All I Want Is You
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Synopsis
Fans of New York Times bestselling authors Carly Phillips, Jennifer Probst and Julie James will fall in love with Sherrill Bodine! SHE'S STEALING HIS HEART . . . Vintage boutique owner Venus Smith is stunned to realize her newest acquisition comes with a larcenous legend. Stolen years ago, the antique mermaid brooch belongs to the Clayworth family. The right thing to do would be to return it, but that means facing Connor Clayworth O'Flynn, the sexy department store heir Venus has had an unrequited crush on since childhood-and the man who helped ruin her father. ONE KISS AT A TIME Connor knows that Venus has never forgiven him for what happened between their families. But business isn't personal, even though Venus's father's betrayal still cuts him like a knife. So when Venus proposes a deal-she'll return his family's brooch if he helps clear her father's name-he reluctantly agrees. As action-packed days turn into flirtatious fall nights, it isn't long before old memories resurface . . . and new desires ignite. Can two young lovers leave the past behind? Or must they first admit that all they've ever really wanted . . . is each other?
Release date: January 1, 2012
Publisher: Forever
Print pages: 344
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All I Want Is You
Sherrill Bodine
“A second-chance-at-love thriller… fans will enjoy Ms. Bodine’s entertaining joy ride.”
—Midwest Book Review
“A Black Tie Affair is a charming romantic romp I thoroughly enjoyed… Sherrill Bodine has found a way to open a glamorous world everyone can delight in.”
—Blogs.PublishersWeekly.com
“A light, little romance… a fun way to pass an afternoon.”
—RT Book Reviews
“Great read… fast, and oh so romantic… I’m a fool for romance, so I fell under the spell of Sherrill Bodine immediately.”
—TheReviewBroads.com
“Wonderful characters… I can’t wait to read about what’s happening in Chicago with Ms. Bodine as my guide!”
—NightOwlRomance.com
“Simply fun… This one will bring a smile to your face and perhaps bring up a memory or two.”
—BookJourney.wordpress.com
“A Black Tie Affair is a light, fast read with several moments that made me laugh out loud… a light read with bit of love and romance lightly sprinkled with mystery.”
—FictionVixen.com
“If you like fashion, romance, mysterious toxins, erratic and funny behavior coming from otherwise staid people, and two people who are meant to be together, then you probably will enjoy reading this novel.”
—CoffeeTimeRomance.com
“Ms. Bodine’s readers will appreciate the buildup of this romance and the time that she spends pulling us into her tale.”
—SuspenseRomanceWriters.com
“I highly recommend this book with a 5/5 rating. It has some adventure, romance, and fiction based on factual incidents and places.”
—SAHMReviews.com
“A light, frothy romance with enough substance to keep the reader interested. Fashion history can be fascinating and Bodine makes that the center to A Black Tie Affair.”
—JandysBooks.com
“Filled with intrigue and intricate details and real emotions… and enjoyable read.”
—MiddayEscapades.com
“What makes this book stand out for me was the author’s ability to use internal thoughts and punch them into stellar one-liners. It made the characters so much more dimensional, complete with lovable flaws. You really found yourself relating to them and rooting for them. Recommended!”
—BookPleasures.com
“Oh, but I loved this book. Ms. Bodine has a way of bringing you into the world of high fashion couture dresses and making any girl feel all giddy inside. This was a light, fluffy romance, with great characters, witty banter, and an underlying mystery to solve… a very enjoyable read.”
—BookWormyGirl.blogspot.com
“4 Stars! A funny, energetic, and charming story that’s sure to entertain many readers… The depth and reality of Bodine’s characters make the story come alive, and readers will finish the novel with a happy feeling inside.”
—RT Book Reviews on Talk of the Town
“Fun, fresh, and entertaining, Bodine’s work sparkles for those who like a little dish and a little romance.”
—Parkersburg News and Sentinel (NC)
“I love this book! Fizzy, frothy fun expertly blended with sexy romance, powerful friendships, much warmth, and lots of laughter. Don’t miss this witty and wonderful page-turner.”
—Barbara Bretton, New York Times bestselling author of Casting Spells
“Charming and a fun escape.”
—JandysBooks.com
“What a hoot! Laugh-out-loud rollicking romance… Juicy gossip, fashion advice, delish recipes, and sexy romps; Talk of the Town is destined to be the talk of romance readers everywhere!”
—SingleTitles.com
“I thoroughly enjoyed Talk of the Town.”
—ArmchairInterviews.com
Darlings, love is in the air!
It seems wild mischievous Eros, God of Love, aka Cupid, has cast his sights on our windy city. I have been reliably informed of five engagements and six weddings in Lincoln Park alone and at 1220 Lake Shore Drive, in a mere three days, four engaged couples bought condos, and one glorious wedding took place on the rooftop garden of that very same building. Truly, Chicago is bursting with amore from the lake to our suburbs, north, south, and west!
We all know Eros’s greatest delight is to zip around shooting arrows of desire into innocent and perhaps not so innocent victims who instantly fall in love, whether they want to or not.
Methinks Cupid aimed well when one of Chicago’s most eligible bachelors, Drew Clayworth, finally realized exactly who he wanted when he wooed and won the heart of Athena Smith.
As you know, beautiful Athena runs the divine vintage boutique Pandora’s Box, along with her sisters, Venus and Diana.
