never really tried to dress stylishly. It’s always been easier to simply hide behind loose clothing that made me feel safe,” Claire responded, her voice cracking. She twirled around on the modeling platform, and the simple skater dress she had on twirled with her, skimming her curves in a flattering way that made her feel...almost pretty.
“Safety is for small children and police officers,” Lois responded with a dramatic wave of her hands, which made Claire laugh. “Young women like you need excitement and adventure. It’s time for you to be bold. Take some chances and start living life rather than just sitting on the sidelines!”
With tears in her eyes, Claire embraced the portly, perfectly-coiffed woman. “I’ve had a great time, Lois. Maybe we could do this again sometime.”
“My dear Claire, we are nowhere near done for the day,” Lois responded with a broad smile. “In fact, we’ve hardly scratched the surface of what you need. Now that we’ve taken care of the basics, we need to tackle dressy, followed by casual downtime attire and foundations. After all of that, we’ll need to choose shoes and accessories.”
The rest of the day was a whirlwind of activity, with Lois leading the charge and Claire trying on everything the personal shopper put in front of her. She felt a little like Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman. Only instead of being a gorgeous woman who looked like a model, she was an average curvy girl who was shaped like a pear.
By the time Lois sent Claire on her way with a trunk full of shopping bags and a promise to deliver the rest of her purchases later that week, the sun was getting ready to set and she was hot, hungry, and exhausted. When she got back to Abby and Stephen’s mansion, she was relieved to see that Robbie and his construction crew were gone for the day.
The kitchen was in shambles. After dumping all of her shopping bags in the middle of her bedroom floor, she headed out to the guesthouse to find something to eat. Just like Abby mentioned in her letter, the refrigerator and freezer were stocked full of delicious-looking meals. She popped a frozen chicken and rice dish in the microwave and helped herself to a small plate of fresh vegetables and homemade dip.
The guesthouse overlooked the estate’s large swimming pool, and the shimmering blue water beckoned to her. Dang, Claire mumbled to herself, I wish I owned a swimsuit. Then something Lois had said to her earlier popped into her head.
“Stop waiting for your life to begin,” Lois had told her. “Instead, start living the life you have right now.”
“How do I do that?” Claire had asked.
“By being bold and spontaneous. Take chances once in a while. But most of all, step out of this personal cocoon you’re created and do things that make you feel sexy, vivacious, and alive!”
Skinny-dipping was sexy and spontaneous, wasn’t it? And the caress of cool water against her hot skin would definitely make her feel more alive. Besides, she was alone so it’s not like anyone would see her. Claire watched as the day’s waning light triggered the automatic pool lights, which cast an incandescent glow on the water.
“It’s a sign!” she exclaimed.
She cleaned up her dinner dishes, grabbed an oversized towel from the guesthouse bathroom, and dropped her clothes on the floor.
Chapter 3
Rob parked his truck in front of the Blake mansion. Standing on the porch, he could see that the light was on in Claire’s room. But after repeatedly ringing the doorbell and knocking a few times, she didn’t answer the door. So he used his key to let himself into the house.
“Claire! Are you here?” he called out from the foyer, only to be met with silence. “Claire?!” he called again, louder this time. Still no answer as he made his way to the demolished kitchen. That was when he saw her.
Looking through the French doors that led from the main living area to the fenced backyard, he could see Claire swimming under the moonlight. Her wet, creamy skin glistened seductively as she moved slowly through the water, her naked curves gliding effortlessly from one end of the pool to the other.
First she did the crawl stroke, which gave him an intermittent view of her wiggling backside as she shifted from one arm to the other. When her fingertips touched the pool tile, she flipped onto her back, baring her delicious breasts, which rose from the water in two perfect peaks.
As she cut through the water, his eyes followed, traveling down her body. His gaze lingered at the natural curve of her waist before moving toward her ample hips and rounded thighs. He watched her shapely legs flutter in perfect rhythm, propelling her toward the shallow end of the pool.
