He didn’t pick up on that and leaned down to whisper in her ear once again, “Sara will be in the audience as well.”
What Nigel had intended as something to build her confidence, now had Clara physically shaking in her four-inch heels. His attempt to comfort her had gone terribly wrong. She resembled a terrified rabbit being confronted by an enormous snake!
Nigel must have seen the terror on her face when she looked up at him. Reacting to her nervousness, he put an arm around her shoulder, ramping up the nervous energy stemming from their intense attraction to each other.
She leaned into him without thought and felt his body tighten in reaction. At least I’m not the only one suffering!
Closing her eyes, she took several deep breaths, letting his strength and calm seep into her bones and brain. Nigel made her feel so secure. I could stay in his arms forever!
While Clara was still enjoying that thought, she felt him pull away – again! She was done with his topsy turvy emotions. That rollercoaster ride wasn’t fun. At. All.
Before she could hiss at him, the manager of the store announced the event was ready to begin. Nigel gestured for her to precede him through the dark blue velvet curtain, and she took her place in front of the podium. Next to him.
The program went off without a single hitch. Everyone complimented Clara on a job well-done as well as commenting her on the gorgeous red dress she was wearing. It was one of Nigel’s wonderful creations, and the centerpiece for Bella’s new product line.
Nigel had given her honest compliments about how fabulous she looked in the dress, and he had even recommended suitable accessories and shoes. She’d seen the desire flicker in his eyes when he saw her the first time wearing his dress.
As the evening started to wind down, Nigel and her job as moderators was finished. He held the curtain back for her as they headed backstage to return the microphones to the sound personnel. On the way down the stairs, she stumbled over a cable. Nigel walked right behind her and she would have fallen, if it wasn’t for his quick reaction. He had reached out with his free arm and lifted her off her feet, dragging her backwards against his chest.
“Oh!”
“Easy there. I’ve got you. Here, take this microphone.” Nigel handed Clara his microphone to hold and then swept her off her feet and carried her until the wires were no longer a tripping hazard.
The instant attraction between them came rushing back again and she, without even wanting it, relaxed in his arms. Her body trembled from the withheld anxiety and unfulfilled desire. She almost didn’t dare to look up into his eyes. Will he let me down again?
Nigel looked at her with warmth and love in his eyes she couldn’t look away. She’d wanted to, but she couldn’t resist him. “Clara, what I feel for you is so much stronger than anything else I’ve ever experienced.”
Without another word, he dipped his head and kissed her. Soft. Romantic. Loving. His lips barely touched hers and he softly pressed her body against his. Holding her in his arms. She almost forgot where they were and wanted the kiss to never end. She was so happy in his arms!
Her happiness was interrupted as the cleanup crew arrived to begin dismantling the makeshift stage. Nigel set her down on her feet, took the microphones from her hands and laid them on the soundboard, and then escorted her back out into the crowd.
She was still trying to process Nigel’s last statement, when Sara approached them, saying, “You two make such a nice couple!”
Clara blushed and Nigel removed his hand from her shoulder as if he’d been caught red-handed. Her heart fell when Nigel instantly tried to convince Sara otherwise. “No! No! Business and Private lives don’t mix well.”
Sara shook her head and countered his comments. “Nonsense. Some of the greatest designers in history have been working couples. Think of Suzanne Clements and Inacio Ribeiro, Simon Bolzoni and Katie Walsh, or Swaim and Christina Hutson. None of these designers would complain about working with the love of their lives.”
“How do you know that? Those couples might fight constantly, while putting on a good show for the media.” Nigel was like a little boy, and wasn’t willing to even consider that his perspective might be flawed.
“Nigel, you are such a pighead!” Sara sighed and then graciously changed the subject, commenting on the event’s success and their great moderation.
Clara had said nothing. She got more furious by the second! Why does he insist? After what just happened? And what he said to her?
She excused herself, rushing over to the bar. I’m forgetting about Nigel Jacobs, right here and now! She quickly downed two glasses of Champagne, finally feeling a light buzz and ready to take on the world.
She was only a teensy bit tipsy – but that was good place to be if she intended to put her plan into action.
Chapter 16
Nigel watched Clara as she downed two glasses of champagne, a frown forming on his face. She’s drinking too much – too fast! He accepted responsibility for the fact that she was hurting and angry, and he excused himself from Sara to go after her. He intended to talk to Clara whether she wanted to hear it or not.
But he kept getting waylaid. It seemed everyone in the room wanted to talk to him and congratulate him on the event. He was desperate, but had to put a good face to the matter. It was his business after all. All the while he tried to keep one eye on Clara.
When she turned on the barstool, he felt his blood run cold as he realized she was flirting with a guy at the bar! A good looking one nonetheless! He was so jealous, he could barely see straight.
He attempted to extricate himself from his adoring fans with more rigor, growing jealous every time he caught a glance and Clara and that guy. I’m gonna beat that man to a pulp. When the man laid a gentle hand on Clara’s shoulder, he saw red. He felt his stomach clench and locked his jaw tight. What in the hell is this guy doing? Clara is my girl!
