by Julia Kent
“You’re right, its the most gorgeous ring I’ve ever seen. Its absolutely amazing!”
I admired the ring as we sat on the ground in front of where our new home would one day stand. The sun caught the blue stone and reminded me of my ocean blue chiffon gown. I made the right decision coming home, but if I could be in two places at once I would. Will leaned back as he examined my face, his head tilted.
“Wait a second. What about Paris? I never meant for you to come home early,” he said.
“I was worried about you. I couldn’t stay without knowing how you were. You went through a lot. We went through a lot in our short time out there. I don’t know that I could do my best with the collection if my head was out here with you.”
“Then you have to go back. Take the jet. I couldn’t forgive myself if you let your dream go because of me.”
“I don’t have time to do all the alterations. Even with Dianna still out there, I have my samples here.”
“Then find another assistant. Surely between the three of you, you can do it. I’ll call Mimi and see if I can get your slot switched.”
My mind raced. Another assistant? The only other person I really knew was Ashley and she couldn’t fly out to Paris with me. But wait, maybe…
I pulled out my cell phone and found the number I had added in just a few months ago. Joshua Cane was my only hope.
“Hi, Joshua. Its Deborah Hansen. I don’t know if you remember me, but—”
“Of course I remember you, sweetheart. I’ve been keeping tabs on you since we met. How’s Paris?”
“I’m in Canyon Cove.”
“Did something happen?”
“Yes and no. Its a long story. I need a favor that involves you flying with me back to Paris today. Any chance you can get away and help me out? You did say us designers needed to stick together.”
“Sweetie, you had me at Paris. Give me a couple of hours to take care of things here. We’ll make sure your designs look fabulous on that runway.”
***
Will was able to get me a one day extension because another designer dropped out due to time constraints. Joshua and I worked the entire flight using Dianna’s measurements, but it still wasn’t enough. We took alterations all the way to just before the show. While Dianna took care of planning hair, makeup, and accessories for the models, Joshua and I finished any last minute fixes right on the models as they wore the clothes.
In the end the models looked perfect and no one had any idea that we took it down to the wire. Dianna, Joshua, and I watched the show from a back stage monitor. The models worked it on the runway. Just like Joshua foretold, they looked fabulous.
As I watched the models strut down the runway, I couldn’t tear my eyes away from them. The clothing looked even better than I ever imagined. I had a permanent smile on my face and the day would have been perfect if Will had been there with me.
We only had enough models for my original collection, but I couldn’t let my new design go ignored. Knowing that as the designer I’d be going down the runway, I wore the Eiffel Tower inspired cream colored dress. The last model wore my ocean blue chiffon gown and as she came back up the runway, I stepped out and walked with her as we led the rest of the models back out. The crowd applauded as my models lined up.
Looking out at the faceless crowd for a moment, I thought about how lucky I was that I didn’t fall on my face as I walked with the models. That was all I needed, to become fashion roadkill at my first show.
Before turning back, the model next to me bent down closer to my level and pointed into the crowd. I looked where she pointed and had to blink in disbelief. Will sat in the crowd next to Amanda Cunning and Tim Ross and the three of them rose to their feet as they clapped. Humbled, I lowered my head and curtsied, thanking them from afar. It was my dream come true.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Deborah
The sun beat down barely giving any escape even under the trees. Looking at the old brick campus buildings I had my classes in, I couldn’t believe I was back at graduation just a year later. Wearing the black cap and gown again, this time with a different sash over my shoulders, I sat on a white wooden folding chair just off the side of the stage.
Will sat beside me in a tan suit with a green print tie that matched the flecks in his hazel eyes. As he held my hand, I couldn’t help but admire my engagement ring. It didn’t matter how many months I had worn it, the way the light caught the circle of diamonds around the large deep blue sapphire always took my breath away.
Joshua Cane took the stage wearing a black cap and gown with the same sash I had over my shoulders. He winked in my direction as he approached the podium and smiled at the audience.
“At this time last year, I had the opportunity to meet today’s honoree, Deborah Hansen. I recognized her talent and practically begged her to work for me. She turned me down. Luckily for everyone else, she knew she was destined for better things.
“Deborah has a way of endearing herself to people. Its in her smile, her personality, and her drive. She chased her dream by taking a job at Hargrove’s and won the opportunity to show an original collection at Fashion Week in Paris. A feat many designers dream of but never reach.
“So you can imagine my surprise when Deborah called me, home early from Paris after an emergency, and asked if I would fly back to Paris with her. Deborah is the hardest, most creative person I have ever had the pleasure of working with. And its because of our mutual work ethic that a partnership was born.
