“I have to go now. I have a bunch of things to do. Did I tell you I’m taking a trip to California?” She rolled her eyes. “Oh, I see—Randy did. Well, anyway, I really do have to run. I’ll talk to you later. I promise to come see you as soon as I get back from California. We have a lot of planning to do for the wedding. I love you. I’ll see you when I get back.”
She hung up the phone and sat back in her chair, tapping her fingernails lightly on the desk. Her mother was right, she was depressed, but she couldn’t very well tell her mother that, not when she had called to give her such wonderful news. She was honestly happy for her mother and Grant, but for some reason the news had seemed to put a damper on an otherwise cheerful day.
Standing up from behind her desk, she strode to the window and opened it. The wind brought fresh air into the stale room. Within minutes, she realized her thin satin blouse, and tightly tailored skirt, were no protection from the fierce, winter wind. Shivering, she rubbed her hands quickly up and down her arms and closed the window.
The buzzer on her phone rang just as she reached the side of her desk. She reached for it, but Sandy’s voice boomed over the speaker before she could lift it from its cradle.
“Jessica! I have to warn you. Mr. Phillip Stewart is on his way up to see you.”
“What!” Jessica shrieked into the speaker. “Sandy, I don’t want to see him right now. I’m busy. Couldn’t you have told him I wasn’t in?”
“I’m sorry, but he didn’t give me the chance. He walked right past my desk. I ran after him, but he brushed me aside. He said he had to see you immediately.”
What else was going to go wrong today? “It’s okay. I guess I have to face him sometime.”
She was waiting at the door when he knocked loudly on it. She opened it quickly, trying desperately to present him with a smile. “Good morning, Mr. Stewart. I wasn’t expecting you today. Do we have an appointment I forgot about?”
He scowled at her, but obvious pleasure showed in his eyes as they roamed over her body, making her feel scantily clothed. “We had an appointment two days ago. I waited two hours for you to show up for lunch. Now, I demand to know where you were,” he boomed.
She winced at his anger. “I’m sorry, but, something came up. I called your office to cancel; your secretary assured me you would get the message. So, if anyone is to blame for your inconvenience, it is she.”
She said this with a confidence she really didn’t feel. It was evident from the fury flashing across his face that Mr. Phillip Stewart was not a man interested in playing the blame game. Judging from the surprised expression on his face, he wasn’t used to women standing up to him, either.
“Now look here,” he said, getting right into her face, “when I make a business arrangement with someone, I expect to hold them accountable. Surely, if I cannot trust you to show up for a simple little luncheon date, I ought to think twice about leaving you in charge of the most important fashion layout my company has ever put forth. I’m paying your company to be at my beck-and-call. You got it?” He slapped his fist against his thigh. “Damn it, I knew it would be foolhardy to trust a woman.”
Jessica was outraged. What a chauvinistic fool he was. Never, in all her life, had she heard such an outrageous statement. She glared at him, suddenly turning all her fury toward him.
“Mr. Stewart! If you think I am going to stand here and let you talk to me in this manner, then you had better think twice. I will have you know that I am one of the best photographers in all of New York, despite the fact that I am a woman. So please, if you have any reservations about a ‘woman’ doing what you so obviously think is a ‘man’s job’ then you can take this whole project and shove it up your ass!”
She spat these words with so much anger she began to shake. She watched her opponent with rapid breath, aware that some of her hair had fallen loose from the clasp that held it. She imagined herself a frightful sight with arms straight at her side, fists clenched, her cheeks red and puffed, and her jaw thrust forward in a defiant way. Phillip, however, thought she never looked more beautiful. He grinned at her. It was some time before he spoke. The lustful smile heightened her anger.
“My, we are a bit of a vixen, aren’t we?” He grinned. “It doesn’t matter; I like my women spicy.” He took a step forward and laughed when she took a step backward. He was taking pleasure in her discomfort. He stopped just inches from her. “I admire spunk in a woman. It proves she has real backbone.”
