скачать книгу бесплатно
“We plan to,” his father replied. “But don’t you have too much fun while we’re gone, okay?”
Leon rolled his eyes in exaggeration. How much fun could I possibly have if I’m busy turning triangles of exotic fabric into swimsuits for curvy females? he wondered with a smile.
Chapter 4
The two-lane highway leading to Rockport, Texas, was bordered by flat coastal plains on one side and the surging Gulf of Mexico on the other. The black ribbon of asphalt stretching out before Kacey pulled her along, bringing her ever closer to her destination. Few cars passed hers on the highway, and most of the buildings she encountered were either low-slung ranch houses surrounded by acres of green pasture or weather-worn beach cottages raised high on stilts. Kacey had to admit that the sudden sense of isolation that hit her was eerily disturbing, yet peaceful.
Continuing northward, she shifted her gaze from the road to the sky, where not a single white cloud marred the huge expanse of blue that seemed to go on forever. This kind of openness, emptiness and lack of population was a definite contrast to what Kacey was used to. An Easterner born and bred, she considered herself a typical urban working woman who thrived on deadlines, pressure and competition in a fast-paced environment that included long hours at the office, lots of take-out dinners and hitting the live entertainment circuit with her friends to relax. Leaving all that behind to hole up in this small town was going to require a great deal of patience, flexibility and trust.
When Kacey’s cell phone rang, she checked the screen and saw that Linette was calling her back. Kacey answered, intending to keep it brief.
“Hey. Where are you?” she asked, knowing Linette was never in the same place for very long.
“At the airport. LAX,” Linette sputtered, sounding out of breath. “Just got here, and wouldn’t you guess…one of my bags is missing. This sucks. I’m shooting stills for Roberto Rogales’s new outerwear campaign tomorrow and I need my equipment!”
“Right,” Kacey replied, recalling the assignment Linette had accepted with the former Ralph Lauren protégé. “Glad that job worked out for you. But don’t worry. Your bag will show. Happens all the time.”
“It had better,” Linette tossed back. “The schedule Roberto sent looks pretty scary and I’ve got a lot to do. Anyway, I got your message. What’s up with you?”
“Well, right now I’m driving down a two-lane highway along the Texas Gulf Coast, on my way to the factory that is going to manufacture SunKissed by Kacey.” She paused to let Linette absorb her good news. “Can you believe it?”
“Get outta here! For real? Hadley accepted your swimsuit line for Leeman’s?”
“He did,” Kacey confirmed with a smile, eagerly filling Linette in on the details of her meeting with her boss and her upcoming stay in Rockport.
“That’s sooo exciting,” Linette said, clearly happy for Kacey. “Your swimsuits are the bomb! They’re gonna be a huge hit. I’ve never seen any like them.”
“Your photos played a big part in winning Hadley over. And once the manufacturer’s samples are finished, I want you to shoot those, too. My plan is to convince Hadley to send our models to Rockport for the fittings and the promotional photos. Think you can squeeze in a trip to Texas when I get to that point?”
“Of course. Count on it,” Linette assured Kacey. “I should wrap up this job by the end of the week. Just give me a call and I’ll be there.”
“Great. By the time the samples are ready to be photographed, I’ll be more than ready for some company. This temporary exile to Texas is not what I expected to be doing right now.”
“Hey, I hear you. Just focus on your work and time will fly by,” Linette advised in a rushed voice. “Hey, gotta go. My bag is here! We’ll talk later, okay?”
“Right,” Kacey agreed, ending the call and already missing her friend.
While Linette was rubbing shoulders with Hollywood types in Los Angeles, Kacey would be stuck with an old man in a factory in Texas. But it’ll be worth it, she reminded herself, refocusing on the road, surprised to see that a herd of black and white cows had gathered along the barbed-wire fence running parallel to the highway, their large brown eyes trained on her. Shaking her head in disbelief, she turned up the volume on the CD player and let Whitney’s new album fill the car.
Half an hour after leaving the Corpus Christi airport, Kacey finally came to a billboard splashed with large red and blue letters that announced, Welcome to Rockport. Home of Archer Industries. Slowing down, she leaned over and scrutinized the huge sign, which showcased a two-story industrial building constructed of dark red brick, flanked by groves of leafy palm trees. A mature man was posed in front of the structure, chin raised high, a big smile on his face, his deep brown skin burnished like polished wood. In his dark business suit with his arms crossed at his chest he exuded the aura of a successful businessman.
“Old man Archer,” Kacey decided, thinking the older man looked pleasant enough. Maybe working with him wouldn’t be so bad after all.
