Page 12 of Hate To Be Mine

Sebastian Blackwell was walking in.

5

SEBASTIAN

Iwalked into Annika’s workshop ready to go over transportation logistics for all the clothing for the Miratoa shoot, along with any last-minute issues for the trip. I was all about the work. I was focused.

Until I saw her.

A sexy little model emerged from the changing area, turning this way and that in a pretty sundress. The dress hugged her in all the right places before flowing out in a way that made me think of summer and sunshine and things I definitely shouldn’t be thinking about in a professional setting.

Focus.

“Hey, Annika,” I called out, walking further into the workshop. “Did that stuffy nerd ever come in? You know, the insurance lady? Because a tropical island is not a good place for those pantsuits. She’s just begging for swamp bush.”

Annika’s eyes went wide.

The model in the sundress put her hands on her hips and turned to face me. It took my brain a second to catch up with what my eyes were seeing.

“What did you just say?” she asked, her voice dropping to a dangerous register.

Oh. Oh shit.

“Oh, Bernadette,” I said. “Now I recognize you. I think the smile threw me for a loop.” I gestured vaguely at her face. “I recognize that death glare, though. There’s the woman I know. How are you?”

She scowled at me. “I don’t have swamp bush.”

“And thanks to us, that will continue to be true,” I said, nodding at her.

I kept my expression neutral, but internally, I was shocked at how well Bernadette cleaned up. Because damn, the lady looked good when she wasn’t dressed like an eighty-year-old librarian. The dress showed off legs I hadn’t even known she had. Toned calves, a flash of thigh when she moved.

The neckline wasn’t low, but it hinted at curves that the pantsuits had completely hidden. Her hair was down, auburn waves falling around her shoulders and catching the light and showing off the red highlights. There was even a blush creeping up her cheeks, although that was probably from anger.

Still, she was a vision. No binders. No severe bun. Just Bernadette. The woman.

I forced myself to look away, turning my attention to Annika. Bernadette stomped back into the dressing room, disappearing behind the drawn curtain.

“So, Annika,” I said. “Final prep. How are we looking with the wardrobe department? Everything ready to fly halfway across the globe?”

Annika gave me a warm look. The woman had known me since I was basically a child, more like a fun aunt than an employee at this point. “Yes, we’re all set for your big shoot. Every piece is catalogued, packed, and ready for transport. Mary Jo has her makeup supplies organized and secured. The accessories are inventoried. We even have backup options in case something gets damaged in transit or we change our minds on how to stage a shot.”

“Perfect. And the garment bags can handle the humidity?”

“Sebastian, I’ve been doing this longer than you’ve been alive. The garment bags will be fine.”

“Right. Of course. I just want to make sure this goes off without a hitch,” I said. “If one thing goes wrong, my brothers will never let me hear the end of it.”

She smiled. “If only one thing goes wrong, that would be a miracle. But if it will put your mind at ease, let me walk you through the checklists.” Annika led me to a bunch of plastic tubs lined up in a row along the wall.

She pulled up the list she’d made and showed me where each item had been packed. Seeing how thorough she was, I felt some of the tension drain out of me. Part of being in charge was learning to trust my team. I needed to remember these people were also professionals who knew what they were doing.

Bernadette came back out of the dressing room and I lost my train of thought. She was in a white sleeveless blouse tucked into a pair of linen pants in a soft beige. The outfit showed off her alluring figure. The clothes made her look both professional and relaxed. She caught me looking and raised an eyebrow.

I shot her a thumbs-up and she rolled her eyes at me. I turned back to Annika, ignoring the heat I was feeling. “What about the backups?”

“We have backups and we’re bringing all the sewing machines and supplies we might need to handle any last-minute adjustments.” Annika pointed at different containers as she spoke, pointing out where the stuff was.

Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Bernadette turning left and right in front of the mirror. She was just a blurry shape in my peripheral vision, but I couldn’t think of anything else. Luckily for me, she disappeared back into the dressing room and released me from the spell she had me under.