The Designer's Secret by Nina Crespo

Author:Nina Crespo
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2022-06-12T22:30:36+00:00

* * *

An hour later, Layla walked out of the house in a daze, her head overloaded with the intricacies of sewing the dress.

The floral motif for the train would take the most work. It required hand cutting flower and leaf embellishments from a piece of lace then painstakingly stitching them into a more intricate design on the tulle train. They also had to find a source for the specialty lace.

But first, they had to make the test garment. They would start that on Monday. The garment would also prove to Poppy that the dress could be made.

On the way to the car, Layla mentally ran through her schedule. The entire dressmaking process would take longer than the two weeks of vacation time she’d planned.

Naomi would probably be willing to watch over her business for two and a half weeks, maybe three. After that she’d have to start teleworking. How long could she do that? Maybe a couple of more weeks? She’d also have to come up with an excuse for being away so long. A special project for a client might not raise too much suspicion with her dad and Patrice. But Tyler...

Layla’s phone chimed in her purse, and she answered it. “Hello.”

“Hello, Miss I’m-on-Vacation.”

Caught off guard to hear her sister’s voice, Layla stopped walking. They weren’t twins, but her sister seemed to have some sixth sense about when she was on her mind.

“Tyler—this isn’t your number.”

“No, it is not. I’m on my way to lunch with a friend. The battery on my phone died so I’m borrowing his. We were just talking about you.”

“Why?”

“Why do you think? Is the problem fixed?”

“Not yet, but it will be.”

“How much longer is it going to take?”

Layla released a breath. Tyler and twenty questions. She didn’t have the energy for it. “I have no idea how long it’s going to take. But I won’t get anything done if you keep bugging me.”

“Bugging you? How is calling you today about something you said would be done yesterday bugging you? I get that you’re on the beach, but some of us have more pressing issues than putting on more sunscreen.”

“That’s not fair. I had to change my vacation plans to fix your problem.”

“How? Doing what?”

“Tyler... You just have to trust me.”

“Great. Grandma’s keeping secrets and now you are, too. I thought you were on my side.”

The hurt in Tyler’s voice got to her. “I am. If I could tell you what’s going on, I would, but I can’t.”

“Well, when you finally decide to let me in on the big secret that’s devastating my career, call me.”

“Tyler—”

Her sister hung up.

Layla found the number, planning to phone her back. But what was the point? Like she’d tried to explain, she couldn’t tell Tyler anything. And knowing her sister, she probably wouldn’t answer the call anyway.

Helpless frustration made Layla close her eyes. Tyler would forgive her once the problem was fixed. Right now, she needed a job reference.

As she opened the car, she called Kinsley. Expecting to get her voice mail, Layla was relieved when she picked up.

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