“If you’re all set already, I’ll have Ruby get you a flight

  and the information you’ll need to start with Michelle.” Ellis

  shook her head as if to clear it. “You’ll have a good story out

  of all this, if nothing else.”

  “I thought last night we agreed I’d stay.”

  Ellis jumped down and handed over her book that’d she’d

  left the night before. “I’m the first person to admit that

  some things look different in the light of day. You…today it

  sounds like you’re not in the same frame of mind, and I

  can’t really blame you, so don’t worry about it. Good luck

  with the new gig.”

  “Okay, listen to me,” she said, having lost all patience.

  “You don’t get to read my mind to make wrong assumptions,

  you don’t get to guess anything to do with me, and you

  don’t get to talk or think for me.”

  “I’m not doing any of those things,” Ellis snapped, as if

  having lost her own patience. “This fucking happened to

  me, and I’m mad as hell, but it’s my problem. Some bitch

  and her gutless boyfriend who I thought was my friend stole

  hours and hours of my life, and now I’m expected to pull

  some miracle out of my ass.” Ellis’s volume rose as she

  spoke, and she grabbed her hair like she was getting ready

  to rip it out. “It’s not that easy, and it’s not helping that you

  think I’m some egotistical, rude, womanizing hack. If this

  isn’t going like you planned, get out. It’s not like I didn’t find

  a place for you. Once you’re out of my obviously bad

  company, you can laugh about how I probably more than

  deserved this.”

  “Hey, calm down,” she said to Ellis’s back, but that didn’t

  keep her in the room. Ellis kept walking until she’d

  disappeared into the house. “What in the hell was that?”

  “It’s the meltdown I’ve been waiting for since she found

  out what happened, only usually it’s some inanimate object

  that gets the brunt of the steam once the kettle boils over.

  The potted plant in her office gave its life for the last

  disaster, but it was really minor compared to this,” Rueben

  said, directing his attention to the door Ellis had gone out of.

  “It’s not my place, nor does it carry the weight coming from

  her, but I’m sorry that happened.”

  She lifted her arms and let them drop. “You may not

  believe me, but I really do understand.”

  “And I don’t mean to insult you, but no, you don’t. These

  lines aren’t for Ellis’s vanity or for the fawning rich crowds

  during fall Fashion Week. Do you realize how many people

  work for the Renois House? No new lines means no new

  orders, and no new orders means the entire structure

  collapses. She’s not pissed with you, Ms. Hamner. She’s

  pissed with you and everyone else on the planet at the

  moment. And the number-one person on that list is her.”

  “So what happens now? Does she want me gone?” The

  room seemed large and intimidating now that she sensed

  she was no longer welcome here.

  “What happens now is totally up to you, and whatever

  you decide won’t be held against you.” Rueben finally

  turned and faced her with an almost melancholy smile,

  something she didn’t think possible.

  “Why say that? It makes me think me leaving will in fact

  be held against me.”

  “I’ll get you a flight, and here’s what you’ll need.” He

  ripped a sheet from the large black folio and handed it over.

  “So I’m right.”

  “No, ma’am. I said it because it’s true. You leave now and

  she won’t hold it against you.” He snapped his book closed

  hard enough to ruffle his hair. “She won’t because in a way

  she expects it. You climb to the top, and people expect you

  to fall. It’s the nature of our business. It’s just that some

  people take real pleasure when it happens.”

  “I came here because I wanted to work with her, not be

  insulted or shipped anywhere else. If I’ve got no other

  option, I’ll go home and appreciate her help getting me

  another spot, but that’s not what I want.”

  Rueben laughed, which only made her angrier. “For once

  she might be right about this internship she’s so fixated on

  continuing. If it’d been up to me or Amis, we’d have done

  away with it a long time ago.”

  “Why?” She leaned against the table, tired from all the

  turmoil. The only arguing she usually did revolved around

  Kyle and his lack of concern for Sawyer.

  “Interns haven’t exactly been Ellis’s strong suit, and any

  one of your predecessors would’ve been back in the city by

  now. You’re not afraid to stand up for yourself, so I think

  that’ll be good for Ellis.” Rueben jotted a few things on a

  blank page as he spoke, handing it over. “Do you cook?”

  “I’m not great at it, but I try.” She glanced over what he’d

  written.

  “Good. You’ve got a choice. Either let me know when you

  want to go home, or you can help me now, and later when

  you get everything on that list.” He gave her a wad of cash

  from his wallet and added one more thing to her list. “This

  isn’t too demeaning for you, is it?”

  “Will you put in a good word for me?”

  “Not necessary, and take Sawyer with you. If you follow

  the order, it’ll give you a good tour of the area so you’ll get

  the lay of the land.”

  “Will she be okay?”

