Forever My Love: A Contenporary Romance (The Armstrongs Book 2) (2 page)

Ryan heard the phone ring and moved the designs around on his desk until he finally located    it, “Armstrong's.”
I need to get this desktop organized!

“Hello, Mr. Armstrong?”

“Yes. This is Ryan Armstrong. How can I help you?”

“My name is Nisha Taylor and I’m calling on behalf of Kendra O'Neill over at Percy’s auction house. Do you have a minute?”

Ryan couldn’t believe his ears. His heart beat picked up and his brain had a million thoughts going through it all at once.
Kendra O’Neill? The Kendra? The only woman I ever truly loved? No! There is absolutely no way it’s the same person. It can’t be. She’s probably married by now and has changed her last name. Stop being silly and answer the woman on the phone.

Swallowing hard and taking a breath, he answered her, “Sure. How can I help you?”

“Ms. O'Neill would like to meet with you regarding one of your pieces. It was brought in today and the owner would like it auctioned off. We would be very grateful if you could assist us in verifying the authenticity and ownership of this piece.”

Being a very famous jewelry designer and goldsmith, he'd received similar requests before. One time, the client had simply misplaced their paperwork during a residential move. Another time, the piece of jewelry was part of the inheritance for a deceased loved one, but the authenticity paperwork was never found. The last time, the grandchildren of an elderly client had discovered his jewelry in the safe of the grandfather. Unfortunately, their grandfather was suffering from Alzheimer’s and had no recollection of when the piece had been purchased, the quality of the stones, or the original purchase price.

He’d been happy to help at each instance, keeping meticulous records for all of his work. Auction houses, like Percy’s, were known for checking out the items they sold. They liked to verify things directly with the source whenever possible. Something Ryan completely understood and supported.

His pieces were very expensive, some of them costing up to one million dollars, and he wouldn't want to unintentionally help anyone sell a fake piece, or even a genuine item that had falsely had his name put on it to raise the value. Knockoffs were not something he’d been plagued with, but other jewelers he knew had been the victims of scam. The result was a costly court battle, temporary loss of credibility, and a loss of clientele in the long run.

Those thoughts aside, the woman couldn't be "his" Kendra. She'd left Chicago. Since that day, more than ten years ago, he hadn’t seen or heard from her again. She had broken his heart in a big way! A familiar pain settled in his chest. A pain he'd been trying hard to push aside for the last decade.

His mind was still lost in thoughts of Kendra and the past, when the woman on the other end of the line asked, "Mr. Armstrong?"

He shook himself, mentally shoving his memories back into a door marked ‘Do Not Open’ and answered back, "Sorry. One of my pieces you said?”

“Yes, a necklace I believe. I could check it out if it makes a difference? Maybe even email you a picture, although that isn’t our standard procedure.”

“No, no. It doesn’t really make a difference. Just let me check my schedule.” Ryan pulled his cell phone from his pocket and pulled up his scheduling app. So far, nothing was scheduled for tomorrow.
Tomorrow? Really? You could be sitting across the desk from Kendra O’Neill tomorrow? But are you ready to see her again?

“Mr. Armstrong?” came the hesitant voice of the Nisha once again. “If this is a bad time, I could call back…”

“No, sorry. I was just checking my schedule. How long of an appointment would Mrs. O'Neill need?”

“Half an hour should be more than enough. She typically just needs you to verify that the piece is indeed yours and provide a few facts about its original cost, etc.”

“Okay then, what about tomorrow afternoon at 1:30 p.m.? She could either come to my workshop, or I could come to her office.”
I would feel more comfortable here in my own space, but I think I would do anything just to see her once again. If it's her.

There was a pause while her secretary checked Kendra’s schedule and then she replied back happily, "That would be perfect. Many thanks, Mr. Armstrong. Miss O'Neill will be at your office at 1:30 sharp.”

“I look forward to meeting her. Will she bring this piece of jewelry with her?”

“Oh, I wouldn’t know about that. I’m honestly not sure if she’d bring the piece with her or just pictures. The more expensive pieces usually don't leave the premises for security reasons. Will that be a problem?”

“I think I can probably tell if something is mine from pictures. I guess we’ll wait and see what she brings with her tomorrow.”

“Fine. The meeting should be fairly painless.  She really just needs you to validate that the piece is your workmanship.”

“Very good.”
Painless? If this was the same Kendra O’Neill who had broken his heart so many years ago, seeing her again would be anything but painless.

“Thank you again for taking time from your schedule to help us out with this.”

“No problem.”

“Thanks, again,” Nisha said right before the line went dead.

Ryan lowered the phone from his ear; his eyes fixed on the electronic device as if it were alive. His heart was still beating faster than normal and his whole body was tense.

