Total pages in book: 30
Estimated words: 27909 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 140(@200wpm)___ 112(@250wpm)___ 93(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 27909 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 140(@200wpm)___ 112(@250wpm)___ 93(@300wpm)
“I… I think there was some misunderstanding,” Patricia said at last. “It was my fault. Please, let me make it up to her. Sand her back in today, and I’ll help her personally.”
“Absolutely not,” Leo said. Cammie deserved respect before he and the women had shown up and demanded it for her. “She won’t ever come back into this store again.”
Charlie cleared her throat. “I want to cancel the dress I have on order,” she said, and Patricia’s wide, anxiety-filled eyes morphed to glittering anger.
“Are you serious?” she asked.
“What dress?” Jenny asked.
“For the gala next month,” Charlie said, her gaze on Jenny’s as she deliberately ignored Patricia and her question. “It was a blue, off-shoulder piece with a poofy skirt,” Charlie explained. “But now, I’m sure I can find something better and more appropriate for the event.”
Jenny nodded. “Aah. I’m attending that gala as well. I haven’t shopped yet, but I’ll need to go elsewhere since this store will no longer be getting my business.”
Patricia began to argue with his sister and best friend, insisting the order couldn’t be canceled and promising Jenny she had just the gown for her to see. But Jenny and Charlie merely shook their heads and Charlie informed Patricia if she didn’t cancel the order, she’d do it herself with her credit card company.
Leo, meanwhile, enjoyed every minute of the discussion, grateful he could depend on them to help make his point to the haughty boutique owner. The loss of business from two of her best clients would hurt, not to mention what the two women would tell their friends about the boutique. And that had been his intention all along.
In the end, Charlie’s order was cancelled, and Patrica ushered them out of the store, her skin now a sickly green.
They stepped into the fresh morning air. “I can’t thank you both enough. I think Patricia got the message that she screwed up. Badly.”
“I’m happy to do it,” Charlie said. “From what you’ve told me, and the brief time we met, Cammie seems lovely, and I hate that she was treated badly just because she wasn’t dripping with diamonds when she walked in.” Charlie rolled her eyes, but Leo knew Charlie hadn’t come from money and understood Cammie better than he or his sister ever could.
“So, what’s the story with you and Cammie?” Jenny asked. “I didn’t know you were seeing anyone.” They hadn’t caught up in a while. Jenny was a workaholic and so was he… except now Leo had been busy with Cammie, too.
“We’re new and it’s a little… complicated,” he told her. Then he geared up for his big pitch. “Speaking of complicated, I might have promised Cammie an interview with your firm for a job as a graphic designer.”
Jenny’s eyes widened. “What? Why on earth would you promise something like that without discussing it with me first?”
“It’s a long story but Cammie is really good, Jen. She showed me her portfolio last night. She’s just having a hard time being taken seriously.”
“And why is that?” his sister asked, brows raised.
Doing his best not to wince, he told his sister the truth. “Because she doesn’t have a degree.”
“Oh my God, Leo. That’s a huge problem for me, too. Anyone I hire needs the right training and apprenticeships.”
He shoved his hands into his coat pockets. “I know and I understand but she did study graphic design at NYU. She just never completed her degree.” And though he could tell his sister why, he didn’t feel that Cammie’s emotional and painful past was his to share. “I’m telling you, she’s got talent.”
Jenny checked the time on her watch, and he knew she was going to take off on him before he could convince her to give Cammie a chance. “Listen, I’ve got to go for now or I’ll be late for a meeting,” she said.
“Just give it some thought, okay?”
She nodded in that noncommittal way of hers and rushed off to her car.
Charlie shot him a pitying look, patted his shoulder, and left him standing in the street.
Leo checked the time, realizing he needed to get to another boutique to meet Cammie. Threadz had been recommended by Charlie. Owned by her friend, Charlie assured him they’d treat Cammie with respect.
With no choice for now, he put the issue with securing her an interview to the back of his mind and returned to his SUV to go meet Cammie.
Once at the store, they walked in together. Nobody looked at Cammie’s jeans or sneakers, instead they gushed over her as a new customer and led them both to the dressing area.
Leo sat in a chaise lounge outside the fitting room and the salesgirl took Cammie over to the gowns to get her opinion on various dresses to try on. He pulled out his phone and began to reply to work emails while he waited.