Page 473 of Manhattan Bossholes

“You’re damn right it was your fault!” she panted, clearly riled up by the shock. “Why are you sneaking around again?”

“I wasn’t sneaking,” I replied calmly, even though I didn’t like her tone. “And remember whose name is on the sign out front. I can go wherever I want.”

“Oh, so that includes hovering over your employees while they work?”

I pointed towards her sketchbook. “We both know that’s not work. Branson doesn’t have a swim line.”

Natalie frowned at me, shamed into silence.

“It’s after hours, so it’s fine,” she finally said.

“What’s it for?” I asked. “Not a competitor, I hope.”

She plopped onto the chair at the table. “School,” she admitted. “I was sketching the couture stuff, but it triggered an idea, so I just switched gears. I guess I got caught up in it and lost track of time.”

“Do you mind if I look?”

Natalie shrugged and pushed her sketchbook towards me.

“You can flip through,” she said.

I turned a page and saw that the next one had six swimsuit designs, all featuring patterns that were unlike anything you’d normally see at the beach.

“Explain the assignment to me,” I said, leaning in closer to study them.

“We’re supposed to unite two aspects of design that don’t normally go together, so I picked fine china and swimwear.”

“What?” I chuckled at the unique concept. “Seriously?”

“Look closer at the prints,” she said.

I studied them. “The blue is a…”

“Traditional Wedgwood pattern. And the brown ones above it are Woodland Spode. See the little rabbit on the bodice?”

Her voice was soft, like she was a little shy about her drawings. I remembered how proprietary she’d been about the sketchbook when she realized that I’d found it. Now, it almost felt like she was sharing her journal with me. I was touched that she was letting me see something that she normally kept private.

“Absolutely amazing,” I said, hoping she could hear my sincerity. I wanted her to know how talented I thought she was. “Really unique.”

“You sound surprised.”

I frowned at her. “Not at all. That’s pure appreciation. And a little awe at your ingenuity. I already knew you had the spark, that’s why I hired you. The creative meeting just proved me right. And now this…” I gestured to her sketchpad. “You keep surprising me. How did you get your start?”

She looked almost girlish as she grinned at me, so different from the strong, combative woman I usually saw. “Designing was my escape when I was little. Let’s just say my childhood was tough, so I disappeared into my sketches. I redesigned every Disney princess’s wardrobe!” She laughed. “Then when I got a little older, I started doing these funky drawings on white T-shirts with a Sharpie. My classmates actually bought them. It was my first taste of turning my art into commerce, and I was hooked. And now look at me. Living the dream.”

I appreciated her enthusiasm. It hit me that I was the reason she was living her dream…that crazy night in the stockroom had led to her new beginning.

“You deserve it. You’re really talented, Natalie. This swim collection is something else.”

“I’m glad to hear you approve. I need to ace this class, and my professor is hard to impress. Have you heard of MG?”

I shook my head. “The name sounds familiar, but I don’t know the details. He’s a designer, right? Does lots of private label stuff for discount chains? What’s he all about?”

She leaned forward onto her elbows on the table, and I had to work hard to keep my eyes from darting down the front of her dress.

“He’s an egomaniac, that’s for sure. And he can be a little too hands-on for my liking.”

“How so? Does he make changes to your designs, right on the page?” I asked. “Because I imagine that’s quite an invasion.”