Stubborn Love - A Contemporary Romance: Falling for Him (Falling for Him Contemporary Romance Series Book 6)

by Gray, Jessica

  She was intrigued, “Awesome! This is exactly what I’m looking for in my clothing. And it’s almost impossible to find in the stores. That label will be a big hit with everyday women. What’s the name of the label?”

  “Bella.”

  “Bella? Sounds familiar.”

  Sara added “That’s Beautiful in Italian.”

  “I love the name! And what a message to send to the women buyers. You don’t have to be pencil thin to be a true beauty.”

  Sara nodded, but didn’t say anything.

  “I’ve seen a few pieces come into the store where I work in Santa Clara. They were amazing. I even bought a skirt for myself. Just a bit edgy and avant-garde, with great new fabrics and designs characteristics. My customers loved them too.”

  Sara nodded, “The line is just getting some attention on the West Coast, but if the East Coast numbers are anything to go by, the label will be big!” Sara raised her hands up for emphasis.

  “The few Bella pieces my store ordered, were the hit with the young professional women. They sold out in a few days.”

  Sara beamed, “The owner is a friend of mine. I loved the samples you had in your portfolio, and your ideas would fit right in there. And it just so happens that he accidentally mentioned a few weeks ago, that he’s looking for a junior designer.”

  Clara’s heart started pounding. Me, working for Bella? Wow! She got so nervous, that she didn’t listen when Sara continued to explain a few more things and mentioned the owner’s name. Something Jacobs. She ran the last name over and over in her head, trying to figure out if she’d heard of the man. Jacobs. Not Marc Jacobs. Or was it?

  Afraid she’d make a fool of herself asking Sara, she decided she would google the name and the label later when she got back to the apartment.

  Gordon chose that moment to excuse himself, “Clara, it was a pleasure to meet you.” Turning to his wife, he kissed her on the cheek and then waved, “You two girls don’t get into too much trouble this afternoon.”

  “Oh, we won’t.” Sara turned to her with a sad smile, “I wish I could take you sightseeing today, but I have to go into work this afternoon. We had a problem with one of the photo layouts and I have to approve the new pictures before it goes to print.”

  Clara waved her concern away, “Oh, don’t feel like you have to babysit me. I have a list of sightseeing I want to do, and then I thought I’d take a walk down through the fashion district. You know, a fashion addict in New York.” When Clara spoke the word “sightseeing” she felt the blood rushing to her cheeks. Nigel. He’d given her so many sightseeing tips.

  Thankfully Sara didn’t notice, “I will let the driver know he’s at your disposal this afternoon. Have him give you his contact number and he will meet you wherever you end up when you’re ready to head home.”

  “Thank you so much,” Clara told Sara, not feeling quite as uncomfortable when Sara hugged her this time.

  She headed out, having the driver take her first to Central Park, and then to Time’s Square. Her last stop for the day was the fashion district. Several miles long of famous stores with large window displays like she’d never seen before. New York is awesome!

  Everywhere she went, she remembered Nigel’s words and try as she might, she couldn’t stop thinking about him and their upcoming date. Humming a melody in her had and more dancing than walking, she even imagined Nigel as she surveyed the various mannequins in the store windows.

  I wonder how he’d look in that? The purple sateen suit was fitted and paired with a striped black and purple shirt, and a lavender plaid tie! No, that’s not Nigel’s style.

  She was ready to call the towncar driver when she raised her head and saw the sign for the Bella flagship store; right there on 5th Avenue. I should go in and inspect the entire collection. Yes, maybe I can learn something that gives me an edge during our interview. I sure want to impress the owner.

  Clara observed the window display, once again envisioning Nigel as the male mannequin, when movement behind the display caught her attention and her pulse sped up. Nigel? The man moved behind a rack of clothes, and she strained to see through the window, wondering if her imagination had gotten the best of her.

