All That Sparkles: The Texan Quartet by Claire Boston Page B

few years after the business started had been tough for both of them. It took his father a while to make a name for himself, and there had been some hard times when they’d been forced to eat canned soup for weeks while waiting for clients to pay their bills. That had been the hardest part: the debt collecting when his father had done the work required and people refused to pay. He remembered hearing his father on the telephone asking people to pay their bills. All the while he was struggling to pay his own bills because of it, but his father never got angry or mentioned the fact. It was something Christian had argued with him about, often.
    But in the end it had all worked out. His father’s business took off and more and more people wanted him to design their gardens. It got to the stage where he branched out and not only designed gardens but had a company that maintained them as well. Chris was proud of his father’s success, but he never forgot the hard times.
    Which was why he’d worked so hard to get where he was today. Sure, he didn’t always enjoy it, but did that mean he should throw it all away? So many of his colleagues would kill for the opportunity Dionysus was giving him. He’d be foolish to give it up so soon. It would have to get better as he became a more senior member of the team.
    The day was warming up and he would soon start to burn so Chris turned around and retraced his steps up to the parking lot, picking up his shoes on the way.
    He had more thinking to do.
    *
    Imogen had spent the day planning her business and woke the next morning, eager to tell Christian about it. She set up her laptop on the kitchen table, making sure she was logged in to Skype, and then made herself a coffee. She still had another hour before brunch with her father at the chateau.
    Settled at the table she checked whether Christian had logged in yet. The ring on her computer answered her question. Quickly she checked her reflection – she’d made sure she was dressed and presentable today – and pressed answer.
    She grinned at Christian, who appeared a lot more relaxed today, dressed in a red T-shirt rather than a work shirt and tie. “Morning.”
    “Evening, Imi.” He grinned.
    “How was your day?”
    “Great. Libby and Kate were right about the beach. It was beautiful. Hardly anyone on it at all.”
    “Did you go swimming?”
    “Wasn’t quite warm enough.” He chuckled. “Then I went to the port of Fremantle and ate my way around the markets there. So much good food.”
    “Sounds like fun.” She loved trying different types of food but was always conscious of the amount she ate. She had a certain reputation to uphold as Tour de Force’s representative.
    “What have you been up to?”
    “I’ve been working on my business plan.”
    “How’s it going? Have you come up with a name yet?”
    “It’s coming together. I’ve been brainstorming names but I’m not sure what to choose yet.”
    “Hit me with them.”
    Imogen wasn’t sure whether they were a bit obvious. “Originally I was thinking Tour as a shortened form of Tour de Force but that was when I assumed Papa would support my idea.”
    Christian screwed up his face.
    “You don’t like it?”
    “It’s not different enough. It’s not you.”
    Warmth filled Imogen’s veins. He was right. She’d come to the same conclusion. “Then I considered Fontaine because Papa’s name means something in this business and I could use it as a springboard.”
    Again Christian looked unimpressed. “What else?”
    There was another name she was thinking about but she wasn’t sure she was ready to tell Christian. It was possibly too soon for that.
    “Come on, spill.”
    Imogen sighed. “I did think maybe Imi. ”
    Christian’s mouth gaped a little and he sat up straighter. “That’s my name for you.”
    She nodded. “I know.” She tried to gauge whether he was happy about it or not.
    “How about if?”
    She’d take that as a no. She frowned.