For Eric's Sake (12 page)

She finished dressing, brushed out her hair and packed up her belongings. "Young lady," the fashion coordinator sidled up to her.

Oh dear
, thought Brandy,
he did notice
!

"Yes, sir?" her lower lip trembled.

"I noticed you made quite an impression on several of the gentlemen in the audience," he commented.

"Yes, well, I can explain, sir," Brandy replied haltingly.

"You don't have to explain, my dear. It's quite obvious. You're a beautiful girl. Men are attracted to you. It makes for good business in the fashion world."

Her lower lip dropped. "Then you're not upset?"

"Lord no!" He laughed. "Tantalize and tease. Al-ways keep them guessing. It confuses them so much they think it's the clothes and we have them rushing in the store to buy the same thing for their wives and girlfriends."

"Oh," she said, not knowing if that was how the business really worked or if this were merely his opinion. "I hope that I've contributed to the success of the show."

"You have, my dear, you have." He looked her up and down, then asked, "Dean's agency sent you over, didn't they?"

"Yes, that's right."

"Then they should have your name and address on file."

"Yes, I mean, no. I just moved and my agent only has my phone number. Here—" She dug through her purse for a slip of paper. "I'll write it down for you. My schedule is very flexible and I enjoyed today so much. I hope I can be of service to the store again."

"I'm certain we can work something out." He smiled, and Brandy missed the leer in his eyes as she scrawled her particulars on the piece of paper.

"Thank you, sir." She held out her hand. "It's been a pleasure working with you today."

"The pleasure was entirely mine," he assured her. "Shall I walk out with you?"

"Yes, of course." She glanced around, surprised to see that nearly everyone else had already gone. She picked up her purse and compact suitcase.

The fashion coordinator put his arm around her shoulder. Brandy didn't know how to inform him she would prefer he not be so familiar, so she kept both hands on her bags and her body as stiff as possible.

"We're planning another show in a few weeks," he revealed.

"It must keep you very busy arranging these productions," she answered, trying to keep the talk strictly business.

"Very busy," he commiserated, "and it's difficult keeping a bevy of girls in mind who have the right figure for the type of clothes we're trying to sell."

Brandy nodded, hoping he would ask her to be in the next show, but not wanting to seem too pushy by asking outright.

"I was watching you today." His eyes swept over her again. She pretended not to notice. "I was impressed. Very youthful, yet mature, very…" he gestured with his right hand as if it would help him find the word he sought, "full-bodied."

"Thank you," she said as they went out the door. "I know I'm a little short."

"I don't think anyone noticed today when you were wearing that last swimsuit."

"Where will your next show be?" She tried to steer him back to the original subject of the conversation.

"Around the pool of the Hyatt Regency."

She nodded.

"I wonder—"

"Yes?" She held her breath.

"I wonder if you'd like to try out a few other suits for me at my office—say one day next week? Depending on how things work out, I might be able to fit you into the show. I like to work with girls with whom I have a good—personal rapport. You understand, I think?" He smiled at her.

"Oh, of course," she assured him, her mind latching onto the possibility of earning more money and gaining experience. "When should I come by?"

He dug in his pocket for his card. "Noon, I think. There should be less interruptions then. Shall we say Tuesday?"

"I'd be delighted." She smiled, pleased that she had made an impression on the man in such a short time. As she looked at him, she noticed Shaw glowering at her from the side of a nearby potted palm and knew he had heard most, if not all, of their conversation. By the expression on his face, which she had to admit had not altered from the way he had looked when she had left the restaurant thirty minutes earlier, he was not pleased. "But I'm not certain if I'll be free then." She disentangled herself from his side. "May I call you?"

"I don't ask twice," he stated, sizing up Shaw and dismissing him in one glance.

"Oh, well, I—"

"I'm afraid my wife will be unable to keep any sort of appointment with you, next week or any week," Shaw cut in.

"Shaw," Brandy wailed, thinking of the money she needed, "this is my business."

"No," he corrected, grasping her wrist and pulling her out of the fashion coordinator's path, "this is my business now. By your choice, I might remind you."

Brandy glanced from one man to the other, wondering which of them it would be more costly to anger. A second look at Shaw told her she had no choice at all.

"But I'm a model," she argued, knowing it was a losing battle. "I need the—experience."

"
That
kind of experience you can get at home." His eyes narrowed as he sized up the other man.

"Shaw! What are you implying?"

"He knows what I'm implying." Shaw's eyes never left the other man's face.

Brandy shook her hand free of Shaw's and turned to the fashion coordinator. "I'm terribly sorry. I hope you don't think I agree with him," she apologized.

"I
do
have better things to do than stand here and be insulted." The coordinator drew himself up to his full height, which was still somewhat short of Shaw's.