  The man she’d glimpsed had the same figure and dark hair as Nigel, but she’d only seen his profile. Did he have the same emerald green eyes? The stranger had obviously been instructing the sales staff. She craned her head and waited for the man to step out from behind the clothing rack again. When he still hadn’t reappeared several minutes later, she stepped inside the store and made her way to the last place she’d glimpsed him.

  The sales staff was still standing in the same place, looking at a diagram for the wall display, and discussing the best way to redo the wall without creating an unsightly mess. She searched the whole store and then shook her head. I must have been daydreaming.

  She strolled through the entire store, closely observing each piece of garment. Her admiration for the label grew ever more. Wow! Fantastic designs for young and curvy women – just like me. I could come up with a million ideas for them in an instant.

  Leaving the store, she avoided looking into the window displays as she waited for the driver to pick her up. Enough with the daydreaming and seeing Nigel in every window.

  Chapter 7

  I wonder how Clara likes New York City. Nigel tapped his pen on the drawing pad in front of him and realized he was getting absolutely no work done. He glanced at the clock and realized less than twenty minutes had gone by since the last time he’d looked. Would 7 o’clock never get here?

  His phone rang, and he answered it, “Jacobs.”

  “Nigel? Sara Shaw.”

  “Sara, it’s good to hear from you.” he smiled and leaned back in his chair.

  “How was your trip to California? Did they like your new line?”

  He almost hopped up and down in his chair. “Great. I met with the purchasing directors for several large chain stores that specialize in designer lines. Two of them were so excited by the show pieces of our new line, that they decided right there to carry the label.”

  “How wonderful!” Sara told him and he smiled. Sara was one of the few people in this industry who didn’t mind seeing someone else be successful.

  “Yes, it is. In fact, I’m desperate to meet that young designer you told me about. The buying agent for the largest West Coast department store chain was blown away. She pre-ordered a huge amount of clothing from the new line.“

  “But your new line isn’t even in production yet. Is it?” Sara asked.

  Nigel chuckled, “No! We have a truckload of work to do in the next weeks. That’s why I’m counting on the new assistant designer.”

  “You’ll love her! I talked to her this morning and she’s super excited. My gut tells me you two will make the perfect team.”

  “Great.” He leaned back from his desk and thought about all the times Sara had given him advice or just provided an ear to listen. He owed her everything. She was like a mixture of older sister and mother to him, apart from being his mentor when he was first starting out. Over the years, they had become good friends and colleagues.

  “Sorry for not calling you back yesterday. I saw that you had left a message, but the plane was delayed by more than three hours, and once I landed I still had to proof the fabric contracts.”

  Sara laughed, “Remember who you’re talking to. I completely understand. Was your supplier able to increase your order?”

  “Yes. There was one fabric lot we had to change, but it’s a non-issue. Unless you see the swatches side by side, you can’t tell the difference.” he yawned.

  “You didn’t get a lot of sleep last night?” Sara asked.

  “Just a few hours. I had a full day’s work to do, and the plane delay messed my schedule up.”

  “That’s why I hate to fly! I absolutely hate wasting time waiting in the airport and then wasting more time sitting on the plane without internet. They don’t even allow phone calls. I can’t g
et any work done that way!”

  Nigel chuckled into the phone as they’d had this conversation many times in the past. “Sara, the purpose of sitting on the plane is to unwind and not work.”

  “You’re one to talk! Who didn’t get enough sleep last night?”

  “Touché! But at least I don’t become a complete grump when I have to wait.” He had seen Sara go from being the sweetest person one would ever meet, to a raging lioness when someone or something messed with her schedule or made her wait. Not a good idea!

  “Did you at least manage to get any work done while you were waiting in the airport?”

  “Normally I’d say ‘Yes’ but I ran into the most refreshing young woman in the concourse and we spent the three hours talking. It was one of the best flight delays I ever had.” Nigel said and the thought of Clara brought unfamiliar warmth into his body. His fingers itched to touch her.

