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But really, what good would that do? Sure, it would be nice to have a bit of publicity, but without a collection to show and somewhere to show it, what was the point?
No, Joanna might as well face it. If something good didn’t happen soon, Joanna might as well pack it in and forget about her dreams. Because right now, the way things were, she had about as much chance of becoming an Oscar-winning actress as she did a successful fashion designer.
* * *
“Corny, dearest, I thought you’d decided to stay out of the matchmaking business.”
Cornelia frowned. “Whatever do you mean? I’m just trying to give Joanna a leg up, that’s all.”
“And when you decided to call him, it never entered your mind that she and Marcus Barlow might make a nice couple?” Harry said disbelievingly.
“No, of course not.” And it honestly hadn’t. But now that Harry mentioned it, she couldn’t help thinking how nice it would be if that lovely young man should like Joanna and vice versa, because Joanna was a terrific person, just the sort of spunky, strong young woman Cornelia admired.
“Knowing how romantic you are, I find that hard to believe.”
“Well, believe it. When I called Marcus, the only thing on my mind—other than inviting him to dinner—was securing a show for Joanna at his gallery.” Cornelia had already decided she was going to help Joanna financially, too. She had it all planned. She would arrange for Joanna to have a “loan” through the Queen Anne Community Bank in Cornelia’s old neighborhood, where she had banked for years. The money would actually come directly out of Cornelia’s account, but Joanna wouldn’t have to know that. Just as she wouldn’t have to know about Cornelia’s call to Marcus.
“What are you smiling about?” Harry said, drawing her closer. The two of them were sitting in front of the fire and enjoying their predinner cocktail.
“Oh, I was just thinking how much like you I’m becoming.”
Harry grinned and nuzzled her neck. “Really?” he murmured. “In that case, I hope you’ve chosen one of my better qualities to emulate.”
“I don’t think deviousness is a better quality, but sometimes it’s very useful.”
Harry laughed out loud. “So you admit you’re devious? Never thought I’d see the day.”
“Everyone is devious once in a while. Especially for a good cause.”
“The end justifies the means, in other words.”
“Well...” Cornelia hated to admit when Harry was right. Better to keep him guessing.
“Now, c’mon, Corny. Be fair.”
Cornelia took a sip of her Bellini, then set it down. She shivered as Harry’s arms tightened around her. Turning to face him, she murmured, “I guess I could be persuaded.”
As his lips met hers, she decided it wasn’t so bad admitting you were wrong when the reward was so deliciously sweet.
Chapter Three
Joanna was still pinching herself. It was more than eight hours since she’d received the call that had the potential to change her life, and she still could hardly believe it.
Marcus Barlow had called her! He was interested in meeting her! He liked her designs! Yes, yes, yes!
She knew she was even thinking in exclamation points, but she couldn’t seem to help herself. Truly, if—after meeting her—he agreed to give her a venue to show her collection, her life would be totally different from what it was today.
Having a show at Up and Coming and all that would entail would put JS Designs on the map. Literally on the map. If she caught the eye of the right people, if they liked her work and ordered her designs, she would be able to do all the things she’d only dreamed about doing: rent a proper workroom, with not only a place to create her designs, but a place to display them and to sell them. Ideally, there would be enough room for her to both live and work.
And once she had the promise of a show at Up and Coming, she could go back to the various banks. Surely, with the show in her future, someone would be willing to lend her operating capital.
Grateful that Chick the Rat was still out of town and she didn’t have to take a sick day to have enough time to meet with Marcus Barlow, Joanna began getting her things ready for her eleven-thirty appointment. She was just about to leave for the gallery when her cell phone rang.
She frowned at the display. Queen Anne Community Bank? Why were they calling her? Thinking it was probably some kind of credit card offer, she almost let the call go to voice mail, but she had a few minutes, so she might as well answer and get rid of them. Otherwise, they’d just pester her again.
Seven minutes later, in stunned disbelief, she disconnected the call. Holy cow! She hoped she’d made sense in her conversation with the loan officer. What on earth was going on? Was the entire world tilting on its axis? Why else would everything suddenly make a 180-degree swing and begin to go right for her when yesterday everything in her life had been totally hopeless? It was almost as if some fairy godmother had waved a magic wand, she thought in dazed disbelief.
Queen Anne Community Bank had decided to lend her the money she needed to finance her collection. Actually, the loan they’d proposed would be enough to keep her in operating capital for a year or more. It would enable her to find a place to do business and to hire as many employees as she needed to assist her in fulfilling future orders. She’d also be able to purchase all necessary materials and equipment to run the business.
She was so excited she wasn’t sure she trusted herself to drive to the gallery. Maybe, just this once, she’d indulge herself and take a taxi.
