“I’m sorry. I should’ve known better.” His voice lost the growl I had grown accustomed to. It was deep, husky and soothing. “I’ll arrange something for you this afternoon. You’ll need a new wardrobe for Hawaii.”
“Hawaii??”
“Yes, we leave tomorrow.”
He walked out of the room leaving me in shock with my still wet, tear stained face.
Chapter Eleven
Xander
“Wait sir! You just can’t come in here! Where do you think you’re going?!”
The young maid ran alongside me in her pressed black skirt and top as I entered Jefferson Manor. I was pleased Ashley had hired help and that they were dressed in the appropriate uniforms, but couldn’t understand why this one insisted in getting in my way.
As I drove up to the house I saw who I believed was Lydia Winklesmith, walk out of the house and into her car. I knew Ashley didn’t want the extravagance of it so I thought she sent Lydia home.
“This is my house and I’ll do what I damn well please. Get out of the way!” My voice echoed throughout the first floor and it scared maid enough that she backed off.
I made my way to Ashley’s suite of rooms and pounded on her door. When she opened, I stormed past her and into the room.
“Don’t ever keep me waiting,” I growled. She started to say something but I wasn’t listening. I couldn’t focus on her voice. I noticed her red puffy eyes and knew something had happened.
“She…” her voice trailed off and I could see the pain in her eyes. “She left. She said she couldn’t help me. I’m sure it’s because I’m fat,” she whispered in a half mumble.
“She left?!”
I turned and looked at her again. I couldn’t believe it. How could that idiot woman take a look at Ashley and think she couldn’t buy clothing for her? She was gorgeous!
I pulled her close and kissed her forehead before whispering, “It’s not you, you’re beautiful. You’re not fat. Don’t ever think like that.” She cried harder and didn’t respond so I held her tight while I thought about how to fix things. “I’ll arrange something for you this afternoon. You’ll need a new wardrobe for Hawaii.”
I let her go and walked out of the room. I had avoided Ashley for weeks because I knew I had feelings for her. Something about her had sparked emotions in me I thought I’d never feel again. I wasn’t sure I wanted them.
Heading out to my car I glared at the maid I yelled at before and hid a smile as she turned and headed in the other direction. Once I got into my car I dialed my oldest friend Josh, to arrange for shopping for Ashley then dialed Lydia Winklesmith’s number.
“This is Lydia.”
She spoke her name with a superior air she didn’t deserve. It angered me even more.
“Lydia,” I barked. “This is Alexander Boone.”
“Oh hello there Alex, your mother has told me so much about you, I feel like I know you.”
“Well you don’t.” I paused to make sure she realized I was serious. “You left your appointment early. You didn’t help Miss Monroe.”
“Your mother didn’t tell me what a mess–”
“She is not a mess. Do you have any idea what you did?”
“Well if you feel that way I’ll just go back when I have some free time.”
“You’ll be having a lot of free time but I don’t want you anywhere near her. I’m not sure you realize who I am and who I know. You’re done, I’ll make sure of it.”
“But..but–”
I hung up the phone. I didn’t care to hear her grovel. I dialed my old friend again.
“Josh, did you clear everything for this afternoon?”
“Yes, of course. I told you it wouldn’t be a problem.” Josh’s voice had a feminine lilt to it. “Send her over whenever she’s ready and I’ll take good care of her. I also reached out to some friends of mine about that Lydia woman. I’ve heard stuff like that about her before. Trust me, she’ll never get private clients again. Its about time someone stood up to her.”
“Good. I should’ve called you to begin with. Thanks Josh, I owe you.”
I arrived at the downtown offices of Boone Enterprises. There were a lot of things that needed to be taken care of before leaving for Hawaii the next day. I wasn’t looking forward to the conference until I told Ashley she was coming.