  “A young woman? That sounds promising.” Sara wanted Nigel to find someone to be happy with.

  He mentally groaned. Sara was happily married and had been after him to find a nice girl and settle down now for a couple of years. “Well, I don’t know her that well, but I’m hoping to change that. And you know what’s the best thing about her?”

  “No. What is the best thing about this young woman?”

  “She’s not a model. She’s not even working in our industry.” Clara is just an ordinary, very real, down to earth woman. And she’s going out with me tonight!

  Chapter 8

  Clara was so excited for her dinner date she was ready a full fifteen minutes before time. Nigel had insisted on coming up to the apartment to collect her, and she paced in the small living room while she waited.

  At 7 o’clock on the dot, a knock came on the door and she rushed to open it. Two steps away from the door, she stopped and took a few deep breaths. Once she’d collected herself, she opened the door and smiled into Nigel’s green eyes.

  “You look fabulous,” he told her.

  She’d chosen to wear one of her own designs again, a deep purple sheath dress that offset her eyes and accentuated the finer points of her figure. She had splurged during a huge sale at the department store where she worked and purchased a pair of four-inch heels that matched the color of the dress as if they’d been made specifically for it.

  “Thank you.” She felt the blood rushing to her cheeks. When he made a motion with his finger, she twirled around, trying not to fall off her shoes in the process. Even though falling into his arms didn’t seem like such a bad thing.

  “That dress is amazing.” He inspected her up and down, and then held out his elbow, “Ready to eat?”

  She nodded her head and allowed him to escort her to the elevator and down to the waiting towncar. “Does no one in New York drive themselves?” she asked as he assisted her into the back seat.

  “Some people do. I drive myself occasionally, but where we are headed, parking is almost impossible to find. This way, we can get out right in front of the restaurant, and when we’re ready to go, the car will return for us.”

  “So where are we headed?” she asked, curious what kind of restaurant he was taking her to.

  “Down to the harbor. There’s a wonderful little Italian place with a rooftop terrace where we can watch the boats, sea gulls, and the tourists as the wander along the pier.”

  “That sounds fun.” Fun wasn’t exactly the word to describe the romantic little restaurant he took me to. It was obvious from the warm reception he received when we arrived, that Nigel was a regular here.

  They were seated on the rooftop terrace, and Clara was mildly surprised to see that they were the only ones up there. After taking their orders, the waiter left them alone, and she blushed when she felt Nigel’s gaze focused on her.

  She stared into his eyes and found it impossible to look away. God, he’s so gorgeous! No wonder I saw him everywhere today!

  Nigel kept his eyes trained on Clara’s, feeling the chemistry between them to build. Whatever had started between them the day before was still alive and well.

  Clara was totally absorbed with Nigel; she didn’t even notice the waiter return. The sound of their drinks set down next to their plates broke the spell and they both looked down and away from each other’s eyes.

  “So, what brings you to the Big Apple?” he asked, after the waiter returned to the main level.

  “I came out here to visit a friend. I’m also hoping to find a job as a designer while I’m here.”

  “A designer?” Nigel asked.

  She nodded her head. “Yes, New York is the place to be if you want to get ahead in this profession.”

  “That is true. There are plenty of designers in this town.” Nigel quickly changed the subject. “Well, I wish you the best of luck. Did you get any sightseeing done today?”

  Again she nodded, “I did. I took your advice and went for a walk in Central Park right after lunch. I’ve seen pictures of it on the TV and the internet, but I never dreamed it was so big! It is gorgeous, just like you said.”

  Their dinner arrived, and they ate, sharing stories from their childhoods. Clara was amazed at how many things they had in common. Before they knew it, they’d eaten both dinner and dessert, and more than two hours had passed!

  A female voice interrupted their very riveting discussion whether it was better to watch the ball drop on New Year’s Eve in person, or on the TV.

