Her right hand was tapping with a pencil on a pad of drawing paper while her left was holding up what looked to Heath like an invoice or delivery note. She was peering at it through pink-tinted spectacles with bright-red frames then scribbling something down on the pad. Then looking back at the printed sheet, and then back to the pad. And scowling.
‘Why is this not adding up?’ she asked with a long sigh, then reached out and rummaged through a large cardboard box which was overflowing with paperwork and ring binders and envelopes, pulling out individual sheets and tossing them onto the desk as she went until her fingers froze on what looked like a purple sticky note pushed inside an envelope. ‘There you are,’ she smiled, ‘I knew that I had already paid you last week. Now stop hiding from me or I will never work out how to do these accounts properly.’
A self-satisfied smile flashed across her lips, which was so natural and unpractised that it made his heart melt just looking at her.
She looked so vulnerable and naïve.
And, judging by the accumulation of papers on her table, not the world’s best bookkeeper. Her filing system could certainly use an overhaul and a simple spreadsheet would do all of the adding up she was struggling with. He could probably set it up in less than an hour, but somehow he didn’t think that Kate would welcome another criticism of her working practices.
Not after yesterday. And certainly not from him.
Even if some part of him did yearn to dive in and sort out the mess she had clearly got herself into.
Heath was still working on some way of introducing himself without looking like a complete idiot when a voice behind him whispered, ‘Hello, handsome. You’re a little early for the casting, but if you want to take your clothes off over there, I’ll be happy to take a look at what you can do.’
Heath spun around to find a tall, dark-skinned man in a slim-fit red-and-green windowpane check suit and narrow Italian shoes scanning his body from head to toe while tapping his chin with a forefinger.
‘I have to break the bad news to you, handsome. You don’t look like a dancer from here.’
Dancer? Remove his clothing?
A woman’s voice laughed out loud and he glanced over his shoulder to see Kate grinning from ear to ear. She exchanged kisses on both cheeks with the man and wrapped one arm around his waist. ‘Lovely to see you, as always, Leo. And as punctual as ever. As for our guest,’ she said in a semi-serious voice, ‘I can see what you mean. Not really the dancing physique at all. Good thing he’s my client and not looking for stage work.’
‘Your client? Oh, I see. Pity. Ciao bella.’ Leo coughed and strolled away towards the entrance.
‘Good morning, Kate,’ Heath replied calmly, trying not to squirm in the suddenly overwhelming heat. ‘I’m sorry to disturb your work but I was hoping that you could spare me a few minutes.’
She looked up at him wide-eyed, then turned away and rested her hand against the wide table. ‘Why? Are you interested in being measured for a suit?’ She gestured over his shoulder. ‘I specialise in ladies’ wear but, as you can see, I have a wide selection of fabric in an assortment of colours. I’m sure I could find something to match your complexion. A fetching shade of puce embarrassment tweed, perhaps?’
And then she looked up at him through her eyelashes and their eyes met. And in that instant he knew that she was already two steps ahead of him.
Kate knew precisely why he was there and had absolutely no intention of letting him get away with anything.
She ignored the stack of papers on her desk and started pinning pieces of thin tissue paper to a tailor’s model, smoothing each piece in turn to fit the curves of the shape below. Her fingertips moved in slow languorous strokes, sensually caressing each piece, one after another, with infinite care and such loving attention that Heath’s blood pounded just a little hotter.
He paused and tapped his head with his forefinger. ‘Touché. Actually, I have come to apologise for yesterday. Then I’m going to thank you nicely for making four charming bridesmaids’ dresses at very short notice to help me out. Is that better?’
Kate twitched her lips but turned back to her model and kept on pinning and smoothing until the entire bodice was covered with what looked like a jacket. Only when she had arranged the pattern pieces to her satisfaction did she whirl around towards him with her back against the desk.
Heath inhaled slowly and braced himself for whatever was coming his way. Which was why when she did speak what she said knocked him more than he could have imagined.