Kendra had been the one and only girl to star in his dreams as a teenager. Until that infamous day when she'd broken his heart. Since that moment in time, he had decided it was far better to not get overly involved with members of the opposite sex. He'd opted rather for non-exclusive relationships with women who were of a like mind. Nothing serious. No commitment beyond the moment they were in. No messy emotions to get bruised or damaged. Just companionship when he wanted it and always on his terms.

And he’d been fine with that. Until five minutes ago!

Ryan couldn’t help but call to mind the last time he’d seen her. He wondered how she looked today. She’d been beyond beautiful back then, at least in his eyes. Very tall for a girl and he imagined she still was.

He remembered her wonderfully thick and shiny auburn hair. It hadn’t been just one color, but had streaks of chestnut and copper running through it. He reveled how soft it had been. And her legs – they had been the stuff teenage boys drooled after. Long. Slender. Strong.

And her smile. It was everything a man could ask for and more. Gorgeous. Open. Fun. When she noticed, she quickly closed her lips together due to the braces she’d had to wear to straighten her teeth. He remembered how much she’d hated them.

Then he recalled how the other kids had often picked on her. Not only for her braces, but she’d been like a newborn colt just trying to find its legs. Kendra had been immensely awkward at times, all legs, and very little balance or grace.  She’d been the one kid in school that everyone made the butt of their joke and pranks. Still, to him she was the most beautiful girl in the world.

He felt ashamed and embarrassed as he recalled having joined in on their taunting a time or two. He’d wanted so much to fit in and be just like everyone else. To belong to the
in
crowd
.  Enough to push aside his sense of right and wrong, all the while secretly admiring her from afar. 
That was more than ten years ago. Let it go, man!

Ryan tried to take his own advice, but a part of him was still shaken up inside. Glancing at the clock that hung on the far wall, he realized he needed to get back to work. But try as he might, he just couldn’t concentrate on the small and miniscule detail work he had to do to finish up his current piece.

After struggling in vain for another hour, he finally tossed his tools back in the drawer and decided to call it quits for the day.  He loved his work, but there were times when even he needed a break.

Lately, he found himself mostly creating expensive, one-of-a-kind pieces of jewelry. He worked together with his clients on the designs and then made the pieces himself. But his true passion were bigger pieces that fit more into the visual art category, rather than the wearable art. He had created some statues, and while the reviews had been uplifting, his clients seemed to like his jewelry much better.

Ryan continued to pursue the statues, but jewelry was his livelihood. Where he made his big money. More than enough to live well and even more than he'd ever be able to spend.

Before leaving, he safely tucked away all the precious stones and unfinished pieces he'd been working on in the safe and then grabbed his gym bag and headed for the small bathroom in the back of his shop.

He exchanged his business attire for gym short, t-shirt, and running shoes. Some vigorous exercise would get his brain back on the right track. Glancing once more at the clock, he grabbed his keys and headed out. This time of day, there was almost always a pick-up basketball game in progress at the park next to the lake.

Smiling for the first time since the phone call from Kendra’s office, he rolled his shoulders and headed out. A blood pumping game of basketball should do the trick. He’d get a good workout in and then everything would be back to normal.  Everything would be just like it had been before that phone call!

The next day, Kendra took special care with her attire. While to her co-workers she appeared to be wearing her usual dress pants and matching suit jacket, only she knew that she'd taken extra time with her hair and make-up that morning.

Kendra normally took pride in her appearance. Percy’s was the most prestigious auction house in the Chicago area, and the employees were required to always wear impeccable business clothing. There was no such thing as
Jean Friday
at Percy’s!

She’d chosen her favorite outfit – a navy blue pants suit. The fabric was soft to the touch, and flowed with her body as she moved. The little bit of shine in the fabric complemented her slightly tanned skin perfectly. She wore a snow-white blouse under the jacket, and a matching lace bra and panty set beneath those pieces. If she'd have to face Ryan and the heartbreak he'd   caused her, she at least needed to feel sexy and very womanly.

As usual, she was wearing flat shoes. It wasn't that she didn't like heels; she actually loved the way they made her legs look. But genetics had been overly generous with her in the height department. At 6’1” she'd grown used to being as tall as, or as it happened more times than not, taller than the men around her. Finding a man that she had to look up to was indeed a rare occasion.

Kendra had decided years earlier to table her own likes in the shoe department. She didn’t want to tower over her clients any more than she naturally did. Through years of experience  she'd learned that most men didn’t respond well to women who were taller than they were.
Something to do with that whole Me Man, You Woman mentality!

Ryan’s workshop was located in the industrial zone of Chicago, rather than one of the upscale shops in the fashion district. He'd bought a tall building, an old factory hall, which he had painstakingly converted into a showroom and workshop. From the outside, the building looked huge! It had a definite factory feeling to it.