It had been years since my last trip to Hawaii and I was sure my old ghosts would be there. I hoped that having Ashley with me would keep them at bay. When I held her earlier I remembered how she smelled like vanilla and how her lush curves molded against my body. At that moment it didn’t matter that she worked for me, I needed her and would use any reason to have her near me.
Chapter Twelve
Ashley
That afternoon I drove out to Fashion Plaza like Xander told me to. I had driven past the area many times over the years but never thought I’d ever step foot, let alone shop there.
Fashion Plaza was an outdoor mall with stores I had only heard about on tv and movies. It was a mixture of large world renowned stores and small high-end family owned boutiques. From the outside it didn’t look like much of anything but once I stepped through the path leading from the parking lot to the stores, I couldn’t believe my eyes.
The walkway opened up to a circle. Stores lined the circumference and in the center was a five tier marble fountain. Everything was beautiful. Even the sidewalk had an ornate design that made it look like Italian tile.
I followed the sidewalk to the other side of the fountain and into a rectangular section with stores along both sides and an amazing garden running down the center. The garden was sculpted to look like a jungle with topiary animals.
I wasn’t looking forward to shopping. I didn’t expect the shop I was going to would carry my size. I was accustomed to going to plus sized stores and dealing with whatever they sold. Going to any mall sometimes made me a little sad. Walking past all those stores with their cute clothes in the windows while I settled with whatever “fashion” the couple of plus sized stores carried, was not my idea of fun.
As I passed a giant topiary lion about to pounce a gazelle, I spotted the store in the corner–Joyeux. Sometimes I got upset trying on clothes because they didn’t fit me right, my hips were a bit larger than my waist so if one thing fit, the other didn’t. I took a deep breath and summoned all my courage before opening the shop door.
The shop was very girly yet exotic, decorated in soft pinks but not in an irritating kind of way. Sheer panels of fabric billowed across the ceiling and down the walls, giving the store a dreamlike feel. Towards the back tall mirrors curved around a fitting area while the rest of the shop displayed outfits and accessories. Several silk upholstered seats were scattered throughout the boutique.
“Good day! You must be Miss Monroe.” The man spoke with an effeminate tone. He was tall and slim yet muscular. His dark brown hair was sleeked back from his forehead and his bright green eyes looked friendly. He was very handsome in his black slacks and open collared black striped shirt. “I’m Joshua.”
“Hi, yes, Xander Boone told me to come in?” My nerves were getting the best of me. I glanced around the store and noticed I was the only big girl there. “I’m not sure you can help me though.”
“Nonsense! A gorgeous girl like you? I love it when a shapely woman like you comes into the shop, brings me back to when I played with dolls. Remember when Barbie had curves? Maybe you’re too young. Come this way, I’ve got some fabulous things to show you.”
I followed Joshua towards the back of the store and realized what I thought was just a fitting area was much larger. There were more of the upholstered seats around this section, creating a small runway. We sat on one of the chairs and a woman brought over two glasses of champagne. It dawned on me that not even a month ago I carried the champagne, now I was drinking it.
Suddenly a girl in a pair of white cargo pants and a white tee shirt with a large drawn flower on the front walked down the runway.
“
This is a sample of my casual wear. Show her the pants darling.”
The girl bent down and demonstrated how the pants could be turned into cropped pants just by adjusting the ties around the ankle.
“That’s really cute but I can’t wear white.”
“They come in different colors but what do you mean? You can wear whatever color you want darling.”
“No…do you have black? That’s better for me.”
“Black? Of course but you should think about the white, you’d look fabulous in it! Why don’t you think you can wear white?”
I sighed. “Because I’ll look like a marshmallow.”
He laughed and shook his head. Normally I would’ve been offended but I started laughing too. It was obvious he wasn’t laughing at me, just the image I described.
“You’re crazy! You know Xander told me you were beautiful, he even said you had the perfect body. He told me about that horrible bitch Lydia.” He sighed and rolled his eyes then smiled at me. “Xander never exaggerates. Come, I’ll show you.” He took my hand and brought me to a dressing room that was filled with clothes. “I hope you don’t mind but I took the liberty of guessing your size based on what Xander told me.”