  “In every way, Ms. Hamner. By choosing to stay, you’ll

  see, more than anyone else outside her family, who Ellis

  truly is, and what built her empire.”

  “So the suffering will make her better, huh?” His laughter

  lifted a weight off her, and she laughed as well. “It’ll be an

  interesting two months anyway.”

  “You have no idea.”

  * * *

  Ellis stopped with her hand on the newel post and

  considered going back and apologizing. The last person in

  the universe she should be blaming for all this was

  Charlotte, but unfortunately she had been standing in front

  of her at the one moment she couldn’t hold everything in.

  If she’d alienated Charlotte, she’d eventually make it up

  to her, but right now she needed to go somewhere that

  didn’t require a whole lot of thinking, but she’d stay sober.

  She considered leaving the completely blank pad but

  grabbed it on impulse as she walked out the door.

  She didn’t have any one destination in mind, so she

  wandered through the neighborhood enjoying the glimpses

  of gardens she’d see if someone had left a gate open. New

  Orleans to her was like a woman with multiple but always

  fascinating personalities. Each area had a different look, a

  different vibe, but throughout, it was like what you wanted

  the love of your life to be—sexy, edgy, sophisticated,

  charming, and a little slutty when the occasion called for it.

  “If I could find someone with all that, I’d pop the

  question,” she said out loud. “Right now, though, you have

  to think about women’s clothes and leave the woman out of

  it.”

  “Ellis Renois, you keep talking to yourself like that, and

  the only fashion you’ll have to worry about is men in white

  coats.” She recognized the voice, and only one person ever

  greeted her by grabbing her ass. “And white’s way too drab

  for you to be looking at all day.”

  “Ms. Parrish, you’re a beautiful sight on a pretty sucky

  day.”

  Brandi Parrish was a well-known pseudo celebrity of the

  French Quarter, since most locals had heard of her, but most

  also thought she was a myth. No one really ran a high-

  priced brothel anymore, most people thought, but the

  famous Red Door was indeed no myth. Brandi’s girls had a

  substantial list of exclusive clients, including a number of

  heavy hitters that kept her candy-apple-red door open.

  “And you, Ms. Renois, are as full of shit as ever,” Brandi

  said as she moved to hug her. If she’d passed Brandi on the

  street she doubted she’d recognize her in her jeans,

  oversized man’s white shirt, and large sunglasses. “But I

  happen to love that in a woman.”

  Brandi’s kiss was hard and demanding, and despite Ellis’s

  state of mind, it swept everything out of her head and

  focused her attention farther south. Her reaction must’ve

  been painfully clear, since Brandi pulled her head away and

  flicked Ellis’s nipple. “You do realize there’s more to life than

  clothes, right?”

  Brandi’s actions were new, but she wasn’t complaining.

  “It’s been a rough couple of months, but not anything like

  the last few days. All that tends to kill my sex drive.”

  Brandi pinched the other nipple hard enough to make her

  hiss. “Are you absolutely sure about that?”

  “I’m stressed, not dead, darling.” She took Brandi’s hand

  and grocery bag before they attracted some lurking

  wannabe paparazzi. “Come on. Let me be chivalrous and

  walk you home.”

  “Such kindness needs to be rewarded.” Brandi smiled in

  a way that made Ellis wish for a certain type of reward.

  “How about pancakes?”

  The question was fairly in line with her luck lately, but it

  wasn’t a surprise. Brandi had become more of a mentor and

  boss for some time to the girls in her house, so Ellis figured

  that whoever saw the inside of her bedroom these days was

  there simply for Brandi’s pleasure and nothing to do with

  business. “I’d love some.”

  They weren’t far from Brandi’s place, but they entered

  through the back and well-maintained extensive garden

  around the patio and small pool. The house itself was old,

  traditionally grand, and in pristine condition. In the corners

  of the yard were two smaller structures, and the one on the

  left Ellis knew was Wilson Delacour’s residence. Wilson had

  worked for Brandi since the beginning and considered his

  boss his only family.

  “Come on.” Brandi tugged her by the front of her pants

  to the other building in the far-right corner.

  What Ellis had assumed was a gardening shed was

  actually a small but tastefully decorated apartment with a

  small galley kitchen. “Did you run away from home?” Ellis

  asked as she continued to look around the room. The decor

  consisted of high-end antiques, but the whole space had an

  airy feel from the large windows and open concept.

  “Every once in a while, a girl needs some peace and

  quiet, so I converted the old maid’s quarters a few years

  ago.” Brandi took her bag back and started putting her

  groceries away after she’d kicked her sandals off. “Goes to

  show how often you visit.”

  “I came by for coffee last year, and you know it. You

  never mentioned this.”

  “I’m just giving you a hard time, handsome. Actually,

  aside from Wilson, you’re the first person I’ve let in here. I’m

  semi-retired, so this little spot allows me to catch up on my

  reading while still keeping an eye on the business.”