Reaching out, he picked up a strand of her hair and caressed it lovingly. Then he slid his hand down to cup the back of her neck. His smile was threatening. She thought for a moment he might kiss her, but he dropped his hand and stepped backward.
“I’ll be watching you, Miss Crawford. I warn you; I’m not an easy man to please.”
He strode confidently to the door. As he reached it, he turned back toward her. “You look lovely in that color. You should wear it more often. In fact, I want you to always wear it when I see you.”
Anger surged through her veins. Picking up her empty coffee cup, she hurled it at him, just as he closed the door. It struck the door with tremendous force, sending fragments of glass in every direction. She could hear his thunderous laugh as he bounded down the corridor. She was so furious that she felt like crying. She wouldn’t though. She wasn’t about to give him the satisfaction.
She slumped in a chair that stood against the wall. Despair hovered over her like a heavy blanket. She had worked too hard just to hand over this project now. Besides, at this point it was her main link with Brandon. If things were called to a halt now, she wasn’t sure she would ever see him again. There had to be a way to deal with Phillip Stewart, and she was determined to find it.
She was still sitting there, awhile later, when Amy entered her office. She gasped when she saw the shattered cup lying all over the office. “What happened here?” she asked as she bent over to pick up some of the larger pieces. She looked up to notice the scornful expression on her face. “Did you do this?” she asked, confused. Jessica nodded but said nothing. Amy walked to her side. “What on earth would make you do something like this?”
Only one word crossed her lips. “Stewart!” she spat.
Amy now understood what had propelled Jessica to do such a destructive thing. She had seen Phillip Stewart enter the building but had thought nothing of it. Now she wished she had come to ask about his visit.
Jessica waved her friend away from the mess. “Leave it. I’ll call housekeeping to come and pick it up.” Amy obeyed. “He threatened to take the project away.” Her eyes glared. “He says he made a mistake entrusting control to a woman.”
Amy felt the color rise to her cheeks. Her anger was much the same as Jessica’s had been earlier. “What does he want,?”
She looked at Amy and saw ignorance on her face. “Me. He wants me.”
Amy’s eyes opened wide. “You aren’t honestly going to succumb to his advances, are you?”
“Of course, not, but I must think of a way to stall him. I can’t lose this project. But I’ll not have him scarring my reputation, either.” She shook her head. “There has to be a way to get to him.”
“I may be out of line, but do you really think this project is so important. I mean, we’ve handled dozens of projects just like it. Why are you so obsessed with this one?”
She stared at Amy with a look of exasperation. Her hands flew up, waving in an impatient gesture. “You mean aside from the fact that I’ve put in ten hour days and done hours of sketching, interviewing, and rearranging budgets? This project is an opener for me. Amy, do you realize what the success of this project could mean for my career? People will finally realize my talent. Not just for the camera, but also for everything else that goes along with it. Phillip Stewart is an icon in the fashion industry. He opens doors.”
She walked the few paces to her drafting table. “Look at these. I have spent all morning sketching just the perfect scene for these layouts, and they’re good.” She
thrusts the pages at Amy, who accepted them somewhat hesitantly. She had never seen Jessica this stressed out before. She acted as if she were on the verge of a major meltdown. She suspected it was more than just Phillip Stewart making her so edgy.
“They’re good. There is no doubt about that, but look at you. You’re a nervous wreck. You’re snapping at people right and left, throwing cups against walls. You spend hours at a time locked up in either your studio or your office. We hardly ever go out for lunch anymore, and I’ll bet you’re having trouble sleeping at night, aren’t you?”
Jessica’s shoulders slumped. “How did you guess?”
Amy came and placed her arm around Jessica’s shoulder. “You have all the symptoms of stress. If you don’t take it easy, you’re going to have a nervous breakdown. Take a deep breath, slow down. Let someone else take over some of your responsibilities. You’re trying to run this as a one-person show. Don’t forget you have other people here who are capable of helping you; learn to delegate.” She sighed, took a deep breath. “And what about John, he’s supposed to be your assistant and you’ve hardly let him do a thing. Let him take some of your responsibilities. Take off some time. Aren’t you the one who’s always preaching about teamwork?”