She approached the front doors, and then smiled when she saw the unassuming doorbell, similar to one that might be found on a private residence.
That is so him!
With a big lump in her throat she forced herself to ring the bell and almost immediately, Ryan opened it. She gasped, unprepared for the effect the sight of him after so many years had on her body and her heart. 
God, he’s even more beautiful than I had remembered! But that’s doesn’t matter.
Remember? He broke your heart!

Ryan smiled at her in way of a greeting. A smile that melted her heart and caused her knees to suddenly feel like they were made of jelly. The feeling traveled from her knees up to her stomach, turning it upside down and starting a fluttering sensation there.
Damn it! Why does he still have such an effect on me? For crying out loud! It’s been ten years!

Kendra pasted a smile upon her face, doing her best to hide the turmoil in her heart and brain. She stretched out her hand, “Hello, Ryan.”

Ryan didn’t hesitate even a fraction of a second, taking her hand and shaking it very firmly, "Hi, Kendra. Come on in."

If he'd been moved by her appearance, he'd concealed it well. But then, he'd probably forgotten her. Why should he still think about the awkward girl whose heart he broke? It's not like he couldn't have any beautiful woman he wanted. From the tabloids Kendra knew him to be a womanizer - never keeping a relationship for more than a few months.

Ryan waited until she had crossed the threshold, and then he firmly closed the door behind her. He gestured for her to precede him further into the building. She walked a few steps and then turned and studied the inside of the space. Her eyes widened in astonishment. It looked so different than what she'd been expecting based upon the outside of the building.
This is why you never judge a book by its cover!

The space was very…him! His style was everywhere she looked. Masculine, yet sophisticated. Luxurious, yet understated. And huge! She looked up and estimated the ceilings were at least 30 feet high. And still, the space had a homey, cozy feel to it. Almost as if it had been designed more for comfort than any grand interior decorating scheme.

Rather than a single theme, a myriad of used pieces of furniture were scattered about. All the pieces solitaires, nothing looking as if it had come from the same designer. Or even the same decade! But it worked. The “disorganized” look was perfect! 

The reception area featured a little coffee table with lots and lots of magazines piled high and spilling off the sides. She took a step closer and noticed that all of them had a solitary woman wearing one of his pieces splashed across the covers. The table sat in the middle of an overly large, and somewhat tarnished, couch. It was upholstered in a green plaid tweed-like fabric, and had obviously seen better days.

To either side of the couch sat two big armchairs. They didn’t match, one was a brown suede, and the other was a camel-colored leather. Again, both had seen much better days, but they did look comfortable and gave the reception area a very cozy atmosphere.
A place where you want to sit down and spend some time. Not a sterile waiting area where your only desire is to get out of there as quick as possible.

“Please have a seat,” Ryan suggested, waiting until she chose the leather chair before seating himself on the couch. He was staring at her and now appeared to be as struck by her as she was by him.
Great!

Kendra placed her bag onto the floor next to the chair and tried to relax.
As if? That wasn’t happening anytime soon!

"I didn’t know you were back in Chicago,” Ryan started the conversation.

Kendra nodded, "Yes. I’ve been back for over six years. After I graduated from college I was offered a position at Percy’s.” Kendra broke off, the tension in the room ratcheting up to an uncomfortable level.

She could feel her emotions trying to overtake the situation. Ryan was still the same boy she'd  fallen in love with as a teenager, but he was so much more now. He had grown into a man. A very handsome man.

She let her eyes take inventory and inwardly groaned at what she saw. He exuded an  alluring confidence and strength. His muscular body. As her eyes lifted, she watched his lips curve into a smile.
God, his smile was amazing!

“So, your secretary said you needed some help authenticating one of my pieces. Did you bring it with you?”

“Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to because of its assumed value. I do have some pictures. If you need to see it in person, we’ll have to schedule a time for you to come over to the auction house and take care of that.”

“Well, let’s see what you’ve brought today. I should be able to tell a lot by looking at the pictures.” He gave her a smile of encouragement, and she returned it.

Kendra reached into her bag and withdrew the pictures of the necklace she’d taken the day before. While she handed them to him, she meticulously avoided touching him. If just the sight of him made her body feel crazy things, she wasn't so sure what could happen with a touch. Better to be safe than sorry.

Ryan took the pictures and a proud smile spread over his face.
That smile! I could drown in   his eyes, when he smiles.
 

"Sure. I made this. It was a custom job."              

"Can you tell me whom it was made for?"

Again, he gave her his gorgeous smile, just a tad too long to be casual, but shook his head, "No. Sorry. You know I can't give out that kind of customer data. That would be akin to business suicide.”