‘I am curious about one thing. Did you come to me as the last resort? Because you left it too late to ask anyone else to make the bridesmaids’ dresses?’
He winced and gave her a brief nod. There was no point in denying it. ‘Partly that,’ he admitted. ‘My father only announced that he was getting married a month ago. I had no idea that fashion houses need such a long lead time.’
And then he took a breath. ‘But I also relied on Amber’s judgement. She knows how important this wedding is, and would never have suggested Katherine Lovat Designs unless she was confident that you would do a good job.’
Kate sighed out loud through her nose and crossed her arms. She shook her head and clenched her small fingers into fists for a few seconds. ‘And to think that I actually came all the way to your office yesterday, in the rain, to thank you for choosing me in preference to some big name couture fashion house.’ Her knuckles wrapped on her forehead. ‘Idiot.’ Then she sniffed and started to stack the pile of papers on the table. ‘Did you seriously hate the dress I showed you?’
‘On the contrary. The colour is perfect for me but I suspect it would be a little snug across the chest.’
Her lips pressed together and she blinked several times but refused to look at him. ‘Really? And what about the pearl embroidery on the bodice? All that embellishment that you have a deep aversion to.’
He took a step closer. ‘It’s lovely. Really lovely. Was it done by hand?’
Her head shot up and she stuck her neck out, open-mouthed. ‘No, the magic elves came in the night. Of course it was done by hand.’ She lifted both hands and waved them at him. ‘These hands, to be precise.’
He tried to take that information in, but words refused to form.
‘You did all of that pearly embroidery?’
She nodded slowly up and down. Once.
‘For all four dresses? On your own?’
Kate replied with a small shoulder shrug. ‘This is a one-woman show. No assistants, no apprentices. And I had to get the pearls just right. Otherwise the design wouldn’t match the pearl embroidery on Alice’s wedding dress.’
Suddenly she winced in pain as though she had cut herself and launched herself at him and grabbed the sleeves of his suit jacket. ‘Oh, no! Look what you made me do. I should not have said that. Should. Not. The wedding dress has to stay top secret until the big day. You have to promise not to say a word to your father. Seriously. Not a word. Okay. Promise?’
‘What wedding dress is that? Never heard a thing. Was someone talking?’ he replied in a calm voice and pretended to look around the room for a few seconds before gazing into her green eyes, which were sparkling with passion and sunlight. ‘But why didn’t you explain that last night?’
‘Because you were far more interested in your phone call than listening to anything that I would have to say.’
Kate released her grip on his sleeve and smoothed down the fabric before looking up into his face with an expression which demanded his attention and held it there.
‘Why weren’t you listening? Was your pride hurt because I actually used my initiative and did not follow your specific instructions to the letter?’
Oh, Kate. If you only knew the kind of day I had yesterday you would understand why the dress was the last straw that burst the bubble of control I was cli
nging onto so badly.
Her gaze stayed locked on his, but as he stayed silent she slowly relaxed her grip and a frown creased her forehead. ‘So, it had nothing to do with me. Did something happen yesterday? Before we met? Something which rattled you?’ she asked in a low intense voice which seemed to echo around the space even though they were so close that he could feel her breath on his throat and see the way the sun brought out the highlights in her hair.
It was as though she had read his mind. Intuitive.
‘Rattled? I don’t get rattled,’ he mocked.
‘Yes, you do,’ she whispered and shuffled back half a step so that she could look up into his face. ‘Talk to me, Heath. Tell me what rattled you so very badly.’
He looked into those green eyes and knew instantly that she was not judging him or condemning him—she simply wanted to know what had happened. But there was something else in that gaze. Not pity. Concern. She was concerned about him.
And it shocked him to the core that he could not recall a single time that a girl had looked at him with concern in her eyes and meant it. Not Olivia. Their relationship had been based on mutual convenience and shared interests and a healthy appreciation of the benefits of an active social and sex life. But not concern. Not intimacy. Not sharing their hopes and fears.