Driving on, Kacey arrived at the center of town where a gas station, a convenience store, a beauty shop and a hardware outlet anchored the four corners of the old-fashioned square. Beyond the hub of the town, Kacey caught glimpses of lacey Victorian homes on broad green lawns, as well as modest bungalow-type homes facing each other across grassy esplanades. The quaint scene that greeted her was picturesque, charming and serene. Pretty to look at but not a place where she wanted to spend any more time than was absolutely necessary.
“I’d be bored out of my skull if I had to live here,” Kacey murmured as she inched along the town’s main street, where a scattering of people were busy running errands or chatting in clusters on the wide cement sidewalks.
At the far end of the main street, she saw Seaside Suites, the economy motel where she’d booked a room for the duration. The exterior of the nondescript building was in desperate need of a paint job and there were only three other cars in the parking lot, which adjoined a rundown apartment complex surrounded by a chain-link fence.
I’ll check in after I meet with Mr. Archer, Kacey decided, glad she’d worn her Donna Karan navy suit and comfortable heels on the plane, so she could go straight to her meeting. She checked her makeup in the rearview mirror, pressed her shapely burgundy-tinted lips together and fluffed her honey-brown curls with one hand. Satisfied that all was fine, she nodded at her image. After all, she was representing Leeman’s, one of the most exclusive retailers in the country. A good first impression was essential, and she planned to let Mr. Archer know from the get-go that she was not some underling who was there to take orders from him, but a designer whose swimsuit line was going to become the hottest fashion label in swimwear.
Slowly passing the motel, Kacey eyed the drab appearance of her future home and sighed. The thought of living there made her heart sink, but she refused to let it get her down.
“Oh, well, at least it’s not raining,” Kacey remarked, resigned to toughing it out for as long as it took to finish the job she’d come to do.
The woman who met Kacey in the lobby of the Archer Industries building greeted her with a vise grip of a handshake and a hearty hello.
“Welcome to Archer Industries. I’m Nona James. Operations manager,” she said in a flat Texas accent that seemed to solidify her connection to the small-town plant.
“Hello, Nona. Kacey Parker. Good to meet you,” Kacey said, eyeing the woman closely. She was at least a head taller than Kacey—big-boned, buxom and very statuesque. The makeup on her buff-hued face was flawless, but a bit heavy-handed, as were the intricate chandelier earrings dangling from her ears. An African-print headband held an explosion of natural hair off her face, creating a dark halo of frizz that translated into an inspired resemblance of a young Diana Ross.
“I’m so glad you’re here,” Nona said, her red lips widening into a full-blown grin. “Did you check into the motel? I assume you’re staying at the Seaside. It’s the best we have around here.”
“I drove past on my way through town. It looks fine. I’ll check in after I finish here,” Kacey replied, taking care not to imply that the accommodations might not be up to snuff.
“Okay. If you need anything, let me know. The manager of the Seaside is my cousin, so I’ll be on his case if you have any complaints.”
“Sounds great. I’m anxious to get settled and started on production,” Kacey replied, glancing around the sun-splashed lobby where large Lucite boxes showcased some of the clothes produced by Archer Industries. On display were activewear, all-weather jackets, chlorine-resistant swimsuits and water aerobic wear, which included pool shoes, sun hats and beach towels.
“Mr. Archer isn’t here at the moment, but he’s on his way in,” Nona said. “He’s eager to meet you. Come on back. You can wait in his office,” Nona said, leading Kacey down a carpeted hallway toward a cluster of offices at the back of the building. “Can I get you something to drink?” she asked after escorting Kacey into a very spacious room where an oval conference table took up a good portion of the space. The table was crowded with papers, fabric samples, pattern books and cutting tools. Clearly, this was more of a workroom than an executive suite.
“Some cold water would be great,” Kacey replied, before settling into a gray suede chair.
“No problem. Be right back,” Nona said as she left the room.
Left alone, Kacey looked around, curious to learn what she could about Mr. Archer before he showed up. Groupings of framed certificates, awards and permits hung on the wall behind his desk. One family photo caught her attention. It was of a much younger Mr. Archer, seated on a sofa with an attractive woman whom Kacey guessed was his wife. On her lap sat a young boy holding a puppy, grinning into the camera.
He’s a family man, Kacey mused, beginning to feel more comfortable about working with the man who had promised Steve Hadley that he could turn her dreams into reality.
“One bottle of cold water, right?”
The deep tenor voice forced Kacey’s eyes from the photo. She turned toward the door and quickly saw that the person at the entryway was definitely not Nona James, but a drop-dead gorgeous man who was grinning at her as if pleasantly surprised to find her sitting in Mr. Archer’s office. The man slanted his slender body against the doorframe and proceeded to trace a less than businesslike gaze over Kacey, emitting bold signals of more than a casual interest in her.
