Champagne Kisses (The Kisses 4)

"Mrs. Saunders, let me introduce Rachel Weber," Mr. Martinez presented me as I walked into the room. I held out my hand, making eye contact with my future employer.

"It's a pleasure to meet you," I said politely. Mrs. Saunders shook my hand with a strength that surprised me. Her brown eyes looked me up and down, measuring and weighing me better than any tailor I had ever met. There was a steel in her look that impressed me. It was clear this woman always got what she wanted.

"Ms. Weber, it's a pleasure to meet you in person. Thank you, Edward, that will be all." The blonde woman never took her eyes off of me as she dismissed Mr. Martinez. I heard him close the door quietly behind him as he left. "Please, sit down, Ms. Weber. Tell me about yourself. What inspired you to design this piece?"

Mrs. Saunders sat on an upholstered loveseat, offering me a position in a matching chair. I sat carefully, mindful of my posture. It seemed like posture would matter to this woman. The room was decorated with a feminine, yet incredibly practical, theme.

I took a deep breath and began talking. "Well, I just graduated with my degree in fashion and design..."

"I don't need your resume, I already have that," she cut me off. I swallowed and took a moment to evaluate my situation and try again to present my best self. I glanced around the room, taking it in and forming her personality in my mind based off of the design. The uncomfortable upholstered furniture told me that appearances mattered to this woman. She wore a designer sweater and dress pants, but the seams were struggling to support her growing middle. She wants to keep up appearances. Her ring was a simple diamond solitaire that couldn't have cost more than a couple hundred dollars. She hadn't always been rich, but the ring must be sentimental. She loves her husband, I thought. Several photos on the wall caught my attention; they were of a small boy playing with a smiling man I assumed was her husband. She was pregnant with her second child, then.

"My dad died when I was little, and my mom died when I was in high school," I started. "My aunt finished raising me, but she was more of a friend than a guardian since she was only a few years older than I was. Last summer, she got pregnant with her first child. She hated maternity clothes. She has a figure very similar to yours, and everything was incredibly baggy and loose. Ugly floral patterns, awful stretchy denim with no pockets, and jumpers designed to fit a whale. It was terrible." I paused for a moment, catching my breath.

"Go on," she said, a slight smile pulling on her lips. If she was looking for maternity wear, she knew the fashion horrors I was referencing.

"She had a big party for her husband's job," I continued. "She was ready to pretend to be sick so she didn't have to wear the only dress she could find that would fit, despite it making her look like a giant balloon. I love my aunt. So, as a surprise, I made her a dress."

I smiled at the memory of my aunt's amazed expression and the tears of joy that had streamed down her face when I showed her the dress I made her. She had hugged me like I was the biggest hero in the world. The next day she had come over to my house with brownies, raving about how everyone couldn't stop complimenting her dress. She said she felt beautiful for the first time in months.

"It was just a simple black dress, but I designed it to bring out what was beautiful about her. Even though she was pregnant, she didn't have to feel huge and out of place. She loved it. It became the basis for my senior design piece." I couldn't decide what to do with my hands as I finished, so I simply folded them on the top of my design notebook and waited for Mrs. Saunders' response.

"So, your senior design is what your aunt wore?" Mrs. Saunders frowned slightly, as though I were trying to pass off something used as new.

"Oh no, I didn't mean to imply that," I said quickly. "The design for my aunt was simply the starting point. I didn't even mean for the idea to go anywhere, but once I started brainstorming things for her, I couldn't stop. The design I submitted for my senior project has never been worn. My aunt gave me feedback about what she liked and disliked about the dress, and then I added my own twist."

I held up the dress and pointed to parts of it. "The fabric, the collar, the sleeves, the length, and the back are all different. If you held the two dresses up, the only real similarity is that they are both designed for a pregnant woman," I said. Mrs. Saunders clearly wanted something unique, and I chewed nervously on the inside of my lip. I didn't want to screw this up.

"I see." Mrs. Saunders nodded, her face revealing nothing. Sweat trickled down my spine. I couldn't afford to miss out on this opportunity. "Do you have more designs like it, or is it the only one of its kind?"

I grinned and opened my sketchbook. This is where I knew I would shine. I crossed the small space between us and knelt on the floor before her, flipping to my newest designs. She raised a perfectly manicured eyebrow at me as I began pointing out the designs. My excitement surprised her.

"I have several designs here for different stages of a pregnancy. This one is more for the beginning stages, just when things are starting to fit differently, and then this one," I turned the page and pointed to a drawing of a very pregnant woman in a flowing dress, "this one is for the last couple of weeks."

"May I?" Mrs. Saunders asked, reaching for the sketchbook. I nodded and handed it up to her.

"These are just some initial drawings. I would love to make some that are personalized to you and your tastes." I held my breath as she leafed through the drawings. A soft smile started to form on her face. She looked over, her brown eyes warming as the smile took hold.

"I would love to see more. I especially like this one," she said pointing to a flowing gown in emerald green. "But, I will need business appropriate attire as well."

"I actually have some ideas. Here." I flipped several pages to a series of woman's business suits. They weren't originally designed for maternity, so I hadn't showed them to her yet. "If I modify the seams here, it would look fantastic throughout a pregnancy."

"What about this one?" she asked, pointing to a smart-looking skirt and tight blouse. I frowned slightly.

"I'm not sure I can make that one work once you hit the second trimester. I can make anything fit, but with the cut and shape of the skir

t, it would look like I stuffed you into it. If you want it, I'll make it, but I don't think you'll be pleased with the outcome," I answered honestly. Her smile grew a little bit bigger.

"Thank you for being honest. I had to fire my last designer because she said everything looked good, even when it didn't. I need to look professional, not tacky. I help my husband run this business, and I can't let this pregnancy slow me down." She sighed and looked over at the pictures of the little boy on her wall. "When I had Jack, I didn't care what I wore. I was just so excited to be having a child. I look back at those pictures and wonder how anyone took me seriously. With the current market the way it is, I don't have that luxury this time."

A knock on the door interrupted whatever she was going to say next. Mr. Martinez poked his head in. "Mrs. Saunders, you're three-o'clock is here," he said softly. Mrs. Saunders nodded and he closed the door carefully behind him.

"Well, Ms. Weber, I think that this will work out wonderfully. I'll have Edward set up an appointment for the two of us so we can get measurements and go over my preferences as well as payment." Mrs. Saunders stood up slowly, and I followed her example.

"I'll make up some more design ideas. It was a pleasure meeting you, Mrs. Saunders, and I look forward to seeing you again." I shook her hand and she smiled warmly.

"Likewise," she said as she walked me to the door. I thanked her again and stepped out into the hallway, letting out a huge sigh of relief once the door closed.

She liked my designs. She wanted me to design more for her. A giddy rush of happiness consumed me and it took all my will power not to dance and sing as Mr. Martinez led me back out to the street and into a waiting car. I was in New York City, and I was going to be designing clothing! This was more than I could have hoped for.