If The Shoe Fits (14 page)

Something kicked Alex in his chest. He never
wanted to let his grandfather down. “Chadwick.”

“At least you still remember his name.”

“Grandfather, he’s been gunning to take over
since before you semi-retired.” For years, Alex had been five steps
ahead of Chadwick. Now, it seemed, he’d let his guard down and the
shark had moved in.

“Yes, he’s got a one-track mind. And that’s
what we need now more than ever.”

“So what has he been telling you?”

“You sent Stuart to California when you
should have gone yourself. We lost the deal.”

Sitting up straighter, Alex reached for his
briefcase. He snapped it open and yanked out a file. “Why wasn’t I
notified?” He flipped through the pages. “Stuart’s report mentioned
nothing of any discontent. He says he had them eating out of his
hand.”

He’d checked and rechecked the progress
report and the notes. He’d grilled Stuart himself.

“You didn’t go yourself. They felt if the top
dog at Royale Enterprises wasn’t interested enough in them, why
should they give us their business? You know we have to baby these
people. You offended the very company that would have brought in
millions over the next two years. And, to top it all off, you
nearly bankrupt Royale Enterprises to buy King’s Department
Store.”

His heart sank. His grandfather had found
out. “I can explain.”

“Hah! Have you lost your mind, son?”

“Please, Albert, don’t upset yourself so,” he
heard his grandmother call out. “Trust Alex; he’ll make it all
right, won’t you, dear?”

His grandfather continued, “We’re in the
business of developing upscale shopping malls in the wealthiest
communities, not set up shop to sell wares.”

Alex squeezed his eyes shut. He felt the
muscle in his jaw jump to life. “It’s only temporary. I intend to
sell it. All the media attention is causing business to pick up.
That means I buy low and sell high, Grandfather.”

Some of the bluster seemed to go out of the
older man. “Why didn’t you say something?”

“I didn’t want you to be this upset.”

He snorted. “Too late.” His long, heavy sigh
caused another pang of guilt to shoot through Alex.

“I’m sorry. Some day I’ll tell you
everything. But, for now, let me do it my way.”

“When?”

“When?”

“Yes, son, when are you going to put that
beast up for sale?”

“Soon. A couple of weeks,” he admitted,
recalling his assistant’s discreet, tentative inquiries into
selling King’s. They already had a few interested companies, more
with each successful sales campaign. Thoughts of Charlie rushed
through his mind. Something strong and heavy clamped down in his
chest.

“Make it quick.” For a long moment there was
silence. “Alex, you’ve got a business to run, not a store to
babysit. You decide if you want to continue at Royale Enterprises
or play shopkeeper.” Sadness crept into his voice. “I’m an old man
who doesn’t have much time left. Give your grandmother and me a
great-grandchild. And don’t disappoint me in losing all I’ve built
these years. That includes my hopes and dreams of you and your son
continuing on where I left off. It’s either King’s or Royale
Enterprises. You can’t have both.”

The finality of his grandfather’s words rang
in his ears as Alex hung up. But it was the deep well of
disappointment in Gramps’ voice that broke his heart. “You can’t
have both,” Alex repeated, gritting his teeth.

“That bad?”

“Worse, my friend, much worse.” Alex blew out
a hot breath. He had a decision to make. It wasn’t going to be
pretty.

After frantic phone calls to his assistant
and Stuart, Alex finally exited the car nearly twenty minutes
later. He made his way into the store as the familiar doorman
spotted Alex and had ushered him through the growing crowd after
Alex had viewed both window displays.

He smiled wistfully as he recalled the first
one with Charlie, in a dressing gown, getting ready at the vanity
table while her stepsisters exchanged shoes and Dolly sat in a
nearby chair completing the last stitches on a hem.

The second one… Breathtaking, he thought.
Flowers adorned the makeshift garden. White gauzy fabric draped the
wedding altar. Stunning, Charlie stood in her wedding dress. Beside
her, he cupped her face in his palms, ready to kiss her.

