Rags to Riches Baby

by Andrea Laurence

Lucy nodded. “I will.” Looking around the crowded room, she was relieved not to see him loitering around the party. “But enough about all this. We’re here to celebrate Emma and Jonah’s baby, not to rehash all my drama. We can do that any day.”

  “I’m actually starving,” Emma admitted. “Every time I think I should make a plate, someone starts talking to me or wants to rub my belly or something.”

  “Well, I’m pretty sure it’s almost time for you to cut that beautiful cake. We can at least get you some of that to eat without interruption.”

  Lucy smiled as Emma’s eyes lit up with excitement. “It’s a vanilla pound cake with fresh berries and cream inside. At the tasting, Jonah had to take the plate from me so he could try a bite.”

  “Ooh...” Violet chimed in. “That sounds amazing. I’ve been nothing but hungry the last month. Beau keeps chastising me for eating too much. He says I’m going to overdo it, but I say pregnancy is my only chance to enjoy eating without feeling guilty. The baby and I are ready for some cake, too.”

  “Well, it’s settled then,” Lucy said. “Let’s get these pregnant ladies some cake.”

  Five

  “What are you doing here?”

  Oliver could only grin at his sister’s irritated expression as she opened the door to the apartment. A large portion of his life had been dedicated to goading that very face out of her. It was an unexpected bonus to the day. He hadn’t actually been certain she was at Aunt Alice’s apartment; he hadn’t seen her since the baby shower the week before. But when he saw the Saks Fifth Avenue commuter van unloading downstairs, he knew that Harper was involved somehow. Where expensive clothes went, his sister was sure to follow.

  “I saw the people from Saks unloading downstairs and I thought I would pop in to say hello. Personal shoppers coming to the house. It’s as though someone has come into some money. Is that for you or for Lucy?” he asked, knowing full well that Harper was far too particular to let someone else shop for her.

  “It’s for Lucy.”

  Harper made no move to step back and let him into the apartment. Fortunately, the elevator chimed behind him and a well-dressed woman stepped out with a rack of plastic-wrapped clothing pushed by two gentlemen.

  Harper’s entire expression changed as she turned from her brother. “Hello, come in!” she said, moving aside to allow the crew in.

  Oliver took advantage of the situation by going in after them. He happily took a seat on the sofa in the living room, waiting for what would likely be an interesting fashion show. After seeing what she’d worn the few times they were together, he knew Lucy needed a new wardrobe. Anything she wore that was remotely high quality was a hand-me-down from his sister. Honestly, he was surprised it took them this long to start shopping.

  What would she buy first with her pilfered millions?

  The two men from Saks left the apartment, leaving the rolling clothing hanger near the fireplace. He watched as the woman moved quickly to unwrap the clothes and present them to what she presumed was her wealthy client.

  Lucy spied him the minute she entered the room, despite thousands of dollars’ worth of clothes on display beside her. “What is he doing here?” she asked, echoing Harper’s question.

  Harper turned to where he was sitting and sighed. “I don’t know, but it doesn’t matter. We’ve got to find you an outfit for the gala. Perhaps a man’s perspective will be helpful.”

  Lucy wrinkled her nose as she studied him and turned back to the clothing. “Harper,” she complained, “these outfits are all way, way out of my price range.” She picked up one sleeve and gasped. “Seriously. I can just wear something I already have in the closet.”

  “Absolutely not. You’re a millionaire now and you have to look the part, especially at this gallery event. You want to work in the art world, don’t you? This is your chance to make an entrance as Miss Lucille Campbell, not as Lucy, the assistant sent by Alice Drake. The invitation had your name on it this time, Lucy. Not Alice’s.”

  Oliver watched curiously as Lucy shook her head and looked at the clothes. “How did they even know to invite me? I haven’t told anyone about the money.”

  “Things like that leak out whether you want them to or not. I’m sure Wanda couldn’t wait to share her outrage with her circle of friends and it spreads from there. The art world is small and people were probably eager to find out who would get Alice’s estate. Honestly, I don’t know how you’ve managed to keep it a secret.”

