I turned and glared at Celeste, my hands clenching at my sides. "Is this true? Did you kick out a four-year-old girl because she smeared chocolate on your couch?"
Celeste's upper lip curled into a sneer. "I told her to keep her grimy hands to herself and she wouldn't listen. So I taught her a lesson in respecting her elders and doing what she's told because she's clearly being spoiled. I thought it would do her some good. And the sofa is a rare collection piece imported all the way from Bombay and—"
"And you could've just billed me for it!" I snapped before marching past her and following Gilles out of the shop.
He was crouched down in front of a sobbing Rose who leaned against the wall, her head down, her tiny hands clutching her now-melting, half-eaten Wagon Wheel.
"Oh, sweetie. What happened?" I asked the girl gently, holding her by the shoulders.
"I d-didn't mean to. D-didn't know... I got s-some chocolate on my h-hand," Rose said brokenly between sobs, refusing to look at me. "I said I'm s-sorry but she got m-mad..."
I gritted my teeth. "Did she hurt you?"
Rose slowly shook her head. "N-no but she told me to stay here and I c-couldn't see nice d-dresses anymore. I'm sorry Shar-wot."
My heart squeezed for the litte girl. I wrapped my arms around her just as the front door burst open and Celeste came storming out with the grumpy security guy, a frowning Felicity and a confused Noli tailing behind them.
Gilles got up and dealt with the guard who was loudly expressing his opinion on Gilles's interference. Their argument was quickly escalating but my attention and anger were directed completely at Celeste.
"What were you thinking throwing a four-year-old out on the street?" I demanded at her as I bent to pick up Rose and hold her in my arms. "What if something happened to her? I brought her here and she's my responsibility. If she damaged anything or misbehaved, you should've come to me and let me deal with it."
I was doing my best to be civil about this because Rose didn't need to witness a screaming match or me losing my cool. The poor girl was already frightened enough without having to listen to my very explicit opinion of Celeste.
The woman's nostrils flared. "Clearly you couldn't be relied on to keep her out of trouble in the first place. You should've known better than to bring a dirty little rugrat in a fine establishment like this. But I don't expect you'd really know that considering you would've never stepped foot in here if it weren't for your rich fiance."
I barely heard the loud gasps that came from Felicity and Noli and the rest of our audience.
With blood rushing to my temples and my hands itching to claw stripes down Celeste's overly made-up face, I stalked over to her, shifting Rose to my other hip and stopping until I was about only two or three inches away from the woman, looking up at her without hesitation even if she towered over me by a good half a foot.
"You're right. I would've never stepped foot in here if it weren't for Brandon's high opinion of your design team's competence and customer service but clearly you're the exception for either because you are neither competent nor able to treat your customers right," I bit out angrily.
Celeste's face was beet red but I had no intention of letting up quite yet. "I know it's too much to ask for you to treat people equally because your brain is quite possibly filled to the brim with greed and arrogance—or just simply malfunctioning due to the lack of oxygen from your tightly laced corset—but I didn't think you'd go so far as deal with a child like an infant yourself."
The woman's eyes rounded with shock and fury but before she could open her mouth to speak, I held up a hand to stay her. "Oh, please, don't waste your breath on someone like me. You've done enough of that kissing my ass because Brandon's wallet is at stake. Don't worry. You won't have to deal with me anymore."
Nodding at Noli and Felicity, who were both wide-eyed, I went on in a strong, clear voice. "I want Noli to continue working on my gowns for the wedding and the engagement party because he's a gifted artist who doesn't treat me like dirt. I will do it as long as you're nowhere near the vicinity whenever me and my people are in. If you don't agree to it, I will take my business elsewhere, pay them a good chunk of money to hire Noli away from you, and you'd get nothing. Take it or leave it."
It was incredibly bold and reckless of me to throw down the gauntlet like that especially when I personally didn't have the money to do it. If push came to shove, I would pay for it with my own money from the million dollars Brandon was giving me. I just couldn't stomach working with Celeste for another minute—not after what she'd done to Rose on top of everything else. I just prayed to God that the whole thing wouldn't cost more than a million dollars.
