Wayward Dreams (7 page)

“Yeah, you just do that little thing,” Bianca muttered, watching him drive away.

She wanted to slam the door, but it was the room's only light source, and, for the moment, she was a little bit afraid of the dark. What else might be lurking, just waiting to jump out at her? Hitching her purse higher, she stepped back into the shadowy confines of Vive la Reine.

Not thinking, she brought her now-grimy hands to her face. “Who am I trying to fool? I don't have the money and don't have a clue as to where I can get any.” She dropped her hands and looked around. “Martin at least gave me the rest of the month.”

Needing to do something, she wandered the rooms that comprised the whole of Vive la Reine. Dumping her large purse on what was left of a display case, she smoothed a hand across the dusty top and gasped when her finger caught on a sliver of glass. She pressed the small wound with her fingers and watched the blood droplet swell on her dirty finger.
Never thought I would actually have to spill blood for this place.

“Oh, my goodness, what did you do?”

Julia's voice brought Bianca's head up. “Nothing,” she blurted, wiping her finger against her jeans. “It's just a little scratch, is all.”

“Really? Let me see.” Julia located a small penlight on her key ring. Flicking it on, she reached, gripping Bianca's wrist when she tried to pull her hand back.

“It's nothing.”

“Sure. Now. But with all this dirt and stuff in here, it can get infected. Where will you be then?” Julia asked, juggling the light. Reaching into her handbag, she pulled out a small first-aid kit and went to work cleaning and bandaging her sister's finger. “There.”

Bianca looked at her finger and sniffed, then a small smile dawned. “Is this part of that sister thing?”

“Yeah, I suppose it is.” Julia grinned.

“Well, thanks, I guess.” Bianca looked down, pressed her fingers over the band-aid. “So, what are you doing here, anyway?”

“You are, like, so uncomfortable with me, aren't you? Never mind, you just are, and I guess I have to live with that.” A deep sigh punctuated Julia's words, when she took her purse and turned toward the door. “Come on, I brought coffee. It's in my car.”

“You brought coffee, but you didn't bring it in?”

Julia aimed her penlight at the ruined walls and floor. “Dark, scary, and dirty—we might get Legionnaires' disease or something in here. Come on, I have wipes in the car.”

Bianca shouldered her bag and walked behind her sister. “Clean freak.”

“I heard that.”

Determined not to apologize, Bianca followed her sister to her car and gratefully accepted the hand wipes, coffee, and a glazed donut. “Thanks,” she finally said.

“That didn't hurt, now did it?”

“Gloating does not become you,” Bianca muttered into her coffee. “What brought you out here? How did you know I would be here?”

“I tried to call you, but couldn't get through—I think your phone is dead.”

When Bianca flipped her phone open, it flashed and died. “I had so much on my mind, I forgot to charge it.”

“That's what I thought. I had some time, so I thought I would try you here.”

“Are you going to eat that?” Bianca eyed the last donut. “I didn't get breakfast.”

“Eat it and be grateful it won't go to your hips.” Julia took in her sister's figure—more slender than her own, yet lushly curved, and she had to warn herself not to hate. She waved the donut off. “I am
so
sorry I inherited all of the fat genes.”

Chewing, Bianca looked over at her sister. A hair or two shorter than her own five-nine, Julia's curves were softer. Though her figure was abundant, she was a long way from fat. At thirty-four, her face was rounder, the gentle features framed with short, sassy wisps of hair tipped with gold.
Julia looks exactly like what she is: smart and successful.
“I'll trade you a few of my skinny genes for some of your money-smart genes.”

“I would if I could.” Intelligent hazel eyes watched Bianca finish the donut. “How much money do you need, Bianca?”

“Is it that obvious?”

“Pretty much.”

“I have a truckload of repairs to make, and I don't have enough cash on hand to pay attention.” Bianca drew a long, deep breath and exhaled before meeting her sister's eyes. “I'm looking at you for a place to stay, but I just got offered a major retail contract, so things are looking up. If I can hold on.”