  Lucy pointed over to where Oliver was sitting on the couch. “That’s why. He’s why. You act like I already have this massive fortune, but I don’t. All I have is what I saved to go back to school. I’m willing to spend some of that to get a dress for the gala, but not much. I have no guarantee that I’m ever going to see a dime of that money to replace what I spend.”

  “Will you at least try some of it on? You never know what you might end up liking.”

  “Yes, fine.”

  The saleswoman pulled out what was probably the most expensive designer dress on the rack. “Let’s start with this one. Where would you like to change?”

  She and Lucy disappeared down the hallway and Harper started sorting through the clothing on the rack.

  This was an unexpected development. He thought for certain that Lucy would jump at the chance to buy some expensive designer clothes and start flaunting herself around Manhattan. Yes, he was responsible for putting a hold on the flow of cash from his aunt’s estate, but there were ways around that. He was certain she could probably get a loan from a bank to front her lifestyle until the money came in. At the very least, charge up a credit card or two.

  But she didn’t. It was curious. She didn’t seem to enjoy the position she was in at all, much to Harper’s supreme disappointment. That woman loved to shop. Of course, so had Candace. She was full speed ahead the moment she’d gotten her hands on one of his father’s credit cards. Candace had insisted that she just wanted to look as beautiful as possible at all times for his father. It was amazing how much money it took to make that happen.

  Perhaps Lucy had a different angle. Her wide-eyed innocent bit was pretty convincing. Perhaps not spending money was part of it. Or maybe he was overthinking all of this.

  He’d run through that night on the patio in his head dozens of times in the last week. Was she sincere? Did it matter? His body certainly didn’t care. It wanted Lucy regardless of her innocence or guilt. Of course, his father had proved that following the advice of one’s arousal was not always the best course of action. His dad had followed his right into near bankruptcy.

  Speaking of what his groin wanted...

  Lucy stepped back into the room wearing a gown. It was a sheer, tan fabric that looked almost as though she was wearing nothing at all but some floating tiers of beaded lace. It looped around her neck and when she turned to show Harper, it was completely backless.

  “This one is Giorgio Armani,” the saleswoman said proudly. “It looks lovely with your coloring.”

  The women talked amongst themselves for a moment before Harper turned to him. “What do you think, Oliver? If you’re going to sit on the couch and gawk at her, you should at least make yourself useful.”

  It did look nice. He felt almost like a Peeping Tom, getting a look at her that he shouldn’t have, but he’d rather see her in some color. “She looks naked. She could go naked for free. If she’s going to pay that much money, she should at least look like she has an actual dress on.”

  Lucy laughed, clapping her hand over her mouth when she saw the saleswoman’s horrified expression. Oliver was pleased that he’d gotten her to laugh, although he wasn’t entirely sure why. She did have a beautiful smile. He hadn’t really gotten to see it before. She spent all her time frowning at him, although he probably deserved that.

  Harper just shook her head. “Okay, it’s not my favorite either. Let’s try this one,�
� she said, pulling another gown from the rack.

  “What are you dressing her up for?” he asked once Lucy disappeared again.

  “The charity gala they’re holding at the Museum of Modern Art Saturday night.”

  “Ah,” Oliver said. “I got invited to that. Champagne, weird sculptures and people pressuring you to write checks. I bet the only reason they invited her was to get their hands on some of that money she’s inheriting.”

  Harper put her hands on her hips. “And why did they invite you, hmm? The same reason. It’s a charity event. That’s the whole point. At least she knows what she’s looking at when she walks around the museum.”