I couldn’t believe how many items were in there. I took the white pants off the hanger and looked at the size–16. Did Xander think I was fat? It was exactly my size. I wanted to crawl into hole and die.
“How did you know my size? You never saw me. He told you I was fat didn’t he?”
“No!” He looked at me like I was crazy. “You want to know what he said? He said ‘Josh, remember Mrs. Porter in eighth grade? Sexy like that.’ Trust me my dear, you wanted to be Mrs. Porter in eighth grade, all the boys loved her, even me!” He laughed. “No one ever skipped her class.”
My cheeks burned. It surprised me that Xander would talk like that about me. I decided to try on the pants even though I still thought I’d look huge.
“So you’ve known Xander for a long time?”
“Oh yes! He’s my brother from another mother! And thank the lord I don’t have his mother. Have you met her?”
“No, but I think she’s who hired Lydia. Why didn’t he just send me here?”
“Well goodness, if you ever see his mother, trust me, run in the other direction! Think of those horror movies where you just yell at the screen “run! run!”, that’s my advice to you if she ever shows up.” He laughed. “My guess is he didn’t want us talking about him.” He winked.
Looking at myself in the mirror I was shocked. The pants fit. Not only did they fit but somehow they made me look more proportionate instead of accentuating my ass.
“See? Perfect! More people should just listen to me.” Joshua grinned. “You’re free to take all this home with you if you’d rather try them on there. I picked what I thought would be perfect for Hawaii plus some business attire and this…” From the back of the clothing rack, he pulled out an exquisite sapphire blue chiffon dress. “Put it on.”
I quickly changed into the dress. The thin straps rested perfectly on my shoulders and the top hugged my breasts, making my cleavage look especially full and sexy. The dress was empire waisted and flowed as if it was weightless. The hem was cut so that it was shorter in the front than the back which made me look taller.
“Wow. This dress is gorgeous!”
“You make it gorgeous my dear. Now go! I’m sure you need time to pack. I’ll arrange for everything to be delivered to Jefferson Manor within the hour.”
“Thanks so much! This was really great.” Tears filled my eyes but I blinked them away. I was silly to get emotional but it was such a relief after all my insecurities. I hugged Joshua tight.
“Now you realize I might need you sometime. I design pieces like that dress all the time and never have anyone to wear them.” He waved his hand towards some of the shoppers and rolled his eyes. “Look at all those scrawny things out there, please! Enjoy your trip darling!”
I left the store wearing the white pants with the floral accented tee shirt and carrying the dress with a few other items I wanted to take home right away. As I walked past the topiaries, I saw a woman with short grey hair go into one shop, then a minute later leave and enter the next shop. She was carrying a portfolio. I slowed my walk and watched as she entered each successive shop but left looking more frustrated each time. She wore a khaki skirt and lavender cardigan sweater that made me think of country club attire. No…it can’t be!
My first thought was to turn and run in the other direction. I calculated I had enough time to turn and walk to the other side of the garden and Lydia Winklesmith, personal shopper, wouldn’t see me. But should I why hide from her? I felt great! I looked fabulous didn’t I? I straightened my shoulders and paced myself so she’d run into me as she came out of the next shop.
I was several feet in front of her as she stepped out of the next store. She took one look at me and stood still, her face turning white. I smiled and walked past her. I had no idea why she was suddenly looking to work at a shop, but after how she treated me I didn’t care.
Chapter Thirteen
Ashley
I guess I was in a daze during the entire trip to Hawaii because I barely remember the first class seats or the limo from the airport. It must’ve been my nerves or all that champagne on the plane. One thing I learned about being in Xander’s world–there was a lot of champagne.
