Page 121 of Have To Be Mine

“She always knew you’d do great things. She used to tell me all the time, ‘our Krista’s going to change the world.’” He smiled. “She was right.”

I wiped at my eyes, trying not to ruin the makeup I’d carefully applied this morning. I had been playing around with makeup lately. I didn’t wear a lot, but I liked spicing things up. “Thanks, Dad. I should probably get to work. I’ll call you later?”

“You better. Love you.”

“Love you too.”

I ended the call and took a moment to just breathe. A knock on the door made me turn. Elizabeth stood there holding two coffee cups, looking absolutely stunning in a tailored cream pantsuit that looked simple, but I knew it was designer. Probably her designs. Her hair was styled in soft waves, her makeup flawless. She looked like she’d stepped out of a magazine spread, not like a woman who’d probably been up half the night with a toddler.

“Morning!” She handed me one of the cups. “Thought you might need this. First days can be overwhelming.”

“Thank you.” I took the cup gratefully. “And thank you for this office. This is way more than I expected.”

“You deserve it. Adrian insisted you have a proper space. He said if we’re going to keep you, we need to treat you right.” She settled into one of the chairs across from my desk. “How are you feeling? Nervous?”

“Terrified,” I admitted. “But also excited. This is all very new for me.”

“You’ll do great. You’re already a legend around here after Santorini.” She took a sip of her coffee.

“Are you back to work full-time?” I asked.

“No. Not full time. Mimi offered to watch Bucky a couple days a week. She misses when her boys were little, apparently. Can you believe that? She actually said she misses the chaos.”

I laughed. “That’s sweet of her.”

“It is. And I’m grateful. I love being a mom, but I’ve missed this.” She gestured around. “The work. The designs. Creating things.” Her face lit up. “Actually, I’ve been working on some new pieces. Would you want to see them? Maybe at lunch today?”

“I’d love to.”

“Perfect.” She stood, then paused, her eyes scanning my outfit. I’d worn what I thought was appropriate—black pants, a white blouse, sensible flats. Professional. Safe. It was a step above my cargo pants.

“That’s a great look,” Elizabeth said carefully. “Very polished.”

I could hear the “but” in her voice.

“But?” I prompted.

“But nothing. It’s perfect for today.” She smiled. “Although, if you’d like to expand your work wardrobe a bit, I’d be happy to take you shopping. Just to give you some options. No pressure.”

I looked down at myself, then back at her gorgeous outfit. The truth was, I’d been wearing variations of this same look for years. It was comfortable. Safe. But it wasn’t exactly inspiring. I wanted to feel pretty, but I didn’t know how to dress. That was only a little embarrassing.

“I’d like that,” I said. “Maybe we could go this weekend?”

“Why wait?” Elizabeth’s grin turned mischievous. “Let’s go now.”

“Now? It’s my first day. I should be working.”

“It’s barely nine in the morning, and there’s nothing urgent on your schedule until this afternoon.” She was already heading for the door. “Come on. Consider it team building.”

I hesitated for a second before grabbing my purse. She was the boss’s wife. I couldn’t possibly get in trouble if she put me up to it. “Okay. Let’s do it.”

Two hours later, I was standing in the dressing room of a boutique that was way out of my price range. They knew her. Elizabeth had pulled what felt like half the store. I tried on more outfits than I’d bought in the last five years combined.

“How’s that one?” Elizabeth called from outside the dressing room.

I looked at myself in the mirror. The dress was a deep navy blue, fitted but not tight, with three-quarter sleeves and a hemline that hit just above my knee. It was professional but feminine, elegant. And it made me look like someone who belonged in that corner office.

“I love it,” I said, stepping out.