Brittany rushed back to the stables as soon as George had the horses secured and prepared for the next carriage ride. Of the thousands of visitors flocking to the island, the last person she expected to see was Erika James. She’d followed her career in magazines for years, so she’d recognized her right away. There was no mistaking those gorgeous gold-flecked, caramel colored eyes, smooth blemish free skin, thick auburn hair, and perfect smile. She must be here for some sort of magazine spread featuring Mackinac Island and the Grand Hotel. Of course, it’s the only place Erika James would have stayed. Being a world-renowned model, there were probably no cheap motels for her anymore. Brittany needed to find out how long she’d be on the island so she could figure out how to stay far away from her.
She finished cleaning the stalls and stowed the tack away before heading to check on George. She found him polishing the wheels of one of the smaller carriages. “Hey, George. I’m going to take a lunch break. You need help with anything?” She hoped he’d say no. She just wanted to get away and squash the infuriating feelings that seeing Erika had stirred up.
“I’m good here, but the boss was asking for you. I’m not sure, but I think he’s got an assignment for you.”
“I’ll stop by his office on my way out.” Brittany’s nerves stood on end. Why couldn’t he just send her a text? She tapped on his door when she arrived at his office.
“Brittany. Come in, please. Thanks for stopping by.”
“No problem, Ben. George mentioned some assignment?” She stood still, waiting for his reply.
He shuffled papers and swiped at his tablet before speaking. “We’ve got a few unexpected guests this month who need special attention.” He signaled toward a chair opposite his desk and concentrated on his computer.
Brittany reluctantly sat and waited for him to finish, her curiosity piqued. She’d appreciated his directness and honesty from the first day she’d joined the crew. Today, he avoided her gaze. “Is there a problem?” she asked.
“No. No problem, Brittany. I know you’re uncomfortable interacting with people, but I’m working on a carriage schedule and we’re short two drivers this month. Helen’s on maternity leave, and Joe has jury duty and is stuck on an insurance fraud case. I’m going to need to assign you to one of the carriages.” He tapped on his tablet once more and turned his full attention to her. “Some new magazine has scheduled several photo shoots across the island and inside the hotel for the next two weeks. And since we don’t have cars on the island, obviously, that means they need to use a carriage. I’d like you to oversee the crew’s transportation while they’re on the island. I’ve allocated you one of the smaller carriages and two carriage horses, and I hope you’ll be willing to work more flexible hours, according to what they might need.”
He paused and Brittany took the opportunity to interrupt. “Do you mean all I’ll be doing for the next two weeks is chauffeuring them around?”
“Basically, yes. You can work in the stalls as much as you’d like, of course. You’re a hard worker, and I’m grateful to have you here. It’s just for two weeks. Their model’s name is Erika James. You start later this afternoon. She wants a tour of the island to get her bearings. George is readying your horses and carriage now.”
Brittany stiffened but remained quiet. She didn’t want to quit this job, but she couldn’t imagine spending every day for two weeks with Erika James. She knew Ben did whatever he could to accommodate her need to avoid people, and this was an unplanned event. It wasn’t his fault; he couldn’t know the quandary it put her in. “Okay. I’m going to take my lunch now, but I’ll get with George when I return.” She left his office without another word. It’s only two weeks.
* * *
Brittany finished applying her makeup and positioned her glasses and top hat. She straightened her tie and her spine and climbed onto the seat of the carriage. “Wish me luck.” She grinned at George as she lifted the reins and the two carriage horses began the gentle roll up the hill toward the hotel. The short trip didn’t give her enough time to settle her nerves, but she was sure there wasn’t a trip long enough to do that anyway as she pulled up to the hotel waiting area. The commotion at the exit caught her attention. Erika, a tall dark-haired man, and a buxom redhead carrying a large camera stood in the carriage waiting area.
“I’m telling you, I don’t need you here yet. I’m just going to take a short ride to check out the island. We aren’t scheduled for any photos until four.”
Erika looked perturbed and, if her body language was any indication, frustrated.
Brittany stepped off the carriage and secured the horses. “May I help with anything?” She smiled and directed her attention to Erika.
“Thank you.” Erika’s face registered relief. “My agent and photographer were just seeing me off.” She stepped onto the running board of the carriage, and Brittany scrambled to assist her. “I’ll see you two later.” Erika settled into her seat and turned away.
Brittany climbed back onto her seat and waved as they moved past the couple, who went back into the hotel not looking entirely happy. It wasn’t part of her job to settle arguments within groups, but she couldn’t deny her pleasure that her mere presence had helped to settle Erika’s angst. It was ironic, though, given their history. She held the reins securely before turning toward her passenger. “My name is Brittany, and I’ll be driving your carriage for the duration of your stay, Ms. James. Is there anything in particular you’d like to see this afternoon, or shall I just give you our standard, albeit shortened, tour of the island?”
