The Playboy (Chandler Brothers 2)

Charlotte waved a hand in the air. “Nonsense. First off, he doesn’t act it but Chase is a real softie when it comes to family. And I know both Raina and Chase consider you family. Because of Crystal,” she rushed to clarify. But her grin told Kendall she was also thinking of Rick. “Don’t tell anyone though. It’s one of the perks us Chandlers get.”

Us Chandlers. Kendall shivered at the notion, liking being included in that moniker way too much.

“Okay, so on to commission,” Charlotte said, unaware of the turmoil her words caused inside Kendall.

Kendall took a minute to think. When it came to setting a percentage for commission, she always factored in the cost of her goods, labor and overhead, along with the pricing of other competitors in the market. In this case, she seemed to be the only one in the small town offering her kind of wares which was a huge benefit.

She grabbed a sheet of paper, planning to write down a fair price she fully expected Charlotte to haggle downward, but one which Kendall could still live with. Instead, Charlotte scribbled a number first and passed the paper across the table.

Kendall glanced down. The amount Charlotte offered was a higher amount than what Kendall had had in mind. She crinkled her nose, wanting to argue. She had no doubt Charlotte’s generosity stemmed in most part from Kendall’s relationship with Rick, something she didn’t want to take advantage of. But much as she hated to admit it, she wasn’t in the financial position to argue herself down—not when Charlotte’s offer was more than fair to them both.

Kendall grinned, relief flowing through her. “You’ve got yourself a deal. Now. Did you know you have just six seconds to catch a potential customer’s eye?” Excited, she dove right into the next part of her proposal.

“That’s one lesson of retail I had to learn quickly, especially in this town.” Charlotte laughed. “What are you getting at?”

Kendall drew a deep breath for courage. She never took the initiative once she’d released her goods for sale within a retail store. In most agreements, the artist held ownership rights but had no say in the display or how the items would be sold or marketed. After careful research and a trial and error approach, Kendall had learned the rules well. But something about Charlotte’s enthusiasm inspired confidence and a surge of creative ideas.

Nothing ventured, nothing gained, Kendall thought. If she wanted Charlotte to take her in when she opened in D.C., she needed to prove herself here and now, in a smaller market. “I’m suggesting that you use the necklaces on your mannequins. Change your window display to catch people’s eyes and add the necklaces to match and accessorize.”

“Hmm. Good idea,” Beth whispered to Charlotte. “Thanks,” Kendall said.

“Anything else?” Charlotte asked, eyes alight with approval.

Kendall shrugged. “Just that red and yellow are the most eye-catching colors. Any chance you can work with that?” Kendall asked, pushing one step further in her quest to make her mark on Charlotte and this town. A quest to cement her career—something she’d never expected on her impulsive trip to Yorkshire Falls.

“Charlotte can work with anything that makes a profit. Just look at those handmade crocheted panties in the corner display. She designs and creates them herself.” Beth couldn’t hide her pride in her friend and boss.

“I certainly do,” Charlotte said. “And I certainly will work with anything Kendall suggests. She’s got as good an eye as you, Beth. Now, much as I hate to cut this fun meeting short, I need to see my husband.”

“It’s only been . . .” Beth glanced at her watch. “What? Three hours?” She laughed. “Newlyweds,” she said, rolling her eyes.

Charlotte didn’t even break a blush. “Oh, and you aren’t seeing Thomas the minute we close for the night?”

Beth laughed. “I didn’t say that.”

“You know I envy you two.” The words escaped before Kendall was even aware she’d spoken them.

Charlotte tipped her head to one side. “How so?” she asked, sounding truly interested.

In the short time Kendall had known Charlotte, she’d come to like her a great deal and she couldn’t help but be honest with her now. “You and Beth go way back. You even read each other’s thoughts like sisters.” She caught the wistful note in her voice but couldn’t recall it. “You make me feel like I’ve known you two forever.” Yet Kendall was still on the outside just as she always had been.

And then Charlotte pulled her into a warm embrace, bulldozing any remaining barriers. “That’s the great thing about this town. You come here or you come back here and you automatically become one of us.”

“And we’re impossible to get rid of.” Beth laughed from behind her.

To Kendall’s surprise she didn’t mind and a lump rose to her throat. She hugged Charlotte in return, then the other woman stepped back.