Love Me Now (12 page)

T
he gentle knock on the door turned her head. An elderly couple stood smiling. On wobbly legs, Kenya walked over and opened the door. Her mind was still rattled, so putting distance between them was the perfect escape. “Hello, hello, hello,” Louise greeted as she hugged the still-rattled Kenya.

“Good evening, all,” Colonel Wheeler added, taking his cap off as he entered the building.

“Hi. Welcome,” Kenya finally said. “Please come in.”

Trey walked over and greeted the couple.

“Where are my little ones, Jonathan, Johanna?”

Two little heads popped up. Shelly stood from the tiny desk and chair and helped the twins get to their feet. She took their hands and walked them back to the front area.

“Hello, my darlings,” Louise said, beaming at the sight of the twins running to her with papers flying. They grabbed her legs and she leaned down and kissed the tops of their heads.
“What do you have there?” Trey quickly reached down and scooped both up in his arms. He gently placed them on the wooden countertop and held them tightly.

They offered Louise their crayon-scribbled drawings. “Oh, my, did you two do these? I love them,” Louise said as she hugged the two. Their little arms grabbed her tightly.

“Hey, what do you have there?” Colonel Wheeler asked, being offered a crayon from Jonathan.

Kenya moved as a smiling Shelly walked over. Kenya glared at her knowing that she must have witnessed the kiss a few minutes ago. “Groove on, my sistah,” she whispered.

Kenya bumped her with her hip. “Mamma Lou, Colonel Wheeler, this is my friend and business partner, Shelly Turner.”

“Hello. How are you, Mr. and Mrs. Gates,” Shelly said as she shook their hands.

“Actually, Shelly—” Trey began to clarify.

“It's Louise Gates and Otis Wheeler,” Kenya corrected.

“For the time being,” Otis added, smiling at Louise.

Trey, never one to miss a hint, instantly picked up on his remark. He also noted the twinkle in Colonel Wheeler's eyes as he said it. There was something going on, he easily surmised. Maybe he wasn't the target after all.

“Oh, I'm sorry,” Shelly said, looking slightly embarrassed.

“Not at all, but call me Mamma Lou, dear, everyone does,” Louise said sweetly.

“And Colonel Wheeler here,” he said.

“Well, it was good meeting you both, but I have to go or I'll be late for the theater.”

“The theater?” Louise said.

“Yes, we do work for the local children's theater company when they need us.”

“We?” Trey asked with interest.

“Yes, Shelly and I design costumes and help with scenery.
The childrens' theater is like our pet project. We donate our time,” Kenya said.

“Plus, we just all have a lot of fun. It's very rewarding.”

“I bet. How wonderful,” Louise said.

“We enjoy helping out and the kids get a kick out of the costumes we design. They're putting on a production of
Peter and the Wolf.
And if I don't hurry, I'll be late. So I'd better get going. Again, it was great meeting you all, Mamma Lou, Colonel Wheeler, Trey. Bye, guys,” she said to Jonathan and Johanna. They waved and said bye.

Kenya followed Shelly to the door. They stood quietly talking a few moments before she left. After locking the door Kenya sighed. She wasn't sure what she'd gotten herself into. She didn't realize this little game was going to get so complicated. Well, she was stuck now, so she might as well get it over with. She turned, ready to continue with the pretense.

“Well, I'm curious,” Louise said as she looked around the open space. “I want to see everything. Tell me, do you actually design all of the clothes for the store?”

“Yes, we both will.”

“So Shelly's a designer, too?” Colonel Wheeler asked, holding a twin in each arm. They laid their heads on his shoulder, making the sweetest picture.

“Yes. We have our workroom in the back.”

“Can I persuade you to give us a brief tour?”

“Sure,” she said, “but truthfully, there's not much to see really. Shelly and I just moved into the building a couple of weeks ago. It still needs a lot of work and sometimes it feels like the place is about to fall down around us. But the rent is perfect and the location is just what we were looking for.”

“Did you consider renting a storefront in a shopping center?” Trey asked. “The foot traffic is constant and there is always security.”

“Actually, no, we didn't, not really. This is a great part of town. There are three elementary schools in the area and dozens of day-care centers. Plus it's right by the Metro stop. It's a mommy-and-me haven.”

“Yes, that does make a lot of sense. Plus the area is just starting to come back,” Colonel Wheeler said.

“Exactly,” Kenya added as she turned toward the workroom. Everyone followed. “Being a pioneer in an urban renaissance is a tremendous opportunity. We're excited about being here.” She opened the door and held it. Louise, Colonel Wheeler and the twins entered the large open space.

Trey followed and nodded his head, obviously impressed by her business savvy. As he passed, Kenya looked into his eyes. She wasn't sure what she saw, but something was definitely there. He leaned in too close. His arm brushed against her breasts. “Thank you,” he whispered. His warm breath tickled her neck and made her stomach flutter.

“Oh, my,” Louise said, drawing Kenya's attention away from Trey.

“Sorry, it's not usually this messy,” Kenya said and quickly picked up scraps of fabric from the floor. She'd forgotten all about the mess they made earlier. She folded one of the ironing boards and put bottles of silk-screen paint back on the shelf above the sink.

“Oh, don't mind us, Kenya. We know that the creative process is exciting no matter how you find it. The place looks wonderful. It's exhilarating.”

“I agree, I'm stimulated just being here,” Trey said, smiling. He stood between a mannequin and a dress form and watched Kenya in the wall-to-ceiling mirrors.