Thirty minutes later, as her watch showed it to be 11:22, the cab pulled up in front of Up and Coming. Joanna had dressed carefully for this interview. She’d worn her most demure black dress—a long-sleeved lightweight ribbed wool turtleneck that ended a modest three inches above her knees—sheer black tights and four-inch-high black suede platforms. She’d even considered removing her black nail polish, but couldn’t bear to ruin her manicure, which she’d gotten Saturday and could ill afford. Dangling silver earrings and an armload of silver bangle bracelets completed her outfit, and she’d even managed to tame her unruly black hair into some semblance of a plain pixie without spikes.
The only thing worrying Joanna right now—other than actually securing the show—was the prospect of having to work with Brenda Garfield. The woman had made no secret of the way she felt about either Joanna or her designs, had she? So even if Marcus Barlow liked Joanna’s work and agreed to give her the show, if the Garfield woman wasn’t on board, she could make life difficult.
Worse, she could ruin the show.
Well, Joanna would just have to make sure that didn’t happen. She’d worked her butt off for another chance at the brass ring. And now that it was here, she intended to grab it and hold on to it for dear life, because nothing—not Brenda Garfield, not Ivan Klemenko, not Chick, not anyone or anything—was going to take it away from her.
Not this time.
* * *
Marcus was looking forward to meeting Joanna Spinelli. From her designs, and from Cornelia Hunt’s glowing recommendation, he figured he knew what to expect. He pictured a slim, elegant young woman, someone refined, with delicate features and classic beauty. She would be the kind of woman who could wear the lovely clothing she designed and do justice to it. He imagined someone modest and old-fashioned—the kind of woman he continually hoped to meet but never seemed to. Someone the exact opposite of Amanda Warren, his most recent relationship, which had ended badly.
So when Joanna Spinelli walked into the gallery just before eleven-thirty, he thought she was a salesperson...or a customer. Yes, a customer. Salespeople generally dressed more conservatively than the young woman approaching the counter.
“Hello, Miss Garfield,” the woman was saying. “I’m here for my eleven-thirty appointment with Mr. Barlow.”
Marcus, who stood just out of sight behind a latticework screen, stared, finding it hard to believe that this woman, who was the polar opposite of the kind of woman he’d pictured, was the designer of those beautiful clothes.
Brenda looked in his direction. “Marcus,” she said.
Still in disbelief, Marcus walked out from behind the screen. “Good morning. I’m Marcus Barlow.”
“Good morning. Joanna Spinelli.” Her dark eyes met his.
In them, he saw intelligence and intensity. They shook hands. Her handshake was firm and strong. His initial disappointment at the way she looked faded, to be replaced by a mixture of curiosity and something else, something very close to admiration, even though she was not the type of woman who normally appealed to him. In her, though, he recognized a worthy opponent. The thought startled him. Why think of her as an opponent? If things went well today, they would be colleagues.
And he did want them to go well, even though up to this moment he hadn’t been one hundred percent sure of that. “Shall we go into my office?”
Once they were settled in the office—him behind the desk, her seated in front of it, with her portfolio on the desk between them—he said, “I was impressed by the designs on your website, Ms. Spinelli.”
“Thank you. But please, call me Joanna.”
She should smile more often; it made her seem warmer. “And I’m Marcus.” She really was quite attractive, once you got past all that black eyeliner and mascara and the dark red lipstick. Not to mention the black nail polish.
Even Vanessa knew better than to wear black nail polish in his presence. He did notice that Joanna’s nails were quite short. He figured she kept them that way because it made it easier for her to work with the delicate fabrics she seemed to favor in her designs. “Before we discuss a possible show for you, I have some questions.”
“Of course.”
“First of all, how many designs have you ready to show?”
“Right now I have nine completed and the tenth about half done. But I’ve only recently found out that a business loan I applied for has been granted, so I’m planning to give notice at my day job in the morning. Once I’m working on the collection full-time, I should be able to get half a dozen more designs ready by, say, the first of November.”
“I know very little about the fashion industry, but sixteen seems like a good number for a show.”
“It’s actually more than most designers show. I had been hoping for twelve designs. So if you feel sixteen is too many, having a couple extra would give us more options to choose from.”
He nodded. “If I may ask, where are you getting a business loan?” He hoped it wasn’t from some fly-by-night finance company that would gouge her.
“From the Queen Anne Community Bank.”
“Really?” He couldn’t keep the surprise out of his voice. Queen Anne Community Bank was one of the most conservative banks around. Joanna’s hardly seemed like the kind of business they would be willing to back. They generally wanted something physical they could use as collateral against default, like a building or expensive equipment. What would she have? A few sewing machines?
“I know,” she said, her own voice echoing his disbelief. “I can still hardly believe it myself. They just called me, right before I left to come here. I was shocked. I—I’ve been turned down everywhere. In fact, I’d given up hope.” She made a face. “I probably shouldn’t be telling you this.”
He liked her better because she had. After all, anyone with an ounce of business sense would know she wasn’t a good financial risk. No artist was.
