Page 10 of Bargain With The Boss (Crescent Cove: The Moguls #2)

Sydney

I wanted to ignore Xavier’s high-handed orders.

He had a damn lot of nerve telling me to take the clothes like that. Just one more person who assumed I couldn’t think for myself.

I folded the shorts and a few items that Ember hadn’t marked for alterations.

She even took the pants I was wearing, leaving me in a blue ankle length dress that flowed around me like water.

It clung at my hips making me self-conscious.

Ember even found me a pair of espadrilles that matched the summery look.

I was so used to heels,skirts, and trousers that the soft shoes and material felt...wrong. Like I was on vacation.

Not that I’d been on a vacation since I was nineteen years old.

A few of my roommates in college had convinced me to go to a beach for a weekend.

I’d ended up sunburned and hungover, but it was one of my few good memories of school.

Being a rich kid surrounded by rich kids was just an endless stream of one-upping in clothes and grades.

Then I’d traded that for never being able to be good enough or smart enough to match my mother.

God, I sounded pathetic to even my own brain.

I had one job, and it was to save my department. The promise of my own company was probably just another empty effort, but putting six people or more out of a job was unacceptable.

I bowed my head. I didn’t have a choice.

But now I was at loose ends.

Jude was busy with the new baby and his wife.

I could go by the work site, but Gavin seemed to be in demolition mode and that wasn’t my strength.

I could log into my team’s Slack program.

There were always things to be done when it came to the Christmas and holiday line.

But then I’d have to speak with my mother because I was very sure she was tracking me.

Annoyed with myself and the situation, I walked back into the alterations area. Another woman was picking through an armful of dresses. She was around my age with soft brown hair and huge dark eyes that dominated her face.

The woman looked up, a friendly smile on her face. She dropped her pile into one of the large comfy chairs and held up a tan dress and a camel colored one. “Which one?”

I hugged my stack closer. “Umm.”

She sighed. “Neither, right? I am the worst at picking colors for myself. I always skew toward neutrals so I don’t screw up.”

I set my pile down and crossed to her mess. “I think this one.” I dug through to the butter yellow one and held it up against her. “Shows off your skin.”

She smiled widely. “Of course that was my impulse pick.”

“Because that’s your instinct talking.”

She rolled her eyes. “My instinct is buried under etiquette.”

I laughed. “I know how that is.” I tugged at my dress, unable to relax about how it hugged my hips. “Impulse is how I ended up with my stack.”

She peered around me. “It’s a lovely stack. It was actually a dress in the window that urged me in.” She dropped her voice into a whisper. “My mother would die if she knew I was buying off the rack.”

I laughed. “I think your mother and mine would be fast friends.”

She held her hand out. “I’m Claire.”

“Sydney.”

“Well, Sydney here’s to a fun bit of impulse shopping.”

I nibbled my lower lip. I didn’t have anywhere to be, and the ever-helpful Ember was dealing with two customers at checkout. “Do you want help?”

She reached out and gripped my arm. “I would love help.”

I glanced down at her pile and wrinkled my nose. “Pretty sure the yellow one was it.”

Claire sighed. “You’re right. They’re all beautiful, but they’re...”

“For someone a bit older. You need something fun. Do you have a special occasion?”

She nodded. “Not just one. I’m supposed to go to a garden wedding for one of my favorite people, but I’ll stick out if I wear one of my Chanel dresses.” She sighed. “Honestly, I don’t want to wear pearls and safe pinks.”

“Then we’ll find you something fun.”

“I don’t want to bother you if you have somewhere to be.”

“I actually have nothing on my plate today.”

“Well, then we can shop and have lunch maybe?”

“That sounds really nice actually.” And I didn’t even have to be polite about it, it was the truth.

She gently put the yellow dress over her arm, then did a slow turn. “Everything is so lovely.”

I watched her gaze bounce around, but it kept falling on the floral wrap dresses. Trusting her instinct, and my own, I urged her over there. The fabrics were slinky and soft, some were definitely in the fast fashion realm that would be too hot for an outdoor wedding.

“Do you have a dress code?”

Claire shook her head. “Jen just requested fun and summery.”

I trailed my fingers over the hangers until I stopped on a romper with delicate ties on the shoulders. “This would be good for an evening event.”

Claire gasped and grabbed at it. “I always wanted to wear one of these. I even bought one online once but my mother found it before I was able to get up to my room with it.”

“She sounds like a peach.”