Only the finest treasures find their way to this store from the Smith sisters’ mini treasure hunts through the closets, attics, and basements of Chicago’s elite. To all you blissful brides—no doubt the perfect wedding dress awaits you in their house of vintage beauty.
While shopping there please feel free to flaunt your engagement rings, because not only is Venus an expert on vintage couture costume jewelry but she is also a consummate jewel lover. She informed me that in the Orient and the West, diamonds, “stones of light,” symbolize both the hidden riches of the gem and a spiritual connection to the giver of the jewel.
Darlings, I’ve found that no matter how much time has passed since my beloved presented me with my ring, I only have to gaze at the diamond and I’m flooded with emotion. Yes, I appreciate its beauty, but, more important, it instantly conjures up my feelings of bliss at being married to the man of my dreams.
May it be true for all of you.
Speaking of the delights of marriage, the union between Drew Clayworth and Athena Smith is much anticipated by friends and family and destined to be the nuptial of the season. It is my fondest wish their marriage will heal the painful, deep rift between these two wonderful families. Where Cupid is concerned, who knows?
And who knows where the mischievous fellow may strike again.
Beware, Clayworth men! If your confirmed bachelor Drew can succumb to love, how far behind can you be in finding your soulmates?
When it happens it will be the Talk of the Town and I promise to share every romantic detail with all of you!
Today, on Chicago’s legendary old-money Gold Coast
Venus Smith saw her father, Alistair, waiting for her at a table next to the flower boxes at their favorite outdoor café in Lincoln Park.
The sunlight gleamed off his white hair as he bent over a thick tablet of paper.
He was still writing fast and furiously when she came up behind him.
“Happy Saturday,” she whispered into his ear and bent over to place a white pastry box on the table in front of him.
Squinting, he looked at it and then up at Venus.
“What is this?”
She dropped onto the chair across from him. “Open it.”
Meticulous as always, he slowly slid a knife blade along the tape holding the lid closed. Raising one eyebrow, he lifted out a small, white cake shaped like an open book.
Goddesses Rock was written out in pink frosting across the top.
“Do you like it, Dad? It’s to celebrate you starting to write your children’s book on goddess mythology.”
A gleam of joy lit his eyes. This was the first time she’d seen him happy since he’d been fired and disgraced by the Clayworth family eight months ago.
“Thank you, Venus. I love it.”
Ready to cry, she blinked hard and bit her lip to get a grip on herself. “It’s your favorite—white cake with fresh strawberries and whipped-cream filling. We probably should wait for Diana, but if you want we could cut it right now.”
“Cake for breakfast?” His chuckle warmed her in a way she hadn’t felt since that fateful, horrible day.
“Of course, cake for breakfast.” Laughing, she leaned across the table toward him. “It has all the food groups. Eggs, milk, flour, butter, even fruit. When you think about it, cake is perfect.”
“Just like my daughters.”
She wanted to savor this moment, with her father’s face alive in a way it hadn’t been since he’d been forced out as treasurer of John Clayworth and Company, Chicago’s iconic department store. The September sun bathed them in a warm, comfortable glow, and she felt herself relaxing in a way she hadn’t in months.
Please let this be the ending of the bad times and the beginning of good things for Dad.
But a deep, husky laughter rang out across the open-air restaurant and sent an icy shiver down her spine, as if a bucket full of ice had been dumped over her head.
Oh, no! It can’t be!
Hoping it might only be her overactive imagination, Venus shifted around in her seat, afraid that her weekly breakfast date with her father and this perfect new beginning was totally spoiled. If that voice belonged to the man she thought it belonged to…
The shiver shifted to her stomach as her eyes focused on Connor Clayworth O’Flynn pulling out a chair for his aunt at a table located near the geranium-festooned boxes that lined the sidewalk café. This had always been one of Venus’s favorite spots. So much for that.
The sun shot streaks of light through Connor’s thick black hair. He must have felt her gaze on him, because he turned his head and glanced toward her.
Deliberately, and with disdain, she swung away, ignoring him. She had been doing her best to avoid laying eyes on Connor for months, and even before he’d proven himself to be totally judgmental and without an ounce of loyalty, he’d always made her feel strangely… uneasy.
Across the small table, her father sat up straighter and stared over her shoulder.
She watched her father’s face change, hating the look of disappointment and hurt again etched across his bones and the tight lines of his mouth.
“Do you want to leave, Dad?” Waiting for the usual lecture, she met her father’s eyes.
“No, I do not want to leave. Connor is simply having breakfast with his aunt and uncle. As I plan to enjoy time with you and Diana this morning. These encounters are bound to occur. Chicago is a small town in many ways. Which is one of the reasons I have asked you and your sisters to put all our difficulties with the Clayworths in perspective and move forward.”
Hearing the defeat in his voice, she couldn’t bear it another moment. She’d really tried to honor his wishes, tried to still her burning desire to dig for information to help him. Now, unable to stop herself, she leaned across the table to clasp his hands.
Her father’s grip was strong and tight on her fingers.
“Please talk to me, Dad,” she urged, as she’d wanted to do for months. “I know being fired as treasurer of John Clayworth and Company after so many years hurt you. I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to forgive any of them, even Drew when he marries Athena, if you don’t explain the reason they fired you. Why you didn’t fight them. Why you didn’t defend yourself. Why you won’t talk about it with any of us.”
His deep sigh seemed more like a shudder. Guilt burned hot and bright through her but still she gripped his fingers, hoping this time he’d reveal the truth.