  Oliver shrugged off his sister’s insult. It wasn’t ignorance on his part when it came to art. He’d taken all the required art appreciation classes in college, as many class field trips as any well-educated child in New York, and followed Aunt Alice around museums on the occasional Saturday. He just didn’t get it. Especially modern art. And if he didn’t like it, why should he waste his brain cells remembering who this artist was or what that piece symbolized? He just didn’t care. He could name maybe six famous painters off the top of his head, and four of them just happened to also be Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

  The saleswoman returned to the room looking very pleased with herself, but when Lucy came in behind her, she looked anything but. To be honest, this time Oliver had to hold in a chuckle. The dress was black with sheer fabric that highlighted the black structure of the dress like lingerie of some sort. On its own that would’ve been fine, but it also had red and pink cutouts all over it, looking like some kind of couture craft project.

  “What on earth is that?” he asked.

  “Christian Dior!” the saleswoman said with an insulted tone.

  “No, just no,” Lucy said, turning immediately to take it off. Apparently, she agreed with him.

  “Is there anything on that rack that isn’t a neutral or see-through?” Oliver asked. “I don’t know what’s wrong with color these days. The women are always wearing black or gray. Lucy should stand out.”

  The saleswoman clucked her tongue at him before turning to the rack again. “So no black, nude or white...” She flipped until she got to the last dress on the rack. “I guess we’ll try this one, although it’s not my favorite. The designer is relatively new and not very well-known.”

  “Give it a try,” Harper said encouragingly. “You’re not really helping us,” she said to Oliver when they were alone again.

  “It’s not my fault her personal shopper picked out ridiculous outfits. I mean, you saw that last one, right? I know it’s for a modern art event, but she doesn’t want to be confused for an exhibit.”

  Harper’s lips pressed together as she tried to hide a smirk. “Yes, well, this one is nice and I like it. You’d better like it, too, or go home so we can do this without your help. Don’t you have a business to run, anyway?”

  Oliver shrugged. It was a well-oiled machine and at the moment, he was far more concerned with what was going on with Lucy. For multiple, confusing reasons.

  When Lucy returned a moment later, Oliver struggled to catch his breath. The dress was a bright shade of red with cap sleeves and an oval neckline that dipped low enough to showcase her breasts. It fit Lucy beautifully, highlighting her figure and flattering her coloring with its bright hue. It had a sash that wrapped around Lucy’s tiny waist, but other than that, wasn’t particularly flashy. No beading. No lace. No sheer panels. No wonder the saleswoman hated it. If Lucy picked this gown, her commission would hardly be worth the trip.

  “I really like this one,” Lucy said. “Especially this part.” She turned around and surprised everyone. The dress was completely open in the back, almost like a reversed robe that was held in place with the sash. It was paired with a pair of black satin capris.

  Oliver wasn’t even entirely sure if that qualified as a dress or a pantsuit, but he liked it. It was different and for some reason, he thought that suited Lucy. He liked the flash of skin along the whole length of her back. Any man who asked her to dance at the gala would get to run his palms over her smooth, bare skin. While he might enjoy that, he felt an unexpected surge of jealousy at the thought of her dancing with anyone else. Plus, the capri pants accented the high, round curve of her ass. He hadn’t noticed before, but it was quite the sight.

  When Lucy stopped preening, she sought out the price tag and sighed in relief. “This is the one,” she said at last.

  Oliver watched the women discuss the dress, tuning out the noise and noting nothing but the stunning vision in red. He hadn’t intended on going to the museum gala on Saturday, but if Lucy would be there, in that dress, he might just have to amend his plans.

  * * *

  Lucy was fairly certain the woman from Saks Fifth Avenue was never coming back. There weren’t nearly enough digits in the price of the dress she selected for the woman’s taste. She just didn’t see the point in spending thousands of dollars on a dress. A wedding dress, maybe, but not just some pretty outfit to wear to a party.

  As it was, the price still seemed pretty steep—nearly a week’s worth of her usual salary. But Harper was right; she needed to make a good impression on her first event out. Hopefully the inheritance would come through and she wouldn’t have to worry about blowing that much on a single dress, but if not, she would be wearing that red outfit to every damn thing she could think of.

  The apartment seemed to clear out all at once. The men returned and hauled the clothes out with a grumpy-looking saleswoman in their wake. Harper had an appointment and left soon after. That just left Oliver mysteriously perched on the couch when she went to change. She hoped by the time she got back, he would be gone, too.

