Trust in Advertising (47 page)

“Professional or personal?” Lexi asked a little uncertainly.

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Victoria Michaels

“I guess a little of both, but mainly professional. The personal will work itself out.” He leaned back on the edge of the desk and smiled apologetically.

“I’ll tell you soon.”

He could see by her expression that she wasn’t buying it, but she let it go, for now. “Well, I’m here if you need me.”

“Thanks.” Vincent smiled and relaxed a bit. “You have no idea what that means to me.”

An awkward silence fell between them. “So, are we okay then?” she asked, waving her hand back and forth between the two of them.

He stood up and leaned toward her, then kissed the top of her head. “Always.”

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∙ 23 ∙

The rest of the weekend was spent scouring the cosmetic industry’s current ads and comparing them to the things that Marradesi had been doing in Europe. Vincent and Lexi weren’t going to pitch anything at this initial meeting, but they could get an idea of where they wanted to go with the presentation and test the waters to get a feel for how receptive the client would be to it.

Jade, having another of her I-am-the-center-of-the-universe moments, had been furious that Vincent had to work so much over the weekend, but she would have really been upset if she knew Lexi was there with him. He had wisely left that part out. Sunday she went with a few of her friends to have a facial, hoping to find out more about the Hunter leak, but returned empty handed.

Monday came up on Vincent quickly. He and Lexi had been at the office past nine o’clock Sunday night before and were back at it a few hours later.

“Good morning, Leigh.” Vincent gave her a tired smile as he passed her desk.

“Jeez, you look as tired as Lexi today. What’s up with the two of you?”

His first reaction was to tell her exactly what they had been working on, but then he remembered that someone was giving information to his competitors.

Until he knew who that person was, he needed to remain more tightlipped.

“Just a bunch of busy work. Did Lexi tell you to block out the afternoon for both of us?”

“Of course she did. So, where are you buying my lunch from today?”

Victoria Michaels

Vincent laughed. “Today you’re on your own, I’m afraid. I think I owe Lexi a decent meal.”

“Have a good day. And try and get a good night’s sleep tonight, please.”

“Yes, Mother.” He shook his head as he walked to his office.

Exhausted as he was, he suddenly found himself wide awake when he turned the corner toward his office. Lexi stood a few feet away at the coffee maker, looking like an absolute vision in blue.

Her outfit was simple and reserved, a feminine take on a suit, but the side slit in the skirt gave just a hint of the alluring things that were hidden underneath.

Her sleek, black heels made her shapely legs seem to go on for miles.

She balanced precariously on her tiptoes trying to reach a new box of coffee filters. Even in the heels, her tiny frame was still a few inches too short. Vincent snuck up behind her and reached up over her shoulder to help.

“Here you go, Shorty.”

Lexi’s face wrinkled in annoyance. “It’s the damn heels. I hate them.”

Vincent’s gaze raked over her body, slowly drinking in her curves. “I have to say, I’m quite partial to you in those shoes.”

“Thank you, Mr. Fashion. Please tell me I’m appropriately dressed for this meeting today. My bedroom looks like the closet threw up in the middle of the floor.” She did a little spin then tucked the filter into the pot and added the coffee grounds.

“You look beautiful and professional.”

“Where are we meeting them again?” She threw away the old filter and headed back to her desk.

“We’re having lunch at that new restaurant, Bravo. Paolo’s nephew owns the place, from what I understand.”

Lexi sank down into her chair. “I’m nervous.”

“Breathe, Lexi. It’s just a meeting. We go, we talk, and we leave.” His fingers gently stroked her hair in encouragement. “And for the record, throwing up is typically frowned upon at these things.”

We go, we talk, and we leave.
Lexi repeated the phrase in her head as she finished her morning work and prepared the few materials they were taking to the meeting.

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By noon, she was ready to crawl out of her skin. She had reorganized her desk twice and spent twenty minutes aligning the coffee mugs so all of the handles were perfectly parallel. Vincent, however, continued to breeze through his day, the picture of relaxation. He glided in and out of his office casually, made smartass comments to Lexi, and then disappeared back behind his door.

Lexi was printing off the final fact sheet about Hunter when Sean turned the corner and crashed into her.

“Howdy, Miss Polka Dot Panties,” he snickered.

“I catch you doing the Walk of Shame and you’re making fun of
me
?”

His broad shoulders shrugged. “Did you know your hair looks like hell in the morning? I think some men,” he glanced over at Vincent’s door, “would find it very sexy. And the polka dots too.”

He was obviously trying to deflect the conversation from himself by irritating Lexi, but she wouldn’t fall for it. “So, you and Hope.” A huge grin swept across his face, his cheeks tinting the slightest shade of pink. “Are you blushing?

Goodness, now I’ve seen everything!”

“A gentleman doesn’t kiss and tell.” There was an air of sincerity as he said the words, which warmed Lexi’s heart.

“Good, and you better not either, or Hope will roast your balls on a spit.”

Sean wrapped his arms around her and pulled her to his chest. “Your friend’s an amazing woman. I promise I would never do anything to disrespect her.” He placed a kiss on Lexi’s forehead and squeezed her tight.

“Thanks, Sean. Hope’s like a sister to me.”

“Now let me see you.” He held Lexi out at arm’s length and surveyed her outfit. “Our little Lexi, all grown up. You look like a mini Vincent, only cuter.”

Lexi quickly stuck her tongue out at him.

“Hey, I heard that,” Vincent grumbled from his doorway. He went to the coat rack and pul ed off Lexi’s jacket. “Stop grabbing her. We have to leave in a minute.”