“Venus, you know all the Clayworth men and I signed an antidefamation agreement. I cannot and will not discuss it with you or your sisters. I’m sorry, but my decision is final.”
The slight breeze off Lake Michigan again carried the sound of Connor’s laughter and a snatch of his conversation, “… work at Clayworth’s…,” seemed to hang in the air over her table. She saw pain flicker like a blinding light through her father’s aquamarine eyes.
That’s it. Someone has to take Connor to task for what he’s done. Make him explain himself.
“Dad, you worked so closely with Connor and you always spoke of him so glowingly. His betrayal must have hurt you more than the others,” she said softly, almost afraid her words might cause him more pain.
He pressed a kiss on her knuckles and released her hands. “Yes, Connor and I became very close running everything together these last ten years since his father passed away. That is the only information I can share with you, Venus. You must let this go.”
I tried, I really did, Dad, but I can’t any longer. I’m going to defy your wishes and learn the truth to exonerate you.
“You look exactly like your mother.”
The warmth in his eyes brought a rush of emotion settling at the back of her throat. “You’re being silly, Dad.” She laughed, her voice husky with unshed tears. “You know Mom was tiny like Athena and Diana. I have your bone structure.”
“What did we always tell you?” he asked, his voice soft and loving.
“That I am the perfect combination of both of you,” she repeated, as she knew he wished her to do.
“Yes. And when you get that particular look on your face you’re the image of your mother, determined to solve a problem no matter how long it took her or what she had to do.”
“Then my tenacity is a good thing, right?” She laughed so she wouldn’t get weepy.
“I’m here,” Diana gasped, rushing up to kiss their father on the cheek. “What did I miss? What’s a good thing?”
He smiled between them. “Your sister’s tenacity.”
Diana flicked a look past Venus to where Connor sat behind her. “It depends on what Venus is up to.”
“To getting us all breakfast now that you’ve arrived, right on time as usual.”
“Afraid I might break my record this morning.” Diana slid into the chair next to their father. “I had to stop by my office at Clayworth’s to pick up some sketches.”
Not wanting to spoil their weekly breakfast together by opening the hot subject of Diana’s still working for John Clayworth and Company, Venus jumped up. “I’ll go ask the waitress to get our orders started.”
Trying to be patient while waiting in line, she couldn’t stop glancing out the window to where Connor sat with Bridget O’Flynn and Tony Panzarella.
Remembering her father’s pain, his words kept pounding through her head “… Connor… became very close running everything together these past ten years…”
How do I get Connor to tell me what happened to change everything and cause him to fire Dad? And how do I get him to admit he’s made a horrible mistake?
The crazy idea that she was the only one who could end this travesty of justice took root and wouldn’t stop growing. As if the power of her plan reached him, Connor rose slowly to his feet and turned toward the café door.
Warm air caught in her lungs. If he comes into this restaurant I swear I’m going to confront him right here and now.
He held the door open for his aunt Bridget to walk through.
Venus released her breath in a long sigh of relief. Okay, so I’m not quite sure yet what I’m going to say to him.
She smiled at Bridget, the only member of the Clayworth clan she still trusted. Except maybe Drew, for Athena’s sake.
“Venus, this is kismet.” Bridget’s wide grin split her narrow face. “I’ve been wantin’ to call you about my closet. Tony and Connor are always sayin’ I haven’t thrown out anythin’ in thirty years. Today they both threatened to clean it themselves because Connor is at the brownstone all day helpin’ Tony. Can you find the time soon to take a look? See if I have anythin’ for your store or to donate? I’d hate for them to toss out somethin’ of value or somethin’ that might find a good home with someone else.”
Firmly convinced this must be an omen that the cosmos had picked up her thought and was giving her a shove to make something happen to help her Dad, Venus lied. “This is kismet, Bridget. I happen to be free today.”
“Can’t believe my luck.” Bridget laughed. “We’re headin’ home now. Can you make it soon?”
Mentally going through the list of appointments she’d need to cancel, she nodded. “Very soon. Actually, as soon as I finish having breakfast with Dad and Diana I’ll come right over.”
From the moment Bridget strolled happily away between Connor and Tony, Venus could think of nothing but how quickly she could follow them.
She tried to be patient while she waited for their breakfast and carried the tray back to the table. Tried to listen to her father and sister while she pushed her scrambled eggs around on her plate and nibbled on the edges of an English muffin, but her wild scheme kept twisting through her head, blocking out everything else.
Connor and I have always been like oil and water. What could possibly be my first move here?
Ideas bounced around in her head, ways to coax information out of Connor, but everything felt too obvious. And Connor was anything but stupid. Determined to put the pieces of the puzzle together herself somehow, she didn’t realize her sister was staring at her.
“Venus, you’ve hardly eaten any breakfast. And you haven’t touched your piece of cake. What’s wrong?”
Diana’s soft but firm voice broke through Venus’s plotting and she came back to reality with a thump of her heart against her ribs. Her baby sister had an uncanny way of knowing when Venus wasn’t exactly telling the truth.
Resisting her powerful urge to play with her hair, which would totally give her away, Venus folded her hands in her lap. “You know I’m always on a diet.”
“You don’t need to be. You’re beautiful.” Her father patted his lips with a napkin and rose slowly to his feet. “I must get back home to my writing. Love you both.”
He kissed their cheeks and Venus watched him walk away, his tablet of notes on his book tucked under his arm and the leftover cake in his hands. His shoulders weren’t as square as they’d once been, nor was his stride as long and strong. Seeing it felt like a blow to her heart. It’s more than time for me to end this one way or another.
