All That Sparkles: The Texan Quartet by Claire Boston

was blue and there were chimney swifts darting around the garden. It was all very like a fairy tale. She took a deep breath of air as she sat down.
    Imogen fired up her laptop and checked her emails. There was a short one from Christian to say negotiations were ongoing. She could read his frustration between the lines. In response she sent him a light email making fun of all the major issues people had brought to her attention during the week.
    She missed him. It was silly really; they’d spent only a few days together and most of that time he’d been mad at her, but still she missed him. She didn’t normally let her defenses down in front of anyone but he was different. He’d held her while she cried and then kissed her so sweetly afterward.
    Imogen sighed.
    Her laptop rang, signally she was getting a call via Skype. Checking who it was, she grinned, ran a hand through her hair and pressed answer.
    Christian’s face filled her screen and her heartbeat accelerated. “Hi,” she said.
    “Morning,” he said. “Have you just got out of bed?”
    Imogen’s face went hot as she realized she was still wearing her pajamas. “I slept in,” she said, desperately hoping she looked all right, and peeked at her picture at the bottom of the screen. Not great, but not horrible either. “What time is it over there?”
    “After ten at night,” he said.
    “Are you still working?” She didn’t envy him his job.
    “Yeah, I’m finishing off some notes on today’s discussions.”
    “You worked on Saturday?”
    “Had to go over our plan with the managers here. I’ve got tomorrow free though.”
    “You can go and find that beach.”
    “After I’ve slept in.”
    Imogen leaned in to examine the screen. Christian had dark circles under his eyes and his skin was pale. “You should go to sleep now.”
    Christian smiled. “But I’m talking to you.”
    The way he said it, it was as if it was the best thing in the world. “I’ll be here tomorrow too.”
    “Sounds like you had a rough week as well,” he said changing the subject.
    “Nothing I can’t handle.”
    “You shouldn’t let them treat you like that.”
    Imogen shrugged. “It doesn’t happen very often.” She didn’t want to talk about it now. “So what’s Perth like?”
    “I haven’t seen more than the hotel room, St George’s Terrace and the office building,” he answered. “I’m going to hire a car and drive down to Libby’s beach and then back again via Fremantle, which she said I shouldn’t miss. There’re some markets there and good food.”
    “Sounds great.” Imogen had traveled a lot but never to Western Australia: it had never been on the hot-spot list for fashion. She liked the idea of going places for fun rather than for work. She grinned as she remembered her Cancun vacation with Piper. That had been an experience in more ways than one.
    Christian yawned, his jaw spreading so wide it almost looked like he was going to swallow the computer. Imogen laughed. “You need to go to bed now,” she said.
    “Will you be around tomorrow?”
    “Sure, what time?”
    They arranged a slightly earlier time and Imogen ended the call.
    She grinned like an idiot.
    Already her day seemed better. She finished her breakfast and rolling with her enthusiasm opened up her business plan and wrote down the companies she could use to manufacture the fabrics and clothing she wanted. Christian was right. She shouldn’t let Jacques treat her like that. The only way she was going to get it to stop without getting him fired was going out on her own.
    So that’s exactly what she’d do.
    *
    Chris needed a vacation. He stood at the parking lot overlooking Libby’s bay and breathed deeply. The fresh, salty air filled his lungs and soothed his soul. Libby had been right. This beach was peaceful. He couldn’t believe how quiet it was. The sand was white, and the water a clear, aqua blue. A beach like this in other parts of the world would be packed so full of