Page 38 of By A Thread

Nowshewas the delusional one.

We sat in silence for a few minutes. I gave up on pretending to read emails and stared out the window at dreary, frozen Manhattan.

“Tell me what got you to shut up for five full minutes upstairs,” I said finally.

The abrupt question threw her off balance, and I noticed she skimmed her gaze over me again.

Then her slow smile had my cold, dead heart doing something odd in my chest.

She leaned in a little closer so Nelson wouldn’t overhear her. I knew many things in that moment. I didn’t like her. I didn’t want to like her. I had no intention of treating her as anything but an annoyance. Yet none of that quelled my desire to be near her.

“I have this thing,” she began tentatively.

My breath stopped. I didn’t want the hammering of my heart to drown out her next words. When she didn’t continue, I merely stared at her.

“For vests,” she said, eyeing mine.

“But I’m not your type,” I shot back.

She smirked. “You’re only slightly less not my type in a vest. But don’t worry, Dom. I promise to resist you.”

13

Ally

Friday afternoon traffic in Manhattan was stupid. Why anyone would choose to take a car rather than the subway was beyond me. Yet here I was, making money just for being stretched out in the back seat of a very nice SUV on some very supple leather.

I could almost enjoy myself. Almost.

The broody guy in the sexy vest next to me was short-circuiting my ability to relax.

“I didn’t get much information from Zara. What’s this meeting about?” I asked, over the dueling horns of two cabs trying to get around a delivery truck. Middle fingers flew.

“You really should learn to do your own research,” Dominic said. He was back to snarky, and I wished his crappy attitude would take his wow factor down a few notches. But my lady parts were steadfastly holding up their perfect ten scores.

“Humor me,” I insisted.

“Christian James is a designer who’s launching his own label. He was with one of the big fashion houses. Worked his way up the ranks. Put a new spin on the original designs that made them an industry name. And then he met my mother.”

I perked up. “She’s mentoring him?” I guessed.

Dominic nodded, glancing out the window like the conversation was boring him and he’d rather be anywhere but here. “She introduced him to the right people, the right suppliers, the right insiders. My mother believes in him. SoLabelis doing a spread about him, his career path, his designs.”

“She sees potential in a lot of places,” I mused.

“Not everywhere,” he said, giving me a pointed look.

I laughed. “No, not everywhere. In my case, she saw righting a wrong. But she has wonderful instincts. Buddy, for example.”

“I’m not convinced anyone named Buddy is cut out for high fashion. Even if it’s the mail room of high fashion.”

“You are such a snob,” I sighed.

He didn’t bother denying it.

“I suppose you’re going to want to tell me why this Buddy is such a great addition toLabel,” he said.

“I suppose I am, even though I suppose you won’t care,” I said primly. I filled him in on the Buddy Highlight Reel. “Even Linus likes him.”