“All right. Dad’s gone. Now tell me what was going on with you and Bridget. After you came back to the table you were totally preoccupied.”
Venus shrugged. “I’m just helping her with her closet this afternoon.”
Diana’s aquamarine eyes, so much like her own, widened. “I know Connor won’t be at Clayworth’s today because he’s helping Tony. Did Bridget tell you he’d be there?”
“Yes,” Venus said as nonchalantly as possible. “Aren’t you the one always telling me I need to be at least cordial to all Clayworths no matter how I feel about them?”
Wise Diana was not fooled, and Venus knew it by the stern look on her sister’s usually angelic face.
“I’ve never understood why you’ve always seemed to dislike Connor. Even after he rescued you from Lake Michigan when we were teenagers.”
Remembering the embarrassment of being hauled up onto the Clayworths’ sandy beach like a soggy bag of extra-large potatoes, her bathing suit askew, exposing way too much of her overblossoming curves, Venus shook her head. “He didn’t rescue me. I was perfectly fine. He always took his unofficial lifeguard duties as stupidly rigidly and seriously as he does everything else. Including thinking he’s always right.”
Diana stared her down while rising slowly to her feet. “Venus, I know since the troubles with Dad you’ve gone out of your way to avoid Connor, even at Athena and Drew’s engagement party. So why are you spending the afternoon with him now? What do you want from him?”
To charm him, maybe even befriend him, so that he’ll reveal everything I need to know to help Dad.
Of course she couldn’t confess such an outrageous plan to anyone, especially her sister. She had no idea how she could ingratiate herself with Connor, but after her talk with her dad this morning and after seeing the look in his eyes, she knew Connor had the key to the truth.
Venus hugged her and decided to tell her part of her plan. “Stop worrying. All I want is to help Bridget clean her closet.”
“Venus, thank God you could come on such short notice. I can’t face this without your help.” Bridget flung open the doors to her expansive walk-in closet in her equally impressive neat-as-a-pin bedroom.
Bridget’s look of utter gratitude made Venus feel so guilty for being here under false pretenses that she felt a need to leave immediately and come back when her motives were pure and her head wasn’t full of crazy plots.
“Are you sure you really want to do this today?” Venus asked with real hope. “I could come back next week. Give you more time to really think about it.”
“Gotta do it now.” Bridget nodded with vigorous determination. “You bein’ free today is a Godsend. Tony’s thrilled. But drivin’ me crazy with helpful suggestions. I made Connor take him to lunch. They’ll be back soon.”
Good. That’s why I’m here. Venus tensed, feeling even guiltier.
She watched Bridget peer longingly into the closet. The light cast a halo around the cloud of strawberry hair piled high on her head, and her still-twinkling eyes looked like narrow slits of emerald above her sharp, ivory cheekbones.
A rush of true affection for Bridget washed away some of Venus’s guilt. Okay, she might be here for the nefarious purpose of ingratiating herself with Bridget’s adored nephew, despite the fact she considered him Smith family enemy number one, but Venus would help Bridget with this closet.
Smiling, Bridget glanced back at her. “Please hurry, Venus, before I change my mind. If you don’t find anythin’ suitable for your store, maybe there are some items I can donate to that charity you support for needy women goin’ back into the job market.”
Venus gave herself a sharp kick to do her job for the good of others. This didn’t need to be all about her and her plot to get Connor on her side.
“Thanks. Your donation would be much appreciated by Dress for Success. I’m ready if you are.”
Venus stepped into the closet, which looked as large as her first studio apartment had been, and came eye to eye with Connor’s undeniably handsome face framed in a portrait perched on the middle shelf.
“See what I mean? I have hundreds of pictures of Connor.” Bridget sighed behind her. “I should have put this one away years ago. But he looks so darn handsome in it. I can’t bear to part with it even though I think it was taken the day Connor got kicked off the Northwestern swim team for breakin’ Brad Evans’s nose in a fight in the locker room. Remember that?”
Venus nodded, her gaze glued to the picture of Connor climbing out of the pool after winning the Big Ten hundred-yard butterfly championship.
Remember? Like yesterday.
The smell of chlorine. Connor’s thick black hair slicked back. A faint smile curling his full lips. His six-pack abs glistening with beads of water. He’d reminded her of the statue of David she’d studied in Florence during her junior year of college abroad.
She hadn’t liked Connor even in those days, but she’d felt a twinge of Oh, my God, he is so hot before the team surrounded him, slapping him on the back. Including his best friend, Brad Evans, the object of her youthful passion.
The timing of their fistfight on the heels of her and Brad’s getting together had given her the totally illogical idea that she’d had something to do with the fight. When she’d found the courage to ask Brad, he gave one harsh laugh through his bandages and murmured, “Connor’s a jerk who thinks he’s better than everyone else.”
Over the years it had become clear that Connor being a jerk was the one thing Brad was right about, she thought as she resisted the powerful urge to turn the picture to the wall.
“I was there. I went to Northwestern, too, don’t forget. It turned out to be a bad day all around.”
“Then it’s high time we put it away once and for all.”
To Venus’s relief, Bridget swept the offending picture off the shelf and dropped it with a heavy clank into a cardboard box already half filled with items destined to be put into storage.
“One down. What’s next, Venus?”