"I really am terribly sorry." Brandy knew it was hopeless to appease him at this stage. "Shaw, apologize."

Shaw just continued to glare at the man, who made a parting comment about jealous husbands and stalked away.

"How could you?" Brandy flew at Shaw. "You've ruined everything!"

"That's your opinion. God, you're naive! Can't you see what the man was after?"

"You're making that up just because I find him more appealing than you. Besides, I would only have gone there for business. My mind doesn't work the way yours does, Shaw."

"I'm well aware of that. Nor does it work the way his does. You're not very experienced in sizing people up."

"No," she pouted. "You're right there. I wouldn't have involved myself with
you
if I'd been better able to judge character."

Brandy saw that her words hit their mark and she immediately regretted saying them, though she couldn't retract them.

"If that's the way you feel, then I don't care if your reputation goes to hell, which it would have done in short order with that jerk!"

"I, you—" Brandy took a deep breath. "I'm sorry. I guess you meant well. It's just that I need the work so badly."

"Why? You're not exactly living penniless right now, you know."

Tears welled in her eyes. What would her life be like when she and Shaw parted and she didn't have any money saved? "I've already taken too much from you, Shaw, by snaring you into marriage. I can't take your money as well."

"I have enough not to notice."

"It's the idea of the thing. I've never been a leech."

"I don't believe you ever could." His voice softened.

The new tone of his voice and look in his eyes disarmed her, sending delicious shivers down her spine. "I've already taken too much from you," she whispered. "I'm very grateful."

He stared at her for a long moment. "Sometimes it's more blessed to give than to take."

Brandy couldn't look at him. She knew what he meant: he wanted her. It was clearly written in his eyes. But she couldn't give herself to him—not if she wanted an annulment after she gained custody of Eric. Yet, she owed him something.

"I can't, Shaw," she whimpered.

"Why not?" he asked, calmly, not prodding her any longer.

"I wish I loved you." Tears glistened in her eyes.

He raised his hands in exasperation. "God forbid that you ever do. It would only complicate things."

"But don't you see? If I loved you, I could give you everything of myself—but I can't justify that without love."

"This is a useless conversation," he snapped. "Where's your car?" He led her toward the elevator.

"Talking, I'm beginning to see, is never going to get us anywhere."

"I disagree with that. It may not get us where you want us to go, but open discussions can be very helpful," she replied logically.

"Hmmm," he grunted, and Brandy was certain she had not heard the last of his opinions on their relationship.

The days between the fashion show and the first court appearance passed with an uneasy and unspoken truce between Shaw and Brandy. Even in such a short span of time, Shaw seemed to have fallen in love with Eric. At times, he was even nice to Brandy, acting almost like a big brother. She wanted to believe Shaw might be accepting her for herself now that he had a better opportunity to know her, but she tried not to raise her hopes. He, like her, was probably just acting so pleasant, protective and "brotherly" for Eric's sake, but he had more reason than ever to be frustrated with her.

Each night she went to bed conscious of tension in the air. Each night she locked the bedroom door knowing Shaw could open it as easily as a matchbook— if he wanted to. But he never did, and that worried her.

Perhaps it was reverse psychology, she told herself, but each night she found herself thinking more and more about what it would be like if he came to her and rightfully shared his bed with her. She even had dreams about it, dreams so warm and sensual she would wake up in the dark and want to run to Shaw asleep on the couch—just to feel his arms around her. She wanted to know that he cared, but she would end up crying herself back to sleep because she knew he didn't. No man did… and it would be a long time before anyone could.

Throughout the lonely nights Brandy came to realize something about Shaw's personality. He wanted her, but his pride wouldn't allow him to come to her. No woman had ever turned him down before. He was determined to wait it out with her, tantalizing her with seductive inferences until she would give in to his subtle urgings.

He sent her flowers for no reason. He helped her wash dishes, which secretly endeared him to her because he was filling her fantasy of the kind of perfect domesticity she had always dreamed of one day sharing with a man. And, as he promised, he took Eric and Brandy flying in his airplane, treating Eric with all the respect, awe and delight a real father might show his son.

Brandy wanted to thank Shaw on several occasions for his treatment of Eric. Especially the night before the scheduled court appearance when Eric, sensing the importance of the morning's proceedings, shyly asked Brandy, "Do you think Shaw likes us, Brandy?"

Brandy had been helping Eric get ready for bed. She pulled his undershirt over his head and smiled at him. "I think he likes
you
very much."

Eric's face remained serious as he paused before pulling on his pajama top. "He's been very nice to me." His smooth young forehead puckered into a frown. "Taking me up in his airplane, and letting me go with him to his restaurant and help the chef with all the dinners." His big eyes were round with the importance of the occasion.