bring herself to accept anything from the woman she hated.
It didn't help that Darcy was looking so good. Brianna could see her through the kitchen door from where she sat in a chair set near the coffee table. She wore ivory wool slacks and a peach-and-ivory V-necked sweater that hugged her ample breasts but didn't make her look trashy. Her blond hair was now nearly platinum—maybe to hide gray?—and hung in waves to her shoulder blades. She also wore heels and swayed gracefully as she walked.
Brianna had on her favorite jeans and a Brook Hollow Mustangs sweatshirt. She hadn't even bothered freshening her makeup, and now, as she watched Darcy hand Cable his beer and sit next to him on the sofa, she wondered what the hell she'd been thinking. The woman was clearly out for him, and while Brianna had no false modesty about her own appeal, she wasn't in Darcy's league.
The doorbell rang, and Brianna considered moving to sit next to Cable, but the thought of being joined by either Darcy or Ken was unbearable.
"Ken, of course you know Brianna.” Darcy took his coat and smoothed it over her arm. “Have you met Cable yet?"
Ken's head bobbed. “Yes, yes, I met Cable in the coffee shop, and saw him at the meeting. Nice to see you.” He turned to Brianna, and his eyes lit up. “Brie. You're looking lovely this evening.
"Thank you, Ken,” she managed to say after suppressing a snort. “You look good, too,” she added, surprised that it was true. Instead of his usual geeky clothes he was wearing charcoal gray dress pants and a royal blue pullover. The color seemed to eliminate his usual pallor, and she noticed for the first time that his eyes were blue. Then she realized it was so easy to see that because he wasn't wearing his glasses. She bit back the question, not wanting to seem interested, but assumed he'd gotten contacts. Man, she hoped he hadn't gotten them for her.
"Okay, then.” After neglecting to offer Ken anything to drink, Darcy motioned to a seat, then folded herself gracefully onto the floor at the coffee table across from Cable. Of course, that placed her cleavage prominently in Cable's vision, Brianna thought, and heaved a mental sigh.
"I was working on some preliminary ideas.” Darcy lifted the sketches and handed them to Cable, then pulled a pad full of writing toward herself. “I'd like to do something a little classier than in past years."
Since Darcy had been gone for at least two years, Jake had been in charge of the only ball she'd been to. Was she going to jab at him every time they met over the next couple of months?
Still talking about lighting and fabric, Darcy intercepted the sketches Cable started to hand to Brie and set them on the table. She did it smoothly, like she didn't realize what his intent was, but it made Brie grit her teeth.
The evening went on like that. Darcy solicited suggestions, then focused completely on Cable and didn't let Brie or Ken so much as open their mouths. Ken didn't seem to mind; he pretended, but spent most of his time looking at Brianna. Cable, too, was totally clueless.
Two interminable hours later, Darcy jotted a list of instructions for each of them, handed them out, and went to retrieve the coats.
"So, Brie, can you, um, come by my office tomorrow and get a couple new accounts to do?” Ken sidled closer to her, his demeanor unchanged by his new appearance.
Brianna sighed. “Sure, Ken.” She wanted to refuse, but year-end was approaching and she didn't feel right leaving him in the lurch with tax season so close.
"He likes you,” Cable observed once they were in his truck.
Now Brianna did snort. “Suddenly and without reason, too. But that just makes this committee perfect. Ken can make moo eyes at me while Darcy plies her wares on you."
"Huh?"
"Oh, please. Don't tell me you're oblivious to her moves."
Cable shook his head. “I don't know what you're talking about.” But he couldn't prevent a little smile, and Brie tried not to pout.
"I
It didn't help that Darcy was looking so good. Brianna could see her through the kitchen door from where she sat in a chair set near the coffee table. She wore ivory wool slacks and a peach-and-ivory V-necked sweater that hugged her ample breasts but didn't make her look trashy. Her blond hair was now nearly platinum—maybe to hide gray?—and hung in waves to her shoulder blades. She also wore heels and swayed gracefully as she walked.
Brianna had on her favorite jeans and a Brook Hollow Mustangs sweatshirt. She hadn't even bothered freshening her makeup, and now, as she watched Darcy hand Cable his beer and sit next to him on the sofa, she wondered what the hell she'd been thinking. The woman was clearly out for him, and while Brianna had no false modesty about her own appeal, she wasn't in Darcy's league.
The doorbell rang, and Brianna considered moving to sit next to Cable, but the thought of being joined by either Darcy or Ken was unbearable.
"Ken, of course you know Brianna.” Darcy took his coat and smoothed it over her arm. “Have you met Cable yet?"
Ken's head bobbed. “Yes, yes, I met Cable in the coffee shop, and saw him at the meeting. Nice to see you.” He turned to Brianna, and his eyes lit up. “Brie. You're looking lovely this evening.
"Thank you, Ken,” she managed to say after suppressing a snort. “You look good, too,” she added, surprised that it was true. Instead of his usual geeky clothes he was wearing charcoal gray dress pants and a royal blue pullover. The color seemed to eliminate his usual pallor, and she noticed for the first time that his eyes were blue. Then she realized it was so easy to see that because he wasn't wearing his glasses. She bit back the question, not wanting to seem interested, but assumed he'd gotten contacts. Man, she hoped he hadn't gotten them for her.
"Okay, then.” After neglecting to offer Ken anything to drink, Darcy motioned to a seat, then folded herself gracefully onto the floor at the coffee table across from Cable. Of course, that placed her cleavage prominently in Cable's vision, Brianna thought, and heaved a mental sigh.
"I was working on some preliminary ideas.” Darcy lifted the sketches and handed them to Cable, then pulled a pad full of writing toward herself. “I'd like to do something a little classier than in past years."
Since Darcy had been gone for at least two years, Jake had been in charge of the only ball she'd been to. Was she going to jab at him every time they met over the next couple of months?
Still talking about lighting and fabric, Darcy intercepted the sketches Cable started to hand to Brie and set them on the table. She did it smoothly, like she didn't realize what his intent was, but it made Brie grit her teeth.
The evening went on like that. Darcy solicited suggestions, then focused completely on Cable and didn't let Brie or Ken so much as open their mouths. Ken didn't seem to mind; he pretended, but spent most of his time looking at Brianna. Cable, too, was totally clueless.
Two interminable hours later, Darcy jotted a list of instructions for each of them, handed them out, and went to retrieve the coats.
"So, Brie, can you, um, come by my office tomorrow and get a couple new accounts to do?” Ken sidled closer to her, his demeanor unchanged by his new appearance.
Brianna sighed. “Sure, Ken.” She wanted to refuse, but year-end was approaching and she didn't feel right leaving him in the lurch with tax season so close.
"He likes you,” Cable observed once they were in his truck.
Now Brianna did snort. “Suddenly and without reason, too. But that just makes this committee perfect. Ken can make moo eyes at me while Darcy plies her wares on you."
"Huh?"
"Oh, please. Don't tell me you're oblivious to her moves."
Cable shook his head. “I don't know what you're talking about.” But he couldn't prevent a little smile, and Brie tried not to pout.
"I
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