She waved Bridget deeper into the labyrinthine room filled with rods hung with clothes and shelves neatly stacked with countless velvet and satin boxes in all shapes, sizes, and colors.
Gazing around, Bridget shook her head. “I don’t know where to begin. Start wherever you want, Venus. Tony and Connor will be back soon, wantin’ to give us advice.”
The thought of staring Connor in the eyes and actually implementing her plan made her shiver and her heart thump faster.
She tried to ignore her galloping pulse by slowly moving through the closet, but she couldn’t stop worrying about how horrified her father would be if he knew she planned to somehow convince Connor to reveal the evidence he had against him. Her sisters would be even angrier, since they’d decided to respect their. . .
—Midwest Book Review
“A Black Tie Affair is a charming romantic romp I thoroughly enjoyed… Sherrill Bodine has found a way to open a glamorous world everyone can delight in.”
—Blogs.PublishersWeekly.com
“A light, little romance… a fun way to pass an afternoon.”
—RT Book Reviews
“Great read… fast, and oh so romantic… I’m a fool for romance, so I fell under the spell of Sherrill Bodine immediately.”
—TheReviewBroads.com
“Wonderful characters… I can’t wait to read about what’s happening in Chicago with Ms. Bodine as my guide!”
—NightOwlRomance.com
“Simply fun… This one will bring a smile to your face and perhaps bring up a memory or two.”
—BookJourney.wordpress.com
“A Black Tie Affair is a light, fast read with several moments that made me laugh out loud… a light read with bit of love and romance lightly sprinkled with mystery.”
—FictionVixen.com
“If you like fashion, romance, mysterious toxins, erratic and funny behavior coming from otherwise staid people, and two people who are meant to be together, then you probably will enjoy reading this novel.”
—CoffeeTimeRomance.com
“Ms. Bodine’s readers will appreciate the buildup of this romance and the time that she spends pulling us into her tale.”
—SuspenseRomanceWriters.com
“I highly recommend this book with a 5/5 rating. It has some adventure, romance, and fiction based on factual incidents and places.”
—SAHMReviews.com
“A light, frothy romance with enough substance to keep the reader interested. Fashion history can be fascinating and Bodine makes that the center to A Black Tie Affair.”
—JandysBooks.com
“Filled with intrigue and intricate details and real emotions… and enjoyable read.”
—MiddayEscapades.com
“What makes this book stand out for me was the author’s ability to use internal thoughts and punch them into stellar one-liners. It made the characters so much more dimensional, complete with lovable flaws. You really found yourself relating to them and rooting for them. Recommended!”
—BookPleasures.com
“Oh, but I loved this book. Ms. Bodine has a way of bringing you into the world of high fashion couture dresses and making any girl feel all giddy inside. This was a light, fluffy romance, with great characters, witty banter, and an underlying mystery to solve… a very enjoyable read.”
—BookWormyGirl.blogspot.com
“4 Stars! A funny, energetic, and charming story that’s sure to entertain many readers… The depth and reality of Bodine’s characters make the story come alive, and readers will finish the novel with a happy feeling inside.”
—RT Book Reviews on Talk of the Town
“Fun, fresh, and entertaining, Bodine’s work sparkles for those who like a little dish and a little romance.”
—Parkersburg News and Sentinel (NC)
“I love this book! Fizzy, frothy fun expertly blended with sexy romance, powerful friendships, much warmth, and lots of laughter. Don’t miss this witty and wonderful page-turner.”
—Barbara Bretton, New York Times bestselling author of Casting Spells
“Charming and a fun escape.”
—JandysBooks.com
“What a hoot! Laugh-out-loud rollicking romance… Juicy gossip, fashion advice, delish recipes, and sexy romps; Talk of the Town is destined to be the talk of romance readers everywhere!”
—SingleTitles.com
“I thoroughly enjoyed Talk of the Town.”
—ArmchairInterviews.com
Darlings, love is in the air!
It seems wild mischievous Eros, God of Love, aka Cupid, has cast his sights on our windy city. I have been reliably informed of five engagements and six weddings in Lincoln Park alone and at 1220 Lake Shore Drive, in a mere three days, four engaged couples bought condos, and one glorious wedding took place on the rooftop garden of that very same building. Truly, Chicago is bursting with amore from the lake to our suburbs, north, south, and west!
We all know Eros’s greatest delight is to zip around shooting arrows of desire into innocent and perhaps not so innocent victims who instantly fall in love, whether they want to or not.
Methinks Cupid aimed well when one of Chicago’s most eligible bachelors, Drew Clayworth, finally realized exactly who he wanted when he wooed and won the heart of Athena Smith.
As you know, beautiful Athena runs the divine vintage boutique Pandora’s Box, along with her sisters, Venus and Diana.
Only the finest treasures find their way to this store from the Smith sisters’ mini treasure hunts through the closets, attics, and basements of Chicago’s elite. To all you blissful brides—no doubt the perfect wedding dress awaits you in their house of vintage beauty.
While shopping there please feel free to flaunt your engagement rings, because not only is Venus an expert on vintage couture costume jewelry but she is also a consummate jewel lover. She informed me that in the Orient and the West, diamonds, “stones of light,” symbolize both the hidden riches of the gem and a spiritual connection to the giver of the jewel.
Darlings, I’ve found that no matter how much time has passed since my beloved presented me with my ring, I only have to gaze at the diamond and I’m flooded with emotion. Yes, I appreciate its beauty, but, more important, it instantly conjures up my feelings of bliss at being married to the man of my dreams.
