Page 121 of Catch Me
“That means you’re special. Dre says you’re a stylist?” she asks, using the nickname only she calls him.
“Not quite,” I correct. “Assistant to the assistant of costume design at InTuition Pictures.”
“Costume design? Is it fun?” She grabs an oven mitt to check on the garlic bread.
I tell her about my job, getting excited all over again as I recognize, not for the first time that I’m working in a career field of my choice. Doing something I actually love.
“I actually need to do some research for the next project I’m working on. It’s set in the 1800s and?—”
“Research?” Stasi says. “You definitely have to talk to my mom. She’s a librarian. Mom!” Stasi calls, barely taking a breath in between her words.
A minute later, I’m explaining to Andreas’ mother that I’m in the process of researching mid-nineteenth century men’s fashion for a miniseries the studio’s producing.
“I did a little bit of research on the topic when I studied at the Fashion Institute …” I trail off.
“Oh, you got your degree in fashion design?” Stasi asks. “My friend, Rhonda, studied it, too.”
I shake my head. “I never finished my degree.” I can’t help the embarrassment that seeps into my voice.
“You could always go back.”
“Stasi,” Mrs. Townsend calls and gives her daughter a look before turning to me. “I know we have some books at the library about fashion.”
In the blink of an eye, I’m back in the dining room with Mrs. Townsend, who’s pulled out a laptop, her fingers flying across the keyboard as she searches for something.
“Got it,” she says like she just won the lottery.
“Andreas, when you two stop at the library tomorrow, you can have Ivy check these out. I’ve already put three books and some articles on hold for you.” She looks between me and Andreas, who stands beside me.
“Thank you so much,” I say.
“Not a problem at all,” she says, still peering at the screen. “There may also be some …”
Andreas squeezes my shoulder, drawing my attention.
“She can be at this all day. Once she has a topic, she’ll search the library’s ten thousand book collection and archives to get just the right sources.”
I laugh because his mother’s enthusiasm is palpable.
A minute later, the front door lock disengages.
“Daddy’s home!” Stasi calls right before she bursts from the kitchen toward the front door.
“Hi, Daddy!” we all hear her squeal.
A deep, muffled voice greets her, before footsteps sound in our direction.
I rise from my seat after Mrs. Townsend gets up to greet her husband. He enters the dining area, his piercing hazel eyes searching the room for something. Only once they land on his wife and he pulls her into his arms does the scowl on his face soften.
Is he angry?I wonder as I stand back and watch the interactions between Andreas’ parents. While his mother is the embodiment of sunshine, his father … well, before the man even speaks, it’s obvious he’s a bit more thunderstorms and clouds.
Despite that, Stasi and then Andreas approach him lovingly with warm embraces, which he returns in kind.
“Dad, this is Ivy,” Andreas introduces, his hand at my back.
“His future,” Andreas’ mother adds from beside her husband.
He looks down at Mrs. Townsend, the pair silently conveying something to one another with a look before his father turns his eyes back on me.