Sean got a mischievous look on his face. “So, Vincent, what do you think about polka dots?”

The file in Lexi’s hand slipped from her fingers, sending papers flying in every direction. “Damn it!” She dropped to her hands and knees to gather them.

Vincent knelt beside her, collecting the last few items. He held his hand out and helped her back to her feet. As she stood up and brushed off her skirt, she noticed Sean watching their interaction with great interest. She didn’t miss the smug smile he sent in Vincent’s direction either.

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“Thanks.” Lexi dipped her head to hide her embarrassment.

“You seem so tense today, Lexi. Maybe you should find a way to release some of it. Vincent, do you have any suggestions?”

Now it was Vincent’s turn to drop something. Lexi’s jacket slipped through his fingers, and Lexi noticed the flustered expression on his face as he snatched the coat from the ground and held it in front of him. “Sean …” Vincent growled.

Seemingly pleased that he had been able to fluster both of them to the point of speechlessness, Sean gave a cheeky salute and headed back to his office. “My work here is done. Good luck with that meeting, guys. You two kids have fun.”

“What the hell was
that
all about?” Lexi prayed Vincent hadn’t picked up on Sean’s teasing.

“I have no idea, but I’m guessing you’re not worried about the meeting anymore.” He shifted in place, still clutching the jacket in front of him.

“Screw the meeting. Sean’s scarier than Marradesi any day.”

Vincent laughed and relaxed, wrapping the jacket over her shoulders. Lexi grabbed her bag and tucked the files safely inside. “Ready to go?” she asked.

The picture of confidence, Vincent placed his hand on the small of her back and began leading her toward the elevator. “Absolutely. Let’s do this.”

When they pulled up to Bravo, the valets all whistled as Lexi’s car rolled to a stop. A group of them crowded around, all wanting to get a better look at the classic automobile. Lexi had let Vincent drive, keeping her promise and figuring it would be a good idea to keep him as relaxed as possible. Nothing put a smile on his face like driving fast.

“What’s the horsepower on this?”

“You the original owner?”

“Who did the restoration?”

The young men peppered Vincent with questions as he climbed out of the driver’s side door. Vincent made his way around the car to take Lexi’s hand. “It isn’t mine. It’s the lady’s. You’ll have to ask her.”

Lexi smiled and began answering the litany of questions. “Four hundred horsepower engine last time I checked, but my mechanic likes to tweak things without tel ing me, so it’s probably more by now. My father was the original owner, 288

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and Hope Greyson over at the Crowbar did the restoration. Now if you’ll excuse us, we have a lunch date.” With a flip of her hair, she headed toward the restaurant.

Vincent glanced over at the valets and found them all staring at the gentle sway of her hips. He turned darkly to the men. “And Bob,” he said, reading one of the gawkers’ nametag, “if anything happens to her car, I’m holding you personally responsible. Do we understand each other?”

A small tug on his arm drew his attention back to Lexi. “You didn’t have to threaten the guy,” she said with a laugh.

Vincent chuckled when he heard Bob demand to be the one to park the car since “his ass was on the line for it,” and he knew her car would be well taken care of while they ate.

Inside the restaurant, they felt like they were standing in a plaza in the middle of Italy. The rough cobblestone floor and rich colors of the fabrics were authentic in a homey, rustic way. Music played, and people spoke in Italian at every turn. Each element added to the experience.

“Mr. Drake, Miss White,
buon giorno
.
Benvenuto al Bravo
,” a stocky man with short black hair said with a slight bow. “I’m Angelo. Allow me to show you to Mr. Marradesi’s table. They just arrived as well.”

Angelo led them through the restaurant, pointing out different antiques that his grandmother asked him to bring over from Italy. Lexi stopped twice to take a closer look at some of the family photographs. Her bright smile and genuine interest in what Angelo was saying endeared her to him immediately. He tucked her under his arm and gave her the ful tour. Vincent fol owed behind them, smiling.

The aromas wafting through the air were mouth-watering. The trio passed large groups of people sharing everything on the table, from pasta to chicken and veal dishes. Employees breezed by with large trays of pizza in their hands, the cheese still bubbling. The garlic smelled like heaven.

The atmosphere was one of laughter and the clinking of glasses. It felt more like a relative’s house than a restaurant, which was no small feat considering the size of the place. It seemed as if the rooms went on forever, yet the ambiance remained cozy.

Angelo led them to a private table situated at the back of the restaurant with no one else seated nearby. Paolo and Francesca sat beside one another at the large, round table. His arm was thrown around the back of her chair as she smiled and whispered something to him. Dante sat on the other side of Francesca 289

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and was talking to the wine steward. The steward nodded his head in agreement and then stepped aside so Angelo could seat Vincent and Lexi.

“Vincent, Lexi!” Paolo rose to his feet, shaking Vincent’s hand and then kissing both of Lexi’s cheeks. “Welcome to Bravo. It’s wonderful to see you again, Vincent. You remember my wife, Francesca?” The gorgeous woman gracefully stood up from her seat and demurely offered Vincent her hand.

“Mrs. Marradesi, it’s a pleasure to see you again. You look beautiful as ever.”

She threw her head back and laughed. “Ah, Vincent Drake. Such a charmer.

I told you before, please call me Francesca. ” Her hand came up and gave his cheek a playful pat. Then she turned her attention to Lexi and offered her a warm smile. “Lexi, darling,
come va
?” Her hands clasped around Lexi’s as she pulled her close and kissed her cheeks.