CHAPTER 1
Audrey, the car will be here any minute. You're going to missyour plane."
"Shh. I just need another minute."
She leaned down over her sketch pad, nibbling the cornerof her lip as she put the finishing touches on the train of anelaborate A-line wedding dress.
"Oh, Audrey! That's beautiful. Is it for Kim?"
She didn't reply for another moment or two; not until shefelt perfectly secure in the fact that she could lay down herpencil and be done with it.
"There are two others in the leather portfolio in my closet.The messenger will be here at three o'clock to pick them upand get them into Manhattan by four." She handed her assistantthe finished product, pausing for an instant to admire thedrawing. "Be very careful about it, but put this one with theothers, and be sure to zip it all the way around so they aren'twrinkled. Just give him the whole case, and call Kim once he'son his way to give her a heads-up that they'll be delivered tothe penthouse."
"Will do."
"My plane lands in Atlanta at five-something, and it willtake me an hour or so to get out to Roswell where this hotel islocated. You've shipped—"
"And confirmed. Carly's dress is safe and sound at TheTanglewood Inn, awaiting your arrival."
Audrey sighed as she cast a quick glance toward the doorwhere Kat had lined up her pink plaid luggage. One oversizedrectangular case and one large round one, both on wheels,both packed to full capacity.
Audrey applied a glaze of Cherry Bliss to her lips while Katadded the final sketch to the leather case. She paused with thewand in mid-air until she heard the vvhht of the zipper. As sheslipped the tube into its compartment inside her purse, thebuzzer sounded.
"That will be your car," Kat announced. "But before yougo ..."
Kat grabbed Audrey's hand and placed a compact little cellphone into it, closing her fingers around it. "Now this is thesimplest cellular phone available."
"Kat, I do not want one of these. I told you that."
"I know. But you have to."
Audrey stared at the strange thing on her palm. "What doI do?"
"If it jingles, you open it. Like this." Kat demonstrated. "Itwill either be a phone call—in which case you press the blinkinggreen button—or a text, which will come up automatically."
"Ah, maaan ..."
"I know. But it's the best way to keep in contact. You wantto keep in contact with me, don't you?"
Audrey groaned. "Yes."
"So put this in your purse."
Audrey reluctantly tossed the thing into her bag as Katpressed buttons on her own much more complicated-lookingcell phone. An instant later, Audrey's purse began to ... sing.
"It sounds like a harp."
"That's your cue to pull it out and open it." Kat stared ather for a moment before nodding at Audrey's purse. "Go on.Answer it."
"I already know who it is."
"Audrey."
Audrey groaned again as she produced the cell phone,unfolded it and stared at the thing.
"The green button," Kat prodded.
Audrey pressed the button and held the phone in the vicinityof her ear. "Audrey Regan isn't available right now, butplease feel free to take a flying leap at the tone." As Kat openedher mouth to reply, Audrey interrupted with a "Beeeeeep."
Kat shook her head as she pushed the button on the wallintercom and she told the driver, "Come on in. We have acouple of bags." Back to Audrey, she remarked, "Text me whenyou arrive. Do you want me to show you how?"
"I'll call. Let me know the minute you confirm the sketcheshave reached Kim."
"Will do."
"The very minute, Katarina. We need this."
"I know. She's going to love them."
"As long as she loves them more than Vera Wang and AustinScarlett."
Audrey paused in front of the full-length etched mirrorpropped against the wall. She smoothed the straight pencilskirt and adjusted the corset belt around her waist.
"Car for JFK," the driver announced, grabbing both of thebags.
"How much, by the way?" she asked as she followed himdown the stairs.
"Ninety-five," Kat called out from the doorway. "Alreadycharged to your card."
"Ninety-five dollars, from Soho to JFK?"
"You can grab a taxi for fifty bucks, Princess," the driversnapped, letting the street door flap shut in her face.
Audrey turned and looked back at Kat, standing in thedoorway at the top of the stairs. "Charming."
Kat chuckled. "Have a good flight."
"One can only hope."
As she climbed into the back seat of the dark blue sedan,Audrey appreciated the good sense she'd had to hire KatarinaIvanov. Staring blankly out the window, Audrey sighed as thedriver took a left on Kenmare.
She'd held interviews on a Tuesday afternoon in the cornerbooth at the Village Tart, and Kat had arrived fifteen minutesearly. She'd ordered a coffee at another table while Audrey finishedup with the design school student who looked like across between Buddy Holly and Kramer from Seinfeld. Whenthey were through, the young man stood over Audrey, tappinghis shiny patent leather shoe.
"So let's cut right to it, shall we?" he'd said, glaring at herover the bridge of thick black-rimmed glasses. "Do I have ashot at this or not? I'm only asking because I have two moreinterviews after yours, and I need to know whether I can blowthem off."
"I think I can answer that," Kat told him as she transferredher espresso to Audrey's table and sat down. "Go on the interviews.I think we've decided which candidate is the best choice.I'm so sorry, but good luck to you." Her smile emanated a rayof pure sunshine.