Since he seemed in no hurry to speak, Kacey countered by taking her time inspecting the guy. He had jet-black hair with a hint of waviness, cut close with a razor part. The angular planes of his face accented his vibrant pecan-brown skin and made his intriguing gray eyes impossible to ignore. His light blue oxford shirt was open at the collar. His crisply creased tan khaki pants were held in place by a beautiful leather belt that Kacey immediately recognized as one of Cole Haan’s most popular designs, and the soft Italian leather shoes on his feet matched his ultraexpensive belt.
Not bad, Kacey decided, pleased to find such a put-together, preppy-looking brother in the middle of nowhere. He was attractive, in a sexy, clean-cut way, sending out signals of a conservative dresser who certainly had good taste.
“Oh. The water. Yes. Thanks,” Kacey replied in a breathy voice that sounded as if it were coming from some one else. She stood, accepted the bottle of water and waited for him to speak, wondering what department this brother worked in at Archer and if she would be lucky enough to work with him.
The man stepped fully into the room. “So I can see that you’re not Mr. Parker?”
Kacey laughed, watching as he analyzed her reaction. “Oh, yes, but it’s Ms. Kacey Parker.”
“Well, I have to admit, I wasn’t expecting…” he stuttered, pulling out the piece of paper his father had handed him. “I guess…”
“You assumed I was a man?” Kacey finished with a hint of a challenge.
He gave her a sheepish smile and nodded. “Yeah. Guess we all did.”
“Happens all the time,” she concluded, shaking the man’s hand. “Hope you’re not too disappointed,” she finished.
“Not at all,” he replied with appreciative emphasis. “I’m Leon Archer. Good to meet you.” Then he walked around the desk, keeping his eyes riveted on Kacey as he eased into the chair, clearly as if he belonged there.
Kacey slipped back into her seat, crossed her legs as well as her arms, and blinked, confused. “You’re Mr. Archer?” she started, fishing for an explanation.
“Right. I’m Leon Archer.” A beat, and then he added with a heart-pounding grin, “Junior.”
“Ahh…then you must be Mr. Archer’s…”
“Son,” Leon finished. “As well as the new owner of Archer Industries,” he clarified his statement with a downward tilt of his head. Looking up at Kacey, he said, “As of this morning, in fact.”
“Oh, well…” she stammered. “Really? Then I guess congratulations are in order,” she offered, sensing a definite increase in her pulse. So, the grumpy old man was out, and his superfine son was in? How’d she get so lucky? All of her worry about having to work with a crotchety old man had been wasted. Now, she had to worry about keeping her composure while his son’s metal-gray eyes devoured her!
“Thanks,” Leon said in a pride-filled manner. He propped his left elbow on the desk to rest his chin on curled fingers, which Kacey noted bore no rings.
“When did this change of leadership happen? I was prepared to meet with your father,” Kacey stated, feeling her professional façade begin to melt under Leon Jr.’s disturbing stare. He certainly wasn’t trying to hide his personal interest in her, and Kacey was definitely feeling flattered.
Breaking his gaze at last, Leon grinned. “Happened this morning. Dad unexpectedly decided to step down to enjoy his golden years traveling with my mom. They’re leaving for Africa tomorrow.”
“Oh, so soon?”
“Yeah. But don’t worry about your swimsuits. You’re in good hands.”
“I’m sure I am,” Kacey murmured, sensing a wave of heat surge through her stomach and ease down between her thighs, initiating a hint of dampness in her panties. Get a grip, girl, she silently admonished, forcing back a smile. “So you’ll be working with me on production, then?” she had to clarify.
“Absolutely,” Leon confirmed in a much bigger voice. “I’m totally familiar with the project, so you’re stuck with me. Unless you’d prefer to work with Nona, my operations manager. She’s been here almost as long as I have and can handle every stage of the process.”
“No, that’s all right,” Kacey offered, a tad too quickly. Composing herself, she folded her hands together. “If you’re on top of everything and can deliver what I want, that’s all that counts.”
“Trust me. I can deliver whatever you want. Just let me know what it is,” he assured, using a voice that was so intentionally sexy that Kacey shivered, unable to think of a comeback. This man is such a flirt, she decided, aware that he was no longer smiling. In fact, his hooded eyes were now slits of challenge, as if daring her to make him prove that he could deliver on more fronts than the production line.
“I’ll definitely let you know,” she tossed back with a lift of one shoulder, prepared to play his game of words. “But I’m warning you, I can be very demanding, and particular.”
“So can I,” he replied with a hint of mockery.
“Fine. I’d love to see how we operate together.”