As soon as the limo pulled up at the Okika Resort, a short husky man dressed in a tan linen suit came running over as he ordered a bellhop and several workers around. He was bald but wiped the top of his head several times as if he was pushing his non existent hair back. He pounced on Xander as soon as he stepped out of the car.
“We’re so pleased to have you back sir. It’s been much too long. I personally arranged for your usual villa as well as some spa time for Mrs–.”
Xander, wearing a pair of dark jeans and a white button shirt, shot the man a look before turning back to the limo and helping me out. He didn’t seem to notice the bald man wringing his hands together nervously.
Waves crashed nearby as I looked in awe at the beauty of the Okika. Palm trees lined the road and walkways. A gentle breeze rippled through the floral print skirt I wore with a red short sleeved knit top, all from Joshua. The sun was strong but felt good on my pale skin which reminded me I needed to get outside more. Although the waves were close enough to hear, I knew I wouldn’t get a glimpse of them until I entered the building.
As I stood waiting for Xander, I inhaled deeply. Everything about the resort was exotic, down to air which was an amazing blend of sea water and something sweet. I looked around trying to place the scent hoping to find the reason behind that sweetness, but nothing triggered an answer.
“Pineapples.” Xander whispered the word into my ear, sending goosebumps up my spine. This wasn’t the first time I thought he could read my mind. “In case you were trying to figure out the air. It’s the pineapples. They’re harvested nearby.”
Our luggage made its way inside and Xander followed it without another word to me. I quickly caught up to him at the front desk where the clerk, a shapely older woman with her hair up in a sleek bun seemed to recognize Xander.
“Mr. Boone! Its been such a long time. Are you here alone or did you bring–”
“Sandra, please. The room key…now.”
I smiled hearing his familiar growl. I was curious who he normally brought with him on these trips but knew better than to ask him. For all I knew he had an assistant who had been with him for years before me.
The bellhop pushed a tall brass cart filled with our luggage into an elevator. Xander and I were behind him but he waved the bellhop off when he went to hold the elevator for us.
“I’d rather be alone with you.”
His voice made my heart skip and I looked down at my new shoes so he wouldn’t catch me blushing and grinning like a schoolgirl. As the elevator rose he pressed a card into my hand.
“Here’s your room key. I
have to speak at the conference late tomorrow morning but otherwise I don’t plan on attending.”
“What if you need me? Is my room far from yours?”
“Tomorrow night is an important dinner you will be attending with me, otherwise the rest of your time here you are free to use the spa or whatever else you’d like, just charge it to the room. If I need you, you won’t be far. We’re sharing a room.”
My eyes widened. I didn’t know what to think. Did he think I would just sleep with him? I knew I wouldn’t want to say no but still. Confusion gripped me as I wondered if Xander suddenly didn’t care that he was my boss.
The elevator gently slowed and the doors opened to a long soft white hallway. Our shoes clicked on the tiled floor as we walked all the way to the end of the hall to an open door.
I stood in the doorway in awe. The room was beige with dark wood moldings, very modern and simple yet elegant. It was a combined living area and kitchen with high end appliances and granite countertops. The room was larger than Jackie’s entire apartment. I thought hotel rooms like this only existed in magazines. I never dreamed I’d stay in one.
Just past the living area, the bellhop clicked a button and the sheer floor to ceiling panels that covered the back wall began to open. He then clicked another button and the glass panels that made up that wall began to slide back and disappear.
“I believe you preferred the lanai open, correct sir?”
Xander nodded, barely looking at the view. And what a view it was! Plush outdoor furniture was arranged on the extended tile floor of the lanai. I walked to the iron railing and looked down at the palm trees on the beach below as the waves gently lapped the sand. In the distance the sun slowly sank into the ocean.
As the bellhop left, he let a woman with a small tray of drinks enter. On her tray were two tall curved glasses with a pinkish liquid topped with umbrellas and pineapples. She placed the tray on the long high counter that separated the kitchen from the living room and left.
His Every Whim Page 4