Beauty and the Boss Read online

  “I don’t usually believe in rumors, and I’m not usually this

  rude.” Charlotte moved fast enough to wrap her fingers

  around Ellis’s wrist. “What did you have in mind?”

  “Put your jeans back on and I’ll meet you outside,” Ellis

  said.

  She’d had every intention of ditching Charlotte once she

  left to change, but something about her expression changed

  her mind. This would only be a little outing and nothing

  more. If they couldn’t make it through that, she’d have to

  ask Michelle Yuki for another big favor once she shipped

  Charlotte and Sawyer out at first light.

  “This summer should be hard enough without all this

  other shit.”

  * * *

  The night was hot, and the humidity was something Ellis

  thought was unique to New Orleans. It was like walking in a

  big open sauna that never let up and took some time to get

  used to—well, it was something you could try to get used to,

  but you’d be lying if you said you’d mastered it. Ellis took

  the keys to the small coupe she kept in the city and let

  Charlotte get her own door.

  They headed out of the French Quarter to the business

  district and the Lowe Hotel. It was a few blocks from the

  Mississippi River, and while the hotel was nice, she was here

  for the restaurant and bar off the lobby. It was owned by an

  old friend whose family was food royalty in the city, and this

  was their newest jewel.

  Ellis handed over the keys and opened the front door for

  Charlotte, having only so much capacity for rudeness. It was

  late, and they were out of the “party” area, but both the

  restaurant and the bar were still full. Everyone was drinking

  and seemingly enjoying the small band in the corner. No

  matter the night, all the articles written about the spot said

  the new owners tried for a fun atmosphere as an homage to

  the woman it was named for.

  “I was wondering how long it’d take you to get here.” The

  tall, gorgeous woman combed her hair back with a flick of

  her head.

  Ellis opened her arms and accepted the kiss Jacqueline

  Blanchard delivered. If it were possible, she guessed that

  when Jacqueline’s aunt Coco had passed away, the old

  partier had surrendered her throne to her niece. “I’m here to

  collect my free bread pudding for that.” She pointed to the

  large painting over the bar. Della Blanchard, Jacqueline’s

  grandmother and head of the Blanchard family and their

  businesses, had wanted her sister memorialized in the bar

  and restaurant that carried her name. Ellis had been

  surprised when Della had handed over her favorite picture

  of Coco as the one she wanted hanging in the bar, but

  having met Coco, it did in a way sum up her personality.

  The painting of the redheaded Coco showed her at her

  makeup table with her head thrown back in laughter. She

  was wearing a slip, red high heels, and for some strange

  reason a mink stole. It had been a fun piece to paint and gift

  to the Blanchard family.

  “Do you like it?”

  “With or without the beautiful artwork, your money’s

  never been good here, you fraud. And I love it.” Jacqueline

  lifted her hand before she slipped it into the crook of Ellis’s

  arm. Magically a table with three chairs was set up, so they

  could sit down. “Come on, introduce me.”

  “Jacqueline Blanchard, this is Charlotte Hamner.” She

  waited until they’d both shook hands before ordering a beer.

  “Do you want something to drink?” she asked Charlotte.

  The waiter took their order, and Jacqueline pinched her

  forearm. “I’ll trade you a dessert for my Fashion Week

  tickets.”

  “We’ll get to that, but first, how’s your sister?”

  “Keegan is on top of the world, or should I say ruling the

  world from her kitchen uptown. The spot at Blanchard’s

  became permanent a year ago, even though I was getting

  this place ready for her.” A waiter came with their drinks

  and two beignet bread puddings. Every Blanchard

  restaurant was known for some variation of the classic

  dessert.

  “She sounds happy,” Ellis said, taking a bite and closing

  her eyes because it tasted so good.

  “Keegan’s happiness isn’t centered on cooking anymore,

  sexy. She’s found that Holy Grail of relationships we’re all

  supposed to be searching for. The excellent side benefit is

  that I haven’t had to pay for a parking ticket ever since

  because of the gorgeous cop she hooked up with.” Two guys

  came in and stopped to kiss Jacqueline on the cheek.

  “I’m sure that’s why she sacrificed herself to monogamy.”

  Jacqueline shook her finger at her and laughed. “Are you

  sure you want to spend your time with this corrupting

  influence?” Jacqueline asked Charlotte.

  Charlotte was caught with a mouthful of bread pudding

  but nodded to give herself a chance to swallow. “If you ask

  everyone who interviewed for the job, I’m the lucky one.”