“But I’m not here to talk about our success though. I’m here to talk about Deborah’s.
“In the past year, Deborah has had her first collection at Fashion Week, opened Hansen + Cane with her very handsome design partner, started her own line exclusively sold at Hargrove’s fine department stores, and has been so busy she’s been forced to turn down design requests from some of the hottest movie and music stars.
“As if that wasn’t enough, she was also instrumental in the creation of the Working Designer Grant for students like herself who have no choice but to juggle both work and school.
“To honor all of her hard work, I’m here to present Deborah with an honorary degree for her incredible devotion to the art of fashion design. Everyone please put your hands together for one of my dearest friends and business partners, Miss Deborah Hansen.” Joshua stepped back from the podium clapping.
Humbled and embarrassed I slowly rose from my seat while everyone clapped. I climbed the stage, not very different from last year when I got my diploma, but feeling so much more confident and happy.
My heart raced in my chest knowing I needed to say a few words. Hugging Joshua I took a deep breath before turning around and facing the large crowd of students, their families and friends, and the school administrators. I looked down at Will and smiled back at him, feeling better as I nervously spun my engagement ring around my finger.
“Thank you for this incredible honor. I can’t help but think the school ran out of people to give this to,” I said as the crowd laughed politely. After taking another deep breath I continued. “I want to dedicate this honorary degree to my grandmother. If it wasn’t for her endless support and patience, I would’ve never been able to achieve the things I’ve done.”
In the distance I heard a rumble of thunder and smiled knowing my grandma was watching over me as she had since her death. I knew she’d be proud of all my successes if she had been alive to see them. I also knew she would love Will as much as I did.
Missing her, my eyes filled with tears as they always did when I thought about her too much. I blinked trying to hold the tears back as my vision blurred. After swallowing hard, I forced a smile.
“I’m really no good at this and no one wants to hear a long speech, so really, from the bottom of my heart, thank you.”
The crowd applauded again as I walked off the stage and back to my seat next to Will who hugged me and held out a handkerchief. I couldn’t help but laugh when I saw it, making the
tears finally flow down my cheeks.
Will gently wiped my tears with the handkerchief then kissed my forehead. Moving closer to me, he put his arm around my shoulders and I leaned into him.
“I’m so proud of you, Deborah. There’s just one small thing.”
“Is something wrong?”
“Yes, there is. You see I have this suit that needs to be tailored and I’m still waiting for you to show me that new method of measuring my inseam.”
He grinned that same lopsided knowing grin from the first day we met. His eyes twinkled mischievously and I laughed surprised he remembered that. I had to be the luckiest woman alive. Not only did I have my dream job, but I had my very own Mr. Sexy who wanted to be with me forever.
The End
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I MARRIED A BILLIONAIRE
By Melanie Marchande
Chapter One
When your billionaire boss’s attorney contacts you out of the blue, your first instinct is to assume something is horribly wrong and that you’re about to pay the price. I still remember the way my throat tightened, the sweat on my palms - what was it about? I was sure I’d done nothing wrong, but if Mr. Thorne decided I had, there wasn’t much recourse.
My boss was notoriously difficult to work for. Thankfully, I rarely saw him. At most he was a vaguely menacing presence in the corner of my eye; a whiff of expensive cologne as he passed by my desk. To him I was surely no more than a line on the payroll sheets that he blindly signed every quarter; I wasn’t even confident that he knew my name.
And I liked it that way. I’d had overinvolved, micromanaging bosses before, and I much preferred a cold distant figure that I didn’t even have to speak to. I worked hard - I didn’t need someone hanging over my shoulder to make sure I was doing everything right.
As one of the graphic designers, I reported directly to Lisa, the head of Creative. She was pleasant enough, but I’d never gotten any feedback from her other than a nod of acknowledgement when I showed her my mockups and designs. Quite a few of them made it onto marketing and training materials, so I assumed Mr. Thorne liked my work.
So when a man approached me in the hallway and introduced himself as Mr. Thorne’s attorney, the only thought that popped into my head was that I had somehow unwittingly committed copyright or trademark infringement, costing the company millions of dollars, and I would be fired on the spot. Or perhaps I’d accidentally incorporated something obscene into one of my designs…
“Mr. Thorne would like to see you about a special project.”
I snapped out of my panic mode.
“A…project?”
I must have sounded skeptical, because he went on: “It’s very important. A logo redesign for the company. He wants to keep it quiet for the meantime, but he asked to speak to you specifically.”