The boy grimaced at her before he looked back at Audrey.She only shrugged. Twenty seconds later, the front door of thecafé thudded shut behind him.
"Did I go too far?" Kat asked her as she crossed her legsand wrinkled up her nose, flipping short dark waves of hair. "Iknow. Sometimes I go too far. But he was wasting your time.You weren't going to hire him."
"I wasn't?"
"No," she said confidently, sliding her résumé across thetable, only a slight trace of amusement in her dark brown eyes."Even if you don't hire me, you certainly can't hire him. He'shigh maintenance; he's a drama a day, at least. And you don'tneed that."
"I don't."
"No. You need stability. Loyalty. You need a take-charge,organized fashionista who makes her workday all about you."
And Katarina Ivanov had been doing just that for morethan a year since. Two parts Mother Earth and one part All-Business.Audrey had no idea what she would ever have donewithout her.
"Where are you going?" she suddenly asked the driver. "Areyou taking the Van Wyck Expressway?"
"I got an idea," he tossed back at her over his shoulder. "Youworry about your hat and gloves, and I'll take care of gettingyou to JFK."
I'm not wearing a hat and gloves, you Neanderthal.
When he glanced into the rearview and noticed Audreyseething at him, he sighed. "Don't worry your pretty littlehead. I'll get you there, Princess. Deal? Okay. Deal."
Audrey dug her bright red fingernails into her palms.
I despise New York.
But she knew it wasn't the city so much as the energy of theplace. Ten million people crammed into jam-packed streets,everyone trying to get somewhere, all of them convinced thattheir particular mission trumped everyone else's. If her driverworked in another city, say St. Louis or Abilene, she felt certainhe'd be far less disagreeable. Audrey, on the other hand, justwanted to survive long enough in New York to catch the tailof her dream.
Nearly out of money, and fast running out of steam, shehad just enough of both to carry her through Carly's weddingin Atlanta. If she didn't score the job designing Kim Renfroe'swedding dress by the time she returned, Audrey would have tostart thinking about throwing in the towel. Perhaps she couldrustle up a job working for one of the other design houses.Her stab at venturing out on her own hadn't been the starshipsuccess she'd been convinced that it would be.
Two years and three months.
That's how long it had taken her to run through the inheritanceGranny Beatrice had left her. Twenty-seven months,almost to the day. When she'd left Atlanta for New York, shehad such high hopes of making a name for herself as a designer.Marginal successes along the way had not contributed muchtoward soaring, only toward staying afloat. And even that wasin jeopardy now.
Audrey nibbled on the corner of her lip as she stared at thescenery beyond the sedan window. A mist of emotion rose inher eyes, blurring the passing cars. She really needed to figureout a way to tell Kat that she wouldn't be able to pay her muchlonger.
She wondered if Carly knew how much it cost her to dropeverything and head home for a week, not to mention all thetime and resources she'd spent on designing and creatingCarly's dream bridal gown. By the time the Atlanta trip cameto a close, she would find herself up against the final wall. Shewould say good-bye to Kat, convert her design studio on theother side of her apartment into a living space, and advertisefor a roommate. Then she would go begging for a job withlow pay and long hours in support of someone else's designreverie.
Unless Kim Renfroe chose to wear an Audrey Regan originalfor her spring wedding; in that case, the air in the tires ofher dream would carry her on a little farther. Not much, buta little.
"You gonna answer that, Princess?"
"What?"
"Your cell phone. It sounds like God is calling."
The jingle of her harp-phone nudged her as she wiped atear from her cheek. "Oh. I didn't hear it."
She pulled the phone from her purse and fumbled with it.Finally, she heard Kat's muffled voice, and she held the thingup to her face.
"Audrey? I'm just checking on you. Audrey, are you there?"
She held the phone like a walkie-talkie she'd seen the nightbefore in a late-night rerun of Star Trek. "Yes, I'm here, Scotty.Now either beam me up or quit bothering me. And Kat? Canyou change the ring? Apparently, it sounds like God."
"I can't change the ringtone remotely, but—"
"I have to go now, Scotty. But only use this thing in an emergency,okay? It's annoying."
"Here we are. Terminal three."
She blinked, and a lone remnant of a tear wound its waydown the curve of her face and dropped off her chin. Brushingits path dry with the back of her hand, she tossed the cellphone into her bag and inhaled sharply before cranking openthe door and stepping out.
* * *
J. R. pulled off the black helmet, instinctively running a handthrough his mane of shaggy brown hair, shaking it out. Heglanced down at the CL Max helmet and noticed a tiny nick inthe polycarbonate shell.
He unzipped the cuffs of his leather jacket and pulled offhis gloves.
I paid a hundred and fifty bucks for this helmet just so thiswouldn't happen.