There was a long, pregnant pause as Celeste huffed and puffed in her outrage at my demands but the sudden flashing of lights startled her. As she swung her head around and realized that the sidewalk was crawling with paps, color drained from her face and her eyes bulged out like a deer in headlights.
I tensed, doing my best not to grimace, clutching Rose closer to me.
Crap! Totally forgot about them. Just what I needed.
"Fine!" Celeste snapped, turning a murderous glare at me. "Fine! Have it your way!"
And with that, she whirled around and stormed back into the store, bumping past Felicity who nearly lost her balance if Noli didn't catch her by the elbow.
As soon as she was gone, the paps crowded around, prompting Gilles to step forward and block me and Rose as the questions surged and the cameras flashed simultaneously.
"Ms. Samuels, what happened?"
"Is that your dress for the engagement party?"
"Who's the little girl—"
"—socialites' favorite design house—"
"—looking great, Charlotte!"
Biting back a curse, I turned to Felicity and settled Rose in her arms.
"Sweetie, are you alright?" I asked in a gentle voice, touching the little girl's cheek which was sticky with tears. My anger seeped out quickly.
Rose nodded, biting her lip and snuggling deeper into Felicity's hold.
I looked up at Fel and smiled. "Hang on to her, will you? I just need to talk to these guys and then we'll get back inside. I don't want any of you going back in without me in case that dragon's still hanging around."
"Are you sure, Char?" Felicity asked. "You don't have to face them right now."
I straightened up and beamed at her. "I'm fine. I can handle this. I got it."
Sure. Like you just didn't give the city's top design house's manager a public set down. No big deal, right?
I regretted the timing and the location but not once did I regret the reason. I may have been a little passionate in my reaction but there was nothing to be ashamed of in defending a little girl and myself to someone who clearly valued us less than human.
"Hello, folks," I greeted the paps warmly as I came around from behind Gilles and nodded at the half a dozen reporters who were huddled together. "I'm glad you could make it today. Sorry about that spectacle."
"It sounded like she deserved it! Heard she's a complete snob," someone from the back of the group said out loud, stirring some snickers from the rest.
I shook my head. "It's alright, guys. We've settled that score. Now, as you can see, I'm not really dressed properly for a public interview so please be kind with your pictures and commentaries. Ask away and I'll do my best to answer. You've got—" I flicked my wrist up to check my watch. "—eight and a half minutes left."
They sure knew how to milk all eight and a half minutes, alright.
By the time we were done, I knew some of their first names and even some of their recommendations for the best seafood place in the city.
They put up no protest when Gilles declared the interview over and led us back inside.
Celeste was nowhere to be found when we returned to the shop.
Noli, exhausted and still a bit dazed, asked me if I wanted him to use another design for the engagement party dress.
I stared at
him like he was crazy. "Another design? But I love this one. And everyone said this dress looks amazing."
"But that's the point—everyone's already seen it," he emphasized.
"So? I'm not going to waste a perfectly gorgeous dress just because I was accidentally wearing it during a very public squabble," I said as reasonably as I could. "It might need a little cleaning but it's perfect and I'll wear it."
Noli didn't look convinced. "Well... if you're sure."
I grinned at him. "I'm sure. Maybe just do a few tweaks to it or something. I trust you to figure it out."
The man smiled. "Thank you, Charlotte."
I took his hand and squeezed it. "No, thank you, Noli, for putting up with me when I often didn't know what I wanted or couldn't keep still for you and your team. I'm sorry for putting you on the spot earlier. I hope you're not going to get into trouble for that."
He sighed and shook his head. "Nah. A lot of people aren't pleased with Celeste. She's overreached herself this time. Rose was just an easy target."
My jaw clenched in anger at the reminder but I just gave him a stiff nod. "I know. I should've paid more attention to Rose but still, there was no need to go that far."