She nodded. Off course she had known that. But a girl could try, right? Kendra thought for a moment, "Maybe you could still help me. A young woman came in to my office with this piece. She wants it sold at auction, but doesn’t have any of the original paperwork on it. I need to verify its history. I’m assuming you didn’t sell it directly to her?”

Ryan shook his head, “Again, I can’t say anything about who I sold the piece to. I sign a confidentiality clause with all of my clients and I’m not willing to violate that. I’m not sure how else I can help with…”

Kendra stopped him, “Maybe you could contact your customer and let him know about the auction. If I don’t hear back from him, I’ll assume he’s ok with it being sold off.”

“How do you know it was a him?” Ryan asked, trying to keep his face neutral.

She looked at him and then tapped the photographs, “Sorry, but that is either a really expensive present for visiting royalty, a huge apology for acting like a stupid male, or for a lover someone was trying to impress.”

Ryan laughed, “There are other reasons men buy jewelry, you know?”

Kendra cocked her head to the side, “Are you denying that a man purchased this piece?”

He shook his head, “But neither am I confirming it.”

“Fine. Whatever. Will you contact
whomever
purchased this piece and see if they will consent to some basic information being given to Percy’s? If they feel more comfortable, they could contact me directly.” She handed him a business card.

Ryan took the card and then nodded, “I guess I could do that. Let me see what I can do and I’ll keep you updated.”

“Great!”
Now would be the moment to leave.
The thought went through her head, but it was the last thing she wanted to do. So she just sat there and waited for him to make the first move.

After several minutes, where Ryan made no attempt to get up, he finally asked, "Do you want to have a look around?"

Kendra nodded, fighting an inward battle. She shouldn’t stay around him, he was to
o dangerous for her peace of mind. But then, a tour of his workshop wouldn't hurt, right? Who  are you kidding girl, get out while you still can!

One more look at this hot man was all she needed to forget her earlier intentions of staying away from him. He was insanely sexy. Just like the stunning necklace he had created. She remembered the shivers she had gotten by touching the necklace. It had been…sensual.

Ryan stood up and she followed him. “So, this is my workshop.”

Kendra could hear the pride in his voice.

The huge room didn't have walls. As she slowly followed him around, starting in the reception area, where they'd sat and talked, she realized the “disorganized” furniture settings had actually been used to segregate the open space into different areas. Each furniture setting was the center of a different “room” - just without any walls to separate the space. 

She stopped and turned a full circle, just to almost bump into him. He was tall, a lot taller than her, something that didn't happen often, maybe 6'8''. His broad chest and shoulders stood directly in front of her, near enough to touch him if she'd lean forward a tiny bit. She inhaled his scent, and the sheer sensuality almost made her faint. Kendra so wanted to touch him, to slide her fingers down his chest, feel the hardness of his six-pack abs, explore further down...
Stop it! Now! Ryan Armstrong isn't good for you!

Towards the right side of the space sat a huge desk, littered with colored pencils, sheaves of paper, and the odd coffee cup sitting on a solitary piece of the wooden desktop. Behind the desk, the wall contained a huge corkboard, covered with his design drawings.

Moving past the desk, she spotted several workstations, each one having a specific function. One contained hand tools and a huge magnify glass under which to work. Another held a torch and several spools of materials. There was a chemical station and a cutting station, complete with a water supply to cool the cutting blades. And at each one, the tools of his trade lie or hung on the racks provided. Pliers. Hammers with unique striking surfaces. Goggles. Gloves. Even a fire extinguisher stood at the ready between the chemical and torch stations.

A vision of Ryan, shirtless, his muscles rippling and his skin shiny with sweat, filled her mind’s eye. In his right hand was a hammer and she envisioned him lifting the hammer up, the muscles along his side going taught and then contracting as he brought the hammer down…
Focus Kendra.

She took a deep breath and focused her attention on the rest of the space. At the very back of the hall, half-hidden behind racks, stood several huge safes. None of them were open and she silently applauded his security measures.

The last part of the factory hall held his exhibition area. Glass cases lined with black velvet forms and spotlights displayed his exquisite jewelry pieces. Glossy black pedestals featured  breathtakingly beautiful sculptures. In each case lay completely finished pieces, together with some that were unfinished and in the process of being completed.

The area looked very much like any upscale jewelry show room, however, it was common knowledge that Ryan Armstrong only did consignment pieces. He never mass-produced any piece of jewelry, and according to the latest rumors, he was in such demand, there was a waiting list of three to six months.

She slowly walked through the small display area, stopping at each case to marvel at the creativity and emotion that had gone into each piece. Her appreciation for his artistry showed on her face. Working as jewelry specialist for Percy’s had given her ample opportunity to learn about the top designers in the country. Ryan was right up there at the top of the list, and she gazed at the evidence of his magnificent skill in awe.