A New Life by Design by Cheryl Phipps

Author:Cheryl Phipps [Phipps, Cheryl]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Cheryl Phipps

Chapter Twenty-Three

Lara

Here she was again, forced into surroundings that made her feel like she was in a strange play. The man opposite her was the ridiculously handsome leading man and she—she was merely a supporting actor, but he didn’t seem to understand that.

She shouldn’t be here. She had things to organize. She should be with Emma and Sam. Maybe updating her will. When had she last done it? Before Gary died.

Mark kept trying to engage her in conversation, but Lara couldn’t seem to find anything interesting to say or add. She sat as far away from him as she could, trying not to look at him.

“Celine shouldn’t be much longer,” Mark broke another long silence.

“Good, I’ve got a busy day ahead of me.”

After another ten minutes of cool rebuffs, Mark must have decided he’d had enough.

“If this is going to continue, then perhaps the whole plan is a bad idea.”

“You wouldn’t pull the plug on the business at this stage?” she asked with horror.

“If it means not having to put up with your perpetual bad moods, I might consider it.”

“I’m not in a bad mood,” she said defensively.

“You certainly could have fooled me.”

“It wouldn’t be the first time.” A bored voice entered the fray.

His daughter was tall, leggy, and very pretty.

“Hello, Celine. You’ve decided to grace us with your presence then?”

“I was on the phone.” She sauntered across the room to sit cross-legged on one of the sofas, as if she had all the time in the world.

“We’ve been waiting for you. Never mind. This is Lara Moss, and she will be your boss at ELATE.”

“Weird name. Who thought that up?”

“Lara Moss or ELATE?” Lara asked, deadpan.

“Funny lady, I meant ELATE.”

“I did. I take it that you don’t like it.”

“No, I don’t. It basically means I’ll have to pretend people look great even if they’re fat, right?”

“I guess you’ve heard us talking about making affordable clothes for people who don’t get a fair deal in the usual stores. What that means is when you’re trained, you will sell clothes for average to plus-sized women.”

She looked suspicious. “What size is that?”

“Anyone who isn’t skinny.”

“Hmmm. Not sure what the difference is, but what’s the deal with the training?”

Lara sighed heavily. “The deal is that you’ll learn the difference. Then you can treat all our customers the way any retail person should, with respect and professionalism.”

“Sounds like hard work.”

Lara’s anger mounted. “Are you scared of that?”

“I’m not scared of anything,” Celine said indignantly.

“Good to hear. I’ll expect you at the factory on Monday morning, two weeks from today, at eight-thirty sharp.”

“I don’t get up until ten.”

Lara wondered if Mark had ever said no to this young woman or punished her for rudeness. “Then don’t take the job.”

“Dad says I have to.”

“That’s not really my problem, is it?”

“Why can’t I start when the shop opens?”

“It’ll be some time before we open a shop, and it will be better if you learn from the ground up. Don’t worry, there’ll be plenty for you to do. See you in two weeks.

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