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“You’ve done more than that. You’ve created a tsunami of media interest and made sure that I’m meeting all the right people to make this line a success.”
“I believe in you.” Victor’s shrewd brown eyes softened. “I wouldn’t have partnered with you if I didn’t. You’re talented and business-savvy. It’s been a pleasure working with you.”
“It’s been wonderful working with you, as well.” Throat tight, she gave him a smile as she squeezed his hand. “Now, if you don’t mind, I’m going to go back to the hotel and tuck my son into bed. I’ve neglected him terribly these past two days.”
“I understand perfectly.”
Noelle turned down Victor’s offer of his car and left him to make her way out of the ballroom. It was nine-thirty, but she doubted Marc was in bed yet. She was in the process of sending Christian a text letting him know she was on her way back when someone behind her called her name. With a weary sigh, Noelle turned and spied a tall, bone-thin woman in her early thirties coming toward her, recognizing her as theCharmemagazine editor who’d been overheard making disparaging remarks about her most recent fall couture collection. Not surprising, since she and Giselle had been rivals at Matteo Pizarro Designs and Giselle knew how to hold a grudge.
“Giselle, how lovely to see you.” Noelle gave her former coworker a polite smile.
“I understand you and Prince Christian Alessandro are hot and heavy once more.”
In the old days, before she’d realized what a snake Giselle could be, Noelle had told the seemingly sympathetic woman all about her two-year relationship with Christian. “We are friends.” There was no way Noelle was going to tell the woman anything.
“Friendly enough that he accompanied you and your son to New York.”
Although there had been speculation, the media hadn’t yet discovered Christian’s true relationship to Marc, and Noelle had no intention of sharing anything with Giselle.
“He’s a friend,” Noelle repeated, keeping her tone bland. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, it’s been a long couple of days.” She turned to go, but Giselle’s next words stopped her.
“I hear you’re launching a ready-to-wear line.”
Reminding herself that despite the animosity between them, Giselle had an influential position in the industry, Noelle put on her interview face. “That’s why I’m in New York. To meet with my backer and start making arrangements for manufacturing.”
“Oh, Prince Christian isn’t backing you?” Giselle’s surprise didn’t ring true. “I thought with you two being so close...and since he’s helped you out before.”
What was Giselle trying to get at?
“Prince Christian has never helped me.”
When triumph flashed in Giselle’s eyes, Noelle felt her uneasiness rise. Giselle had sabotaged her efforts several times when Noelle had first joined Matteo Pizarro Designs. Naively believing Giselle had been her friend had enabled the older woman to take credit for Noelle’s ideas and ruin an entire week’s worth of sketches before they were set to present their designs to Matteo as part of a special runway collection he was to exhibit at the Louvre. When, in the hour before they were to meet with Matteo, Noelle had crafted five sketches and Matteo had selected one of those, Giselle had been livid.
“You can tell the rest of the world such lies, but I know the truth.”
“What truth?” Noelle knew better than to ask, but Giselle’s absolute confidence had rattled her.
“That you never would have gotten the job with Matteo Pizarro without your prince’s help.”
“That’s a lie.”
“I heard Matteo speaking to Claudia about it. He said you were too inexperienced to hire, and he never would have considered you except that he was doing a favor for Prince Christian.”
Noelle awakened to the truth as if she’d been slapped in the face. She’d been so shocked that she’d landed a position with such a prestigious designer. Her work was acceptable, but not outstanding. Only after she started working for Matteo Pizzaro and been inspired firsthand by the man’s brilliance had she begun to gain confidence as a designer and take chances.
“It might be true,” Noelle conceded, “but that’s because Prince Christian believed in my talent before I did.” And he’d see it as a great way to end their relationship.
But did that really make sense? Surely Christian had ended things with dozens of women without finding them a dream job that sent them five hundred miles away.
Giselle must have perceived Noelle’s confusion as vulnerability because she stepped closer. “You’d be nothing if he hadn’t used his influence to get Matteo to hire you.”
“Maybe I wouldn’t be a wedding gown designer to the wealthy and famous,” Noelle agreed, no longer the naïve twenty-five-year-old girl Giselle had been able to take advantage of. “But I would still be the mother of an amazing little boy. And I’d be all the better for never having met you.”
So much for playing nice with the media. Noelle turned on her heel and slipped from the ballroom, her heart racing after the ugly encounter. Her thoughts were a chaotic jumble as she slid into a cab for the two-mile trek back to the Four Seasons. She didn’t doubt Giselle spoke the truth about Christian arranging for her to get the job with Matteo. What she couldn’t sort out was how she felt about it.
Fifteen minutes later she let herself into her hotel suite, surprised to find Christian watching TV in her living room. There was no sign of Marc.
“You’re back early,” he said, using the remote to turn off the TV. He got to his feet as she crossed the room.