Still lost in thought, he entered King’s. He
stopped in his tracks. Gone were the classic racks upon racks of
clothes, the soft strains of elevator music, and stiff mannequins
dressed in all-too-boring business attire. Even the lighting had
been adjusted. Everything seemed brighter and warmer. As another
popular love song came on, he heard several women nearby exclaim at
the rich, husky voice of the well-known singer.

He glanced around in fascinated wonder at the
transformation. The white-draped fabric and flowers continued
throughout the store. Seating arrangements had been created, as if
this were a real wedding reception. A five-tier wedding cake with
King’s gift bags on the table took up one area.

His jaw nearly dropped as saleswomen, posing
as wait staff, served wedding cake in neat little lavender
take-home boxes with King’s Department Store crown logo imprinted
on the top, along with sparkling liquid in champagne glasses.
Behind the servers were models, posing in their colorful hip
outfits, while salespeople with an armful of clothes whisked away
women to the dressing areas.

“What do you think?” Charlie asked as she
suddenly appeared by his side.

She seemed to glow. “You, my love, are
amazing.”

“I know that. I meant the store.”

He chuckled. “Chic. Unique. Yet intimate. I
would say you are a genius.”

Her cheeks turned pink. She waved a hand to
indicate the employees working behind her. “My team is.” On tiptoe,
she leaned close and kissed him on the cheek. “Thank you,
Alex.”

“For what?” He honestly had no clue what she
was talking about.

“For giving me time.”

Alex swallowed hard.

“Time away from you, so I could be here to
help with all this planning and work,” she said, and then slipped
her arm through his. “I think we’re drawing too much attention,”
she whispered as he became aware of the many stares.

Women of all ages, shapes, and sizes seemed
to stop their shopping to focus on them. Most smiled, others
giggled, while some even raised their glasses in a toast.

“Ladies,” he said, nodding their way.

“Shall I show you the rest?”

He looked at her, raising an eyebrow. “Rest
of what?”

“You’ll see.” Promise echoed in her
words.

Groaning, he followed her lead.

This time she giggled. “Not that,” she said
in mock horror.

A moment later, he realized where they were
going. Getting closer, there was no way to ignore the huge posters
hanging behind the jewelry counter and the nearby salon.

He gulped. “Charlie.”

There, in more than eight-foot glory, his
wife’s picture hung. The close-up of her looking off to her right
as she smiled warmly captured her bare shoulders just above the
neckline of her wedding dress, spotlighting the diamond earrings
and necklace.

In the back of his mind, he noted the other
photos in the surrounding area. He glanced at the close-up photo
where he slipped her wedding ring onto her left ring finger, there
to stay. However, he couldn’t seem to yank his gaze away from the
full shot of both of them; he was in profile as he kneeled before
her and she gazed lovingly at him.

“Pretty good, if I do say so myself.”

A bolt of electricity zapped through his
body. He saw it for the very first time. She loved him. And he
loved her. The picture couldn’t lie. “Perfect,” he said absently.
“Simply, utterly perfect.”

He knew he’d treasure this moment for the
rest of his life.

“Sir, I’m sorry to interrupt,” Edward’s voice
intruded from beside him, “but you have a plane to catch.”

Whatever he’d dreamed about for a future for
Charlie and himself seemed to crash right before him.

“Alex, a plane?” He heard the hurt in her
tone.

Grimly, he turned to her. There, in her eyes,
bore the well of disappointment. His middle clenched. “I’ve got to
go to California.”

“Now?”

He blew out a hot breath. “I’m afraid so.
Business.” He had to save the deal and Royale Enterprises all in
one shot. After all, wasn’t his grandparents and what they longed
for his first priority? It always had been. And it always would be
for him. “Walk me to the car?” he asked softly, dreading the
inevitable.

***

Outside, standing beside the car door,
Charlie noted the strain in his eyes. “Is everything all
right?”

Instead of answering, he gathered her close.
She melted into him, savoring the warmth and strength of his arms
surrounding her and his big solid chest protecting her. She sighed.
He held her tighter.

“I’m sorry, Charlie,” he whispered in her
ear, “for doing this to you.”

A sense of unease made her shiver. Why did it
sound like he was apologizing for more than just this sudden trip?
She pulled away slightly to look up into his eyes again. They were
clouded. He seemed troubled. “Alex, please tell me what’s really
going on.”