I was torn between flattery, and a curious sense of foreboding. I was proud of myself, of course, for attracting his attention. Then again, the attention of a man like that might be something I’d regret having in the very near future.
“Right now?” was all I could muster, for all the thoughts swirling in my brain.
“Yes,” said the attorney. “Right now.”
I followed him down the long hallway that led to Mr. Thorne’s office. It was separated from the rest of us by enough distance to make him seem untouchable. I wondered if he’d learned about that in one of his many management conferences.
I hesitated at the door. I’d never been inside his office before. Aside from Lisa, I didn’t know anyone here who had. I felt like the attorney would soon ask me to take off my shoes, or perform some act of contrition.
Instead, he simply pushed the door open and walked in, gesturing for me to follow.
The office was not at all what I expected. I would have imagined it as something Spartan and cold, with a lot of empty space, no human touch whatsoever. Instead, the first thing that caught my eye when I walked in was the variety of tropical plants thriving around Mr. Thorne. Some were clustered by the window, some featured in a small alcove against the back wall, and a few small ones even lived on his massive mahogany desk. The multitude of grow lights gave the office a soft, welcoming glow. The ceiling, too, was just the right height - not so tall that the space was forbidding, but not so low that it felt stuffy and cramped.
Mr. Thorne himself stood in the center of the room, by a grouping of lounge chairs and a small coffee table. He was smiling guardedly. Or maybe that was just his normal smile. I didn’t think I’d ever looked at him fully in the face before, and I’d certainly never seen him smile. It made him look younger. Not that he’d looked old before, but the difference was marked. I actually had no idea about his age, but I’d always guessed him to be in his early thirties.
“Please, Ms. Wainwright,” he said, gesturing towards one of the chairs. “Take a seat. Can I offer you something to drink? Coffee? Water? Juice?”
I shook my head.
“Before we begin, I want to assure you that this meeting is absolutely nothing to be concerned about. I have no issues with your job performance here. I have a business proposal for you, which I believe to be mutually beneficial. My attorney is here to oversee our negotiations and ensure that each of us is getting a fair deal. Do you follow so far?”
I nodded, swallowing hard. I suspected he was about to ask me to do something that was against every business ethics seminar I’d ever been forced to sit through.
He took a seat in one of the chairs opposite me, unbuttoning his suit jacket. “I want you to understand that if you refuse, your employment here would not be jeopardized in any way.”
The attorney was twirling his pen between two fingers, staring at the floor. I got the feeling he wasn’t very happy with what was going on, but he wasn’t about to say anything as long as he was getting his paycheck.
“Ms. Wainright, as I’m sure you know, I’ve been living and working in this country for a long time. This place is my home. This is where I have built everything that’s important to me. But, as it happens, I was born just across the border, in Toronto. Unfortunately, I put my trust in the wrong person to handle the paperwork that should have allowed me to legally live and work here. He stole a lot of money fr
om me, but worse than that, he failed to properly file my papers. I was not aware of this until I received notice from the INS that I was no longer welcome here.” He paused, fiddling with his cufflinks. “You’re an intelligent woman, I’m sure you can see where this is going.”
Well. This certainly had taken an interesting turn.
I forced myself to think about this logically, if such a thing were possible. He was a good-looking guy, of course - no question about that - in fact, I couldn’t help but think I’d look slightly dingy by comparison, on his arm. But obviously he didn’t think so. Or he didn’t care.
I cleared my throat. “Mr. Thorne…sir…can I ask why you picked me?”
He looked at me for a moment. “Your supervisor,” he said, finally. “Mrs. Anderson. Lisa. She’s one of the few people who know about my…problem. When she came to me and told me that you and she had several conversations where you expressed distaste for the institution of marriage, I thought you might be interested.”
“That’s - quite a leap of logic,” I said, frowning at him. If I’d known Lisa was practically in Mr. Thorne’s pocket, I never would have had so many deeply personal conversations with her. She’d just gone on maternity leave, so I wouldn’t even have an opportunity to corner her and ask her what the hell she was thinking. Not that I’d dare. I tried to think of other things I’d said to her, my ears starting to burn as I searched my mind.
Mr. Thorne bit his lip. “I’ve offended you,” he said, standing up. “I apologize.”
“Wait,” I said. “Are you serious about this?”
“Yes,” he said. “Of course.”
“You’re not playing some kind of elaborate prank on me?”
His smile returned. “What sort of person do you think I am?”
The attorney made a small noise, shifting in his chair.