Kenya glared at him as she moved to the other side of the room. She needed to get as far away from him and his boyish
charm as possible. “Shelly and I have been working on some new designs.”

“For the opening?” Louise asked.

“No, those are already done. These are all for next season. We're still in the process of designing and cutting patterns. It's a slow, tedious process. Not at all like it seems on those television design shows.”

“I can just imagine,” Louise said. “May I?”

“Yes, of course, help yourself.”

Louise, with Colonel Wheeler by her side, began looking over Kenya and Shelly's drawings. Floor-to-ceiling sketches were secured to the wall. There were dozens. Some were of hats or socks or belts. Others had notations written on them, some had complicated instructions. Some drawings were fully completed and colored, while others merely quick design sketches.

“These are marvelous,” Louise said.

“Indeed. They're an art form all their own,” Colonel Wheeler added.

“Thank you,” Kenya said. Trey still looked at the illustrations, observing them more closely. He didn't say anything. Kenya found herself more than anxious and actually caring what he thought about their work. When he finally turned, he was smiling. She was relieved, smiled, then quickly looked away.

Louise finished looking at the design sketches on the wall and moved to the drawing table. She glanced at the open sketch pad. Colonel Wheeler, still holding the twins, stood behind her.

Sketches and completed design illustrations were scattered and spread out across the work area. “These are all so wonderfully different—the dresses, the skirts, sweatsuits, pants. The designs are so playful and fun, absolutely marvelous.”

“I like experimenting. I think it adds excitement to everything.”

“It does, to everything,” Trey whispered in her ear. She
spared him a quick glance. He smiled seductively. She turned and ignored him as she inched away.

“Where do you find inspiration?” Colonel Wheeler asked.

“All over the place,” she said. “It's mostly visualizing. For example, sometimes I'll see a shape, usually something ordinary, and I imagine it differently. I vary colors and fabrics or even try different positions to make it more exciting.”

“Different positions, is that right? That's good to know,” Trey whispered only to her. Kenya didn't even look at him this time. She already knew he was smiling.

They continued talking about the drawings as Trey continued with his seemingly innocent comments that Kenya knew were anything but. She moved away easily, following Louise as she and Colonel Wheeler walked around the two larger cutting tables. He walked toward her, his eyes dead on his target. They eventually maneuvered their way toward the wall where the forms were lined up on the platform.

“These are absolutely darling,” Louise said admiringly. “Is this your new line for next season?”

“Yes, Shelly and I are very proud of it. Of course, these are just a few of the pieces. There are others already at our manufacturer.”

“Where do you have the garments manufactured?” Colonel Wheeler asked.

“We use a place in Southern California. They're a bit more expensive but the clothes are sewn better and it's not a sweatshop.”

“Yes, that is important. People should not have to work in conditions that are deplorable,” Colonel Wheeler said.

“I agree. Years ago my great-grandmother was a seamstress in a sweatshop. She was nearly killed when she brought the union in and changed things. Shelly and I are particular about who we do business with.”

“Good for you,” Colonel Wheeler said.

“These pieces are absolutely adorable,” Louise said.

“They are really nice,” Trey added as he left her side and actually stood by one of the garments.

“So where did you attend school?” Colonel Wheeler asked.

“New York. Shelly and I were roommates at Parsons. We'd sit up late and talk about the boutique we were going to open someday.”

“And here it is. When exactly is the grand opening?” Colonel Wheeler asked.

“We're still a few months away. We have a lot of cosmetic work to do. It's an old building, but as I said, it's a great location.”

“Would you look at these,” Louise said of the two antique sewing machines. “They're fantastic. Would you believe that I actually had one like that years and years ago?”

“Looks like they've been around a long time,” Colonel Wheeler said.

“Yes, they're very old.”

“Do you still use them?” Trey asked.

“They still work, believe it or not, but no, now they're just for inspiration. This one belonged to my great-grandmother, then my grandmother gave it to me. And that one belonged to Shelly's grandmother.”

“Is that what got you started in the design business?”

“Probably. I remember my grandmother using this machine when I was a kid. I'd watch her for hours, cutting patterns and sewing on this old thing.”

“Well, this is a wonderful shop and you and Shelly are very talented designers. I can see you having great success here,” Louise said.

“Yes, yes, I completely agree,” Colonel Wheeler added.

“I hope so,” Kenya said. “We're trying hard.”

“You will,” Trey seemed to promise.

“So that's about it, end of tour.”

Louise, with Colonel Wheeler carrying the sleeping twins, went back into the front area, leaving Trey and Kenya behind. “Mamma Lou's right, you are extremely talented.”

Kenya looked at him suspiciously. “Wow, that's a bit disconcerting. If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were actually sincere.”

“I am.”

“A compliment,” she joked, but the look in his eyes showed nothing but genuineness. She paused. “Thank you.”

“You're welcome.” They stood smiling a moment until Trey reached up and stroked the length of her face. “There's something about you.”

“What?” she asked, leaning away nervously, then taking a step back.

“You don't have to back away from me, Kenya. I wasn't going to kiss you again.”

“I'm not…I mean, I didn't expect—” she began, then moved back more, edging dangerously close to the pointed angle on the sewing machine table.

“Careful,” Trey said as he grabbed her to him before she backed into the point. He held her close. “Looks like I just saved your life.”

“Oh, really,” she declared.

“Yes,” he whispered as he tipped her chin up with his finger. “Yes,” he repeated as his mouth descended. “In some cultures, that means you owe me your life.” His head tilted as their lips nearly touched.