Carpe Bead'em (21 page)

I got orders
from three more boutiques, including Tails in the City, a dog boutique. Since I
don’t have any samples, I have to pitch the concept using Swarovski crystals
and incorporating the dog’s birthday month. They love the idea and order
twenty. A good start.

Henry is exhausted
by the time we get home, and he heads back out to his favorite spot on the
balcony. I jump online and order an insane amount of beads. It’s hugely
expensive, and that’s without the overnight shipping. All had better go well
with Monk, because I just put thousands of dollars on my credit card.

Monk is a little
strange and not especially chatty, but I pull out my marketing notebook and
hand it to him shortly after I arrive at the bar.

“I think you can
guide me in the right direction.” At least I’m hoping he can.

His eyes scan
the pages. Then he turns and heads to the back of the bar.

“Where are you
going?”

“Calculator.”
One-word sentences appears to be his specialty.

He returns,
punches in some numbers, and jots down some calculations on a spread sheet.
“First suggestion,” he says, “get a tax ID. Do an LLC using your social.”

I grab my
notebook out of my purse and start making notes.

“Secondly, you
have to make over five hundred pieces of jewelry within the next two weeks. I
suggest you hire someone at this rate.” He points to a number. “And get the
orders filled.”

I write faster,
using abbreviations. I can smack myself for not learning shorthand because I’m
going to have one heck of a time trying to figure out what I’ve abbreviated.

“Thirdly, you need
to take a long hard look on the future. Do you want to make this your hobby or
job? Because you have a lot of interest, that can make you a career. Especially
when this magazine ad hits.” He holds up my brochure. “When you’ve seriously
thought or done something about my three points, call me and we can discuss
this further.”

Leaving, my head
is a boggle bag of crap and is messing with me, because I know I don’t see Bo’s
arms wrapped around Piper, across the street.

Quietly I hide
behind the dumpster in the alley. He hugs her again. I rub my eyes. A cab pulls
up and Bo opens the door. She graciously pulls her legs in the cab just before
Bo shuts the door. He watches the cab leave before he turns and runs in the
front door of the bar.

I make sure he’s
out of site before I hail my own cab—home.

The ride back to
my condo is definitely not as good as the one last night. The one I need to
forget.

I throw myself
on the bed. Henry is desperately trying to get to my face to lick my salty
tears. I push him aside.

“No Henry,” I
whimper. “Please, no, Henry.”

My heart is no
longer real. It’s been taken over by an artificial one that beats because it
has to, not because of love.

I gather my
samples, Henry, and drive back to Cincinnati. I’ve got to get out of Chicago. And
away from myself.

With my red eyes
swollen from five hours of crying, I barely remember going to bed. “Hello?” The
phone startles me. In fact I don’t even have the energy to look at Caller ID.

“What the hell
are you doing in Cincinnati?” Wilson laughs nervously. “Prudence tried to drop
me off, but your doorman told me you took off to Cincinnati.”

“Awwww no!” I
clap turning my lights on. Eyeing my clock, I realize I’ve slept all Sunday
away. “Wilson, I completely got lost in my drama and forgot you had come with
me.”

“Great, Hallie!
Just great!” He is pissed. “I have only known you for seven weeks and already I’m
so sick of your selfish ways.”

“Wait a minute!”
I hear Prudence scream at him in the background. “She is not selfish! That’s
one thing she’s not. She has to have a pretty good reason for leaving in a
hurry.”

Thank god for
Prudence because I have no energy to defend myself.

“Give me that
phone. Hallie, honey, tell me what happened.” Prudence tries to help.

“I sold over
five hundred pieces of my jewelry in the boutiques yesterday.” I have to find
my silver lining for going to Chicago.

“Did you have a
nervous breakdown because of the pressure of making those bracelets?” she asks.

“No.” I sob. “I
don’t know why I’m letting myself cry over that jerk. I know we don’t have a commitment,
but we did have a connection and then I saw him hugging Piper.”

“I see.”
Prudence listens to me crying. “Listen, I’m going to call Lucy and tell her to
get her ass up there and take care of you.”

“No don’t do
that. I’d much rather be with myself and my anger to make bracelets. I have a
couple of people I need to talk to. That’ll help me get over this.” I reassure
her.

“Don’t worry
about Wilson. I’ll take care of him.” If I know Prudence, and I do, Wilson
won’t know what hit him. “Make sure you put fresh cucumbers on your face. We
don’t want that nasty swelling you get spilling over into tomorrow.”

We hang up and I
schlep out of bed to get out what few beads I have left until the new shipment
comes. I sit on the back porch taking in the fresh air. Beading helps my
creative juices flow, which helps clear my mind.

I’m still going
to Chicago and see the Mean Street Band play. I’ll still take Monk’s help, and
I’ll still plan a girls’ night. If I see Bo, I’ll remind myself we don’t have a
commitment or relationship. I refuse to let my heart get broken yet again by Bo
Pomillio.

Week Eight

Bead Happy!

Chapter
Thirty-Eight

Beading five hundred bracelets is my
plan for the week. Letting Bo get me down is not in the forecast, neither is
running.

I don’t have time to stop at Addy’s for
my morning cup of coffee, so Starbucks near work is going to have to do.

“Two regular coffees, please.” I tell
the barista and reach in my purse for my wallet.

“Aren’t you Hallie, the manager at Gucci?”
A well-dressed young woman asks.

How does she know me?
Probably from
the news. I’m a local celebrity.

“Yes, I am.” I confidently smile. This
is a good way to begin my week.

