Love Handles

by Candi Heart

  Unless... I hardly dared to let myself think it. What if this was the new job I’d been hoping for? Could I really be lucky enough that one would just fall into my lap? If Nick Tessaro was looking to hire me, I could drop this place and be done with it. Go somewhere my work might actually be noticed and appreciated.

  But then there was my mother to consider. If I left Novak's studio, my mother wouldn't be happy at all. I wasn't sure I wanted to deal with it. Sighing, I tucked the card into my purse and tried not to think about it at all. Maybe if I just focused on work for the rest of the day, it would be easier, and I could take my time to give the subject the consideration it deserved later.

  It wasn't easier, though. I kept finding my thoughts sliding back to the card. To the way Nick had looked leaning over my desk to look at my sketch, his head tipped to the side like he really was interested in it. By the end of the day, I was finding it increasingly hard to sit still, one leg bouncing nervously up and down.

  As soon as Novak walked out of the studio, I got up and hurried down the hall to Jenna's office. With any luck, she would still be packing up, although she sometimes left early.

  That was another point, I thought, in favor of staying. Jenna was here. If I did get a job offer from Nick Tessaro, and if I took it, I’d be leaving my only friend behind. Although, on the other hand, Jenna was the only person at the office who really talked to me. Maybe the people who worked for Nick would be nicer. Maybe I would make other friends.

  Or maybe I was just getting way too far ahead of myself and all he wanted was to see if he could purchase a few sketches from me.

  “He left me his card,” I said as I swung the door open.

  “Who?” Jenna was shutting down her computer, and looked up from the screen as it went black.

  “Nick Tessaro. Who else?”

  “Oh.” For an instant, she didn't seem to get it, and then her green eyes widened. “Wait. Nick Tessaro left you his card? Just, like, left it on your desk?”

  “He wrote 'call me' on the back.”

  Jenna’s eyebrows winged sharply toward her hairline. “Like, for a date?”

  I shook my head. “I don’t think so. I think he probably just wants to see more of my handbag designs. Maybe buy a couple? I don’t know. It doesn’t matter. I’m not sure it’s a good idea anyway.”

  “Why on earth not?” Jenna stood up and pushed her chair in, grabbing her purse from the back of it. “Walk and talk, babe, and tell me what’s going through that head of yours, because this could seriously be the solution to the problem we were just talking about last week, and you want to ignore it?”

  “That’s not...” I sighed, and let Jenna slip an arm through mine, leading me toward the front door of the studio. “I’m not saying that I’m going to ignore it, but having business talks with the owner of a rival studio while I still work here maybe isn’t the best idea.”

  “So? Look. There are three options.” Jenna raised her voice a little as we stepped out onto the street, speaking over the noise of pedestrians and passing cars. “Either he just wants to buy a few sketches, he wants to take you on a date, or he wants to offer you a job.” We looked both ways before crossing the street. “If it’s the first one, then what’s the harm? It’s not like Novak has ever seen any of them. Or I at least hope you’re smart enough not to sell Tessaro any of the ones he has seen. Not that he’d remember them. So you sell a couple, make a little extra cash. Novak doesn’t want them. He’s really got no claim on them.”

  I shook my head, but I wasn’t sure which part of Jenna’s statement I was disagreeing with.

  “Second option is that he wants to take you on a date, and that should hardly be Novak’s business. The man’s obviously hot. You want him... So go get him.”

  Heat rose in my cheeks for what felt like the thousandth time since Nick had walked through the door. “I don’t really think that’s what he wants, Jenna. I’m not the kind of woman a man like him wants.”

  Jenna abruptly stopped walking, and I nearly tripped over my own shoes when the other woman’s weight threw me off balance.

  “Em, babe. That’s bullshit.”

  I chewed my lip, feeling more than confused.

  “How do you know what kind of woman he likes? You know not all men want stick-thin women.

  I laughed. “That a good-looking man like Nicholas Tessaro would want a plus-sized woman like me?” I shook my head. “Those kinds of things are just myths, stories out of romance books.”

  Jenna shook her head and narrowed her eyes at me. “Well, the problem here is...You’re beautiful and curvy and you don’t even know it.”

