If The Shoe Fits (3 page)

A few minutes later, after having tasted all
three, he savored the rich flavors melting on his tongue. “No doubt
about it, you’ve won, hands down.”

Charlie clapped. She picked up the money.
Splitting it, she gave her friend half. “Here’s the money I owe you
from my bet.”

Surprised, Alex asked, “What? You bet against
her?”

“Yeah, but I got my money back,” Charlie
said, waving a five in front of him.

He laughed and the two ladies soon followed
suit.

Charlie grabbed a nearby napkin and leaned
toward him. “Here, let me.”

As she raised her hand to his mouth, he
clasped her wrist. She stilled. He heard the catch in her breath.
The delicate silky skin beneath his fingers had him yearning to
touch more. The vein he lightly pressed changed its rhythm from a
slow, steady beat to a rapid-fire tempo.

Gazing at her face, he watched her eyes
darken, her cheeks pinken, and her full rosy lips part. Her breath
came in soft pants. Something tightened in his middle. An ache
rushed through him.

The moment seemed frozen for him. Silence
stretched. He felt his own skin heat. Blood throbbed through his
veins. His quickening heartbeat drummed in his chest.

Recalling what she’d been about to do, Alex
licked the corner of his mouth. She sucked in a breath, dropping
her gaze there. He watched in awe at her heavy-lidded stare, the
slight flare to her nostrils, and the flush creeping over her
cheeks. Another ache, low and deep, shot through him.

From behind him, he heard someone clearing
her throat rather loudly and repeatedly.

Coming out of his trance, he said, “Ah, Mrs.
King…” There was unmistakable regret in his voice.

He slid his fingers from Charlie’s wrist to
her palm. She released the napkin she held. Skin met skin. Alex
couldn’t ignore the tingle traveling through him. He bent and
placed a gentle kiss on the back of her hand. Her fingers tightened
slightly. Reluctantly, he let her go. He rose.

Straightening the chair, he then moved to
Dolly and kissed the back of her hand. “Ladies,” he said softly as
he turned to Charlie, “it’s been memorable.” With a slight bow of
his head, he turned to face the rest of the pack.

Alex snatched up his jacket from the counter
and crossed the room. “Mrs. King, I’ll be in touch.” As he rolled
down his sleeves, he turned to the sisters and nodded. “Girls.”

“But… but…” Mrs. King stammered, following on
his heels as he found his way to the foyer. “When will you call?”
He was sure she sounded desperate even to her own ears.

At the door, he turned to her as he shrugged
on his jacket. Tall and proud, she seemed in complete control.
However, looking closer, he noted how she rubbed her fingers
together and how she couldn’t quite disguise the way her eyes
clouded with anxiety.

“Tomorrow. First thing. I’ll meet you at your
office at King’s.” With that, he left quickly.

The cool air hit Alex the minute he stepped
out of the house. At the bottom of the stairs, he halted, raising
his face to the soft, misty rain. He smiled.

“Sir?” his driver asked from the curb as he
held an umbrella in one hand and pulled the car door open with the
other.

“Edward,” he said jubilantly, and then raced
down the walkway to the car. “It’s a wonderful evening, isn’t
it?”

The older man tipped his black cap. His smile
lit up his wizened face. “Yes, sir, it appears it is.”

Once in the back seat, Alex grabbed for the
car phone. As he waited several rings, Edward pulled the car out
into the street.

“Hello,” came a sleepy male voice.

“Granddad, it’s Alex.”

“Alex! Is everything all right, son?”

Alex laughed out loud. “Granddad, I found
her.”

He found her, but would she want him and a
marriage of convenience?

From behind the wheel of the car, Edward
glanced over his shoulder. “Is she the one who was late, sir? Dark
hair, slender, long legs? She ran across the street while laughing
in the pouring rain.”

Nodding, Alex smiled at his longtime friend’s
description. He couldn’t believe it had only been last night since
he met her. He hadn’t slept a wink. He’d replayed the time with her
over and over in his mind. But one nagging thought persisted. Who
the hell was Dex? A boyfriend? Was it serious?

Now he waited outside King’s Department Store
for Charlie’s arrival. He glanced at his watch, realizing they’d
been parked there for more than ten minutes. Well, he hadn’t wanted
to miss her.