“I’m Sophia, the jewelry buyer for
Saks,” she says. “I have been trying to get in touch with you all week long. I
saw your piece on Fox News and Sheila buys some of her clothes from Saks.”

“Oh.” I wonder where this is going.

She waits while I order my two coffees.,
and hands a twenty-dollar bill to the barista.

“I’ll get these,” she says referring to
my coffees.

“Wow, Sophia, that’s not necessary.”

Way necessary. New BFF Sophia.
Where have you
been these past eight weeks?

“I want to take some of your samples to the
board meeting today. I think Beadnicks will go in our spring line.”

I put both cups of coffee down, afraid
of third-degree burn due to me dropping them from shock.

Am I okay? No. This is big.

Compose yourself. Breathe, Hallie,
breathe.

“I’d be honored to sit down and talk
with you about Beadnicks and a spring line.”

We make an appointment during lunch.

Sophia and I walk over to Saks together.
She asks me how I got started with beading, and where I’m going with it. I tell
her about the boutiques in Chicago and how I plan on moving home in a few
weeks. And my business will be fully run in Chicago because my accountant is
there.

“What about Gucci?” She brings up a good
point.  “You know this is going to be very lucrative for you?”

She looks at me the way Inas had looked
at me. All-knowing, uncomfortably so.

I do. I have a feeling this is going to
be bigger than I can imagine. The anticipation is building more, causing my
insides to curl. My roller coaster mood is now on the best part of the ride.

It’s hard to keep a straight face when I
see Beatrice. It’s a fine line doing Beadnicks business on Gucci time.

“Why do you keep checking your watch?”
Beatrice asks.

 She is trying to go over last week’s
numbers as we do every Monday before the boutique opens, but I can’t keep my
head in the game.

“I need to take lunch at eleven.” I try
to keep my excitement in check.

“It’s only eight-thirty. I’ll let you
know when it’s ten-forty five.” Beatrice’s eyes narrow in suspicion.

I wink at her and dig into the numbers.

After we dissect the numbers. I pick out
a few key pieces for the boutique’s fall line when the call came. The call I’m
not expecting to get at work.

“This is Hallie.” I speak in my chipper,
oblivious voice. “How can I help you?”

“Why did you leave?” Bo’s voice sounds
dreamy to my ears.

Stop! Red flag!
Don’t fall for
his tricks again.

“I had to get back for the fall line.”
Lie,
lie, lie.

He doesn’t like a liar, but I don’t like
a cheater. “I’m a little too busy to discuss our personal relationship.
Remember, we agreed, no commitment while I’m away.”

“I thought we connected and I was …. ”
he stops and I wait. “I want to make sure you’re still coming up this weekend
for the concert?”

Oh, yeah! You bet I am!
I wouldn’t miss
it for the world.
Or are you asking for a little pre-planning time so Piper
won’t be there?

“I hope to make it,” I say.

“Well, I want you to.” He insists. “I
really want to see you there, Hallie. I’m a little confused. You don’t sound
like the same person.”

“Listen, Bo,” I’ve got to get off the
phone before I start crying and yelling at him. “I’m really busy and I can’t
take personal calls here. Can I call you later?”

“I tried calling your cell and it’s
turned off. As a matter of fact, it was turned off all day yesterday.”

Man, he’s good. He’s starting to make me
wonder if my eyes are deceiving me. But since they’re making me some good deals
on beading designs, I’m going to have to side with my eyes.

“Okay, then, bye.” I hang up.

I lay my head on my desk and don’t pick
it up until the phone buzzes again. Albeit just thirty seconds later, but it
does.

“This is Hallie.” I’m not going through
the rigmaroles of the title I’m supposed to use when I answer the phone.

“Hey, girl.” Prudence’s voice is music
to my ears.

She’s going to love my news. I let her
in on Sophia and her idea for Beadnicks and Saks. I even think she’s jumping up
and down because I can hear the clunk of her heels in a castanet kind of way.

“You need a lawyer,” she says. “Daddy is
doing business there and Wilson is flying back with him. I’m going to draw up a
few contracts with all the particulars. You’re going to fax me. And I mean fax
me now. I’m going to be sitting next to you.”

It’s actually a great idea. Besides a
plane ride from Chicago to Cincinnati is only forty five minutes. The legal
side of the business never crosses my mind. I’m excited Saks has an interest.
It’s never been about legality or money, until now.

Chapter
Thirty-Nine

“Hallie, I hate to disturb you before
you get ready for your lunch date, but a really fancy lady is here to see you.”
Beatrice nervously bit her lip.

I throw my head back and start laughing.
I forgot to tell Beatrice about Prudence.

“She claims she doesn’t need an
appointment.” She hesitates.

I can totally picturing Prudence acting
highfaluting.

“Head-to-toe Gucci?” I confirm.

“Yes.” Beatrice’s eyes pop open. She
whispers, “Is she with corporate?”

“No. Best friend from Chicago, and a
lawyer.” I don’t want to tell her about the meeting, but she latches on to it.

“Lawyer? Why do you need a lawyer?”I
glance out to see Prudence holding items up to her waist.

“Listen, Beatrice, this is very
serious.” I want to stress how important it is for her not to say anything and
make sure she knows how much trouble I can get into with doing Beadnicks work
on Gucci time. She grabs the edge of the desk waiting for she thinks will be
dreadful.

But it’s just the opposite.

“Yea!” Beatrice does her famous snoopy
dance around the office.

Prudence bursts through the door, ready
to hurt someone. “What’s wrong?”

I sit on the edge of the desk, basking
in the fun. Beatrice grabs Prudence and hugs her.

“Nothing’s wrong. I’m so happy for
Hallie.” She continues to dance around my office.