May it be true for all of you.
Speaking of the delights of marriage, the union between Drew Clayworth and Athena Smith is much anticipated by friends and family and destined to be the nuptial of the season. It is my fondest wish their marriage will heal the painful, deep rift between these two wonderful families. Where Cupid is concerned, who knows?
And who knows where the mischievous fellow may strike again.
Beware, Clayworth men! If your confirmed bachelor Drew can succumb to love, how far behind can you be in finding your soulmates?
When it happens it will be the Talk of the Town and I promise to share every romantic detail with all of you!
Today, on Chicago’s legendary old-money Gold Coast
Venus Smith saw her father, Alistair, waiting for her at a table next to the flower boxes at their favorite outdoor café in Lincoln Park.
The sunlight gleamed off his white hair as he bent over a thick tablet of paper.
He was still writing fast and furiously when she came up behind him.
“Happy Saturday,” she whispered into his ear and bent over to place a white pastry box on the table in front of him.
Squinting, he looked at it and then up at Venus.
“What is this?”
She dropped onto the chair across from him. “Open it.”
Meticulous as always, he slowly slid a knife blade along the tape holding the lid closed. Raising one eyebrow, he lifted out a small, white cake shaped like an open book.
Goddesses Rock was written out in pink frosting across the top.
“Do you like it, Dad? It’s to celebrate you starting to write your children’s book on goddess mythology.”
A gleam of joy lit his eyes. This was the first time she’d seen him happy since he’d been fired and disgraced by the Clayworth family eight months ago.
“Thank you, Venus. I love it.”
Ready to cry, she blinked hard and bit her lip to get a grip on herself. “It’s your favorite—white cake with fresh strawberries and whipped-cream filling. We probably should wait for Diana, but if you want we could cut it right now.”
“Cake for breakfast?” His chuckle warmed her in a way she hadn’t felt since that fateful, horrible day.
“Of course, cake for breakfast.” Laughing, she leaned across the table toward him. “It has all the food groups. Eggs, milk, flour, butter, even fruit. When you think about it, cake is perfect.”
“Just like my daughters.”
She wanted to savor this moment, with her father’s face alive in a way it hadn’t been since he’d been forced out as treasurer of John Clayworth and Company, Chicago’s iconic department store. The September sun bathed them in a warm, comfortable glow, and she felt herself relaxing in a way she hadn’t in months.
Please let this be the ending of the bad times and the beginning of good things for Dad.
But a deep, husky laughter rang out across the open-air restaurant and sent an icy shiver down her spine, as if a bucket full of ice had been dumped over her head.
Oh, no! It can’t be!
Hoping it might only be her overactive imagination, Venus shifted around in her seat, afraid that her weekly breakfast date with her father and this perfect new beginning was totally spoiled. If that voice belonged to the man she thought it belonged to…
The shiver shifted to her stomach as her eyes focused on Connor Clayworth O’Flynn pulling out a chair for his aunt at a table located near the geranium-festooned boxes that lined the sidewalk café. This had always been one of Venus’s favorite spots. So much for that.
The sun shot streaks of light through Connor’s thick black hair. He must have felt her gaze on him, because he turned his head and glanced toward her.
Deliberately, and with disdain, she swung away, ignoring him. She had been doing her best to avoid laying eyes on Connor for months, and even before he’d proven himself to be totally judgmental and without an ounce of loyalty, he’d always made her feel strangely… uneasy.
Across the small table, her father sat up straighter and stared over her shoulder.
She watched her father’s face change, hating the look of disappointment and hurt again etched across his bones and the tight lines of his mouth.
“Do you want to leave, Dad?” Waiting for the usual lecture, she met her father’s eyes.
“No, I do not want to leave. Connor is simply having breakfast with his aunt and uncle. As I plan to enjoy time with you and Diana this morning. These encounters are bound to occur. Chicago is a small town in many ways. Which is one of the reasons I have asked you and your sisters to put all our difficulties with the Clayworths in perspective and move forward.”
Hearing the defeat in his voice, she couldn’t bear it another moment. She’d really tried to honor his wishes, tried to still her burning desire to dig for information to help him. Now, unable to stop herself, she leaned across the table to clasp his hands.
Her father’s grip was strong and tight on her fingers.
“Please talk to me, Dad,” she urged, as she’d wanted to do for months. “I know being fired as treasurer of John Clayworth and Company after so many years hurt you. I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to forgive any of them, even Drew when he marries Athena, if you don’t explain the reason they fired you. Why you didn’t fight them. Why you didn’t defend yourself. Why you won’t talk about it with any of us.”
His deep sigh seemed more like a shudder. Guilt burned hot and bright through her but still she gripped his fingers, hoping this time he’d reveal the truth.
“Venus, you know all the Clayworth men and I signed an antidefamation agreement. I cannot and will not discuss it with you or your sisters. I’m sorry, but my decision is final.”
The slight breeze off Lake Michigan again carried the sound of Connor’s laughter and a snatch of his conversation, “… work at Clayworth’s…,” seemed to hang in the air over her table. She saw pain flicker like a blinding light through her father’s aquamarine eyes.
That’s it. Someone has to take Connor to task for what he’s done. Make him explain himself.
“Dad, you worked so closely with Connor and you always spoke of him so glowingly. His betrayal must have hurt you more than the others,” she said softly, almost afraid her words might cause him more pain.
