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“A friend.” I don’t need to tell Bianca about my sick fascination of picking up random women who look like my ex and fucking them when I’m in New York.
Bianca scoffs. “She didn’t lookfriendlywhen she left.”
My brothers Hayden and Lucas have often told me that my assistant wants more than a working relationship with me. I always brush away their comments. Bianca is dedicated to her job and a stickler for details and punctuality. This isn’t jealousy, she’s just pissed because I made her wait for fifteen minutes.
When we arrive at Alessi Fashion, I make my way to the boardroom to meet Hayden and Lucas.
“Welcome back.” Hayden slaps me on the back. Older than me by only a year, with the same wavy, dark hair and hazel eyes, when we were younger, we often got mistaken for twins.
“Good to see you. We miss you here,” Lucas says, repeating the back-slapping gesture. At twenty-six, Lucas is the baby of the family and often has the maturity to prove it. With the strong Alessi gene pool, he too inherited the same coloring and build.
We take a seat at the table. “Don’t get too used to me being here. You know it’s only temporary.” I’ve given Juliette Monet two months to finish the designs, then I’m on the first flight back to London.
“You’re the head of the Alessi creative team, you need to be here more often. Will we ever see you here permanently?” Hayden asks not for the first time.
I cross my arms over my chest. My answer is always the same. “Not a chance.” I conduct most of New York’s business in London. “I’m only here because Juliette insisted I needed to see her designs in person.”
Before Hayden can lecture me about moving back, Bianca walks into the room carrying a tray of coffee and places one in front of each of us. I’m grateful for the distraction. Turning to me, she asks, “Is there anything else I can do for you?”
“We’re good for now. Thanks, Bianca.”
She smiles and leaves the room.
“I know exactly what she’d like todofor you,” Lucas says before blowing into his steaming mug.
I roll my eyes. They never stop.
I need to get this conversation directed to business and off me. “What do you think about Juliette’s spring collection so far?”
“Once again, she’s outdone herself. The budget is a little higher than we agreed on,” Hayden says. In charge of finances, he can be strict with money.
I tap the side of my mug. “The collection is worth the extra dollars.”
“I agree. You can’t skimp on her designs. They are going to photograph well too. I already have ideas on what I want to do with them,” Lucas adds. Lucas is a magician with the camera and our head photographer.
“Speaking of Juliette, I need to prepare a few things in my office before I see her.” I knock back the rest of my coffee and say goodbye.
As I make my way to my office, a woman at the end of the corridor catches my eye. Drawn to her, I pause. She’s tall, with long, dark hair that falls down her back in soft waves. Something in the way she gestures with her hands as she speaks with Tamara causes the hairs at the back of my neck to rise and sets my heart racing. Her head is slightly turned away, and I can’t get a good look at her face. She’s too far away to hear her voice.
No. It can’t be who I think it is. It’s just a strong resemblance. She wouldn’t dare set foot in my building.This is why I avoid New York City as much as possible. Any woman with long, dark brown hair and similar features makes me think of Harper. I should leave and go to my office, but instead, like a magnet being pulled to her, I take a few steps forward.
“Finn,” someone calls behind me. I ignore them and keep walking. “Finn,” they repeat louder. Seconds later, a hand lands on my arm. “Juliette is waiting.” I turn around. Bianca is staring at me with a quizzical expression on her face. “Are you okay?”
I rub my fingers over my eyes. “Yeah, I’m fine.”
Glancing back, I discover that the woman is gone. Of course, it’s not Harper. It was just another woman who looks like her. Being back in New York has the ghosts of my past playing tricks on my mind.
“Let’s go.” I guide Bianca to my office, but before I step into the room, I take a glimpse over my shoulder. I can’t shake the feeling that the woman lookedtoomuch like Harper.
Chapter Four
HARPER
Itwistmyfingerstogether with nerves as I sit in a chair across from Tamara Harris, listening to her explain the position and what will be required from me. What am I doing? I shouldn’t be here. This isn’t a ‘fake it ’til you make it’ job. This position needs qualifications and experience. Tamara is speaking about budgets, financial reports, and using a computer system I’ve never heard of before. All I can do is nod my head and smile, hoping I don’t look as confused as I feel.
Tamara pauses and pushes her bright pink, heart-shaped glasses onto the top of her emerald-colored hair and rests into the back of the chair. “You have no clue what I’m talking about, do you?”
“No…I mean yes… I—”