  “Excuse me, sir. Would you like to buy a flower for the young lady?”

  Nigel and she both turned towards the old woman who had climbed to the terrace and was holding out a beautiful yellow rose. Nigel nodded his head and withdrew a bill from his pocket.

  “Thank you sir.” The old woman studied them and murmured, “You make a lovely couple. I know true love when I see it.”

  Both of them looked embarrassed to the floor for a moment. When the old woman had left, Nigel handed the rose to Clara. Their fingertips touched as she reached for the flower and she felt her insides melt. Nigel let his finger intertwine with hers while she smelled the alluring rose flavor. Clara looked down to see them holding hands with the rose held between their joined palms.

  “Look,” Nigel said, pointing with his free hand out over the harbor.

  She watched in awe as the lights of the city dispelled the night as darkness settled over New York harbor. In the distance she could see the shore of New Jersey, the lights of the bridges, and a variety of boats as they returned to their docking stations.

  She looked up and saw the stars sparkling, a full moon rising over the skyline of the city. A gentle breeze blowing across the top of the building made Clara shiver.

  “Ready to go?” Nigel asked still holding her hand.

  Clara nodded her head. The owners of the restaurant probably wanted to close up for the night, but she didn’t want to leave Nigel’s side. Not yet!

  He helped her into her light jacket, and she leaned against him. Smelling him. Feeling his strong body. Savoring that moment. Wishing it would last forever.

  “Interested in visiting the Statue of Liberty?”

  “At night? But I thought there weren’t any ferries after dusk.”

  “There aren’t.” Nigel gave her a wicked grin like a teenage boy and then pulled out his phone. He called someone who promised to be at the marina in twenty minutes, and then he called the driver.

  “Come on. I have a friend who owns a water taxi. He’s will drive us over.”

  She was worried and excited at the same time. “Is that allowed to do?”

  “It’ll be fine. Come on.”

  The driver took them through the streets of the harbor and then pulled into a parking area for a marina.

  “Clara, let’s go find our ride.”

  “Okay.” she was nervous about being on the water at night, but when Nigel clasped her hand tightly, all thoughts besides those of him, disappeared.

  The water taxi driver smiled brightly at them as they walked towards his boat. He whistled as he drove th
em across the water, and then he winked at Nigel before they disembarked, “Nice lady you have. I give you 30 minutes, if I don’t get back home in time, my wife will be angry. And she’s the boss.”

  Nigel nodded his acceptance of those terms and grabbed Clara’s hand, pulling her along beside him, “I want to show you my favorite place on the island.”

  She followed along with him, enjoying how peaceful the place was without the tourists who flocked there during daytime. Are we the only people on the island? She turned to look back from where they’d come and gasped at the sight of the breathtaking panorama. New York City is an amazing place!

  Nigel walked her around the island, giving her tidbits of information about the place as if he was an actual tour guide. Their last stop was a railing that looked out over the harbor, the skyline of the city shining brightly in the dark.

  He stepped in behind her, wrapping his arms around her from behind and pulling her back into his chest. She felt her hair blowing in the wind, and the air smelled of the sea. Clara licked her lips and then grinned. The air tastes like salt! Guess it doesn’t matter which ocean you stand by. The air is always tastes like salt!

  The sudden feeling of the evidence of Nigel’s attraction to her digging into her lower back, brought her back into the present. The sexual attraction between them was instantaneous, and for a tiny moment she was tempted to make love with him right then and there.

  When Nigel turned her around to face him, she wrapped her arms over his shoulders, “Wow.”

  “Wow back. Enjoying the view?” Nigel asked.

  Clara didn’t have the chance to answer. Nigel dipped his head, taking her lips in a kiss that was the most passionate kiss ever. It was the kind of kiss that one saw on the movie screen. A soul shattering, bone deep, kiss that nourished her soul and had her yearning for more. A kiss that entailed emotions she didn’t know existed.