“Peach is a kind word. I swear I came out wearing Chanel diapers. Don’t get me wrong, I love Chanel. It’s timeless, but...”

“It’s not the only designer out there in the world.”

“No.” She lifted the garnet romper up against her. “What do you think?”

“I think it’s in the yes pile.”

Her smile was so wide. “I like the sound of that one. Now I need one for the brunch after the wedding.”

“By the water?”

She nodded. “Yes, the wedding is in Lake George.”

I frowned. “Is that close? I’m not from around here.”

“Oh, I was wondering why I didn’t recognize you. But then again Crescent Cove is growing so fast, I don’t know everyone anymore. It’s a little more east and north from here. Part of the Adirondacks.”

“Got it.”

“But not like a Kardashian set.”

I laughed. “Is anyone like a Kardashian?”

“Truth.” She flicked through hangers. A lot of the dresses in Vintage December were one of a kind. She paused on a pale pink dress with tiny rosebuds.

“That one.”

She glanced at me. “But it’s pink.”

“It’s a good pink. Especially for a brunch.” I kicked out my ankle from under my dress. “And one of these.”

“Ohhh.” She grinned. “One of my nannies used to wear those when she had a day off.”

“They’re always coming in and out of style. And this is a vintage shop.”

We spent another hour picking through dresses and linen pants along with a few bathing suits.

One for me and two for Claire. Ember arrived, declaring that we had done her job for her and had made excellent choices.

Since Claire was a perfect size four she required very little alterations, but enough that Ember announced she’d have a dress for the wedding ready well in time for her trip.

“I’ll have your things finished by Tuesday.”

I blinked. “Really?”

“Easy fixes and I’m still in my slow season.” Ember smiled and pushed the bag full of clothes that didn’t need alterations toward me. When she named a number far too low, I frowned.

“Xavier wants to cover the rest.”

Claire’s eyes widened. “Xavier Hastings?”

“Yes.”

“Wow.”

“Do you know him?”

“Only by reputation.”

I sighed. “Shining example of a man far too attractive for his own good?”

Claire’s laugh was light and delighted. “Something like that.”

Once we were outside, she turned to me. “We should pick up sandwiches at Jersey Angel’s and go on my boat. I don’t want to be stuck in a stuffy restaurant then back in my house.”

“Your boat?”

She nodded. “I’ve been sailing since I was twelve. You’ll be safe with me.”

Claire reached over into my bag. “That suit and these shorts. Perfect.”

“I should really go back to my room first.”

“Room?”

“I’m staying at the Sherman Inn.”

“Oh, are you only in town for a little while?”

“Undetermined.”

“So mysterious.” She linked her arm through mine. “Let’s continue with our hooky day. We have all that we need.” She led me over to a sleek silver Mercedes convertible.

What was it about this town and convertibles?

I slid inside and barely got my belt across my waist when she was zipping into traffic.

Summery and fun music screamed out of the speakers.

She shot across Main Street and took a wide, winding left where a few smaller shops were.

She parked in front of a small deep blue building with white trim and white chairs and tables outside.

It reminded me of Greece with the patterns on the tile around the door.

A porcelain angel with a chipped wing hugged a sign.

It’s trumpet seemed to be heralding the name, Jersey Angel’s.

“I love this place. Definitely not on my mother’s menu, but God, they make the best roast beef sandwiches with tangy sauce.”

“Your mother doesn’t know the definition of fun either, huh?”

“Absolutely not. Her version of fun is a beautification meeting at town hall, as well as the dry business dinners with my father’s associates.

My brother keeps finding ways to get out of them, leaving me to play dutiful daughter.

” She rolled her eyes. “If I have to listen to one more Harvard graduate extol about how good his hedge fund is, I’ll expire. ”

I laughed as I followed her into the store. The yeasty scent of fresh bread made my stomach roar. From pancakes to more carbs, I was going to ruin all Ember’s hard work on alterations. I looked over the anemic display of salads, but the sandwiches were definitely the star of the show.

“Ahh, Claire. How’s my favorite sprite today?”

“Hey, Apollo. I’m good. I’m taking my new friend on the boat, so we need the works.”

“A Claire basket coming up.”

“What’s a Claire basket,” I asked out of the side of my mouth.

“Fruit, cheese, Moschofilero, and hoagies you can’t even get your mouth around. Oh and a few seltzers to make my favorite lemonade drink.”

“I should probably get a salad.”

“You should not. If you want a nice salad we’ll go to The Mason Jar one day. Today, we’re being very bad and eating all the calories.”