The silence lengthened and she did not try to fill the silence with chatter but waited patiently to hear his response. Her light floral perfume and the sheer physical presence of this tiny woman who was within touching distance combined with the intensity of that one single look to reach inside him and knock on the locked door of his heart.
And for the first time in years he knew that he could trust another person with the truth. The real truth.
‘A few minutes before you arrived, my girlfriend, Olivia, called from China to inform me that not only is she going to miss the wedding this weekend, but she had decided that our relationship is not working for her and it was time to go our separate ways.’
‘She broke up with you? Over the phone?’ Kate’s jaw dropped in disbelief.
‘Over the phone from China. So you see, as of yesterday I am officially single and without a wedding date.’
‘Oh.’ She sighed and blinked several times. ‘Well, to use my good friend Amber’s favourite expression—that sucks. Big time.’
Heath exhaled the breath he had not even realised he had been holding in and his shoulders seemed to drop several inches. ‘It certainly does. And that is not the only problem. Alice had insisted that Olivia should be one of the four bridesmaids. And now she isn’t coming.’
Kate’s eyebrows went north and her mouth formed a perfect oval. ‘Ouch. Does Alice know yet? It could be difficult to find another bridesmaid in less than a week.’
‘Tell me about it. You already know that Olivia is petite and has tiny feet—you made her dress. There aren’t many girls who would be able to fit into...’ His voice faded away as his gaze scanned Kate from head to toe and back again. ‘Miss Lovat, I have a question for you.’
Her chin lifted. ‘Hello. Yes? What is it?’
‘What shoe size do you wear?’
‘It depends on the shoe but usually a size three or four British sizing. But why do you want to know that? Because Amber has told me all about your deep-seated dislike of anything that comes under the category of female fripperies. So if you are thinking of buying me footwear for some reason, thank you, but no.’
‘Me? Ah. No. Not my thing. Now, Alice...’ he sucked in a breath through his teeth like a whistle ‘...Alice insisted on buying all of the bridesmaids’ shoes from some exclusive London designer. I know this because I paid the invoice. And guess what size Olivia takes? A three. How about that for a coincidence?’
He sighed out loud and crossed his arms, lips pressed firmly together. ‘Shame that I shall have to return those gorgeous shoes now that Olivia cannot make it. And I know how much Alice wanted to have four bridesmaids. Not five or three. It had to be four. This is going to be such a blow. I’m worried that it might even ruin her big day.’
He cupped one elbow and started tapping on his lower lip.
‘Of course, there is one other alternative,’ he said in a lilting voice. While staring directly into Kate’s eyes.
‘Any idea where I might be able to find a replacement bridesmaid at short notice who would fit a slim petite dress and size three shoes? Um...?’
FOUR
Kate stared at him, open-mouthed, for all of two seconds before she got the message.
‘Oh no, you don’t. Not a chance, Sheridan,’ Kate replied with a short sharp laugh and stepped back, both of her hands palm upwards.
‘You would make a perfect bridesmaid, Kate,’ he grinned, ‘and I’m sure Alice would be delighted.’
‘Are you mad?’ She glared at him in disbelief. ‘I might have spoken to Alice on the phone and by email but I have never even met your future stepmother in person and you may not be aware of this but usually the bride likes to have some say in who her bridesmaids are, not the best man. She is bound to have lovely friends and relatives who were furious to be missed the first time around. Or ring someone in your little black book.’
‘No point—the dress has been made for Olivia—and is about your size. In fact, didn’t Amber say that you modelled it because Olivia was overseas?’
Heath stepped back and then walked in a slow circle as he scanned her so slowly from shoes to head that she started to squirm. ‘Although it might be a bit tight around the bodice, the length would work.’
Kate’s head slowly came up and she crossed her arms over her chest.