  I started walking again as Jenna held a loop through my arm. “Yeah, you got the curvy part right.” I rolled my eyes.

  Jenna made a sound of disgust. “Well, all I have to say is this... If you don’t call him, how’re you ever going to know what he wants?”

  I halted my steps and blinked at her.

  “Yeah, you do see my point, chica, don’t you?” Jenna laughed as I pulled us toward the subway terminal.

  Chapter 6

  THERE’S NO WAY! When I got back home, I tossed my bag on the couch then toed my heels off. Of course, the card and the man were still on my mind. What if Jenna was right and he wanted to offer me a position? Or what if contacting him leads to something better? I already knew my life needed to change direction. I was unhappy and had been for years. Novak was an ass and full of himself. He never cared about me one way or the other.

  Changing into a pair of sweatpants and a T-shirt, I decided to work out a bit, then shower. Funny, I hadn’t even thought about eating at all this afternoon. I smiled.

  An hour later, my smile was decidedly absent. My workout was proving to be more difficult than I had imagined. I couldn’t run in place here or my neighbors would be on my ass. I laughed. I’ve got a pretty big ass, too, so maybe five of them could climb on? I laughed, even though it wasn’t funny. I finally gave up and headed to the shower.

  While the steamy water cascaded down and over me, I smoothed my hands over my wet skin. What if Nick did like me? Would he care I had larger sized boobs? I hefted up my breasts. They aren’t hideously huge. Of course, some men only wanted to date me because of them and I never liked that kind of guy. Like I was just walking boobs with no face. I dropped them and refused to think of this man as a date, or dating material. Emilie Swan was not the right type for a man like him. I rolled my eyes. For all I knew, he was gay. I shut the shower off and paused, remembering the intense look in those dark eyes as he’d gazed at me. Nope. Not gay. I knew it in my bones. The man was into women, all the way. Then I remembered his wicked smile as Novak stood next to him acting like the ass he was. I laughed. Asshat, as head. Grrr. I did hate Novak now. I always prided myself on being easygoing and a person who got along with everyone. But Novak had made that impossible and I just knew it was my size that was the cause of him hiding me in a tiny office and having me be the fetch girl.

  Once I dried off and dressed, I decided to stop being a big wuss and was just going to call him.

  I sat down on my sofa and grabbed my cell. “Okay, here goes.” I dialed the number on the card. Then I froze before pushing send. Come on, girl, do it! I took a deep breath and pressed the green button. Raising the cell to my ear, I almost choked as I’d forgotten to let my breath out.

  Her heart started hammering in my chest and I tried to focus on the sound of the ringtone, not the echo or the blood rushing through me at sprinter speed.

  “Hello?”

  Oh wow, his voice on the phone was even sexier than in person.

  “Helllloo?” he repeated over the cell.

  “Uh, yes hi. This is Emilie.”

  “Oh...” he replied.

  Such a titillating conversation, I thought while rolling my eyes. What was I doing?

  “Well, hello, Emilie.”

  I sat up straighter at the purr in his voice. “Um, yes. I-I... I found your card.”

  He laughed.
“Well, I left my card on purpose. I’d like to take you... on a business date.”

  My shoulders slumped. “Oh... yes.” Then I wondered why I was disappointed. He was interested in my designs! I smiled.

  “Okay, is tomorrow night good?” he asked quietly.

  I blinked my eyes. My thoughts were already on what to wear. Then if I should dress businesslike or...? Dammit! And I should bring one of the purses I myself designed. Should I wear black, it was flattering—

  “Are you there?” he asked.

  “Oh!” I bit at my lip. “Yes, sorry, got distracted. Um, yes tomorrow night would be fine.” I tried desperately to keep the tremble out of my voice.

  He chuckled. “Okay, my car will pick you up at seven.”

  “Okay,” I answered as calmly as I could.

  “Well, Emilie, it was nice hearing your voice tonight.”

  Dammit, that voice did purr. “Thank you,” I answered lamely.

  “Bye for now.”

  “Bye,” I said.