“Sir, I think she’s coming now,” Edward said
as he gazed in the rearview mirror.

Alex twisted around and spotted her. Her dark
hair gleamed in the morning light. Wearing a short, purple dress
that hugged her curves and matching high heels, she walked down the
sidewalk. He turned to his friend and patted him on the shoulder.
“Good job, Edward. Wish me luck.”

A moment later, Alex hopped out of the car,
not bothering to wait for his driver. Charlie walked briskly by,
but not without a double take when she saw him.

He smiled. Maybe he had a chance. Following a
few paces behind her, he watched her long, self-assured strides and
the gentle sway of her backside. “Damn,” he muttered, straightening
his jacket, and then buttoned it.

She must have heard because he caught her
soft chuckle. It probably wasn’t the first time and it wouldn’t be
the last time a man commented as she strode down the street, he
figured.

***

Charlie nearly lost her footing when Alex
stepped from the limo at the curb, never in her life expecting him
to emerge from the sleek, black car. Now he was no more than four
steps behind her, watching her. She took guilty pleasure in his
muttered compliment, warmth spreading across her cheeks.

Once at the gold-framed glass doors of
King’s, she smiled widely at the short, older doorman as he held
the door for her. “Benny, how are you today? And how’s your new
granddaughter, Andrea?”

His wrinkled face stretched with his smile
and his blue eyes twinkled with delight. “She’s just a peach, Miss
Charlie. Thanks so much for the bassinet. It’s a beauty.”

“I’m so glad you liked it. Don’t forget to
bring some pictures of her. We want to make sure she’s on King’s
family board.”

“Sure thing, miss. You have a good day
now.”

She sensed Alex still followed her. However,
her suspicions were confirmed when Benny wished him a good morning
and he responded in his deep, rich voice.

Glancing back quickly, she caught him staring
at her. A shiver of awareness shot through her middle. Without
missing a step, she walked across the charcoal gray marble floor.
She strode past the men’s department, cosmetics counter, and
jewelry department. Charlie headed to the executive offices’
elevators.

Usually she took her time surveying the scene
and filling with pride. Today, the man behind her distracted her,
making it difficult to think of anything but his strong
presence.

Halting at the gleaming gold doors, she saw
him stop a foot behind her. “Good morning.” She nodded to the three
people already waiting. Two men from their accounting department
returned her pleasantries.

In the muted reflection, Charlie caught Alex
staring. She turned her head, saying, “Quit following.”

“Why? I like the view from back here.” His
voice held an unmistakable smile.

The others chuckled. Charlie grinned and
shook her head. Thankfully, the door dinged opened. Entering, she
found a spot in the center, and then turned back to the doors. Once
again, he followed and stood just inches behind her. The others
piled in beside them.

Thick silence ensued as the doors closed and
the elevator lifted them to the fifth floor. The heat from his body
reached out to scorch her back. His musky scent tickled her senses.
Momentarily, she closed her eyes and breathed in. Why did she have
to be attracted to this man? He’s Francie’s.

She must have swayed slightly; his hand
touched her waist to steady her. Charlie opened her eyes
quickly.

He murmured in her ear, “Are you all right?”
His warm breath fanned over her earlobe and neck. She shivered.

All she could do was nod. His fingers
lingered. The heat of his touch burned through her clothes,
branding her flesh. Slowly, he dropped his hand, his palm brushing
her hip. His sharp intake of breath whistled past her ear.

An eternity later, the elevator halted at her
floor. She rushed out, gulping in air, and greeted the
receptionist. “Good morning, Martha.”

“Hi, Charlie.”

Charlie made her escape from Alex, striding
to the right and toward her corner office. Behind her, she heard
him ask for Mrs. King. “Of course,” she whispered, “he’s here to
talk about last night and Francie.” Her middle tightened.

***

Still dizzy from his encounter with Charlie,
Alex was ushered into Mrs. King’s office. He noted the ornately
carved desk and the rich burgundy fabric on the furniture.

The older woman grabbed his attention. She
stood with confidence. Dressed in a black tailored business suit,
her dyed golden hair swept in a French twist and a string of creamy
pearls around her neck, she exuded professionalism.