“I was thinking the same thing. I have no doubt we’re gonna get along just fine.” The room fell quiet as Leon opened a folder and removed the photos that Hadley had emailed to the manufacturer. “I love your line. The designs are stunning. Utterly unique.”
“Thanks,” Kacey replied.
“You really know how to showcase a woman’s best assets.”
“That’s what good design is all about,” she replied, watching Leon as he held up one of the photos and tilted back in his chair.
“I especially love this one…your Sheer Double Dip,” he commented, moving the picture aside to rake Kacey with a look that left no doubt in her mind that he was checking out more than her design credentials.
“It’s the heart of my collection. All about the see-through fabric. Do you have a supplier for it, yet?”
“We’re sourcing it now. Trust me, I’ll get it at your price.”
“Good. Then I guess we’ve got a lot to do,” Kacey tossed out, clearly ready to get started.
“Sounds fine. I’m ready whenever you are,” Leon said, leaning forward.
Kacey slowly unscrewed the cap on her bottle of water while assessing her new collaborator with interest. Though caught off guard by this shift in plans, the prospect of working with Leon Archer Jr. absolutely intrigued her. In the full five minutes since they’d met, she could already tell that collaborating with him was going to be a challenge. A challenge that she was more than ready to accept.
Chapter 5
Over the next hour, Kacey and Leon discussed each design in detail and shared thoughts on the execution of the various styles. They collaborated on pattern adjustments that would simplify production and keep costs down. However, it became clear right away that even though they shared the common goal of turning out a dynamite product at the best possible price, Leon was much more relaxed about the time frame than Kacey was.
“When will the first samples be ready?” she wanted to know.
“Depends,” he casually replied.
“On what?”
“On how fast Bob Truett can get to your project.”
“Bob Truett?” Kacey questioned.
“Our master patternmaker. He’s the person who really holds the power around here,” Leon chuckled. “He’s the best, though. Been with the company for years.”
“You know I want to move this along as quickly as possible, don’t you?” Kacey reminded Leon, not wanting to waste a second.
“We don’t rush things around here. We move at the best pace to get the job done right, on schedule and to the customer’s satisfaction.”
“I’m sure you do, but I can’t stick around Rockport forever.”
“Don’t be in such a rush. Relax. The workroom is pretty busy right now, but Truett knows your contract is a quick turnaround job,” he assured Kacey, examining a page from the folder that contained the production schedule for SunKissed. “If all goes well, we should have your samples completed within a few days. However, I don’t like to ask my employees to work overtime unless it’s absolutely necessary.”
Kacey simply watched Leon and held back from speaking while he scanned the document in silence. When he glanced up, he hooked Kacey with his magnetic gray eyes once again, creating an electric connection that made Kacey’s heart turn over. Gulping back her unsettling reaction, she stilled, determined not to expose the stir of emotions cascading through her body.
“But you will ask for overtime if you have to, right?” she finally asked.
“Let’s just see how things go,” was all Leon offered.
“All right,” Kacey conceded, hoping he would not be reluctant to push his employees hard to get the job done in record time. But that was his call to make, not hers, so she’d just have to trust him to do what he felt was best.
As he continued to explain the process, Kacey’s eyes settled on Leon’s full, well-formed lips, unable to keep from fantasizing about the warm, yummy taste she knew they would leave on her tongue. The idea of kissing Leon Archer made her nipples go hard in her bra and the core of her womanhood tense up. Such an intensely sexual arousal, prompted by a man she did not know, was like a lightning strike on a sunny day—completely out of the blue, but not impossible. In fact, getting excited over a man she did not know was exactly what she’d been yearning to feel for a very long time.
Kacey’s personal life hummed along in an easy, uncomplicated way that she’d come to consider as normal. She didn’t have a special man in her life, but she did have Jamal, the guy she turned to whenever she needed someone to rescue her from long spells of sexual abstinence. Kacey trusted and loved Jamal as a true friend, even though he wished she could love him like a man.
Jamal. Thinking of him made Kacey almost sigh. They’d known each other for eight years, and as much as she tried to shift her feelings for the devilishly handsome real estate investor into full romantic mode, it never quite happened. So, she’d settled on remaining good friends with occasional benefits, a perfect arrangement for Kacey, despite Jamal’s desire for more.
When Leon cleared his throat with a fist to his mouth, as if aware of how distracted Kacey had become, she snapped to attention. Taking in his bemused expression, she tossed her crazy imaginings aside, placing fingertips to her chin to feel grounded in the moment.
“Ready to discuss the schedule?” Leon started, lifting one eyebrow while gracing her with a look as intimate as a kiss, which only served to rev her pulse a notch higher.
