DESIGN FOR LOVE Read Online Free PDF

orders received for her creations. So far, the latter had been almost infinitesimal and was the prime reason for Francine setting up their cocktail session.
    Stella, in her early forties, brown hair, somewhat plain-looking, was a few minutes late. She spotted Francine at a corner table in the bar, a glass of Chardonnay already waiting for her.
    “Sorry I’m late.” Stella smiled, gratefully slurping her first mouthful of wine.
    “No problem,” Francine countered. “I’m just glad you could spare the time.”
    “What’s up, sweetie?” Stella already sensed Francine’s tension.
    “You read me so well, Stella,” Francine replied. “I just wanted to apologize for the fact that my orders have been pretty sparse so far and with you reserving production space for me and all.”
    Stella patted her arm reassuringly. “Don’t worry, in fact you’ve done me a favor in a way.”
    “A favor?”
    “Yes. I had a major order to fill in a hurry for ‘The Place’. Three hundred pant suits for ‘House of Cinclare’!”
    Francine shook her head in dismay. “There he goes again!”
    “There who goes again?”
    “That Gerard Cinclare!”
    Stella looked both surprised and envious. “You mean you actually know that Greek God? Closest I ever got to him was seeing his picture with that blonde goddess in a magazine.”
    “Greek ego tripper is more like it. It seems like every time I turn around I bump into Mr.‘I-know-it-all’!”
    Stella was fascinated. “And I guess each time it didn’t exactly go well?”
    “You could say that,” Francine sighed. “As if things didn’t go bad enough at the Dallas Show, I overheard him telling people that my line needed major surgery!”
    “The insensitive jerk!”
    “Exactly. Mind you he did call with a kind of half-hearted apology.”
    “So?”
    “He made me madand the trouble is, I’m not exactly sure I don’t agree with his criticism.”
    Stella leaned closer. “So, tell me? What’s he really like, you know, close up?”
    Francine suddenly found herself being defensive, almost protective against disclosing some of the confrontations she had endured with the handsome businessman. “Well, he’s very good looking, very self-assured, somewhat egotistical, but I will say this for him - he really loves his mother!”
    Stella was watching Francine even more closely. “Oh my God! You actually like the guy!”
    Francine suddenly found herself blushing. “Are you serious? The man’s a macho moron and he already has a sexy blonde in tow. And besides, he and I have a score to settle!”
    “A score?”
    “Yes. One of these days he’s going to eat his words for criticizing my work!”
    Stella gave a knowing grin. “In that case, he’d better watch out. In fact,” she added as an afterthought, a smile on her face.
    “I’d even buy tickets to see that one!”
    Francine then tried to shake the images of Gerard Cinclare from her mind and get back to business. “So, thanks for being patient with me, Stella. The next show is New York and then the big one in Monte Carlo. Hopefully, we’ll have more success there.” she squeezed Stella’s arm. “Just don’t give up on me yet, okay?”
    Stella smiled. “Never!”

CHAPTER 7
    After a further week of twenty hour days, Francine and Vince finally had the main items of their line ready for New York and all their plans were finally made. All Francine’s models had promised faithfully that they would be there on the day and Mrs.‘T’ had also brought her overnight things over so that she could sleep in with Alison while Francine was out of town.
    This was the first time that Francine had left Alison since the divorce, so she was extremely uptight as she finished packing to leave.
    “Now, you won’t forget to collect her from school by 3.30, Mrs.‘T’? I’ll leave my car for you because the limo will take us to the airport with all the baggage we’ve got.”
    “Don’t worry, Francine, she’ll be fine.” Mrs.‘T’