He pressed a kiss on her knuckles and released her hands. “Yes, Connor and I became very close running everything together these last ten years since his father passed away. That is the only information I can share with you, Venus. You must let this go.”
I tried, I really did, Dad, but I can’t any longer. I’m going to defy your wishes and learn the truth to exonerate you.
“You look exactly like your mother.”
The warmth in his eyes brought a rush of emotion settling at the back of her throat. “You’re being silly, Dad.” She laughed, her voice husky with unshed tears. “You know Mom was tiny like Athena and Diana. I have your bone structure.”
“What did we always tell you?” he asked, his voice soft and loving.
“That I am the perfect combination of both of you,” she repeated, as she knew he wished her to do.
“Yes. And when you get that particular look on your face you’re the image of your mother, determined to solve a problem no matter how long it took her or what she had to do.”
“Then my tenacity is a good thing, right?” She laughed so she wouldn’t get weepy.
“I’m here,” Diana gasped, rushing up to kiss their father on the cheek. “What did I miss? What’s a good thing?”
He smiled between them. “Your sister’s tenacity.”
Diana flicked a look past Venus to where Connor sat behind her. “It depends on what Venus is up to.”
“To getting us all breakfast now that you’ve arrived, right on time as usual.”
“Afraid I might break my record this morning.” Diana slid into the chair next to their father. “I had to stop by my office at Clayworth’s to pick up some sketches.”
Not wanting to spoil their weekly breakfast together by opening the hot subject of Diana’s still working for John Clayworth and Company, Venus jumped up. “I’ll go ask the waitress to get our orders started.”
Trying to be patient while waiting in line, she couldn’t stop glancing out the window to where Connor sat with Bridget O’Flynn and Tony Panzarella.
Remembering her father’s pain, his words kept pounding through her head “… Connor… became very close running everything together these past ten years…”
How do I get Connor to tell me what happened to change everything and cause him to fire Dad? And how do I get him to admit he’s made a horrible mistake?
The crazy idea that she was the only one who could end this travesty of justice took root and wouldn’t stop growing. As if the power of her plan reached him, Connor rose slowly to his feet and turned toward the café door.
Warm air caught in her lungs. If he comes into this restaurant I swear I’m going to confront him right here and now.
He held the door open for his aunt Bridget to walk through.
Venus released her breath in a long sigh of relief. Okay, so I’m not quite sure yet what I’m going to say to him.
She smiled at Bridget, the only member of the Clayworth clan she still trusted. Except maybe Drew, for Athena’s sake.
“Venus, this is kismet.” Bridget’s wide grin split her narrow face. “I’ve been wantin’ to call you about my closet. Tony and Connor are always sayin’ I haven’t thrown out anythin’ in thirty years. Today they both threatened to clean it themselves because Connor is at the brownstone all day helpin’ Tony. Can you find the time soon to take a look? See if I have anythin’ for your store or to donate? I’d hate for them to toss out somethin’ of value or somethin’ that might find a good home with someone else.”
Firmly convinced this must be an omen that the cosmos had picked up her thought and was giving her a shove to make something happen to help her Dad, Venus lied. “This is kismet, Bridget. I happen to be free today.”
“Can’t believe my luck.” Bridget laughed. “We’re headin’ home now. Can you make it soon?”
Mentally going through the list of appointments she’d need to cancel, she nodded. “Very soon. Actually, as soon as I finish having breakfast with Dad and Diana I’ll come right over.”
From the moment Bridget strolled happily away between Connor and Tony, Venus could think of nothing but how quickly she could follow them.
She tried to be patient while she waited for their breakfast and carried the tray back to the table. Tried to listen to her father and sister while she pushed her scrambled eggs around on her plate and nibbled on the edges of an English muffin, but her wild scheme kept twisting through her head, blocking out everything else.
Connor and I have always been like oil and water. What could possibly be my first move here?
Ideas bounced around in her head, ways to coax information out of Connor, but everything felt too obvious. And Connor was anything but stupid. Determined to put the pieces of the puzzle together herself somehow, she didn’t realize her sister was staring at her.
“Venus, you’ve hardly eaten any breakfast. And you haven’t touched your piece of cake. What’s wrong?”
Diana’s soft but firm voice broke through Venus’s plotting and she came back to reality with a thump of her heart against her ribs. Her baby sister had an uncanny way of knowing when Venus wasn’t exactly telling the truth.
Resisting her powerful urge to play with her hair, which would totally give her away, Venus folded her hands in her lap. “You know I’m always on a diet.”
“You don’t need to be. You’re beautiful.” Her father patted his lips with a napkin and rose slowly to his feet. “I must get back home to my writing. Love you both.”
He kissed their cheeks and Venus watched him walk away, his tablet of notes on his book tucked under his arm and the leftover cake in his hands. His shoulders weren’t as square as they’d once been, nor was his stride as long and strong. Seeing it felt like a blow to her heart. It’s more than time for me to end this one way or another.
“All right. Dad’s gone. Now tell me what was going on with you and Bridget. After you came back to the table you were totally preoccupied.”
Venus shrugged. “I’m just helping her with her closet this afternoon.”
Diana’s aquamarine eyes, so much like her own, widened. “I know Connor won’t be at Clayworth’s today because he’s helping Tony. Did Bridget tell you he’d be there?”
“Yes,” Venus said as nonchalantly as possible. “Aren’t you the one always telling me I need to be at least cordial to all Clayworths no matter how I feel about them?”
