CHAPTER 1
Moonlight streamed through the open slits of the curtains, dimly illuminating the room. He was there…his gentle hand caressed her shoulder. She couldn’t see him, but the essence of his energy filled her senses. He slowly lay down beside her. The warmth from his fully outstretched body set every fiber of her on fire. Soft lips gently, sweetly covered hers in a light as a feather kiss, leaving her heart pounding with passion. She wanted more…and, just at that moment, as if he’d read her thoughts, the strength of his kiss deepened. She melted into him. She felt his very soul… “Darla! Darla! Darla, wake up!” Karan shook Darla until she sat upright on the bed. Darla ran her tongue over her teeth trying to dispense the morning mouth she felt. She moaned, laid back down, and pulled the covers over her head. “Darla!” “Alright, alright! Good grief, Karan, where’s the fire?” “We’ve slept through the alarm. We have to be downstairs in ninety minutes! Nothing’s set up, we still have to get ready…” Karan continued mumbling as she flitted around the room. Darla shook her head. Seeing her boss in this much of a panic was nothing new. She sprang out of bed, stretching her arms high over her head, hearing the cracks and creaks of her body protesting her movement. “Karan, settle down. Close your eyes. Breathe. Center. Let it go,” Darla instructed, as she had so many times in the past. “How can I let this go? We’re going to be late to our very first conference. There’re over two hundred people registered for this event, and I…ME…I’m going to be late for my own meeting…or funeral in this case.” Karan was still muttering about things as she walked into the bathroom. There was no way everything was going to get done in the time left before her expected arrival. She wasn’t going to disappoint her clients. She couldn’t. Karan turned the showerhead on so the water sprayed in an alternating massaging pattern. She climbed into the shower and closed the glass doors behind her. The water was barely lukewarm when it hit her body. Well, if this doesn’t wake me up, nothing will! Karan shampooed her hair, soaped her body, and rinsed off as quickly as she could. She grabbed a towel and wrapped up her wet hair then chose another to dry off and wrap around her body. She walked quickly back into the main part of the hotel room. “Darla, make it quick,” Karan instructed as she continued getting ready. “Yes, Boss.” Darla made her way to the bathroom. She knew if she weren’t out in ten minutes, Karan would come drag her out because she’d done that before. Excitement built in Darla as she thought about today. She smiled as she slid the glass shower doors open. There was no way she was going to let her best friend down by being late. The first ever conference for Love Be in the Cards Life Path and Matching Guides was scheduled from 10 am to 4 pm in Conference Room 1 of the Thomasson Grand Hotel. As Karan’s personal assistant, Darla was responsible for making things work. She would introduce her boss, be there to make sure the clients’ needs were met, and most importantly, make sure her boss’ needs were met. Karan Seymour’s brilliant idea came to fruition only three months ago. It was a concept she’d embraced after experiencing her own Love Match reading. The passion grew for helping others find their destiny, find their happily ever after person, and most importantly find and accept themselves as loving, worthwhile beings. When Karan pitched this idea to her best friend, Darla Rogers, Darla jumped on it. She encouraged Karan in every way to pursue this path, to move forward with making it into a business, and assured her that she would be there every step of the way. Darla had always been Karan’s biggest cheerleader, and for her to now experience Karan’s success firsthand was incredible. She was giddy at the thought of how well this concept had been received. They already had four other conferences booked, one was on a cruise. Darla closed the clamshell clasp on the gold bangle bracelets decorating her left wrist. She’d chosen an A-line black gauze halter dress that hit her mid-calf and paired it with a black crocheted cotton angel wing sweater. Because she would be standing most of the day, Darla chose to wear the black Mary Jane’s with the arch supports. The gold jewelry around Darla’s neck showed up well against her beautifully tanned skin. She ran a brush through her chocolate brown shoulder length hair and spritzed it with hairspray. Darla checked to make sure the colored gloss was evenly covering her lips and that the eye shadow and mascara were perfect. She sprayed her favorite fragrance into the air and walked through it. Karan, on the other hand, had chosen a turquoise ankle length broom skirt that she had paired with the same color tank top. A sheer turquoise swirl patterned jacket made her look like a fresh breath of sea air. She, too, wore gold jewelry…a coin necklace with matching earrings and a four carat oval aquamarine ring that graced the index finger of her right hand. Birkenstock sandals completed Karan’s look. Karan grabbed her glasses and the large jute handbag with tortoiseshell ring handles. “Grab that suitcase. We’re going to need it,” Karan nodded to the green bag on wheels that was sitting by the door. Darla pulled out the handle on the rolling bag, secured her laptop onto the handle, slung her purse over her shoulder, and followed Karan downstairs to the conference room.
CHAPTER 2
Crystal chandeliers sparkled above as Karan and Darla made their way down the plush carpeted hall to the assigned conference room. A man in a three piece navy pinstripe suit spotted them and quickened his pace toward them. “Oh, Cherie! Such an honor it is to have you in my hotel.” Philippe, the hotel manager, kissed Karan on each cheek and bowed his greeting to Darla. “So many have come this day to see you. We’ve had to move your event to the smaller ballroom on the third floor. My staff has been working very hard to get this done. We will fix it, Mon Cherie,” Philippe assured. Holy Crap! The smaller ballroom! Darla was astonished. The event had mushroomed overnight. No longer were there two hundred attendees, but three hundred fifty! “Thank you for your warm greeting and attention to detail, Philippe. We greatly appreciate it. Please direct us to the elevator we should take to the third floor.” Karan’s matter of fact attitude left Darla feeling cold. She wondered why, all of a sudden, this sparked her boss to react so severely to the situation. Three hundred fifty attendees for a first conference was epic in Darla’s eyes, anyway. Philippe walked them to the elevator across from the main desk in the hotel. He kissed Karan’s cheeks one more time and winked at her. “Good luck, Cherie.” Once in the elevator Karan closed her eyes and took a deep breath. In mere seconds, the elevator stopped and the doors opened to reveal a throng of people making their way into the ballroom, taking their seats, waiting for the guest of honor to arrive. Darla’s keen senses picked up on Karan’s anxiety level and immediately pushed the close door button. “You’ve got this, Karan. You can do this.” “That’s easy for you to say. All you have to do is introduce me. What happens if no one wants to hear what I’m saying? What happens if they all think I’m some quack, Darla? What then?” “Listen, you’ve tested this theory hundreds of times on hundreds of people and it always works. Go with what you know. Go with your intuition and your gut. They always win. They always take over anyway. “Kick your ego off that chair and shine like the diva you are. Don’t let them win. You don’t have to fake anything. You know in your heart of hearts what will be right for those who question their lives and seek further readings with you.” Darla’s words made sense, it was just putting them into action. Karan was petrified of crowds. She aced one on one meetings with no problem. Small groups were good, too, so long as she was in control of the topics and could leave when she needed to…but this, this was a different animal all together. Karan wasn’t quite sure how to capture the beast within and tame it in the next few seconds. “I guess it’s now or never, huh?” “Yes, I’m afraid so, Karan.” Darla embraced her boss and sent every ounce of peace and calmness she had through her into Karan before opening the elevator door.
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