Always the Designer, Never the Bride Read online

  Always the

  Designer,

  Never the Bride

  "Always the Designer, Never the Bride shows yet another angle of the journey from 'I think I love you' to 'I do' and all the side adventures that keep her readers begging, 'Tell me another story!' "

  —CYNTHIA RUCHTI, radio personality and novelist, author of the Carol Award finalist They Almost Always Come Home

  "Sandra Bricker has done it again! Like every book in this series, Always the Designer, Never the Bride made me laugh, made me sigh, made me root for the heroine, and made me cry. No way I'm loaning this one out, because—gasp—what if it isn't returned!"

  —LOREE LOUGH, best-selling author of more than 80 award-winning books, including reader favorite From Ashes to Honor

  Other Abingdon Press Books by Sandra D. Bricker

  Always the Baker, Never the Bride

  Always the Wedding Planner, Never the Bride

  The Big 5-OH!

  And coming soon . . .

  Always the Baker, Finally the Bride

  Always the

  Designer,

  Never the

  Bride

  Sandra D. Bricker

  Nashville, Tennessee

  Always the Designer, Never the Bride

  Copyright © 2012 by Sandra D. Bricker

  ISBN-13: 978-1-4267-3223-2

  Published by Abingdon Press, P.O. Box 801, Nashville, TN 37202

  www.abingdonpress.com

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form,

  stored in any retrieval system, posted on any website, or

  transmitted in any form or by any means—digital,

  electronic, scanning, photocopy, recording, or otherwise—without

  written permission from the publisher, except for brief

  quotations in printed reviews and articles.

  The persons and events portrayed in this work of fiction

  are the creations of the author, and any resemblance

  to persons living or dead is purely coincidental.

  Published in association with WordServe Literary Group, Ltd.,

  10152 S. Knoll Circle, Highlands Ranch, CO 80130

  Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

  Bricker, Sandra D., 1958-

  Always the designer, never the bride / Sandra D. Bricker.

  p. cm.

  Includes bibliographical references and index.

  ISBN 978-1-4267-3223-2 (book - pbk. / trade pbk. : alk. paper) 1.

  Women fashion designers—Fiction. 2. Female friendship—Fiction. 3.

  Weddings—Fiction. 4. Brothers—Fiction. 5. Atlanta (Ga.)—Fiction.

  I. Title.

  PS3602.R53A51 2012

  813'.6—dc22

  2011050025

  Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright©

  1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights

  reserved.

  Printed in the United States of America

  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 / 17 16 15 14 13 12

  Deepest thanks to my rock star agent and friend,

  Rachelle Gardner.

  Also to my editor Ramona Richards,

  and to my cheerleading section:

  Marian, Jemelle, Debby, and David.

  And special thanks to Barbara for taking the lead

  and rallying the troops. If one MUST have a near-

  death experience, there's no one better to have by

  your side. I'm forever indebted.

  The next best thing to being wise oneself

  is to live in a circle of those who are.

  —C. S. Lewis

  Table of Contents

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Discussion Questions

  Prologue

  That's not ivory, Granny. It's ecru."

  "Is it?"

  "Yes. And I needed crystal beads, not these iridescent ones. The crystal is much more showy, and I need them to make a statement."

  Beatrice leaned forward in her rocking chair and smoothed the white-gold hair of her grandchild, perched like a bird at her feet. "Are you sure you're just nine years old?"

  "Granny, please. Just help me look through these cases for the crystal beads? I knew not to let Carly alone in my room with my cases open. She must have mixed them all up."

  She pushed two matching plastic boxes into her grandmother's lap. Beatrice flipped the latch on one of the pink gingham-patterned cases and tipped open the lid before glancing down at the little girl who seemed to be surrounded in light amidst hat boxes, organizers, and immaculate containers.

  Audrey's innocent porcelain face crumpled like a grape left out in the sun as she continued her search. Without missing a beat, she raked back her spun-silk hair and fastened it with a pink sequined band. When she glanced up to find her grandmother watching her instead of engaged in the search, Audrey cocked her head to one side and heaved a laborious sigh.

  "Granny? The crystal beads?"

  Beatrice nodded, fingering through the separated compartments of the tray, each of them bearing a red vinyl label with raised white letters.

  Glass beads.

  Seed beads.

  Sequins.

  Beatrice, at the tender age of nine, hadn't known the first thing about various types of beads, much less having thought of asking for a label maker for her birthday to better differentiate them inside organized plastic cases! While Audrey's other nine-year-old friends played with accessories for their Barbies, she designed and created haute couture for every doll in town.

  "Her wedding is scheduled for this Saturday afternoon," the child announced. "She can't get married without any crystal beads on her gown."

  "Of course not," Beatrice sympathized.

  "And Granny, will you make the wedding cake? We're going to have the ceremony here on the sun porch."