"I agree," Noli said, this time smiling broadly at me. "Now, don't blame yourself for it. You were a sight to behold when you were challenging Celeste in your dress and sneakers, your hair wild and your face determined, holding Rose against your hip. You'd make a great mother someday, Charlotte. I have no doubt."
Mother? I'm nineteen and a faux-fiancee-soon-to-be-faux-wife. I couldn't possibly have faux-children.
I cracked up laughing and just told Noli to go help me get out of the dress I'd unquestionably ruined.
If Brandon got wind of my little stunt today, we may never even get our little faux-wedding.
******
Brandon definitely got wind of it. It was hard for him not to when it made its rounds through social media. It would be all over the papers by tomorrow but I was too tired to care at this point.
I could tell he knew the instant I saw his face when he arrived on my doorstep around two in the afternoon, a good three hours ahead of schedule, still wearing his business suit.
"Please don't fire either Felicity or Gilles," I blurted out, bracing myself for the lecture I knew was coming. "They couldn't have stopped me even if they tried. It was my call to make and I made it as I saw fit."
His frown deepened as he nodded. "Good."
"Good?" I repeated in total bewilderment. "Do you even know what happened?"
"Gilles briefed me on it," he answered, his tone still grave. "I'm glad I wasn't there or I would've called up her boss and gotten her fired on the spot."
I was stunned.
I expected anger, disappointment, frustration—with none forthcoming from Brandon, I was left reeling.
"B-but I..." I started weakly, my voice trailing off before I cleared my throat. "I mean, a Mrs. Maxfield wouldn't do what I did."
Brandon's brow arched. "A Mrs. Maxfield wouldn't let anyone look down on their noses at her."
I narrowed my eyes at him. "I vividly recall you doing the same thing to me."
He smiled. "Not for very long. I quickly realized if I'd continued to do so, you would've just smashed my nose in and I like it the way it is."
"Smart guy," I said, smiling reluctantly. "Still, I probably got a little carried away. The paps were there and everything."
"A Mrs. Maxfield wouldn't be afraid to speak her mind in the defense of the weak and innocent," Brandon said, reaching out and tweaking my nose playfully before I swatted it away. "A Mrs. Maxfield doesn't let anyone talk her down."
"I'm beginning to like this version of Mrs. Maxfield," I said with a giggle before I threw my arms around him for a quick hug. "I'm glad you're back, Brandon."
His arms instantly gathered around me and for a moment, I let myself enjoy the smell and feel of him. My heart ached.
I missed you, dammit.
I quickly pulled away before we could get comfortable and led him inside the house. "Come, I want you to meet Rose. She's been gushing all day about you being a prince. Her mom Aimee has been feeding her lies but I thought there was no harm in not letting her learn the truth about you."
I laughed when he scowled at me.
"I am a prince charming. Ask all the ladies."
I gave him a nauseated face. "I'd rather not. Be nice to Rose, okay?"
He gave me an incredulous and offended look. "I'm always nice to children. Do you think I'm an ogre?"
I pulled him into the kitchen where Rose and I were making cookies for the Schuberts during the Charlotte's Me-Time in my calendar today.
"No, just ornery," I teased before I turned to the little girl who was kneeling on one of the chairs, spreading some royal icing on a spare cookie I'd given her with a little rubber spatula.
"Rose, meet Brandon," I said as I touched the girl's shoulder so she'd look up. She'd been quiet and despondent since the incident at Marcellina's this morning and not even an indulgent food-tasting could cheer her back up. "Brandon, meet Rose."
Brandon hunched down on his knees so he was eye-level with the little girl. "Hi, Rose. It's nice to meet you. I heard you kept Charlotte company today while she tried on her dresses and tasted all kinds of food."
Rose's big eyes studied Brandon for a moment before she nodded slightly.
"Well, I'm grateful you did because Charlotte needs smart, sweet girls like you to keep her out of trouble sometimes," Brandon said witih a grin and a wink at Rose. "Between you and me, she gets into trouble lots."
"Brandon!" I chided under my breath but he just laughed as Rose broke into a grin and glanced at me guiltily because she was nodding in agreement.