  The click in my ear seemed to make it all real. I dropped my phone and stared around at my apartment. “Holy crap! Holy crappers!” I jumped up and flew to my closet in my bedroom. It would take a while to decide what to wear. Like forever! Then after I went through six outfits, I halted. “Send his car?” I raised my hands up to my mouth. “But I never gave him my address!” I ran back to the living room and picked up my cell, then hit redial.

  “Hello?” His voice sounded breathless.

  “Um, hey again. It’s me, Emilie.”

  “Yes, sweet Emilie. You aren’t cancelling, are you?”

  NO! I quietly answered aloud, “No.”

  “Oh, good,” he panted.

  Oh, shit. Did I interrupt something? Was he... I shut my eyes blocking the vision in my head. Or at least trying to.

  “I’m halfway through my workout,” he supplied the answer.

  “Oh, okay. Um, I never gave you my address.”

  He chuckled and released a sigh. “I looked it up and know it.”

  My eyes widened. That showed interest for sure. “O-okay. Well, see you tomorrow.”

  “I look forward to it.” He again lowered his voice.

  Hot damn, his voice just got sexier with this call. “Okay, bye.” I hung up and dropped to the couch. Then I slumped lower and lower until I was staring at the ceiling. Oh, damn. I’m in trouble. I already have the hots for this guy and I know I don’t stand a chance in hell.

  UP BRIGHT AND EARLY the next morning, I did my workout, ate some fruit, took a shower, and then headed out the door. I intended to find the right dress for my date. Wait—not a date, my business... Oh, hell, I didn’t care, the whole thing was so nerve-wracking I’d probably lost five pounds overnight just from the stress. I’d never moved so fast in my life. Still, I kept having pangs of guilt. This Mr. Tessaro, as I forced myself to think of him as, was a competitor to the company I worked for. What I was doing was not kosher. Oh, damn, who was I kidding? Novak wouldn’t care at all, probably.

  I made it on the subway to downtown and went to one of my favorite shops for the dress. I knew they were pricey, but they also had the best clothes and this date was—damn, there I went again! Business date. This meeting was important.

  I went in and began my hunt. Dress after dress went off the hanger then back on.

  “Hello, Miss Swan.” The clerk waved at me as I was at yet another rack.

  “Oh, hello, Lena.” The clerk was more my size and had helped me many times to find the right outfit.

  “Special occasion?”

  I rolled my eyes with a giggle. Yeah, that would be an understatement. Hot designer wanting me or my designs! “Could be.” Very special, new job, new guy? I shook my head. You’re being dumb again.

  “Is it business casual or flirtatious?” Lena asked.

  I turned my head to stare at her. “I-I don’t know.”

  Lena raised her brows.

  “Um, you see, he’s a great-looking guy, and he asked me out, but it might be just for a job?”

  Lena smiled at me and patted my arm. “It could be both, though?”

  Suddenly, my stomach dropped then seemed to heave back up. “Oh, wow.” Yes, the thought never occurred to me. I looked up at Lena. “So, can you help me find a, ‘it’s business but it might be more’ dress?”

  “Yes, I bet I can.”

  After ten minutes, Lena showed me the third dress to try. It was a cute black one with a curve-hugging style. I hoped it looked as good on me as it did the hanger. I tried it on and had to admit it did look good. I turned in the mirror.

  “Yes, that’s the one!” Lena cheered.

  I turned to look at her. “You think so?”

  She nodded. “It has it all, and it fits you like a glove.”

  I turned back to the mirror. Yes, they were supposed to say things like that, but I’d known Lena for a year now and she wasn’t like that. She was also curvy and wouldn’t advise me to wear something my body shouldn’t be in. Besides, I had eyes and Lena was right.

  “I’ll take it.”

  “Okay, great. And I hope this turns out to be the date that becomes very flirtatious.” Lena giggled.

  I caught the giggles from her.

  Then I decided to really throw a curveball at the very clever Lena. “Well, since you’re in the fashion business...” I faltered. This could tell me just how crazy I was myself by gauging Lena’s reaction. “This um, date? That I’m going on tonight...”

  Lena nodded.

  “Well, it’s with...” I leaned closer and whispered, “Nicholas Tessaro.”