  "I think I can do that," she replied, and the corner of her mouth twitched slightly. "Oh, is this what you're looking for?"

  She stuck out her hand, several shiny beads rolling on the palm.

  Audrey's amber eyes ignited, and she gasped. "Granny, you're wonderful! Where did you find them?"

  "The second tier. Under these thingies." She tapped one of the compartments with the tip of her finger.

  "Thingies!" Audrey said, chuckling. "Those thingies are just the last of my wooden barrel beads. I used them on the bracelet I made Carly for her birthday, remember?"

  "I think I do." She nodded. "Yes, that's right."

  "Once this wedding is behind me, I'm going to have to go through every one of my cases to put everything back in its right place."

  "Yes, I suppose you can't have shiny sequins in a compartment marked as something else."

  "You can see what a disaster that could be, can't you, Granny?"

  "Clearly."

  Audrey took the cases from Beatrice's lap with caution, gingerly setting them on the carpeted floor beside her.

  "That Carly," she muttered as she began plucking crystal beads from the tray. "Sometimes she's like a gorilla at a tea party."

  1

  Audrey, the car will be here any minute. You're going to miss your plane."

  "Shh. I just need another minut
e."

  She leaned down over her sketch pad, nibbling the corner of her lip as she put the finishing touches on the train of an elaborate A-line wedding dress.

  "Oh, Audrey! That's beautiful. Is it for Kim?"

  She didn't reply for another moment or two; not until she felt perfectly secure in the fact that she could lay down her pencil and be done with it.

  "There are two others in the leather portfolio in my closet. The messenger will be here at three o'clock to pick them up and get them into Manhattan by four." She handed her assistant the finished product, pausing for an instant to admire the drawing. "Be very careful about it, but put this one with the others, and be sure to zip it all the way around so they aren't wrinkled. Just give him the whole case, and call Kim once he's on his way to give her a heads-up that they'll be delivered to the penthouse."

  "Will do."

  "My plane lands in Atlanta at five-something, and it will take me an hour or so to get out to Roswell where this hotel is located. You've shipped—"

  "And confirmed. Carly's dress is safe and sound at The Tanglewood Inn, awaiting your arrival."

  Audrey sighed as she cast a quick glance toward the door where Kat had lined up her pink plaid luggage. One oversized rectangular case and one large round one, both on wheels, both packed to full capacity.

  Audrey applied a glaze of Cherry Bliss to her lips while Kat added the final sketch to the leather case. She paused with the wand in mid-air until she heard the vvhht of the zipper. As she slipped the tube into its compartment inside her purse, the buzzer sounded.

  "That will be your car," Kat announced. "But before you go . . ."

  Kat grabbed Audrey's hand and placed a compact little cell phone into it, closing her fingers around it. "Now this is the simplest cellular phone available."

  "Kat, I do not want one of these. I told you that."

  "I know. But you have to."

  Audrey stared at the strange thing on her palm. "What do I do?"

  "If it jingles, you open it. Like this." Kat demonstrated. "It will either be a phone call—in which case you press the blinking green button—or a text, which will come up automatically."

  "Ah, maaan . . ."

  "I know. But it's the best way to keep in contact. You want to keep in contact with me, don't you?"

  Audrey groaned. "Yes."

  "So put this in your purse."

  Audrey reluctantly tossed the thing into her bag as Kat pressed buttons on her own much more complicated-looking cell phone. An instant later, Audrey's purse began to . . . sing.

  "It sounds like a harp."

  "That's your cue to pull it out and open it." Kat stared at her for a moment before nodding at Audrey's purse. "Go on. Answer it."

  "I already know who it is."

  "Audrey."

  Audrey groaned again as she produced the cell phone, unfolded it and stared at the thing.

  "The green button," Kat prodded.

  Audrey pressed the button and held the phone in the vicinity of her ear. "Audrey Regan isn't available right now, but please feel free to take a flying leap at the tone." As Kat opened her mouth to reply, Audrey interrupted with a "Beeeeeep."

  Kat shook her head as she pushed the button on the wall intercom and she told the driver, "Come on in. We have a couple of bags." Back to Audrey, she remarked, "Text me when you arrive. Do you want me to show you how?"

  "I'll call. Let me know the minute you confirm the sketches have reached Kim."

  "Will do."

  "The very minute, Katarina. We need this."

  "I know. She's going to love them."

  "As long as she loves them more than Vera Wang and Austin Scarlett."

  Audrey paused in front of the full-length etched mirror propped against the wall. She smoothed the straight pencil skirt and adjusted the corset belt around her waist.

  "Car for JFK," the driver announced, grabbing both of the bags.

  "How much, by the way?" she asked as she followed him down the stairs.

  "Ninety-five," Kat called out from the doorway. "Already charged to your card."

  "Ninety-five dollars, from Soho to JFK?"

  "You can grab a taxi for fifty bucks, Princess," the driver snapped, letting the street door flap shut in her face.