Erika sat on the cushioned bench with her head resting on the back of the seat and her eyes closed. Slight frown lines creased her delicate brow, and the minor movement in her jaw indicated she was clenching her teeth. Her blemish free skin glowed beneath the light makeup she wore. Age had enhanced her beauty, and Brittany could imagine tracing her fingertips along that soft skin. She did a quick calculation. Erika, or Amy as she’d known her, had been one grade above her before the accident; two when she’d finally left the burn unit and returned to school. She’d have to be nearly forty now. Still gorgeous. She was about to repeat her question when Erika stirred and her eyes fluttered open, captivating her.
“Sorry. I had to regroup for a minute. Please just take me wherever you usually go to show off this beautiful island. I guess the shortened standard tour. I’ll need to be back by three o’clock, though.” Erika pulled out her cell phone and tapped it several times with her finger before shaking it and stuffing it back into her pocket.
“You’ll find the cell service on the island is spotty. I can show you the best areas for reception as we go, but it also depends on your carrier.” Brittany turned to urge the two horses along the street toward town.
“Thanks. It’ll probably be nice to be unplugged for a while.” Erika closed her eyes again.
Erika hadn’t indicated she recognized her, and Brittany suppressed a confusing surge of disappointment. What did she expect? That she’d hug her and exclaim how much she’d missed their childhood connection and apologize for her cruelty that drove them apart? She questioned whether she even remembered they’d once been best friends. She’d probably completely erased the memory of the kiss Brittany had never been able to forget. Brittany concentrated on driving the carriage and relaying information as they traveled. There would be nothing standard about the next two weeks.
Chapter Four
Erika pasted on her practiced smile as the carriage crept through town and a few people turned to follow their progress. She guessed it was the horses drawing their attention but hoped it was because they recognized her. Her parents had pushed her into a modeling career, but she’d grown to like the attention, and she was proud of her status as one of the best models on the circuit. Still the best even at thirty-eight. There had been no public advertising for these photo shoots, and it was unlikely anyone other than those involved would know she was on the island. Still, she liked to think her presence might be of interest
to someone.
It never failed to delight her to sign autographs and talk to fans about the latest fashions she wore while in Paris or Italy. Sometimes on the runways of New York, she’d have lines of folks who followed her career and loved to chat about the latest magazine in which she’d been featured. She doubted anything remotely similar would happen on this tourist island. Most people came here for the shopping, the fudge, the restaurants, and the jewel of the island, the Grand Hotel. She watched the people riding bicycles alongside the horses. She’d read that motorized vehicles had been banned on the island since the 1890s. No exhaust fumes, no horns, nobody waving frantically, yelling for a taxi. She’d only been on the island for a couple of hours, and she could already feel herself unwinding. Maybe the time spent here would be a nice break.
She turned her attention to the attractive blond driver and the way she gently controlled the two bays as they paraded along the route. She perused her from the top of the black top hat, down along the lines of her shoulders and over the vest, which nicely hugged her breasts. There was no missing she was female despite the typically male outfit. Her braid hung down her back and moved back and forth as she turned her head to speak and point out significant landmarks. She noted the way Brittany ducked her head and kept her face turned away slightly. Her thick glasses obscured her eyes, and she definitely had some sort of scarring on her face that someone had done an excellent job of hiding with makeup. There was something familiar about her, something that made Erika study her, but she’d never have forgotten a beauty like this one. The woman probably had more than her share of people staring at her, and Erika didn’t want to be rude, so she looked away and relaxed into her seat to concentrate on paying attention to the tour. She’d wanted to go alone on this excursion to check out the area because she hated going into a shoot cold. There were always variables beyond her control, such as the weather and what outfits the magazine picked for her, but at least she’d be familiar with the terrain.
Erika listened intently to Brittany’s mellow voice tell her about Arch Rock and how it was formed.
“This island is beautiful. I’m sorry I’ve never been here before.” Awed, Erika examined the cedar trees and rock formations as they passed.
“This area, about eighty percent of the island, was designated a national park in 1875, and a state park in 1895. Visitors come from all over the world.” Brittany steered the horses toward the road as she spoke. “I had a group from China last year who never stopped talking, taking pictures, and pointing the whole tour. I’m not sure if they understood a word I said, but they appeared to be having a ball.”
The slight sway of the carriage, the warm spring day, and the fact she’d been up most of the night packing and confirming her schedule, had Erika nodding off before the end of the trip. She was startled awake by a warm hand on her arm.
“I’m sorry to wake you, Ms. James, but we’re back at the hotel.” Brittany stepped away after speaking, turning slightly sideways.
“Thank you.” Erika sat up and stretched.
“You’re welcome. I hope you enjoyed the ride and the short tour of the island. I’ll take care of the horses and be back to pick you and your crew up by four.” Brittany held her arm as she exited the carriage and then walked quickly toward the horses, not giving her an opportunity to speak.
Erika watched Brittany efficiently release the horses from their harnesses as another worker arrived to help. She moved with grace and strength and whispered to the animals as she led them to the stable. She forced herself to look away when she realized she was paying way too much attention to her ass as she strode away. She turned toward the hotel before her thoughts strayed any further toward what it would feel like in her hands.
Erika smiled and waved a greeting as she passed the various groups in the expansive lobby of the hotel, grateful no one stopped her to chat or request an autograph. All she wanted to do was get back to her suite and relax for a few minutes before the makeup session, hair styling, and dressing began. The short nap in the carriage had only accentuated how tired she really was. She opened her door and knew her desire for relaxation wasn’t to be.