  Lena looked blank for a full minute. Then her eyes rounded and her mouth popped open.

  “Yep. That would have been my expression last night while on the phone with him, when he said he would send his car to pick me up.”

  Lena squealed. “Oh, wow!” She jumped up and down and grabbed me up in a hug.

  I gaped at her reaction. “You—you really think he wants to date me?”

  Stopping my happy dance, Lena looked around. “Come on. Change and let me ring you up.”

  I felt bewildered. What kind of answer was that? But I went and changed.

  Lena was all smiles as she’d waited outside the dressing room, and then led me to the front. Standing stiffly by the counter, I took out my credit card.

  Lena went around the counter and set the dress down then looked around. She then tapped some keys on her laptop. Looking around again, she set it on the counter and nodded at it as she turned the screen toward me.

  Puzzled, I looked down at it. It was a sort of collage of Nick and women on Google or some site. Blinking, I realized they were all plus-sized or close to it. “Oh!”

  “Yes... oh!” Lena nodded then slyly tucked her laptop under the counter. “I think he’s interested in you and you are far prettier than these bimbos.”

  She laughed and grabbed my card from my now-limp fingers, wrapped up the dress, then rang me up.

  I stood there and stared, shock reverberating through my whole being. Then suddenly I blurted, “So, he likes curves?”

  Lena handed the card to me, along with the bag. “Damn straight. BBW, all the way!”

  BBW? Big, beautiful women! I took the bag and card. “So, if he starts flirting?”

  Lena nodded. “You’d better flirt back.” She laughed, then hushed me, gazing around. “Go get ‘em, Emilie Swan.”

  When I stepped out on the sidewalk and peered around, I felt like everything was different somehow. Oh, what a change shopping for a dress made. I shook my head. Now, I felt even more nervous. Who would think that was possible?

  Chapter 7

  I HUSTLED HOME AND even the boring but crowded subway ride couldn’t touch me, despite the man next to me who smelled bad, or the loud noise the two women were making while arguing over some guy. No, none of it fazed me one bit. All I could think about was... I was going on a date with Nicholas Tessaro! Then by the time I got off the train car and up to my apartmen
t, I realized I was again not living in reality. There was absolutely no reason to believe that he didn’t just want my designs or to offer me a job. And if that was the reason for the dinner, that would be great, too. So why did I feel it wouldn’t be as good, suddenly? I hated my job and it would be a godsend.

  “Hey, neighbor!”

  I looked up from my purse, which I’d been rifling through for my keys. “Oh, hey, Pamela.”

  My neighbor on the other side stepped forward and waved. “Hey, Pam! So great of you to invite me to the party next week.”

  I ignored the pair, neither ever seemed to like me all that much. Plus both were that tall, blondish, skinny model type. My cheeks burned as I realized Pamela hadn’t been saying hello to me at all. I dropped my keys then my bag while trying to grab the keys, then my purse hit the carpet too.

  Both women stopped talking and looked over.

  I huffed and grabbed everything up. “Sorry, long day.”

  Pamela gave me a bright smile. “Oh, I wanted to invite you to the party too, Emilie.”

  Yeah, right, I thought. “Oh? Well, okay.”

  “Yes,” the other woman, Bren, Barbie, or whatever her name was said, “It’s on Friday. It’ll be a blast. Right, Pam?”

  Pamela nodded. “Yes and make sure you... um, bring a date.” She paused and raised a brow at me.

  The other woman laughed and then covered he mouth with her hand.

  I felt my cheeks heating up again. Damn bitches, all this passive-aggressive crap, as Jenna always put it. I gave them my brightest smile. “I may just do that.”

  They both paused and stared at me.

  “Well, see ya.” I bustled into my apartment. Way to go, Em! Just put your fat mouth out there! Disgusted, I dropped my dress bag and purse on the couch, then sat down with a sigh. Wouldn’t it be great to bring Nicholas Tessaro to that party? Watch those skinny hens gape and faint at the sight? I rolled my eyes. Remember that thing, Em, called reality? I huffed then glanced at the clock. “Oh, crap!” I only had two hours ‘til my ride would be here!