‘Ah, so that is the only selection criteria. I have to be short and flat-chested.’
‘And pretty.’ He shrugged.
‘Short, flat-chested and with small feet,’ came her choked reply. ‘And not likely to crack the camera lens. My, you have a wonderful way of charming the ladies with your pick-up lines, Heath Sheridan. How could I possibly refuse when you hit me with that kind of flattery?’
Kate pressed her fingertip to her lips and laughed. ‘Oh, wait. I do refuse. Sorry, Heath. Not this time, not any time. Not a chance. But don’t panic. Alice is bound to know someone who would fit that dress.’
Heath crossed his arms and shook his head slowly from side to side. ‘I researched every lady on the guest list last evening and not one of them is a match.’
‘You have dossiers on the guests?’
‘Of course. How else would I know how to engage the house party in idle conversation?’
Kate closed her mouth, inhaled deeply, lifted her chin, slipped the pin cushion back onto her wrist and gave Heath a finger wave. ‘Well, I think that just about says it all. Best of luck with the bride. Have a lovely wedding.’
‘Kate. Wait. You know I wouldn’t ask you to do this unless I was desperate.’
‘Yes, I am beginning to understand that very well.’
‘Wait. This is important. I need this wedding to be a success,’ he blurted out as she turned away from him.
And he just stopped himself in time before the words came tumbling out of his heart—but he pulled back.
This might be the only chance—the last chance—that I have to build bridges and get my father back into my life.
His true feelings were too personal and private to share with anyone. When it came to his parents, he was a closed book to the rest of the world and that was exactly how he intended to stay.
Kate lifted her chin and stood rock-still, her lips pressed together. Then she squinted at him and asked in a stubborn voice, ‘Just give me one good reason why I should step in for your former girlfriend and be a bridesmaid when I haven’t even met the bride and groom.’
Yes! A window of opportunity. And if there was one thing that Heath had picked up in ten years in publishing, it was th
at he had to make the most of each and every opportunity that came his way.
But what? What could he come up with? A reason?
His gaze dropped to the paperwork under her splayed-out fingers. The very messy paperwork which she was having trouble getting to add up. Which was hardly surprising if she was using sticky notes as receipts.
Yes. A bribe might just work.
‘One?’ Heath replied. ‘I can give you several. But how about this for an idea?’
Heath took three steps towards Kate so that he was almost touching her and looked down into her startled face. ‘I am prepared to offer you a trade, Miss Lovat. As a lady entrepreneur, you must be so incredibly busy with your creative designs that I suspect you could use some professional help to sort out all those pesky accounts and the mountain of business paperwork that comes with working for yourself.’
He stepped to one side, looked hard at the desk, then back into her face, and then back at the desk again.
He sniffed and waved one hand in the air. ‘It just so happens that I am rather an expert in that particular area. I designed the office management system and helped to roll it out across the whole division. From what I have seen, I doubt that a company executive such as yourself would need more than a day or two to clear your backlog, bring your accounts up to date and put an easy but efficient system in place which could cope with any and all expansion plans. All I would need is some desk space right here in the studio. One business person to another. What do you say to that?’
He pressed the fingertips of both hands onto the surface of the table, trapping her within the arch of his body. And, to her credit, Kate did not shuffle away but locked her lovely green eyes onto his and refused to move. Only the longer he looked the more he wanted to look and it was an effort to blink, step back and focus on something other than her flawless skin and the amber and gold highlights mixed into the green of those eyes, which seemed to pop against the longest dark brown eyelashes that he had ever seen—and hers were real.
‘Well, there you have it, Kate.’ He laughed. ‘One good reason why you should run away with me this weekend and be treated to full-on pampering—and all in exchange for wearing one of your lovely frocks. Say yes,’ he murmured with his best molten-chocolate seductive voice. ‘You know you want to.’
Last-Minute Bridesmaid Page 5