“Is the contract with KPayne?” Bianca shook her head.

“I could have my lawyer look at it—if you want.”

“Thanks, but I need to find my own way out of this mess with him. If I hadn't been so greedy, I wouldn't be in this position. This is my fault, and I need to find a way out without your bailing me out.”

“Wow, I'm impressed. I can remember a time when you would have leapt at the offer of help. But how are you going to fix this?”

“Get a job.”

“And how will that work?”

Bianca dug into her purse and pulled out one of her lists. “I worked it out this morning. Thanks to you, I won't have to pay rent, so every penny I earn, after food and gas, will go into restoring Vive la Reine. Paint, brushes, and steam cleaning won't cost much. I'll do all of the painting on my own.”

“Paint?
You
?” Julia looked dubious. “I was with you, right up until you said
you
were going to paint.”

“I
do
know how to use a paint brush, and I'll just have to do what has to be done. Can I trade on sisterhood for any spare furniture you have?”

“For the condo and the store? Sure.” Impressed, Julia nodded.

“I don't have a figure yet for the insurance payoff,” Bianca continued. “I've already contacted vendors for credit extensions, but there's one other thing I didn't plan for—water and electrical damage. I can't open until that's taken care of.”

“I could loan…” Julia stopped when Bianca raised a hand and shook her head.

“You've done enough. I can't ask you for more.”

The look in her sister's eyes warned Julia away from the offer, but failed to diminish her desire to help. “I have an idea. There are a couple of guys who contract with me; I pay them quarterly to work on my properties. I could add your water and electrical damage to my list. It wouldn't cost you anything, supplies included. I mean, I've paid for it already. You're not asking; I'm offering.”

“If everything works out and your guys can do the work, I can be open in two weeks.” Bianca looked hopeful. It felt kind of nice to have someone care, and keeping her promise to Martin would be a bonus. “Okay. Thanks.”

Fueled by enthusiasm, Julia bounced a little in her seat, reminding Bianca that this was indeed her younger sister. She cleared her throat and shuffled her notes, waiting for the quick wash of sentiment to pass.

“I think that limiting business hours to Thursday through Sunday, will keep operating costs low, and let me work on generating the money I need to get back on my feet. I need to replace stock and get the new shirt done for Neiman's. It's risky, because I won't be insured for almost anything this time, but I have to take the chance.”

“Am I included in this conversation or not?”

“What?” Looking up, seeing Julia sitting with an arm propped in the car's open window gave her a start. She folded her notes and pushed them back into her purse. “Sorry, I got carried away.”

“I was just wondering how you planned to build stock with no money. I mean, ‘goodwill' will only go so far.”

Bianca tapped the dashboard. “I've thought about that. I thought I would add an ‘invitation-only' consignment area. The pieces would come from celebrity and society customers who are already personally insured. That way, Vive la Reine will be stocked, and the inventory insured.”

Julia wrinkled her nose. “Used clothes, Bianca?”

“Everybody is not as finicky as you, and when the items are new and nearly new top-of-the-line designers, who'll care? Vive la Reine will be open, the shelves will be stocked, and I can live without spa manicures and hot-stone massages for a few months. I can already see the light at the end of the tunnel.”

Julia was impressed. “You would put off your own shopping and little spa indulgences?”

Feigning frost, Bianca made a face. “There are no ‘little spa indulgences.' In my heart, I already miss deep-tissue and hot-stone massages. Oh, well…”

“You've figured out where you'll get stock, but where will you find your customers?”

“Thanks to KPayne, I've met a lot of celebrities. I can call on a few sports figures…”

“Who buys ladies' jeans?” Julia crossed her legs and looked unconvinced.

“I'll be carrying more than ladies' jeans, but yes. Heck, you sell real estate, so you already know there are plenty of women with their own money living here. There are women in entertainment and women in sports living in Atlanta, there are several world-class runners, and even women like Marlea Kellogg Yarborough.”

“AJ Yarborough's wife? Didn't you have some kind of beef with her? Before they got married?” Julia eyebrows rose, and she brushed imaginary spots from the car's dashboard.

