Jacquelin Thomas - Styles of Seduction

They stepped inside a waiting elevator.

“Miss those family gatherings, huh?” Kyle asked as he pressed the button for the eighteenth floor. Kyle’s whole family lived in separate apartments in the same building co-owned by Kyle’s parents on Central Park West, which had its advantages, particularly when it came to getting together for Sunday dinner.

Nelson nodded. “I do. I enjoy being around family.”

They rode three floors up and knocked on the door when they reached his parents’ apartment. His mother rushed out to give Nelson a hug. “Welcome to New York.”

He laughed. “Hello, Aunt Lila.”

She slipped her arm through his. “I cooked some of your favorites.”

Kyle followed them inside. “Don’t spoil him, Mom.”

Lila looked much younger than her fifty-eight years. Although she no longer modeled and had given birth to four children, she still maintained her slender figure. Today, she wore her long, dark hair in its natural kinky/curly state.

Lila looked up at her son and said, “Nelson’s the guest of honor today. He deserves a little spoiling.”

Kyle’s youngest sister Bailey walked into the room. “We have been graced by a celebrity. How are you, cousin?”

Even in a pair of faded jeans and a black tank top with silver beading, the young model looked like a star, Kyle thought to himself. He had a strong feeling that this year’s Fashion Week was going to launch Bailey’s career, and Kyle was excited for her.

Nelson chuckled. “I’m no celebrity, that’s for sure.”

Kyle’s other sister Brianna, a budding designer in her own right, joined them, followed by a man in his early sixties, bald with a salt-and-pepper beard and mustache. He pushed his designer eyeglasses up the bridge of his nose. “Nephew, it’s good to see you. Although I thought you would’ve come to say hello before now.”

“I’m sorry, Uncle Roger, I know how busy it’s been for you all.”

“There’s always time for family.”

Kyle sat down beside Nelson on the overstuffed sofa. “Family comes first—that’s what my dad always says.”

Roger gave Nelson a firm pat on the shoulder. “So you decided to venture on a different path than your father, I hear.”

“Law is not in my blood. I think I inherited my mother’s creative spirit instead.”

“There’s nothing wrong with that,” Kyle interjected as Roger nodded in agreement.

“I wanted to be an actress once,” Brianna confessed. “When I was twelve.”

“Then she wanted to become an astronaut,” Kyle’s brother, Daniel, said as he came into the room with a chuckle. “But she changed her mind when she realized that the space suits were not fashionable.”

Brianna laughed. “I figured I could just design my own. When I found out that I couldn’t, I decided that being an astronaut just wasn’t for me.

“Kyle never wanted to be anything other than an RHD designer,” Brianna continued. “I would be in my room designing clothes for my dolls and Kyle would try to change my drawings. It used to drive me crazy. That’s why I bought him a doll one Christmas.”

Nelson threw back his head and laughed.

“It’s not that funny,” Kyle muttered, before chuckling.

“I should thank you,” Brianna said. “It’s because of you that I am the person I am. You taught me a lot about designing.”

Lila rose, checked her watch and announced, “Dinner is ready to be served. Shall we?”

Roger gave the blessing before they all ventured into the kitchen to prepare their plates.

“I’m really excited about the show,” Bailey said once they were all seated around a table large enough to seat twenty. “I’ve got several interviews lined up already. I feel that this might be my big moment.”

“I agree,” Kyle interjected. “Since you appeared in that series of commercials Daniel created for RHD, you’ve garnered a lot of interest in the industry.”

Nelson glanced over at Bailey. “You were so quiet and shy when we were growing up. I still can’t get over how much you’ve changed. You, too, Daniel. You were always playing pranks or joking around. Now look at you.”

“We used to have so much fun when we were younger,” Daniel said. “Then we kind of drifted apart as we got older.”

“We’re going to change that,” Nelson said. “Starting now. It’s inspiring to be surrounded by such creative people. And you surround yourself with creatives, too. Like that woman you introduced me to today, Kyle.”

Kyle looked up at his cousin and noted the twinkle in his eye.

“Who’s that, Kyle?” Lila asked.

“I ran into Zoe Sinclair at the Childs Hotel,” he announced, shooting Nelson a glare. “I was surprised to see her.”

“How did she look?” Lila asked. “She was always so chic.”

“Good,” Kyle and Nelson answered in unison.

Bailey chuckled.

“I hear she’s doing quite well over at Guava,” Roger said.

“She’s part of the reason their fall collection did so well,” Brianna interjected. “Women’s Wear Daily says that Zoe has a bright future as a designer.”

Lila agreed. “We were lucky to have her for the short time she worked at RHD. Wouldn’t you agree, Kyle?”

Kyle nodded without saying anything.

“Let’s go sit,” Lila said as they finished their meal.

“Why did Zoe leave RHD?” Nelson asked when they’d settled in the family room. Kyle had been hoping they were done with the topic of Zoe, but Nelson didn’t seem ready to let her go.

“Apparently she received a better offer from Guava,” he replied, trying to keep his voice as neutral as possible.

“We should have fought to keep her,” Lila said. “She worked under your supervision, Kyle. Why didn’t you convince Zoe to stay?”

“She had already made up her mind, Mom.”

“I think you underestimate your powers of persuasion.”

Kyle met his mother’s gaze. “Zoe is a grown woman. I’m sure she put a lot of thought into her decision to leave RHD. She’s been with Guava for five years now, so it must be working out for her.” When Kyle noticed his mother and Nelson exchanging a glance, he fought the temptation to leave the room.

“Did you and Zoe get a chance to talk about anything?” Lila inquired.

“Like what?” he asked, not enjoying where this conversation was heading one bit.

“Is she single?”

“We were only in the elevator for a few minutes, Mom. I didn’t have enough time for a full dossier.”

Kyle couldn’t help wondering why his mother was always so interested in Zoe and her social life. Maybe it was because Lila knew Zoe was confident where it counted and independent to an extreme. Zoe wasn’t afraid of going against the grain when it came to the achievement of her goals, much like his mother.

He had to admit that he admired those qualities in both women.

As Lila and his sisters gazed at him with a knowing look in their eyes, Kyle stopped trying to resist the urge to leave the room.

“I need something to drink,” he said as he walked out, ignoring the soft laughter of his loving family, who clearly had no idea what was good for him—and what wasn’t.

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