His body responded to the sight before him, clouding his rational judgment. When she reached the edge of the pool and flipped back over, without thinking, he threw open the French doors and stepped onto the patio so he could get a closer look at the sexy vision in the pool.
His sounds and movements startled Claire and she broke form. When she finally saw him, a surprised yelp sputtered from her lips. She floundered in the water, doing a good job of hiding her nakedness, but unable to hide her surprise at seeing him standing there, watching her. When she finally regained her composure, he laughed out loud at the angry look on her face.
“Sorry to interrupt,” he said, grinning. “I rang the doorbell, but you didn’t answer. Now I know why.”
“What are you doing here?” she demanded, making sure to keep herself submerged under water. Her long hair swirled around her shoulders like a silky shawl, drawing his attention to the body she was clearly trying to hide from him.
“I needed a few of my tools so I could help my neighbor install a new dishwasher for his wife. But a moonlight swim looks like a lot more fun,” he responded.
He watched a range of emotions play across her face and wished he could read the thoughts going through her pretty little mind. Was she about to order him out of the house – or invite him to join her?
~~~
Claire was horrified by the unexpected – and uninvited – intrusion. “How long have you been standing there?” she asked.
“Long enough to know that bathing suits are optional,” Robbie said, his deep voice sending sexy shivers up Claire’s very naked spine.
“Privacy must be a foreign concept to you,” Claire growled.
Robbie just shrugged. “It’s not like you hung a sign on the door that said, ‘Warning! Naked swimmer inside.’ How was I supposed to know you were skinny dipping and wanted to be alone?”
“How was I supposed to know that you would be coming back before morning?” She knew her argument sounded childish, but she felt defensive and couldn’t stand how cool and casual he sounded. It was almost as if seeing a naked woman swimming in a pool was commonplace to him.
“I’ll just grab the tools I need and get out of your way,” Robbie said. He turned to go back into the house, then paused and turned back in Claire’s direction. “On the other hand, if y
ou’d prefer a little company, I could stay for a quick swim.”
His smiled oozed charm and challenge. She knew he was teasing her, just like when they were kids. Should she back down...or call his bluff?
Lois Carlyle’s words rang out in her mind. Be bold and spontaneous.
She decided to live a little. “Feel free to join me...if you dare.”
Quick as a fish, she took a deep breath and disappeared under the water. By the time she emerged, Robbie’s clothes and shoes had been discarded in a pile and he was standing on the edge of the pool getting ready to jump in.
Claire couldn’t hide her shock at seeing him there, just as naked as she was, toes curled over the edge of the pool. He stayed that way for several long seconds, almost as if he were daring her to take a good long look at the man who would never belong to her.
Robbie had the most chiseled male form she had ever seen. His arms, legs, and torso were all strong and muscled, no doubt the result of his physical work, with just the right amount of body hair. What would it feel like to run her fingers along his bare chest, threading them through the patch of dark hair that trailed down his flat belly to his large, thick—
With a huge splash, he landed in the middle of the pool, his tucked position creating the biggest, wettest entry possible. She squealed when he brushed against her legs and used the side of the pool to push off so she could swim away.
“Say ‘uncle’!” he called out, and the chase was on.
When they were kids, Robbie had always been stronger and faster than Claire – in the water and out – even though they had both pretended otherwise. She knew that she was only able to outrun him because he let her, just like he was letting her now.
Under the moonlight, they played a water version game of Catch Me if You Can. Robbie chased Claire around the pool, allowing her to evade his grasp until she was out of breath and giggling like a schoolgirl.
Gripping the side of the pool, Claire held up her hand to signal defeat. “Uncle!” Robbie slowed down his pursuit but didn’t stop. Instead, he continued moving stealthily toward Claire, like a shark moving toward his prey.
Curves for Him - 10 Delicious Tales Page 69