Jessica shook her head. “I can’t. Phillip Stewart is just waiting for me to let down my guard. Then he will fly in for the kill. I know this man’s reputation; he doesn’t take no for an answer. Even if I abandon this project, he’ll think of another way to get at me. I don’t know why, but he has set his sights on me, and he made it clear that he means to have me.”
She told Amy about the incident over the luncheon engagement. Amy agreed that it might very well have been what had set him off.
“No one says ‘no’ to Phillip Stewart. Whatever compelled you to cancel lunch?”
Her face turned as crimson as the blouse she was wearing. “I was occupied with Brandon,” she said, grinning.
Amy rolled her eyes, a grin breaking out to match Jessica’s own grin. “I just hope it was worth it, because I think you may have just started a war against the sexes.”
She linked her arm through Jessica’s and headed for the door. “Let’s take a break and go get something to eat. We’ll have Sandy get someone to clean this mess up while we’re out.”
“Okay. Then I’m going home, taking anything that’s red out of my closet, and burning it.”
“What?”
Jessica chuckled. “Oh, never mind. I’m just kidding. Food sounds great.”
The next day Jessica found herself seated at The She’ La Ra restaurant, glancing nervously around her. She hoped no one would see her there. The reason she had chosen this particular restaurant, when Phillip had phoned her and asked her to meet him, was that it was halfway across town. The risk of someone seeing her here this time of day was minimal.
“Why do you look so nervous? Are you afraid to be seen with me?” he asked, laughing loudly enough that several pairs of eyes traveled to their table.
The hatred in Jessica’s own eyes was unmistakable. “I don’t understand why you find it necessary to taunt me so?” she replied. “And I don’t understand this absurd infatuation you have for me,” she added. “Isn’t it evident I detest you?”
“Ah, but it is for that reason I am so much in love with you, aside from your beauty that is.”
He reached across the table and patted her hand before letting his rest upon it. “I’ve never met a woman I could not tame. Rest assured, I will possess your heart before I’m through. You will come to love me in time; of that I am confident.”
She snatched back her hand. “I believe you possess an imprudent overconfidence in yourself, along with a huge ego. You can rest assured; I do not intend to ‘fall in love’ with you. I think you are a vile snake who preys on innocent women. In fact, I don’t even like you.”
“Are you sure you want to use the word innocent in that statement?”
She eyed him suspiciously. “What are you implying?”
He picked up his wine glass and drained it. When he looked at her, his eyes were dark, making her shrink away. “On the day you were supposed to be meeting me for lunch, did you, or did you not have a guest for the whole weekend?”
Stunned, Jessica rose from the table, her blood boiling with anger. “How dare you spy on me!” “What gives you the right to watch me? You do not own me, and you certainly have no control over my actions. That includes deciding whom I choose to sleep with, which I might add will never be you!” She threw her napkin at him and attempted to run from the table. He grabbed her wrist as she passed.
“Get this straight. I am a very powerful man who is used to getting what he wants. I will crush anyone who stands in my way. I intend to have you. If I have to go through your boyfriend to do it, I will. Now, it’s up to you, you can either surrender peacefully, or stand by and watch Brandon Phillips get crushed.”
“How do you know his name?” she hissed. He said nothing, but smiled lewdly at her. She ran from the restaurant, a look of terror on her face and tears streaming down her cheeks. She was even more frightened now than ever. She couldn’t bear the thought of losing Brandon, yet she couldn’t stand by and let him lose everything because of her. She wondered what he could possibly do to ruin Brandon. As far as she knew, they didn’t even know each other. Unable to decide what to do, she thought it best to consult someone on the subject. Instead of returning to work, she grabbed a taxi and headed for home.
She waited an incredible amount of time for Brandon to come to the phone. She had a hard time reaching him, as no one seemed willing to disturb him. She finally got someone to listen when she stressed it was urgent. He came to the phone, breathless.