He watched them through squinted eyes and tried to edge that way once again. He had no idea of what he’d say to the interloper when he reached them. Nigel couldn’t well say “Hands off, I love that girl but I was stupid enough to let my principles stand between us?” Anyhow, he needed to get there first, the rest would follow.
Nigel still tried to cross the room when he saw Clara leave with that guy. His boiling blood evaporated any pretense of being polite to those surrounding him. He shoved his way through the crowd, even as his inner voice told him how stupid he was acting. I need to stop Clara from leaving with that man.
“Nigel, I was hoping we could discuss your new line and an order…”
He waved the buyer for one of New York’s largest department stores off, “Not now! Call me at the office later next week.” Shock showed on several faces around him, but he was beyond caring. He didn’t care about his business anymore. The one thing on his mind was Clara. She was all that mattered.
When he finally made his way to the front door, Clara and her companion were nowhere to see. They’ve left the building! He couldn’t believe it. Clara had left the event with a man she’d just met. He re-entered the store with hanging shoulders. After making small talk with a few people, he finally gave up the pretense and let the store manager know he was heading home.
Nigel reproached himself, having trouble coming to terms with the fact that he had driven Clara away from him and straight into the arms of another man!
I’ve lost the woman I love! He was walking down the sidewalk when that fact finally registered in both his heart and his brain. Yes! I love her! He walked faster, doubts and emotions haunting him. Even though they hadn’t known each other for very long, she was constantly on her mind. All the time. But I drove her away and now she’s with that other guy!
When he reached his home, he realized that he didn’t want to spend another day, or even another minute, without telling her how he truly felt. My principles be damned! They were fine for a time, but that time had come to an end.
He considered storming to her apartment right then and
there, but then decided to wait until morning. Nigel owed her a huge apology, and anything worth doing, was worth doing right. He’d visit her in the morning, his heart in his hand, and tell her exactly how stupid he had been, how much he wanted to be with her. Hopefully she would be gracious and forgive him for being so stupid!
With that thought, he headed home to grab a few hours of sleep, and to plan the most important apology of his lifetime.
Chapter 17
Clara woke up in the wee hours of the morning and rushed for the bathroom. She was horribly sick, running a slight fever, her entire body ached something fierce, and her head was throbbing in time with her heartbeat. I have the stomach flu that’s been going around the office! Great!
Kaylee had been the first employee to come down with the illness, and two other employees of Bella had also fallen ill. Rather than a twenty-four hour bug, this one seemed to hang around for several days and Clara groaned in defeat. There’s no way I can go to work!
She got dressed and then headed to the building next door. Her friend had left her a list of emergency services, and a general practice doctor happened to have an office in the ground floor level of the building next door. According to the note by her friend, he welcomed walk-ins and was reasonably priced.
Clara didn’t care so much about the cost; she just hoped he could give her something to help lessen the nausea and stomach cramps. She’d already taken something for her fever and the body aches, but even now her stomach was threatening to rebel the intrusions.
The doctor turned out to be a kind older gentleman who agreed with her assessment of the stomach flu. He wrote her a note excusing her from work for the next three days, and then ordered her to go straight back to bed.
Clara wasn’t able to stand on her feet for a long time anyways, so it was easy to follow the doctor’s orders. At the apartment, she called Nigel’s secretary who wished her well and said she’d let everyone know. A few hours later the medicine for the nausea had finally done its trick, and even her fever was down slightly, but she still felt like she had been trampled beneath the feet of a dozen horses.
In bed, she thought about the night before, smiling wanly as she realized she’d done an excellent job with the moderation. Unfortunately, her mind soon turned to her last interaction with Nigel and then the good-looking guy she had left with the night before.
He’d been cute, but when they’d arrived back at the apartment, she hadn’t even been able to kiss him goodnight. She’d sent him away, her thoughts and heart still on Nigel. They were always on Nigel.
Throughout the day, she received several text messages and phone calls. She let the first few go straight to voicemail and didn’t grab her cell phone until noon. When she did, she was startled to see all of them had been from Nigel.
She took her phone back to bed with her, but when it rang again an hour later, and caller I.D. showed Nigel’s name, she just let it go again. Today she just didn’t have it in her to deal with Nigel. When the phone rang again and again, she the ringer to silent, rolled over and went back to sleep.
Clara still felt horrible, and she spent the next two days either sleeping or watching movies on TV. She didn’t answer the phone calls, nor did she return the text messages. She had firmly resolved not to have anything to do with Nigel ever again. That road only led to heartache! No thank you!
Three days later when Clara returned to work, she still hadn’t spoken to Nigel. She was nervous about seeing him, but the secretary informed her straight away that Nigel had been called away on a business trip and would be out of the office for the rest of the week. Clara was relieved and smiled for the first time in days.
The first person she met once she entered the office space was Kaylee. If she’d been a bitch before, she was now in Über Bitch mode.
“Nice of you to finally deign us with your presence.”
Clara looked at her in shock, wondering what had crawled up her ass! “I’m feeling much better, thanks for asking.” She wasn’t letting this woman destroy her good mood.