  Audrey turned and looked back at Kat, standing in the doorway at the top of the stairs. "Charming."

  Kat chuckled. "Have a good flight."

  "One can only hope."

  As she climbed into the back seat of the dark blue sedan, Audrey appreciated the good sense she'd had to hire Katarina Ivanov. Staring blankly out the window, Audrey sighed as the driver took a left on Kenmare.

  She'd held interviews on a Tuesday afternoon in the corner booth at the Village Tart, and Kat had arrived fifteen minutes early. She'd ordered a coffee at another table while Audrey finished up with the design school student who looked like a cross between Buddy Holly and Kramer from Seinfeld. When they were through, the young man stood over Audrey, tapping his shiny patent leather shoe.

  "So let's cut right to it, shall we?" he'd said, glaring at her over the bridge of thick black-rimmed glasses. "Do I have a shot at this or not? I'm only asking because I have two more interviews after yours, and I need to know whether I can blow them off."

  "I think I can answer that," Kat told him as she transferred her espresso to Audrey's table and sat down. "Go on the interviews. I think we've decided which candidate is the best choice. I'm so sorry, but good luck to you." Her smile emanated a ray of pure sunshine.

  The boy grimaced at her before he looked back at Audrey. She only shrugged. Twenty seconds later, the front door of the café thudded shut behind him.

  "Did I go too far?" Kat asked her as she crossed her legs and wrinkled up her nose, flipping short dark waves of hair. "I know. Sometimes I go too far. But he was wasting your time. You weren't going to hire him."

  "I wasn't?"

  "No," she said confidently, sliding her résumé across the table, only a slight trace of amusement in her dark brown eyes. "Even if you don't hire me, you certainly can't hire him. He's high maintenance; he's a drama a day, at least. And you don't need that."

  "I don't."

  "No. You need stability. Loyalty. You need a take-charge, organized fashionista who makes her workday all about you."

  And Katarina Ivanov had been doing just that for more than a year since. Two parts Mother Earth and one part All- Business. Audrey had no idea what she would ever have done without her.

  "Where are you going?" she suddenly asked the driver. "Are you taking the Van Wyck Expressway?"

  "I got an idea," he tossed back at her over his shoulder. "You worry about your hat and gloves, and I'll take care of getting you to JFK."

  I'm not wearing a hat and gloves, you Neanderthal.

  When he glanced into the rearview and noticed Audrey seething at him, he sighed. "Don't worry your pretty little head. I'll get you there, Princess. Deal? Okay. Deal."

  Audrey dug her bright red fingernails into her palms.

  I despise New York.

  But she knew it wasn't the city so much as the energy of the place. Ten million people crammed into jam-packed streets, everyone trying to get somewhere, all of them convinced that their particular mission trumped everyone else's. If her driver worked in another city, say St. Louis or Abilene, she felt certain he'd be far less disagreeable. Audrey, on the other hand, just wanted to survive long enough in New York to catch the tail of her dream.

  Nearly out of money, and fast running out of steam, she had just enough of both to carry her through Carly's wedding in Atlanta. If she didn't score the job designing Kim Renfroe's wedding dress by the time she returned, Audrey would have to start thinking about throwing in the towel. Perhaps she could rustle up a job working for one of the other design houses. Her stab at venturing out on her own hadn't been the starship success she'd been convinced that it would be.

  Two years and three months.

  That's how long it had taken her to
run through the inheritance Granny Beatrice had left her. Twenty-seven months, almost to the day. When she'd left Atlanta for New York, she had such high hopes of making a name for herself as a designer. Marginal successes along the way had not contributed much toward soaring, only toward staying afloat. And even that was in jeopardy now.

  Audrey nibbled on the corner of her lip as she stared at the scenery beyond the sedan window. A mist of emotion rose in her eyes, blurring the passing cars. She really needed to figure out a way to tell Kat that she wouldn't be able to pay her much longer.

  She wondered if Carly knew how much it cost her to drop everything and head home for a week, not to mention all the time and resources she'd spent on designing and creating Carly's dream bridal gown. By the time the Atlanta trip came to a close, she would find herself up against the final wall. She would say good-bye to Kat, convert her design studio on the other side of her apartment into a living space, and advertise for a roommate. Then she would go begging for a job with low pay and long hours in support of someone else's design reverie.

  Unless Kim Renfroe chose to wear an Audrey Regan original for her spring wedding; in that case, the air in the tires of her dream would carry her on a little farther. Not much, but a little.

  "You gonna answer that, Princess?"

  "What?"

  "Your cell phone. It sounds like God is calling."

  The jingle of her harp-phone nudged her as she wiped a tear from her cheek. "Oh. I didn't hear it."

  She pulled the phone from her purse and fumbled with it. Finally, she heard Kat's muffled voice, and she held the thing up to her face.