“Jessie, are you all right? What’s wrong?” he cried into the phone.
Suddenly, she felt foolish and swallowed hard.
“I’m fine, physically. I’m sorry I lied about the urgent matter, but it was important that I talk to you.”
“It’s okay,” he said. “What’s so important?”
“I have to know, what is the worst thing someone could do to ruin you?”
He paused, and then laughed. “You mean besides taking you away from me?” He stopped laughing when he heard her cry of distress on the other end.
“I’m sorry. This is serious, isn’t it? I thought you were joking. I suppose the worst thing someone might do to ruin my business would be to cut me off from my buyers. Without them, I would not have a business. Although I do have some local contacts, the majority of my clientele is there, in New York City. Why do you ask?”
She was silent, not sure what to say. How paranoid was she being? Could Phillip Stewart really do anything to Brandon? She tried to make her question as nonchalant as possible.
“You said you’ve never met Phillip Stewart, right?”
“That’s right. I wouldn’t have any reason to deal with him. We’re in completely different businesses. I suppose he might know a few of my contacts. They probably move in the same social circles. What’s this all about? You aren’t making any sense.”
Between sobs, she relayed every detail of her conversation with Phillip Stewart. “I’m so afraid. I don’t know what to do about him. I think it would be best if we stopped seeing each other, before it’s too late.”
“That’s crazy. I told you, Phillip Stewart couldn’t hurt me. My family’s reputation can stand up against anything Phillip Stewart throws my way.”
“You didn’t see his face. He’s dead serious about this. I’m afraid for you.”
“Your concern for me is deeply touching, but don’t worry about me. I’m certainly not going to stand by and let Phillip Stewart walk all over me. I won’t let him hurt you, either. I’ll do some checking on him, and see what I can dig up. Weasels like him usually have a few skeletons hanging in his closet.
“I know you don’t know me well, but I also have some influential friends around. We’ll beat Mr. Stewart. You have my word.”
His words did reassure
her. She knew talking to him had been the right thing to do. Only two weeks remained until the scheduled shoot in California. That didn’t leave much time to clear up things. Perhaps she should take a few days off, as Amy had suggested, and visit her mother.
She picked up the telephone again and dialed her mother’s number.
“Hi, Mom,” she said.
“Hi, sweetie.” Without a pause she added, “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing’s wrong. I just felt like calling, that’s all.”
“You can’t kid me, young lady. I raised you; I know when something is wrong. Spill it.”
Jessica chuckled, “No, really. I’m just fine. I thought I would drive out tomorrow and spend the day with you. I know it’s a long drive, but I really want to see you. I promise everything is fine. It’s just that you’re getting married soon, and I thought it would be nice to spend a little time together, just the two of us. Is that okay?”
“Well, sure it’s okay. What time do you think you’ll get here?”
“I’ll be leaving early in the morning. I should be there by nine.”
She hung up the phone with her finger, let go of the button, and dialed her office. When Sandy answered the phone, announced that she had reached Modern Fashions Magazine, and asked how she could help her, she asked for John. When he came on the line, she carefully explained to him what she needed him to do. He was a little impatient with her lack of trust in him, but brushed it aside, knowing she had been under a lot of stress lately. Next, she dialed Brandon’s number again and left a message that she would be at her mother's house. Then she went home and packed a few things. She already felt better just making the decision.
**********
CHAPTER 6
Sarah Crawford stood across the room watching her daughter laugh lightly while picking at her fingers. She didn’t buy her story about being stressed out over work. She had seen Jessica try to beat deadlines before, but she had never seen her act like this. She had quizzed her nonstop, trying to get to the root of the issue, but she could not put her finger on the problem. For one thing, the finger-picking habit was something Jessica had done since she was a toddler. It was how Sarah could tell if she was either lying about something, or worried about something. She caught Jessica in very few lies, so it was her guess that it must be something serious troubling her now.
Coveting Love (Jessica Crawford) Page 12