Wise Diana was not fooled, and Venus knew it by the stern look on her sister’s usually angelic face.
“I’ve never understood why you’ve always seemed to dislike Connor. Even after he rescued you from Lake Michigan when we were teenagers.”
Remembering the embarrassment of being hauled up onto the Clayworths’ sandy beach like a soggy bag of extra-large potatoes, her bathing suit askew, exposing way too much of her overblossoming curves, Venus shook her head. “He didn’t rescue me. I was perfectly fine. He always took his unofficial lifeguard duties as stupidly rigidly and seriously as he does everything else. Including thinking he’s always right.”
Diana stared her down while rising slowly to her feet. “Venus, I know since the troubles with Dad you’ve gone out of your way to avoid Connor, even at Athena and Drew’s engagement party. So why are you spending the afternoon with him now? What do you want from him?”
To charm him, maybe even befriend him, so that he’ll reveal everything I need to know to help Dad.
Of course she couldn’t confess such an outrageous plan to anyone, especially her sister. She had no idea how she could ingratiate herself with Connor, but after her talk with her dad this morning and after seeing the look in his eyes, she knew Connor had the key to the truth.
Venus hugged her and decided to tell her part of her plan. “Stop worrying. All I want is to help Bridget clean her closet.”
“Venus, thank God you could come on such short notice. I can’t face this without your help.” Bridget flung open the doors to her expansive walk-in closet in her equally impressive neat-as-a-pin bedroom.
Bridget’s look of utter gratitude made Venus feel so guilty for being here under false pretenses that she felt a need to leave immediately and come back when her motives were pure and her head wasn’t full of crazy plots.
“Are you sure you really want to do this today?” Venus asked with real hope. “I could come back next week. Give you more time to really think about it.”
“Gotta do it now.” Bridget nodded with vigorous determination. “You bein’ free today is a Godsend. Tony’s thrilled. But drivin’ me crazy with helpful suggestions. I made Connor take him to lunch. They’ll be back soon.”
Good. That’s why I’m here. Venus tensed, feeling even guiltier.
She watched Bridget peer longingly into the closet. The light cast a halo around the cloud of strawberry hair piled high on her head, and her still-twinkling eyes looked like narrow slits of emerald above her sharp, ivory cheekbones.
A rush of true affection for Bridget washed away some of Venus’s guilt. Okay, she might be here for the nefarious purpose of ingratiating herself with Bridget’s adored nephew, despite the fact she considered him Smith family enemy number one, but Venus would help Bridget with this closet.
Smiling, Bridget glanced back at her. “Please hurry, Venus, before I change my mind. If you don’t find anythin’ suitable for your store, maybe there are some items I can donate to that charity you support for needy women goin’ back into the job market.”
Venus gave herself a sharp kick to do her job for the good of others. This didn’t need to be all about her and her plot to get Connor on her side.
“Thanks. Your donation would be much appreciated by Dress for Success. I’m ready if you are.”
Venus stepped into the closet, which looked as large as her first studio apartment had been, and came eye to eye with Connor’s undeniably handsome face framed in a portrait perched on the middle shelf.
“See what I mean? I have hundreds of pictures of Connor.” Bridget sighed behind her. “I should have put this one away years ago. But he looks so darn handsome in it. I can’t bear to part with it even though I think it was taken the day Connor got kicked off the Northwestern swim team for breakin’ Brad Evans’s nose in a fight in the locker room. Remember that?”
Venus nodded, her gaze glued to the picture of Connor climbing out of the pool after winning the Big Ten hundred-yard butterfly championship.
Remember? Like yesterday.
The smell of chlorine. Connor’s thick black hair slicked back. A faint smile curling his full lips. His six-pack abs glistening with beads of water. He’d reminded her of the statue of David she’d studied in Florence during her junior year of college abroad.
She hadn’t liked Connor even in those days, but she’d felt a twinge of Oh, my God, he is so hot before the team surrounded him, slapping him on the back. Including his best friend, Brad Evans, the object of her youthful passion.
The timing of their fistfight on the heels of her and Brad’s getting together had given her the totally illogical idea that she’d had something to do with the fight. When she’d found the courage to ask Brad, he gave one harsh laugh through his bandages and murmured, “Connor’s a jerk who thinks he’s better than everyone else.”
Over the years it had become clear that Connor being a jerk was the one thing Brad was right about, she thought as she resisted the powerful urge to turn the picture to the wall.
“I was there. I went to Northwestern, too, don’t forget. It turned out to be a bad day all around.”
“Then it’s high time we put it away once and for all.”
To Venus’s relief, Bridget swept the offending picture off the shelf and dropped it with a heavy clank into a cardboard box already half filled with items destined to be put into storage.
“One down. What’s next, Venus?”
She waved Bridget deeper into the labyrinthine room filled with rods hung with clothes and shelves neatly stacked with countless velvet and satin boxes in all shapes, sizes, and colors.
Gazing around, Bridget shook her head. “I don’t know where to begin. Start wherever you want, Venus. Tony and Connor will be back soon, wantin’ to give us advice.”
The thought of staring Connor in the eyes and actually implementing her plan made her shiver and her heart thump faster.
She tried to ignore her galloping pulse by slowly moving through the closet, but she couldn’t stop worrying about how horrified her father would be if he knew she planned to somehow convince Connor to reveal the evidence he had against him. Her sisters would be even angrier, since they’d decided to respect their. . .
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