  “I’ve known Ellis for a long time, so I can confidently say,

  they’re partly right. She has her moments, but then, don’t

  we all?” A waiter came by and whispered something that

  made Jacqueline sigh. “We’re all set up to start delivering

  food, so just have someone call with the numbers. But right

  now, enjoy your prize and don’t be a stranger. Thank you

  again for your gift. You made Della smile, so that alone

  makes you as close to perfect as they come.” Jacqueline

  kissed her again and placed her hand on Charlotte’s

  shoulder. “It was nice meeting you, and please come by for

  dinner some time. Don’t let her keep you locked up, even if

  the house is beautiful.”

  “She’s funny,” Charlotte said before taking another bite

  of bread pudding.

  “She is, and like the house she’s a part of why I love this

  city so much. It’s home and not full of people who want

  something from me other than to be my friend.”

  “Where’d you meet her?”

  Getting to know someone was always such an interesting

  dance, but sometimes it involved a completely tedious list

  of things you had to get through whether you wanted to or

  not. Everyone seemed to ask those probing questions

  disguised as shyness that in a way drove Ellis mad. The next

  thing would be a walk through her childhood, she was sure,

  which she assumed, if she answered those questions,

  Charlotte would use as a stepping stone to lay bare all her

  secrets.

  “Like Jacqueline said, years ago I was in school, and my

  mother was working for Lagerfeld. What are now trendy

  apartments in the Warehouse District used to be

  sweatshops and design centers sewing for big department

  stores like Saks and Macy’s. A few designers like Lagerfeld

  had a setup like I do now, finishing the pieces here and

  shipping them for Fashion Week. Jacqueline’s grandmother,

  Della, her mom,
and her sister were all taking some time off

  from all this to enjoy one of the fashion shows in New York.”

  Her beer was cold enough to make her want to order six

  more, but everything in moderation, Amis always said.

  “Jacqueline snuck in the back to see behind the scenes

  instead of the catwalk.”

  “She was memorable then?”

  “That she was and is, but Jacqueline falls for charm of a

  different type. In her opinion I’ll never be that charming. You

  both have that in common.”

  Charlotte dropped her spoon and grimaced like she’d

  bitten into something sour. “What’s that mean?”

  “You have an ex that’s not me, and it never will be,” she

  said, and laughed.

  Charlotte didn’t join her. “If you need to know, I got

  pregnant in high school. That wasn’t the kind of news my

  parents wanted to hear, and Kyle—my ex—didn’t want to

  hear it at all. From that moment on, it’s been Sawyer and

  me.” Charlotte was almost talking through her clenched

  teeth by the end of her confession. She was not only

  adamant but passionate—the perfect recipe for a great

  artist.

  “My mother was in that same place you are, so I

  understand. My father wasn’t an in-it-for-the-long-haul kind

  of guy. By society’s microscope, I grew up poor, but Amis

  laid the world at my feet.” She took some money out,

  despite Jacqueline’s insistence on treating. “You’ll either

  work it out with Kyle or you won’t. Either way, Sawyer will

  be fine because she has you.”

  “Um…thanks,” Charlotte said, as if not expecting her to

  be so nice. “Why’d you say that?” The question proved her

  right.

  “Sometimes recognition gets us through the day, doesn’t

  it?” She smiled, knowing she’d had such a steady diet of

  recognition it was an effort sometimes to keep herself in

  check. The work brought fame, fame brought money, and

  money with fame brought more yeses than nos. Then again,

  fate or karma brought people like Charlotte as well. They

  were fixated on the work, hoping the rest of the dominos

  would fall, and because they were desperate you could spot

  it instantly. For someone like that, the word no came easily

  from everyone around them.

  “Is that what makes you happy?”

  She shook her head as she glanced around the room.

  “See the couple by the glass over there?” She pointed

  discreetly to the woman in the black minidress with her

  hand over her mouth because she was laughing so hard.

  “That dress was in our line two years ago. She’s not

  standing so I’m guessing either a twelve or fourteen. If

  she’d worn it on the runway, no one would’ve glanced up

  twice because she’s not a stick, but look at her. Unless she’s

  faking it, she feels beautiful in that outfit, and it’s making

  her confidence show.”

  “I remember it, since the remake of the little black dress

  has been reworked for years, but you managed to make it

  one of the stars of the season.”

  “True, but that woman has no idea who I am. I doubt

  she’s obsessed with keeping up with the trends or the

  gossip that fuels our industry. All she knows is she tried that

  on and she liked it. Making a woman feel like that makes me

  happy.”

  “Okay, but what does that have to do with me?”

  “You’re a good mom, you work hard at it, but I doubt very

  many people tell you that. Sawyer, though, will be a

  confident woman because of the foundation and the love

  you’ve given her. If you’re anything like my mother, it’s such

  a gradual teaching and pushing her in the right direction

  that she’ll never figure out that’s what’s happening, but it’s

  visceral enough that it’ll be the centerpiece of her life. Her

  touchstone, if you will.”

  “Thank you, and I’m looking forward to meeting your

  mother. She’s certainly raised an interesting person.”