"What fast friends you two are," I grumbled although I was smiling faintly, grateful that Brandon was able to cheer her up a little. "I guess it'll just be up to me to finish decorating the rest of the cookies. We need to drop them off in an hour."
Brandon rose and placed a large paper bag I didn't even realize he'd been holding on one of the chairs. "I'm not very good at cookie-decorating but I can help. Before I do though, I want you to see the goodies I brought for you."
I looked at him in question but he just grinned and reached into the paper bag.
"I brought you two bottles of Canada's best ice wines," he said as he carefully set down two slim dark wine bottles on the table before reaching into the bag again. "Then I brought you a bottle of decadent maple syrup. A box of maple syrup fudge. A polar bear soapstone carving. A toque—"
"What the heck is a toque?" I asked as he pulled out a bright red ski cap of some sort and fitted it over my head.
He laughed. "That is a toque. And the last thing—a loonie."
He took my hand and placed a gold-colored, Canadian one-dollar coin on my palm with the picture of a loon—a bird, apparently—embossed on one side.
My heart was doing somersaults but I managed to contain myself and just smile up at him as I enclosed my hand around the coin, repeating his earlier statement to me this morning, "You are such a dork."
He grinned. "I have you to blame."
"Thank you, Brandon," I said as I stood up on my tiptoes and kissed him on the cheek.
"Eew, kissing!"
Rose's scandalized cry drew our attention back to her and we just laughed.
Brandon shrugged off his jacket, loosened his tie and and rolled up his sleeves. "Right. Work to do. How can I help?"
A half hour passed with the three of us making simple border designs on the sugar cookies, talking and laughing easily. We let the finished cookies air-dry on cooling racks while I cleaned up.
Rose was sitting on the couch, watching some TV, when Brandon walked back into the kitchen to help out.
"Do you have a red dress?" he asked as he picked up a dish towel and started drying one of the mixing bowls.
I flushed but nodded. "Yeah. I found one from the dreses Armina picked out."
"Too bad,"
he said with a rakish grin. "I was so certain you'd keep protesting and I'd have the opportuntiy to strip you naked and put you in a red dress myself."
I flicked my hand and sprinkled some water on him. "Brandon, there's a four-year-old in the house, for God's sakes."
"So? Kids have younger siblings. How do you think that happened?" he asked in a matter-of-fact tone.
"Whoa, we are not making babies," I said with an incredulous snort. "We're not even married yet."
Eyes softening into a lazy, sensual gaze, he smiled. "Soon."
Before I realized what he was about, he leaned in and licked a spot on my cheek. "Hey!"
He rumbled out a laugh and dabbed his thumb on the same spot. "You had a little bit of icing there. Couldn't let it go to waste."
Heat spread across my cheeks at his touch and the intimacy of the moment, especially as his smile faded and his lips parted, his eyes growing hooded.
I took a tentative step forward, licking my lower lip as my gaze dropped to his mouth.
"Charlotte..." My name stumbled past his lips in a rasp whisper as he took a step closer to me, his hand grasping my arm to pull me forward. "Baby..."
"I wanna walk to the park pweees!"
Brandon and I started at Rose's sudden announcement and we pulled away. The little girl was walking up toward us, clutching her purple backpack.
"Mommy said I could feed the ducks with Shar-wot," she added, her dark brown eyes darting from me to Brandon and back. "D'ya wanna come with us, Bwandon?"
Brandon grinned and ruffled Rose's hair. "Yeah, of course. I'm game if you both are. Haven't fed ducks at the park for ages!"
Rose wrinkled her nose. "'Coz you're old now."
I laughed as Brandon's brows rose in mock offense to which Rose just giggled.
"Not too old to give you a piggy-back ride," he said as he pulled off his tie and took Rose's hand. "But only if you're nice to me and the ducks."
"I'll go box up the cookies so we can drop them off but that'll be just five minutes," I told them as I grabbed a small pile of flattened cardboard treat boxes that Mrs. Schubert had provided. "You can wait for me outside by the front porch if you like."
The Mischievous Mrs. Maxfield Page 11