“There you are.” Kathy, her makeup artist, spoke from the parlor where she had a chair positioned facing the window. “The lighting is perfect in here.” She stood next to the chair and gestured for Erika to sit. “The crew will be here in an hour.” She waved her hand in a hurry up motion.
Erika sighed and closed the door behind her. “Give me a minute, okay?” She retreated to the bathroom and splashed water on her face. She couldn’t figure out what had her feeling distracted. She was a professional. She did what she had to do to be ready for the cameras and always look her best. But her thoughts kept veering off to her short carriage ride with the attractive driver. Their conversation had been light and easy, so unlike talking to fans or fellow models which sometimes turned into a competition for the last word. She’d been seen as her real self instead of the image on a magazine cover, and it felt nice. There was something vaguely familiar about her, but she couldn’t figure it out. She’d never been to Mackinac Island, and this woman looked as if she was settled into her job and exceptional at it. She probably grew up on the island, although she couldn’t imagine what anyone would do during the winter here, or how she could make a living driving a horse carriage. She turned her attention to Kathy to prepare for the afternoon event.
Within an hour, Erika checked her reflection in the mirror, satisfied the flowing Louis Vuitton outfit fit perfectly and her styled hair and makeup matched the casual theme of the shoot. The crew had let her know that they were heading to Arch Rock for various poses and angles as the afternoon sunlight shone through and the lighting changed. “I guess I’m as ready as I’ll ever be.” She slipped on a pair of sandals and headed out the door.
Chapter Five
Casual elegance were the first words that came to Brittany when Erika sauntered out of the hotel and climbed into the carriage. She could imagine her strolling down a runway, swaying her lovely hips and showcasing her beautiful hair and eyes. The outfit she wore fit her perfectly and probably cost more than Brittany made in a year. The dark brown skirt and soft beige blouse looked like they’d been made for her. And her sandals complemented the outfit as she moved with cat-like grace.
“Everyone ready?” Brittany turned to make sure her passengers were aboard and seated before she encouraged the horses forward.
“Let’s do this.”
Brittany recognized Erika’s agent from earlier and had introduced herself to him as well as the woman carrying the camera. “Okay, here we go. I’ll be taking the shorter route to Arch Rock than the one we took earlier.” She directed her remark to Erika, who gave her a quick smile.
She steered the two horses slowly through town and past Fort Mackinac without her usual detailed explanation of the area and buildings. The passengers were busy discussing what she presumed were the details of the photo session. They looked intense and uninterested in hearing about the significance of their surroundings. She realized they were only there for a job. To get good photos, not to listen to her. She would just do her job but hoped they’d loosen up, or it would be a long two weeks for her.
She parked the carriage and hopped off to secure the horses while the photographer, followed by the crew, climbed out of the carriage, juggled her camera, and looked around to get the best angle and light. No one told Brittany she couldn’t watch, so she leaned against the carriage and watched the shoot begin.
Erika stood on the edge of the trail leading to Arch Rock but far enough away to use it as a backdrop for the picture. Brittany was mesmerized by the subtle shifts in Erika’s stance and slight tip of her head or shift in her gaze, and the often subtle movement of her fingers and hands. She could imagine each click of the camera capturing a different shot. She presumed the final photos would be chosen from a group of hundreds, and she was glad she wasn’t the one to have to choose. Erika was phenomenal and beyond beautiful. She sh
ifted in her seat and concentrated on the space between the carriage horse’s ears to distract herself. Erika was a gorgeous fashion model. Now, anyway. Before…it was different. She allowed her memories to flow while suppressing the discomfort they carried.
Her final skin graft had finally healed enough that doctors had allowed her to leave the burn unit. She’d begged her parents to let her return to school so she could graduate only one year behind her class. But then the group of girls was there… Amy Jansons was a model in training. Her perfect skin, white teeth, and budding womanly figure must have qualified her for the group, but to be fully accepted she probably had to prove herself. Her loyalty.
Against the background of Erika laughing in response to the photographer’s joke, Brittany struggled with the recollection.
The tiled floor was hard and cold. She tried to stand and was pushed back down by the leader of the group, the Queen Bee as they called her. Amy stood behind her, watching. Was she second in command? Why didn’t she try to stop the taunting? The pointing and name-calling? She looked up into the honey colored eyes, pleading for support, and found fleeting compassion and fear. Fear of being left out, perhaps. Then she heard what she hadn’t forgotten in twenty-three years. The cruel chuckle and callous remark. “Leave the freak alone. She’s not worth our time.”
There was no reason to believe Erika had changed. It was one thing to understand her motives, but quite another to get past the hurt it had caused. If only Amy could have stayed Amy. Her best friend with whom she’d shared secrets and coloring books. And a kiss. She’d transformed into one of the mean girls and lost herself. Brittany shivered with a visceral reaction to her memories and strengthened her resolve to keep her distance from Erika James.
“I think we’re done here.” Erika’s agent hopped into the carriage, ignoring both Erika and her photographer.
Through Love's Eyes Page 2
