Page 7 of Love Like This

She smiled at the use of the term that dated all the way back toher adolescence, when she’d decided that meeting that special someone wouldsurely feel like the Big Bang they’d learned about in science class:unexpected, earth shattering, and all encompassing. Her dads had agreed andencouraged her quest. “Strangely, not in the last twenty-four hours. One dayshe’ll come along. I think the universe just wants me to be ready for her.”

“I love how optimistic you are,” Autumn said. “And in my opinion,that optimism will be rewarded kindly.”

Hadley returned her chin to her hand and sighed happily. “Wouldn’tthat just be awesome? I’m holding on for that.”

“Wait,” Gia said, bringing the whole thing to a stop. “Whenexactly does the big bang happen? Is this an as-soon-as-you-lay-eyes-on-themkinda thing, or can it happen later? For me, it was definitely later. I wantedto kill Elle, well, until I wanted to make out with her. I think it took alittle time for me to get it, though, that this was my big bang.”

“Same,” Elle said, glancing at Gia. “We knew each other for yearsfirst.”

This was a great question, and one Hadley wasn’t sure she had theanswer to, having never experienced the big bang herself. “I think it canhappen at any point really. It doesn’t necessarily have to mean that you’re inlove. The big bang is just that moment when you know that you’re on the path toyour person, that this one is different from all the others.” Hadley paused andgrinned. “But when it happens, you know. I’m confident of that. That’s whatmakes it the big bang.”

“Oh, I most certainly knew,” Autumn said, fanning herself, hereyes darkening with lust. “It was the second time I saw Kate, when shesauntered into the coffee shop looking like Kate does with all that quietconfidence and eye contact for days.” Autumn looked like she might combust onthe spot from the memory alone.

“Now you’re getting me all hot and bothered,” Hadley said, “and Ihaven’t even had the big bang yet.”

“Somehow,” Gia said, “I have this feeling that it’s not far offfor you.”

“And after that you get to just keep banging and banging andbanging,” Autumn said. She and Gia shared a fist bump.

“I see what you did there,” Hadley murmured into her coffee cupwith a smile. Didn’t sound so bad at all.

* * *

Trudy Day breezed into Silhouette half an hour after she wasscheduled to meet with Hadley, who’d waited patiently that afternoon, not atall surprised by her boss’s disregard for time. She ran her hand through hersevere dark brown bob and regarded the room with her wide-set eyes. Trudybelieved that the world operated according to her schedule. Due to the moneyand power she wielded in high-end retail at only forty-eight years of age, itkind of did.

“Who did the glove display?” Trudy asked, with an air of distaste.Hadley studied the display, which was simple and elegant. Perfect for thestore.

“Daisy, and she did a lovely job.” Hadley had worked for Trudylong enough to know how to nudge her out of an unreasonable opinion. It workedmost of the time.

“You don’t think the beiges are too prominent on the right?” Sheplaced a hand on her hip, signaling her struggle.

“I don’t,” Hadley said with a hint of serenity. “I was actuallyjust thinking how pleasing the color layout delineation was earlier today. It’sgoing to sell a lot of gloves.”

Trudy nodded, probably zeroing in on the wordsell. “If you think so.Which one is Daisy?”

“Friendly, petite, curly hair. A whiz at displays like this one.”

“Right. The little short one. Keep an eye on her.” Hadley quirkedan eyebrow, unsure what that even meant. Trudy, meanwhile, stalked through thestore en route to their shared office. “Well, I’m here,” she tossed the wordsover her shoulder. “Isn’t there a new designer you’re just wild about? Let’sget to it.”

“Yes. I think you’re going to love her,” Hadley said, scurryingafter Trudy in spite of her high-heeled Manolos. She presented Trudy withSpencer’s portfolio and résumé and had the samples displayed in an order shethought showed a progression in story.

“Interesting,” she said, taking in Spencer’s book. “She’scertainly no wallflower, is she?”

“Not at all, which is what I really like about her work. It standsout, yet it comes with an elegance we’re known for at Silhouette, asophistication that works for our clients. She’s gonna be a hit, Trudy. Shejust needs a chance. I think we give her an order and see how it goes.”

“Hmmm.” Trudy flipped a few of the pages, which almost made Hadleycry out, because each page contained such vital information to who thisdesigner was. It was important for Trudy to take the proper time in herassessment. Yet…she was Trudy, and not one for dwelling. Finally, she looked upat Hadley with a grimace. “I don’t know.”

Hadley nodded. She had prepared for this reaction. It was Trudy’ssecond nature to balk at anything new and outside the box, even if it wasprecisely what she’d asked Hadley to find for her in the first place. It was upto Hadley to put Trudy’s nerves to rest. She made sure her tone was gentle andfull of understanding. “I get why you would hesitate. The bold colors, theedgier prints, some of the lines push the boundaries of what we’re used togreenlighting for the store, but we’re purposefully seeking out new designersthat help us revamp our image, right? That’s been the plan all along, andSpencer Adair is the perfect person to kick us in that new, innovativedirection.”

“It’s a no from me,” Trudy said, as if she’d just announced thatthe coffee was ready. “A worthy effort, Hadley, but a swing and a miss. Keeptrying. Oh, and let me know when the new Dior scarves arrive. Text meimmediately. It’s dire.” She grabbed her bag, and started for the door,probably mentally already moving on to her next appointment.

“Wait,” Hadley said, following her. “Before you completely closethe door on the idea, let me walk you through some of her inspiration. I thinkit really offers an insight into who we’re dealing with on an artistic leveland signals what we can expect in the future. Plus, we haven’t even gone overthe samples from her spring line, or the sales figures she’s provided fromonline sales alone—where she’s killing it, by the way. It’s insane.”

“I glanced at the samples,” Trudy said, sounding bored. “Thecolors are just too bold, and she dabbles in prints, which you know is a petpeeve of mine. The world has too many prints! It’s barbaric.”

“Dior’s entire spring and summer line is full of prints.”

“Dior isDior,”she said haughtily.

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