“That answers another important question,” Marcus said. “I was curious about how you’ve been financing your work.”
“It’s been tough. Up till now, I’ve had to squeeze every penny out of my personal finances. Although my family has helped out some.” She smiled again. “In particular, my grandmother. She believes in me. Well, actually, my entire family believes in me. But they’re not wealthy. Besides, this is my dream. I knew going into it I would have to work really hard and probably have to sacrifice a lot if I was going to make it. I didn’t expect anything less.”
Marcus studied her thoughtfully. He was surprised to find he liked her. She seemed to have a commonsense approach to her work and a good, level head. “You might have noticed that we are planning to show the work of a young jewelry designer sometime soon.”
She nodded. “Truthfully? That’s the reason I thought about approaching you. When I read about the jewelry designs.”
“How would you feel about our combining the two shows? Having some of the jewelry worn by your models.”
She frowned. “I don’t know. Um, what kind of jewelry is it? I know the designer is your sister. Miss Garfield told me. But she didn’t say anything about the jewelry itself.”
“I have some photos.” He got up and walked to the bookcase, where he took down a thin album. He laid it in front of her and watched her face as she turned the pages and studied the various designs.
“I like them a lot,” she said, finally looking up. “She makes exactly the kinds of things I like to wear, but do you really think they’re compatible with my designs? I mean, the jewelry is ultrasleek, and my designs are completely the opposite.”
“I think that’s exactly why they’ll look good together. Because they’re so unexpected a combination.”
She hesitated. “I don’t know. I told myself I would agree to anything you suggested, but I’m just not sure this will work. Is...this a deal breaker?”
He was a bit taken aback that she hadn’t immediately agreed with his suggestion. And yet he couldn’t help respecting the fact that she wasn’t afraid to stand up for herself. “Not necessarily. I would like for you and my sister to meet so you can see her work in person. Can you reserve judgment until then?”
She nodded, but he could see the doubt remaining in her eyes. No problem. He’d change her mind. Most people, even if they disagreed with him initially, came around to his way of thinking. “Good. We’ll see if we can set something up for next week. Perhaps lunch one day? Would that work for you?”
“That sounds perfect.”
He had planned to show her the work of the artist whose paintings would be featured throughout the month of November to see how she felt about being paired with him, but now he decided to wait until she and Vanessa met. He wasn’t really worried about the outcome of the meeting—he was confident he could convince both women his idea was a good one—but it paid to be cautious.
“Um, Mr. Barlow...Marcus...what if, after meeting your sister, I would still prefer not to be paired with her?”
She had guts, he’d give her that. “You mean, will I still be interested in giving you a show?”
She nodded.
“Yes, I will.”
“So it’ll be my decision?”
He almost laughed. She definitely had guts. He was right to imagine her as an opponent earlier. “Yes. It’ll be your decision. In fact, I’ll ask my assistant to draw up a contract today and call you when it’s ready.”
Business concluded, he escorted her out to the gallery floor and watched her leave. Why all the black? he wondered. Was she trying to make some kind of statement? If so, in his opinion, it was the wrong one. But he wasn’t worried about that, either. They had plenty of time to work on changing her look.
“So you sent her packing?” Brenda said once the door closed behind her.
Marcus’s head shot around. He’d almost forgotten Brenda was there. “Sent her packing? No. I liked her, and I like her designs. If everything works out, I plan to give her a show.”
Brenda’s eyes narrowed. “I think that’s a mistake, Marcus.”
“And why is that?”
“Because she’s hardly the type of person you want to promote.”
“Her designs are beautiful.”
“They’re pretty enough, but I question her taste level.”
“Her taste level? What do you mean?”
“Well, just look at her. I’d expect to find someone like her behind a makeup counter in one of the department stores, not here, in a gallery like ours.”
“That’s easily fixed.”
She looked as if she wanted to continue to argue with him. Instead, she said, “Who were you thinking of pairing her with?”
“I’m not sure.” He was, but he wasn’t in the mood to share the information with Brenda just yet, especially since she’d obviously taken a dislike to Joanna.
“Well,” she said stiffly, “I still think you’re making a mistake. I also think you’re setting a precedent that you will regret.”
“You could be right, but we’ll have to agree to disagree this time.”
He turned to walk back into the office when she muttered, “I just hope you don’t expect me to introduce her to prospective buyers.”
Marcus stopped and just looked at her. Her head was bent over some papers, and even though he knew she knew he was looking at her, she didn’t look up. After a few seconds, Marcus continued into the office without saying anything more. Because he knew if he did, it would be something he might be sorry for later.
* * *
“So, how’d the meeting at the gallery go today?”
“Except for the fact that I don’t think Marcus Barlow likes me, it went fairly well.” Joanna explained about Marcus Barlow’s sister and her jewelry designs. “We’re having lunch together sometime next week to see how we get on.”
