Page 57 of Falling into Place
She retrieved the bag from her room and handed it to him. “Do you want to try it on first? Make sure you like it before you take it?”
He shook his head. “I trust you.” Damn, he really wanted to get out of there.
“Okay. Just, um, let me know what you think. If you want.”
“Sure. I’ll talk to you later.” Then he was gone.
The door closed behind him, and she dropped her forehead against it. It took all of thirty seconds for the weight of what they’d just barely sidestepped to settle across her shoulders. Yeah, in the moment shehadn’t intended to stop him, but she had way too much on the line with this project to throw it all away in a moment of weakness. She’d worked too hard and wanted that Mode position too bad. Especially after the phone call she’d gotten from Mai earlier today.
She’d been in the car, headed home from a bone-dry day of inputting numbers into spreadsheets, when Mai’s number lit up her console. Her boss wanted to congratulate her on how well theLiveOKCpartnership was going. She had nice things to say about Brooks’s attire in the various media sources he’d appeared in—print, television, and digital alike. But most importantly she’d shared a sharp increase in client contracts, one in particular from one of theSip & See OKCmorning show hosts, which could lead to great publicity for the company as the stylists for someone so regularly in the public eye.
“Strategic partnerships like what you’ve done with this magazine are exactly the type of thing we’re looking for,” Mai had said. “I hadn’t realized the connections you had, not only withLiveOKCbut also with the entire Martin Media Group. They have several outlets we could pursue in the future. I have a meeting with Kyle next week, and I plan to discuss your success with this. I’ll be in touch.”
Carly couldn’t take her eye off the prize. Not right now.
Handsome, charming, and smart or not, Brooks Martin was just as off-limits now as he’d been from day one, and Carly had to be more careful.
A hopeful part of her brain popped off with a reminder that when this was all over, if he hadn’t found someone he wanted to be with, maybe they could test the waters. The prospect filled her with the same kind of excited energy she felt when she was waiting for a client to emerge from the dressing room in an outfit she just knew would turn out perfect, which, to be honest, was a little alarming.
Brooks may be rediscovering his skills in conversation and flirtation, but was he actually ready for an emotional connection?
What would Sasha think?
What about Benjamin? What would happen when he came back?
And speaking of Benjamin, how the hell had she gotten so distracted by Brooks that she forgot they were supposed to talk tonight? They’d agreed on a time and everything, and she’d been looking forward to it all week.
She pushed off the door and went back to the couch, Pepper circling her ankles after she sat. Her cat had traded off between her and Brooks’s laps all evening, and it didn’t escape her notice that he seemed to love Brooks. He’d never cared for Benjamin, but he also didn’t seem to like Sasha, so Carly’d never held it against him.
She gently nudged him to the side, and he promptly leaped up to the spot Brooks had vacated and curled up, while she picked up her phone and settled in to call Benjamin back.
Chapter Fifteen
Brooks
Are you keeping up with OKC’s local Bachelor, Brooks Martin? Tell us in the comments!
—LiveOKC Instagram post
What has been your favorite date location so far?OKC City Tours (link here) hooked me up with a rooftop spot for the downtown Fourth of July fireworks show. We just hung out with drinks and appetizers and watched the sky from the best vantage point in town. I gotta say, it was pretty magical.
Have you met anyone special?I’ve met some lovely women, but nothing serious yet. (Don’t worry, dear readers, I’ll keep you updated. —Sasha)
What advice do you have for OKC singles creating a dating profile on LoveInTheCity?Be yourself. Being someone you’re not will waste both of your time. I think there’s someone out there for everyone, so why waste your time meeting people you have nothing in common with? Be honest (but not toohonest—I probably should have skipped the cat hairball story, apologies to Date #3) and maybe even a little vulnerable. That’s the kind of thing I put out there and what I hope to find in return.
Any embarrassing moments you want to share?I’ll just say this: if you take a woman to listen to a band play at a local bar, maybe check to make sure the lead singer isn’t her ex. Who sings mostly love songs he wrote about her.
Yeah.
Any what-not-to-do advice?Don’t bring a cucumber from your garden as a gift for your date. I thought it would be nice and sort of funny. It was neither. #creeper
Name three things about this process that have surprised you.
1. In a lot of ways it’s not as bad as I thought it would be. Overall we’re all just looking to make a connection and find someone to spend time with.
2. Pie Junkie has the best dessert in town. Holy crap, where has that place been all my life?
3. Having a personal stylist has really helped my confidence through this whole process. It’s been a long time since I cared much about how I dressed, but she told me first impressions matter, and while I’m loath to admit it, she’s right. Even the shoppingisn’t so bad. I know, I’m just as surprised as you. If you’re interested, check out Mode Style.