He paused to tuck the helmet between his knees whilehe stuffed his gloves into the pocket of his leather jacket. Hetook another close look at the nick, then ran his hand over theflip-up shield before fitting the helmet under his arm and stalkingthrough the brass-plated glass door of The TanglewoodInn.
His brother Devon had called him early that morning toask him to come straight to The Tanglewood rather than meetingup at the house, and J. R. had been glad for the change inplans. He hadn't been back in Atlanta for a while now, but helooked forward to catching up with the people he'd met thereon his last pass-through with Russell.
Carly saw him first, and she hopped to her feet and rushedtoward the entrance of the restaurant. With her honey-blondehair pulled into a messy little bun at the back of her head andher glistening blue eyes dancing, his brother's fresh-faced bridecurled her arms around his neck and placed several kisses onhis cheek.
"I'm so happy you've arrived safely!" she exclaimed. "Youand that motorcycle of yours—well, we just never stop worrying.Devon has been itching to see you!" She looped her armthrough his and led him inside.
It struck him as funny that Devon and Carly worried abouthim riding his Harley when there had been so many morepertinent safety concerns with which to concern themselves.J. R. had to admit that relief over someone returning to Atlantain one piece was something he knew all too well. He hadn'tseen his little brother since before he left for his last tour ofduty, his second in Afghanistan in just three years.
Devon, the same old twinkle in his eye, stood up as heapproached the table. As J. R. drew his brother into an embrace,he exhaled for what felt like the first time in months. Reliefwashed over him, and he smacked Devon's back twice. "Goodto see you, bro."
"Good to be seen."
Truer words had never been spoken, and J. R. sent up aquick prayer of thanks for the fact that his brother had comehome from war virtually unscathed. Physically, anyway.
"Thanks for doing this, man."
J. R. chuckled. "There's no one else going to be your bestman."
"J. R., I want you to meet my wedding planner, SherilynDrummond," Carly said.
Her familiar laughter took the form of music, and J. R.rounded the table and took a much smaller Sherilyn than heremembered into his arms.
"Oh, of course! You two have met."
"How's Dr. Andy?" he asked her.
"Wonderful," she sang. "You have to come to the housewhile you're in town. We'd love to have you over, maybe afterthese two leave for their honeymoon."
"Sounds like a plan. Maybe we'll get a good snowstorm outof season so we can barbecue."
Sherilyn's turquoise blue eyes glistened and her laughterwarmed him to his soul. She tossed her copper hair over hershoulder before she sat down again.
"You look amazing," he told her.
"Doesn't she though?" Carly added. "She's lost fortypounds!"
"Forty-eight," Sherilyn corrected with a grin. "But no one'scounting."
"Well, you were already a stunner, but—"
His words were sliced in two by the high-pitched shriekCarly released, and everyone's attention followed her as sheraced from the table and into the arms of ... a knockout!
The platinum blonde pin-up girl had curves that pushedthe boundaries of her straight skirt. A thick leather lace-upbelt cinched her small waist, and the thin fabric of the ruffledblouse tried—and failed—to camouflage all that God Himselfhad endowed.
"Who is that?" J. R. whispered to Devon.
"That's Audrey."
J. R. had heard the name often, but it had passed withoutmuch notice. If only he'd realized the embodiment of twosimple syllables looked like this—
"Come and meet everyone!" Carly cried. As she draggedthe vision toward them, J. R.'s own pulse began to thump inhis ears. "Audrey Regan," she announced. "This is SherilynDrummond, my wedding planner."
"It's such a pleasure!" Sherilyn told her. "I love yourdesigns."
"You know them?" Audrey asked with a chuckle.
"I saw your runway show at the bridal expo in Chicago lastyear. You're a genius with beading and tulle."
Audrey grabbed Sherilyn's hand and shook it vigorously.Tossing a cute little glance back at Carly, she wrinkled herturned-up nose and added, "I like her."
J. R. couldn't take his eyes off Audrey.
Carly giggled. "And you know Dev."
Audrey planted a kiss on Devon's lucky cheek while J. R.took a deep breath and pulled himself together.
"And this is Devon's brother, J. R."
"Hi, J. R."
He had no idea what he said in reply, only that the pin-up'slight brown eyes reminded him suddenly of a sugar crumbleon top of a tart apple crisp.
"Let's all sit down and order some lunch," Carly suggested."And then the ladies can go upstairs to the suite and admiremy dress!"
* * *
Audrey felt a surge of blessed reprieve as she, Carly, andSherilyn left the restaurant. Devon's brother made her uncomfortablethe way he kept gawking at her. Did he think she hadn'tnoticed? While everyone else focused on the conversation andthe marvelous food, J. R. Hunt had fixated unapologeticallyon every move Audrey made. At one point, she'd dabbed thecorner of her mouth with the linen napkin, thinking perhaps aforkful of spinach salad had missed its mark. When he wasn'tdeterred, she compulsively ran her tongue over her front teethin hopes of dislodging some stray piece of food that mighthave held the guy's attention in a vice grip.
