Page 14 of Bride By Coronation

Skylar frets, "I can't. I have to meet with Ramone over at the Skyline."

"Can't Fiona do it?" Adrian asks.

Skylar pins a hopeful gaze on me. "What's your schedule like for the rest of the afternoon? You know how he likes to gossip for an hour before getting down to business."

I glance at my schedule on my phone, then relay, "Nothing I can't do tomorrow."

"I could do it," Blue offers.

Skylar's face turns stern. "Sorry, but you don't have the experience yet. And don't you have work to do on your skirt? We only have a month before we solidify the spring line."

Blue's expression falls. "Ugh. Fiona always gets to have all the fun."

"Fiona put in the time. You haven't, and you sound like a brat," Adrian scolds.

Skylar adds, "Plus, Ramone has a relationship with Fiona and not with you. It's another thing you haven't developed. This business won't accept you just because you're my daughter."

Blue sighs, then glances at me, offering, "Sorry. Didn't mean it to sound so bad."

"It's okay," I assure her, then point to where we keep pieces of metal in different sizes, shapes, and colors. "That skirt might look great if you mix gold or other metals into the design. No one has done anything with that color pink and metals in over ten years, and I think it would be super fashionable right now."

Her eyes light up. "Okay. I'll see what I can do."

"Great idea," Skylar praises.

"No problem. Where's the book for my meeting with Ramone?" I question.

"In my desk," Skylar answers and then exits the wardrobe room.

I follow her down the hall and into her office.

She pulls a six-inch binder out of her drawer and holds it out to me, declaring, "He's not seen any of these. It'll probably take your entire afternoon. Are you sure you're good to go in my place?"

"Absolutely," I insist, taking the book, happy to have Skylar's trust for such an important meeting.

Ramone owns some of Chicago's and New York's top boutiques. He places millions of dollars of business a year with us. It took years for Skylar to feel confident in my ability to meet with him alone, and I don't take the responsibility lightly.

"Thanks again. And I appreciate you taking Blue under your wing. I know she can get a little ahead of herself sometimes," Skylar says.

I smile. "All good. She reminds me of me when I started working with you."

"You didn't have the entitlement she does," she asserts.

I scoff. "Sure I did. You just thought it was cute because I'm not your daughter."

"Which is why she needs to prove herself more than anyone," Skylar adds.

"She will. Plus, she's way more talented than I was right out of fashion school," I insist.

Amusement fills Skylar's expression. She shakes her head. "I don't know. I think younger Fiona and Blue would give each other a run for their money."

I beam. "Maybe."

"Ready?" Adrian asks, poking his head past the door.

"I'll see you later," I say, brushing past him to head to my office. I put on my coat and the scarf Kirill gave me.

Leather, rosewater, saffron, jasmine, and the other notes I still can't identify waft around me.

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