A sad smile tugged at his mouth. With what
appeared to be forced cheer, he said, “A party. Well, a reception.
My grandparents insist on introducing us properly to the world, I’m
afraid. Saturday night. I’ll be back just in time. I’ll have my
assistant call you with all the details.”

“A party?”

“I know, I hate them, too.” He kissed her
quick, and then made to let go.

“Wait, not so fast.” She hated the desperate
quality in her voice. He came back fully to her. “Kiss me, please.
A real one.”

“My pleasure, beautiful.”

Slowly, he dipped his head. Charlie closed
her eyes and welcomed the warm, firm pressure of his mouth against
hers. She didn’t want it to end. The shelter of his embrace gave
her a false sense of security and reassurance.

In the background, she became aware of the
claps, cheers, and even some cameras clicking away. They had an
audience. Again.

Reluctantly, she broke the kiss, sighing
heavily. With one last look, he got into the back seat. He grabbed
a nearby file and flipped through the pages, becoming instantly
absorbed in the material. He didn’t even glance at her as Edward
drove away.

Her heart sank. She’d just gotten a glimpse
of the old Alex. Stiff, business-like, and shut down. She had five
days to figure out why this sudden change in him and the urgent
need to fly off to conduct business he’d never mentioned
previously. But would she like the answer?

***

Charlie leaned her forehead against the cool
window pane as she sat in her office window seat. Friday night
after nine and the stillness surrounding her should be welcome. But
it wasn’t.

She tugged the fuzzy throw a little bit more
over her shoulder. The soft rustle of her sketch pad shifting
reminded her she still had to finish the details on the perfume box
for King’s new scent, Charming.

The echoing silence in the executive offices
indoors combated with the sound of rain dripping down the windows
outside.

“Sad. Lonely,” she whispered as her middle
knotted again. She couldn’t call her friend. Dolly had a date with
Edward. “All alone.” Tears smarted her eyes.

It had been four long nights without Alex.
Brief, distracted calls made it even more unbearable. Her husband
had suddenly become a stranger to her.

And, to be honest, Charlie didn’t
particularly like the change.

Funny how a few short weeks ago she’d never
thought of anything but the store. Now, thoughts of Alex were
always in the back of her mind, especially now that he was so
remote.

Sighing heavily, she berated herself. She’d
gone and fallen in love with him. An ache shot through her. “Yes, I
love my husband,” she said softly, trying out the words aloud for
the first time. “Fully, deeply, painfully in love.” But she didn’t
have to like the business man who’d snuck back in and stole him
away.

Her tummy twisted again. She couldn’t recall
the last time she’d stopped to take a bite. Wrinkling her nose at
the thought of food, she realized she didn’t have the stomach for
it. Charlie giggled at her own pun.

“You are so sorry, girl.”

She must have dozed off, because the next
thing she was aware of was sounds in the outer office. Sitting up,
she recognized Bruno’s, the night guard, voice. Then another male
answered.

“Alex?” she called out, her heart hitching.
She brushed aside her sketch pad and threw off the blanket.

Suddenly, his presence filled the doorframe.
He moved closer. “Should I call you Sleeping Beauty now?”

Smiling, she rubbed at her eyes. “Something
like that.”

“Miss Charlie, I found this man lurking
around the building.” Bruno nodded to her husband and the bag he
was carrying as the guard came into the room. “I only let him in
‘cause he brought dinner.” He winked at her. “Miss Dolly’s famous
chicken soup.”

Her stomach growled. She pressed a hand to
her middle. “Yummy. Have some with us.”

“You know she fixed me up, too.” He smacked
his lips. “And dumplings.”

“Oh, my gosh. I’m famished.”

“If you weren’t before, you should be now,”
Bruno said. “Dolly’s one mean cook. You know if I wasn’t married, I
would have snatched her up long ago.”

Charlie smiled. “Hah! It’s not just her
cooking. It’s because of her winning streak at poker. You, my
friend, would’ve been one rich man.”

He laughed heartily, shaking his head. “Dang
that woman! She could beat the pants off any man she played with.
Your daddy, the guys, and me would be crying by the end of the
night.”