Ineffable by Sherrod Story Page A

knew it. That necklace you’re wearing!” Her blue eyes gleamed covetously as she eyed the beaten gold coils and steel wrapping Margot’s throat.
    “I’ve been haunting Ineffable trying to get one of your pieces, but they refuse to hold anything, and twice, twice! A woman has literally arrived right before me and scooped up the last one. I was this close to a pair of your earrings last week,” she held up two fingers so close together no light or air could have come between them.
    “I can make something for you personally, if you like.”
    The women stared at her. “Really?” Daphne whispered. “A Margot Temple original.” They pondered this for a moment. “Can I afford it?” Daphne laughed, but she was serious.
    “Sure. My custom pieces are more expensive, but they’re also utterly unique. There will never be another piece like it, without your permission. They start at $3,000, and if I use lots of gold or semi-precious stones there is a markup for materials, but I’ll let you know what we’re working with before we seal the deal. Or, you could give me a budget, and I’ll create something within that price range. Do you have a card?”
    While Daphne and Luanne were hunting down their handbags, Nori came up, put a hand around her waist and a glass of white wine in her hand.
    “Managed to drum up some business, have you?”
    Margot grinned and shrugged, the movement drawing attention to her creamy shoulders and plump décolletage. “You know me.”
    Not yet, he thought.
    “Your home is beautiful,” she said to Aro, her large eyes running over the cream walls and ebony hardwood floors with their huge Aubusson rugs.
    His father favored a clean, classic look, but there were quirky animal themed accents in the bookcases, paintings and objets d’art on tables around the room. She smiled at a trio of gleaming brass elephants marching across the mantelpiece.
    Nori watched slightly enviously as she ran a hand over a glass giraffe with green stones in its eyes, hooves, ears and tail. Down boy, he told himself. You’ll get your turn later.
    “My son tells me your products are selling out in Ineffable stores all over the world, Margot,” said Aro.
    “Yes, sir,” she said.
    He waited for her to say something more, and Nori hid a smile behind his scotch because he knew full well his father could conceivably be waiting forever.
    “Thomas is trying to get your attention, dad.”
    Aro turned toward the butler. “Ah. Dinner is served. Everyone, let’s move into the dining room.”
    Daphne and Luanne monopolized Margot exclusively at the table, each wanting to talk about their proposed jewelry orders.
    “Enough, woman,” said husband Frank. “Let her eat, will you?”
    Daphne subsided reluctantly, casting Margot and Nori an apologetic look.
    “I’ll make something beautiful for you both,” said Margot. “We’ll meet and discuss the details soon.”
    The women smiled gratefully, and Nori squeezed her thigh under the table.
    “You are a sweetheart,” he whispered into her ear.
    “Don’t tell anyone,” she whispered back. “I have a reputation to maintain.”
    He couldn’t help but laugh. It was to be the last one during dinner.
    Things started innocently enough. Chit chat until Aro turned the conversation to something more personal.
    “So, Margot,” he said, “I hear you’re something of a troublemaker.”
    Nori’s eyes locked on his father. He murmured something in French.
    Aro waved whatever he said away. “Don’t be rude, Nori. I don’t think anyone here speaks French.”
    “They don’t have to. But I think you should be a bit more gracious to my guest.”
    Aro inclined his head and smiled slightly, but Margot was in no way fooled. So she waited. Sure enough, it didn’t take long for him to deliver the next zinger. That one was about her looks, and how lucky his son was to be sleeping with someone so incredibly lovely.
    Margot looked at Nori, whose fork had just hit his plate with a