  Back in her own clothing—a nice pair of jeans and her favorite sweater—she returned to the room and found him sitting right where she’d left him.

  “I still don’t understand why you’re here. Or still here, for that matter.”

  Oliver smiled and stood up. “I had some business on this side of town and when I saw the Saks truck, thought I’d pop in. Where Saks goes, Harper follows.”

  “And now she’s gone,” Lucy noted. “And you’re still here. Want to ask me more questions? Hook me up to a lie detector this time?”

  He strolled across the large Moroccan rug with his hands in his pockets. She tried not to notice how gracefully he moved or how he looked at her as he came closer. “Are you hungry?”

  “What?” He’d completely ignored everything she asked him. How was she supposed to have a conversation with him when he did that?

  “It’s lunchtime. I’m starving. I’d like to take you to lunch if you’re hungry.”

  She stood awkwardly, considering his offer for far too long. “Okay,” she blurted out at last. If his sole purpose of coming by here was to uncover her dark secrets, he wouldn’t find much. She might as well let him buy her lunch in the meantime. “Let me just grab my coat.”

  They walked silently out of the building together and downstairs to the street. Although they didn’t speak, touch or even make eye contact as they strolled down the street together, she found herself keenly aware of his physical presence. Her body had somehow become attuned to Oliver, and the closer they stood, the harder it was for her to ignore even the tiniest of his movements or gestures.

  Lucy was almost relieved when they encountered a more congested area and she had to drop back and follow his lead through crowds of people. The distance helped her nerves, at least until Oliver noticed she’d fallen behind. Without hesitation, he reached out and took her hand, pulling her back to his side. The skin of her palm buzzed with the sensation of his touch, making her whole body hum with awareness as though he intended to do more than just keep from losing her in the crowd.

  Lucy expected him to let go once she’d caught up to him, but his grip on her held tight as they walked a few more blocks to a r
estaurant she’d never been to before.

  “Do you like Korean barbecue?” Oliver asked as he finally released her hand.

  Lucy peered in the window and shrugged before self-consciously stuffing that hand into her pocket. “I don’t know, but it sounds like an experience.”

  Oliver smiled and held open the door for them to head inside. They were taken to a quiet table in the back with a grill set into the center. The host turned on the table and handed them both menus. It didn’t take her long to realize that Korean barbecue involved cooking the meat at their individual table. When the waiter arrived, they selected their drinks and meats. Oliver opted for a glass of red wine and Lucy decided to stick with a soda. After their last encounter at the baby shower, she wasn’t sure what to expect when she was alone with Oliver. There was no need to add alcohol to that mix.

  Especially with her hand still tingling. Beneath the table, she rubbed it over her jean-clad thigh and wished the feeling away. She needed to keep her wits about her when she was alone with Oliver. She couldn’t let her guard down no matter how much she tingled or how he smiled at her. This might all be part of his plan to undermine her claim on Alice’s estate. She didn’t know how, exactly, but she refused to believe he just wanted to take her to lunch to be nice.

  The waiter arrived with their drinks, then placed half a dozen bowls on the table. There were different vegetables, rice and a few foods she didn’t recognize. One had tentacles.

  “Can I ask you something?” Lucy said once the waiter disappeared from their table. Her bravery where food was concerned was starting to wane, so she opted for a distracting discussion instead.

  “Sure.” Oliver picked up his glass of wine and awaited her question.

  “I lived in that apartment with Alice for over five years. Harper was the only family member I ever saw visit, and in part, she was there to see me. I don’t understand it. Why didn’t you ever visit your aunt?”

  Oliver nodded and focused for a moment on the wood grain of their table. There was an intensity about his expression when he was thinking that Lucy found intriguing, even when he was antagonizing her. He had the same look on his face when he was studying her. She didn’t know what he saw or what he expected to see when he looked at her so closely. It made her uncomfortable, especially after those kisses on the patio, but she still liked watching the wheels turn in his mind.