Page 47 of Brooke's Bliss
Cleo started for the door.“Well, think about what I said.If you ever decide to roll the dice on costume design and you want to work forvery little money, I’m your girl.What I will promise is credit for everydesign, every stitch you make.I guess what I would promise is to be a realteam.To make art together.To entertain the people like the family I hope weall become.Good night, Brooke, and thank you again.Lock up when you’re done.Not that anyone would come in, but Mel claims there’s an intergalactic wargoing on and this would be a good place to hide.I would love to live in thatman’s head for a day.I wonder if he would let me do a documentary?”
Oh, she would bet no.“It would have to be classified.”
Cleo grinned.“And that’s what would be fun about it.’Night.”She turned back.“Uhm, apparently you have visitors.Oooo, and they brought dinner.Again don’t do anything Iwouldn’t do with two gorgeous men.”
She sat up straight as Shane strode through, giving Cleo anod.He had a big basket in his hand and Bay followed him.Nope.They hadn’tgotten less attractive.She’d kind of hoped in the stark light of day she wouldhave a different reaction to the two men she meant to use and lose and now wasfake engaged to, though no one actually believed it.She was kind of the worstand they were…here.Here and big and masculine, and they smelled good.Herstomach grumbled a little because she’d ordered grilled fish for lunch.It wasexcellent but it wasn’t very filling and she’d walked all over town becauseFuberdidn’t run during school hours.She could only catcha ride between when the Farley brothers were out of school and when the devildecided to wake up.So four to ten was her only spot.
She needed a car.
Or she needed to ask for help.
It smelled so good.Why had she picked the fish when she’dwanted a burger?She knew.She still had that voice in her head telling her ifshe was thinner, they would take her more seriously.Not that any male designerhad to look like a model.“What are you doing here?I told you I would beworking late.”
“You have to eat.”Shane set the basket on the table.
Bay stared down at the big book of design sketches theformer designer had left.He frowned.“Is this a new line you’re working on?”
She shuddered at the thought.“No.I love an eightiesinfluence, but I wouldn’t do this to any woman.It’s like she took all the badthings about the eighties and put them into one outfit.”She turned the page.“She seemed to be trying to represent nostalgia in each of the three sisters.Idon’t hate the idea, but I don’t think she thought it through enough.Olga isAlexis fromDynasty.I’m worried she took her inspiration for Irinafrom watching nineties music videos.And Masha is wearing mom jeans.It’s a bigold mess.”
“Good.Those didn’t look like you,” Bay replied, steppingback.
She was curious.There was a lot they hadn’t gone over thenight before.“What do I look like?Design wise, I mean.You’re an artist,right?I’d like your opinion.”
“He’s really good,” Shane said.
“It’s not the same.My job is easier.All I have to do isfollow my eyes and instinct.I draw or paint or sculpt the things that speak tome.You have to make something functional beautiful.Those designs areneither,” Bay explained.“If I had to describe your aesthetic, it would beclean lines and classic vibes, but with a nod to the future and functionality.Your clothes are wearable.”
Yes, he had her down, and that was the problem.“I designthe clothes I like to wear, and apparently that means I’m not high fashion.”
“Very few people wear high fashion,” Bay said with a shakeof his head as though he didn’t understand the problem.“I mean I know somepeople like to see pictures of stars on the red carpet, but I would think youwould make way more from designing something a lot of people are going towear.”
“Well, you would be wrong.”She watched as Shane set thebasket on one of the makeup tables.“I’m also into tailoring clothes.Like theshirt Shane’s wearing.If I took it in slightly at the waist, it would create abetter silhouette.I suppose that’s not so important to you, but for a womangoing into the office, how the shirt wears can be important.It can make thedifference between looking professional or slightly messy.But try to explainto an haute couture company that we need to consider how our blouses will fitlarger breasts and they laugh because our sizes don’t go larger than a twelve.If you’re bigger than that, they don’t want you.”
“Is that why your clothes always look so good?”Shane sankdown to the chair Cleo had recently occupied.“Do you tailor them yourself?”
“Yes, and I know it’s not possible in mass market clothes,but it’s what I love.It’s why I adore designing wedding gowns.”She lovedworking with actual people instead of simply designing and pulling in somewafer-thin model who wouldn’t ever wear it.“I designed Jen Talbot’s gown anddid all the bridesmaid’s dresses.Callie still wears hers.”
“I heard Lucy was getting married.”Bay’s hands went to theback of her neck, and she sighed as he started to rub her shoulders.That feltamazing.“Are you going to design hers?”
She let her eyes drift closed.She’d thought she needed thisquiet time to contemplate how to handle them.What if she just went with it?What if she did exactly what Gemma told her to do and took this time to restand explore the possibilities and enjoy herself for once?She’d alreadydisappointed her brothers.She wasn’t sure how she could make things worse,although they had that dinner coming up.“Lucy’s wearing Ty’s mother’s dress.It’s lovely and looks good on her.I’ll tailor it.I’ll have a harder time withthe boys because they’ll want to rent tuxes, and I can’t fix those.”She woulduse temporary means if she had to so Lucy got the absolute best photos.“I’mgoing to help Sabrina and her sister shop for dresses.We either have to gointo Alamosa or Colorado Springs, or buy one off the Internet and hope for thebest.If we were in New York, we would have all the choices.”
Bay seemed to think about that for a moment.“I know a lotof choices sounds good, but I can get overwhelmed.”
Shane nodded.“He can.They put Netflix in the bunkhouse andBay keeps shuffling through but never actually watches anything.”
Bay shrugged.“What if there’s a better movie?”
“It’s not always about what’s better.It’s about how we makeuse of the experience, but I get what you’re saying.I’ve lived in the city forthe last couple of years, and I don’t understand how fast the world is goinguntil I come home and smell the pine and hear the wind rustle through the grassin the back field.”
“Is it home?”Shane asked.“Because for me home is yourplace.The place you always want to be.”
“I suppose Bliss is the place I will always come back to.It’s my touchstone, where I know I belong.”Even if her brothers were mad ather.Even if Rachel had been in on the whole PI debacle.She knew she was beingstubborn, but she needed time.And she wanted to know these guys a littlebetter.If she was staying with them for a couple of weeks, she might as welltalk to them.She would probably hear a bunch of stories about how they werehigh school superheroes and moved on to rodeo superheroes, where all the bucklebunnies fawned over them.“Where’s home for you?”
Shane shrugged.“Don’t really have one.”
“Our parents died a couple of years back.”Bay seemed tothink about it for a moment.“Well, over a decade, I guess.We were in ourteens and went into the system because we didn’t have more family.”
“Your parents,” Shane corrected quietly.
