Family By Design. Callie Endicott

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       CHAPTER FOUR

      RACHEL TOOK NOTE of several things as they walked into the reception area for Liv’ing Creations. The most interesting aspect was that it must have been redecorated during the past year.

      “When did you redecorate?” she asked.

      “How do you know we changed anything?”

      “Because this place is as different from your wife’s style as I can imagine. She had verve and originality. Now it’s opulent and generic. Sorry, but those are the only words that come to mind.”

      Simon’s mouth flattened into a straight line, but he finally shrugged. “You’re right. I approved redecorating because the designer felt it was needed to keep up with the changing world of fashion. Except now I suppose it’s generic decoration to fit a generic product.”

      “Some people may like that product. You mentioned sales have dropped, but surely they haven’t entirely vanished.”

      “We’re still in the black. It’s just that my gut tells me things aren’t going the way my wife would have wanted.”

      Simon seemed to have a good business acumen, but this wasn’t about making money; it was about saving something special for his daughter.

      “Hello, Mr. Kessler.” A woman had come out of the back room. “I didn’t realize you were here.”

      “I’m showing an acquaintance around who’s interested in fashion houses. I thought everyone would be gone since the shop closes early on Fridays.”

      “There were a few things I wanted to clear up.”

      Simon turned to Rachel. “Rachel, this is Miriam Timmons. She’s the manager of Liv’ing Creations. Miriam, Rachel Clarion.”

      “Hello. Simon, I’d be happy to give Ms. Clarion a tour. You don’t need to stay.”

      “That isn’t necessary. Have a good evening. And weekend, of course.”

      Miriam seemed reluctant to leave. “Thank you. It was nice meeting you, Ms. Clarion. Is there any chance you used to be a model?”

      It wasn’t unusual for Rachel to be recognized by people, whether or not they were connected to the fashion industry, though she preferred anonymity.

      “A long time ago. Now I’m a partner in the Moonlight Ventures talent agency.”

      “Really.”

      The look on Miriam Timmons’s face wasn’t especially friendly. Was she interested in Simon on a personal basis, or did she suspect the purpose behind the tour was his concern over how the shop was operating? Whatever the reason, she clearly wasn’t thrilled when Simon firmly sent her out the door and locked it behind her.

      Rachel gazed at a memorial photo on the wall with a tribute from the staff written beneath. While not traditionally beautiful, Olivia had been an auburn-haired, blue-eyed stunner, whose picture seemed to exude the same suppressed energy as her husband. They must have been exhausting to know as a couple.

      “She looks so dynamic,” Rachel said to Simon, who was also gazing at the large portrait. “I get the impression of tight springs, as if she was bursting to keep moving and even sitting still for a picture was hard for her.”

      He chuckled, though there was sadness in his face. “Liv had to do everything as fast as possible. Before we met, I thought I was the only one who was that driven. It was a struggle to make time for marriage and family, but we managed.”

      A wistful envy went through Rachel. Mutually demanding careers had also been tough on her and Hayden. In a way she kept wanting to blame the accident for her divorce, but she knew it had just precipitated the inevitable end. Their problems had begun practically from the day of their wedding.

      It wasn’t that she still loved him. The idea of love and partnership was appealing, despite her choice to stay single and focus on friendship. She was a modern woman, yet deep down she longed for the fairy-tale love she’d grown up hearing her grandmother talk about.

      “Is something wrong?” Simon asked.

      “No, of course not.”

      He hiked an eyebrow and she shrugged.

      “I was thinking about the problem with fairy tales. ‘And they lived happily ever after’ is really just the beginning of the story. Falling in love is easy, but staying in love and making things work is hard. You and your wife succeeded where a lot of people fail.” Rachel squared her shoulders. “Enough of that. How about СКАЧАТЬ