“I understand you did a passable job at the event.”
Passable? Really? “Oh, I think I did at least as good of a job as you would have done. I trust you’re better now?”
“Of course. And did you really compare your mediocre job as moderator to my skills? Please! Someone definitely thinks highly of herself.”
Why is she such a bitch? Clara was totally confused. She continued to wonder that throughout the morning as Kaylee found a reason to bash her work at every turn. It wasn’t until lunchtime that Phoebe shed some light on Kaylee’s motives.
“She’s just jealous. The first thing she heard when she returned was what an awesome job you did in her place. I can tell you, she was really pissed off. You couldn’t have picked a better time to get sick.”
“Why’d she be upset that the event went well?”
“I think she’s threatened by you. Your designs are so much better than hers. I mean, you’re truly gifted. Much more than the rest of us.”
Clara was flattered. Deep in her heart she knew Phoebe was right. But that didn’t make it less annoying.
During the next few days, nothing worked. Clara began to get desperate. All of a sudden she lost things; sketches disappeared, or she found them ripped up in the trash can. The ones that reappeared looked odd. Almost like someone had altered them.
She was worried that she had come back to work too soon. Maybe the fever affected me more than I thought. But it got worse; finished garments disappeared, and later showed up with large cuts or rips in them. One dress had a large cut right down the middle of the expensive fabric. Everything was going to hell in a hand basket and she had no idea of what was happening.
Maybe the flu had somehow messed up her brain? Is it possible to develop a mental disorder from the stomach flu? Maybe I’m just exhausted and need a few more days rest.
Those thoughts persisted for the first few days, but then she began to consider seriously that someone might sabotage her at work. There were too many things happening.
She needed someone to confide in, but who? Surely not Kaylee. And Phoebe was nice, but she’d heard her in the break room tearing down other junior designers and that had made her wonder what she truly thought of her. There was simply no one at Bella she trusted enough to voice her suspicions. No one.
Friday afternoon finally rolled around, and she breathed a sigh of relief as she headed home. The week had been trying, and come Monday, Nigel would be back. He’d given up sending her text messages, but she knew there’d be no way to avoid seeing him at the office. She was proud of the fact that she’d made it through the week without answering him, though she’d been tempted a million times.
But next week would bring the acid test to her determination. Could she resist him?
Chapter 18
Clara entered the office Monday morning, listening to the office chatter. As soon as she’d stashed her purse in the small desk she used, her desk phone rang.
It was him, “Clara, please meet me in my office.”
She swallowed, “Sure. When?”
“Right now.”
Clara stared at the phone for a moment and then sighed in defeat. I so don’t want to do this. She figured Nigel wanted to confront her on not answering any of his phone calls or text messages.
She had deleted all of them without even reading or listening to them. Now that her rage had decreased, she wondered if that had been a good idea. I wish I’d at least read a few of them. What if it was important?
Squaring her shoulders, she decided to let him direct the conversation and take her cues from there. Her only excuse was that she had acted stupid and overly emotional. Couple that with a good case of stomach flu, and surely I could be given a little leeway. Right?
Clara approached his office with trepidation. To make matters worse, she had to wait outside, because he was currently in a meeting with Kaylee. As she sat in the chair right outside his office door, she could overhear
their conversation. Every. Word.
“Nigel, I’m telling you. I worked with her all of last week and she simply doesn’t have what it takes to be successful in this business.”
“Explain what you mean,” Nigel asked.
“She’s a complete mess! Her sketches are pathetic, with mistakes that a high school kid wouldn’t make. And the ones she managed to turn in last week were smudges or ripped up.”
“What do you mean the ones she managed to turn in?”
“Well, I wasn’t going to say anything, but there were two days where she didn’t finish anything at all. She claimed that her sketches had disappeared from her desk while she was at lunch. But no one in this office would dare touch someone else’s work. You know that.”
Nigel didn’t say anything and Kaylee continued talking, “And several of her first-run garments look like someone took a pair of scissors to them. What a waste of fabric. And time. And money!”
“Kaylee, that doesn’t sound like Clara.”
“Well, I was here last week and you weren’t. I don’t want her working under me any longer. I want you to fire her!”
She wasn’t able to hear Nigel’s reply as the secretary walked in at that moment and began talking to her. Sweet as ever, she wanted to know how Clara liked the city, and if she’d done any more sightseeing.
Clara tried to be polite, but found carrying on a normal conversation beyond her at the moment. I need to get away. Now!
With the excuse that she needed to fetch some urgent work, she left the waiting area and rushed down the hallway. She tried to stem the falling tears but couldn’t.
She paused in the middle of the hallway, trying to decide what her next move should be, when Phoebe entered the hallway and spotted her. With one glance at Clara she registered the and invited her for coffee. Away from the office.
Clara agreed, not caring that Nigel would wonder why she wasn’t waiting for him. Not caring that Kaylee would have yet another reason to complain. She needed someone to talk to and Phoebe had made herself available.
Stubborn Love - A Contemporary Romance: Falling for Him (Falling for Him Contemporary Romance Series Book 6) Page 6