  “That’s hilarious, but Amis is my hero and the most

  important person in my life. I hope you like her, but enough

  of trying to find things to make me forget what happened.

  It’s time to go to work, and when I’m done I want to feel like

  the woman in that painting.”

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  The next morning Charlotte woke and used the kitchen to

  make breakfast for Sawyer, making enough in hopes Ellis

  would join them. After their night, she had to admit that she

  might’ve been wrong about her new boss, or she was still

  under the influence of all the compliments.

  “Mom, can we go out today?” Sawyer had dragged

  herself into the room, acting like she could easily sleep

  another ten hours.

  She combed Sawyer’s hair back and kissed her forehead.

  “I’m working today, or I think I am. Let me find out what my

  schedule is, and we’ll plan something. How about that?”

  “Sounds good. What can I do while you’re working?”

  The knock made her jump but smile, until she saw it

  wasn’t Ellis. “I’m sorry to bother you so early,” the woman

  said with a slight French accent. “I’m Amis Renois.”

  Charlotte took her hand and studied the woman’s face,

  finding only the shade of Amis’s eyes familiar. Ellis had

  definitely taken after the man who had abandoned them.

  “I’m Charlotte and this is Sawyer.”

  “Ah, the artist,” Amis said, smiling at Sawyer. “Ellis

  bragged about your work, so I’m looking forward to a

  showing soon.”

  “Can I get you some coffee or something?”

  “Actually, I have a load of calls this morning, so I have a

  quick question.” Amis waved her outside. “Have you seen

  Ellis this morning?”

  “No, not since last night. Is she all right?”

  “I’m sure she’s fine and I’m just being overprotective.

  Where did she take you?”

  She gave Amis an itinerary of their night and figured Ellis

  hadn’t spent the night alone. Maybe Jacqueline Blanchard

  wasn’t immune to Ellis’s charm after all, and if that’s what

  had happened, all that stuff Ellis had told her was probably

  bullshit as well. “Can Rueben tell me what to do?”

  “This is an unusual year, so for today, why not go out and

  explore a little? New Orleans is a wonderful place, so enjoy

  yourself.”

  The opportunity that Ellis had found her back in New York

  with the Yuki house seemed like the best option for her. If

  she took it, she could also return Sawyer to familiar

  surroundings. “Can you be honest with me and tell me if

  she’s even going to try? I really need to know so I can make

  other plans if that’s not the case.”

  “My, my,” Amis said, her face seemingly closing to a cold

  mask. “I’m so sorry we haven’t fulfilled every one of your

  expectations in the mere hellish day you’ve been here. Have

  you ever had something precious stolen from you, Ms.

  Hamner? Think carefully before you answer, because
I doubt

  you’ve faced even a small bit of what happened.”

  “I’m sorry I haven’t suffered on the same grand scale,

  but don’t pretend to know me.” She tried to never let her

  temper get out of control, but this woman and her daughter

  had bent that rule all to hell. “I need to take care of my

  daughter and myself, so I’m not sitting around here wasting

  my time.”

  “Did you ever stop to think of the great number of people

  who are depending on the same exact thing? This isn’t

  about Ellis’s ego, you twit. It’s about a company full of

  employees who’ll get robbed too if this doesn’t turn out

  well.”

  “I told you there was a job waiting for you if you didn’t or

  couldn’t stay,” Ellis said with a flat tone. She stood in the

  doorway from the house to the courtyard with a sketchbook

  under her arm, appearing tired. “Just let Rueben know when

  you’re ready, and we’ll get you home.”

  “Just…just—” Charlotte couldn’t finish what she wanted

  to say so she went back inside, slamming the door and

  startling Sawyer. She wanted to stay and get to know Ellis

  since she found she liked her even though she aggravated

  her to distraction, but she also had to find a way to get

  experience. She couldn’t move forward with anyone else

  without that one little thing everyone wanted to see on her

  resume. She wanted to learn from one of the best in the

  business, but she hadn’t planned on being part of all this

  drama.

  “Mom, look.” Sawyer pointed to the television.

  The national morning show was reporting on the story

  that had broken late the night before. It was sad to watch

  five of what she knew were some of Ellis’s pieces flash

  across the screen. The reporter obviously had only those,

  but it was the lead story for the day, so it wasn’t the end of

  this for Ellis. She figured it’d be a slow drip until whoever

  was behind all this had buried Ellis, for this season at least.

  “Is this bad?” Sawyer asked.

  “Wait here, and I’ll be right back.”

  The pool area was empty when she went back out, so she

  headed for the ballroom where Ellis worked. All the sketches

  Ellis had put up from the night before were still there, and

  Ellis was sitting on the table staring at them in a way that

  made Charlotte think they’d magically change.