  “Good for you.” Ellis dropped onto the comfortable velvet

  couch and threw the prop under her arm onto the coffee

  table. For now, the sketchpad was all for show since the

  entire damn thing was empty. “So, no more dates?”

  “I’m a whore, Ellis, so there’s still a few.”

  “Believe me, honey, in my business I’ve met a few

  whores, and you in no way qualify.”

  “Obviously, you’re not part of the church league here.”

  Brandi finished her chore and came and sat next to her.

  “I’ve got more money than I’ll ever think of spending, but it

  seems I can’t give it away to what I think are worthy

  causes.”

  “Jesus, between the two of us we could have a pity

  party.” She ran her finger along Brandi’s jaw. They’d met a

  few years before, and she enjoyed Brandi’s company. They

  didn’t see each other often, but some good friendships

  didn’t need massive amounts of time to flourish. Yet while

  they were good friends, Brandi teased her only to a point.

  Sex had never been in their equation.

  “The charities around town are turning you down too?”

  “Funny.” She pinched Brandi’s cheek and then shared her

  set of problems. “So save your money. I might end up

  needing a loan.”

  “Let’s forget our problems for a little while altogether.”

  Brandi moved into the circle of her arm after she lifted it. “If

  we do that, can I ask you a question?”

  “Nothing too complicated, I hope.”

  “Do you find me attractive?”

  Ellis almost laughed, but it didn’t sound like a joke.

  “You’re one of the most beautiful women I know. Why would

  you ask that? You have to know the answer, right?”

  “Because you never seemed interested.”

  “I’m going to need to hire a PR firm just for my

  reputation,” she said softly but kept Brandi next to her when

  she started to move away. “You’re my friend, so I’ll tell you

  the absolute truth if you want me to.”

  “Let’s hear it.”

  “The thing is, no matter what the relationship, women

  turn me on.”

  “I know that, Ellis. It’s why I’m asking the question.”

  “When it’s a good friend, I try not to let my clit overrule

  my good sense, so with you it’s not a question of attraction.

  It’s more respect that keeps it in my pants.”

  “You do realize how the whole prostitute thing works,

  right?” Brandi laughed as she placed her hand on her

  abdomen.

  “I guess I’ve never really thought of you like that.”

  “Calm down. I’m just kidding, but thank you.” Brandi’s

  hand moved under her shirt, and her touch was electric. “So

  at the moment we’ve both got some problems. Do you know

  what always makes me feel better?”

  “Knitting?” She clenched her entire body when Brandi

  spoke softly right into her ear.

  “So close.” Brandi stood between her legs and slowly

  started unbuttoning her shirt. The white lace bra was

  simple, so she could see the dark-pink nipples it covered,

  and the sight made her wet. “Don’t move. Just watch.”

  Brandi unbuttoned her jeans with the same patience

  she’d given the shirt. She shimmied them down her legs

  when she was done, and the bikini underwear she wore

  made Ellis want to act, but she followed orders. “Do you

  remember the day we met?” Brandi kicked her jeans aside

  and undid Ellis’s belt.

  “During the preview show here four years ago, and you

  invited me over for a drink. I’m sure you’ve heard how

  thrilling it is to get invited through that red door of yours. It

  was the highlight of my trip that year.” She lifted her ass

  when Brandi prompted her, leaving her in very plain white

  boxers.

  “I saw you, and I have to say, I haven’t wanted to fuck

  someone that badly in a long time.” Brandi tugged at her T-

  shirt next, so she leaned forward. “I’m glad as hell we

  became friends, but that first urge never goes away, does

  it?”

  Brandi was a few years older than her, but she was

  gorgeous. “No. It doesn’t.” She closed her eyes when Brandi

  straddled her and kissed her like a woman who wanted to

  be touched. It wasn’t until that moment that she realized

  how long it’d been that she wanted to be intimate with

  someone. For a womanizing asshole, she’d really stepped

  back from pretty much everything. Sometimes when you

  had everything, life lost the shine you were always working

  hard to achieve.

  “Look at me.” She opened her eyes when Brandi spoke

  and lifted her hands to Brandi’s hips when Brandi reached

  behind her and removed her bra.

  “So beautiful,” she said as Brandi lowered it slowly,

  exposing perfect breasts. “You’re truly beautiful.”

  “Thank you.” Brandi moved off her and knelt between

  her legs. “Does Vogue know you wear these?” She laughed

  as Brandi popped the top of her boxers. “The only thing

  more traditional than this would be tighty whities.”

  “I don’t know—I happen to think white is pretty sexy.”

  She touched the side of Brandi’s panties. “It’s all in the cut, I

  guess.”

  “Enough shop talk.”

  She raised her hips again so Brandi could get her

  completely naked, then knelt between her legs. Brandi

 

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