Eyes narrowed, Bianca went mute.

“I'm just repeating a little cocktail gossip I heard in passing,” Julia said quickly. “What makes you think she would help you—with anything?”

“Take it from your big sister, you shouldn't listen to gossip.” Bianca's hand went to her wrist and she missed the watch she'd worn there for so long. “He wouldn't have married her and been with her this long if she didn't have a good heart. If I can swallow my pride, maybe apologize for the arrogant fool I once was, I think she'll help me out—maybe.”

“
Saru mo ki kara ochiru.
Even monkeys fall from trees, and everyone makes mistakes.” Sipping coffee, Julia shrugged.
“
So you make nice, hook this woman up, and that will solve your problems?”

“No. First, I have to get that job.”

“Can the job search wait until you get moved?”

“I guess.”

“Then we'll meet tomorrow at Museum Tower. I'll get the truck loaded with some stuff to get you started, and we'll move you into your new home.”

Relief surged and Bianca wondered whether she should chance giving her sister a hug.
Better not take the chance of offending her.
They were both still new to this sister thing.

“Hey, Bianca?” Julia was focused on the world outside her car when her sister turned and looked at her. “Do you ever wonder what your life would be like if you'd done things differently?”

“All the time. You?”

“All the time.” She bit at her bottom lip when Bianca smiled. “His name was Morris, and he was about the smartest man I ever met. You know how sexy smart can be?” Julia's face glowed. “Mo had it in spades, and on top of that, he was sensitive and devoted. And did I say he was articulate and sexy? He wanted to get married. He wanted children, a dog, a house with a white picket fence, and me. He wanted neighborhood cookouts, kids in little league; he wanted to go to PTA meetings.” She snorted lightly. “Can you picture me at PTA meetings?”

“Maybe…” Bianca wrinkled her nose. “What happened?”

“I got the Inoue Fellowship. The University of Tokyo, a chance to leave my troubles behind and study in Japan—you remember. It was two years anybody would have killed for. Finishing at the top of my class got me the Inoue award—the money I used to get my business started. But he said he couldn't wait that long.”

“It was for two years.”

“That's what I said when he showed me that little ring,” Julia said bitterly. “He said the little ring was only a promise, that he would get me a bigger one for our fifth anniversary.”

“But you needed Japan…”

“I thought of him constantly, from the moment I first entered the Nippon Budokan right up until my final exams. Then I stayed another year, and by the time I got back, he'd found someone else, and she was wearing that little ring.”

“Are they still married?”

Julia nodded miserably. “I don't regret what I did.”

“Yes, you do.”

“Not really. I wouldn't have been able to do a lot of the things I've done without the background and contacts from that fellowship. I've done a lot of good with my business, made a lot of money, but I can't help wondering what if?” Her smile held a moment, but then faded.

“I never told anybody about him. I never told anybody about the ring I gave back or the babies that never were. I even miss the damned dog we never got. Knowing him, it would have been some kind of mutt.” Leaning, she bumped Bianca's shoulder with her own, and her fingers moved, needing to touch her sister's. “We're a pair, aren't we?”

“I guess that just proves we're really sisters.” Bianca opened her arms and her sister moved into her embrace. They sat that way for a long while, Julia letting herself be soothed.

“You still haven't told me about you.”

“Damn it.” Bianca's arms dropped. “I
knew
this was coming. All of that sister stuff.” Bianca fell back in her seat. “There's nothing to tell.”

Drawing away from her sister, Julia crossed her arms and pouted. “You haven't changed, you know that? You still keep yourself to yourself. I sit here and pour my heart out to you, tell you everything and you give nothing back. That's selfish, and it says you still don't trust me.”

“I trust you.” Bianca's pout matched Julia's. “It's me I'm not sure of.”

“He really hurt you, didn't he?

Bianca moved an eyebrow. “How do you say that monkey falling out of trees thing?”

“
Saru mo ki kara ochiru.
Maybe we need to find someone to help you get over him.”