“Mrs. King.” He nodded politely, sizing up
the woman more closely than the night before. There was something
about her…

Shrewd, dark eyes narrowed slightly, as if
trying to read his thoughts. She pasted on a smile. “Why, Mr.
Royale, it’s such a pleasure.”

Somehow he doubted that, especially when he
told her of his intentions.

After she finished with the pleasantries of
coffee and her secretary left the room, she began, “We had such a
lovely evening with you.”

Alex had two options: Either he could go
along with this charade or cut to the chase. “Mrs. King, we both
know why I’m here.”

“Yes.” Nudging her cup and saucer aside, she
pushed away the pretense. She leaned forward in her chair, her
hands grasped tightly together. He was certain she held her
breath.

“Your daughter—”

“Francine,” she interrupted, relaxing her
hands. “I knew it. She’s a lovely girl. Quite a catch.”

“Not that one.”

Her brow furrowed and she looked genuinely
puzzled. “Priscilla?”

“Not that one, either.”

“But…but who?” Then her jaw slackened and her
eyes widened.

“Yes, that one.”

“Charlotte!” Her mouth opened and closed.

He stifled a laugh at her shocked look. “It’s
not a problem, is it?”

He knew she’d never be able to refuse. If she
turned Alexander Royale down for a chance to marry one of her
daughters, it would get out and her reputation would be shredded to
pieces. Now, Charlie’s acceptance may be an entirely different
story. A fusion of doubt shot through him.

Visibly trying to pull herself together, she
smoothed a hand over her perfectly styled hair. She relaxed her
mouth into a semblance of a smile. “No, of course it’s not a
problem. Not at all.”

“She’s available then?” He held his
breath.

She waved a hand and made a sound in the back
of her throat. “Dexter Snodgrass? Oh, he’s nothing, just one of our
mad scientists. You know the type, always concocting one thing or
another. Perfume this time…” She rambled off.

“Good.” Alex could breathe again, the
tightening in his chest easing. But he had a feeling she wanted
something out of this. “The terms?”

She sat up, straightening her back. Her eyes
brightened. “Now, you know, she is a King.” Somehow she’d regained
complete composure. “Nothing but the best.”

“Of course.” His middle clenched. Alex kept a
snare from forming on his lips at the change in this woman. She’d
barely tolerated Charlie last night.

“I don’t know if you’re aware of this or not,
Mr. Royale, but I was given the right to accept or deny any of
Charlotte’s suitors for her hand in marriage. In his will, her
father entrusted me with the responsibility.” She raised her chin
and cocked her head to the side.

Alex balled his fingers into a fist. “And if
she goes against your wishes?” he asked between gritted teeth.

“She’ll be disowned. Disinherited. Cut off
from her family. Kicked out of the store. No contact with the store
employees she loves. Left with nothing. Not even a stick of
furniture.” He swore he saw a ghost of a smile cross her lips.

“Mr. King put that in his will?” Alex kept a
tight control on his voice, wishing to give nothing away to this
cold, hard woman.

“King’s was quite the store back then.
The
store
. We had lots of interest in it and it was very
profitable. We had to protect us, the store, and the girls from any
untoward influences or unsavory characters. My husband left the
consequences up to me.” This time she did let the smile linger.

“And it still stands to this day?”

“It’s ironclad. I wouldn’t have had it any
other way.”

Barracuda was too kind of a word to describe
this woman. “What’s your price, Mrs. King?” He wanted to get this
over with; he couldn’t stand to sit in the same room with her a
moment longer than necessary.

“King’s.”

He wasn’t certain he heard right. “King’s
Department Store?”

“Yes. I want it sold. Either you buy it or
find the highest bidder. You’ll be in charge once you marry the
girl. The employees will love that. The late, great Charles King’s
beloved daughter takes a husband. Anything to please the poor
orphaned Charlotte King and her legacy.” Venom laced her words. “It
should be easy for you to sway them eventually. You can use your
powers of persuasion. I hear you’re quite the fireball in
boardrooms, fighting and winning your way.”

If he felt disgust before, it was nothing
like the hard stone sitting in his belly now. “You hate her that
much?” he asked tightly. How could anyone dislike beautiful,
fun-loving Charlie?