Read DESIGN FOR LOVE for Free Online

that out!”
    “Yeah, right!” was all she could grind out.
    Vince raised his hands defensively as he mumbled to himself. ‘Man, I should be so lucky!’
    * * * *
    In early September, New York was already tinged with the golds and bronzes of fall as Francine and Vince, together with a limo load of baggage finally checked into their hotel. With two days to the show, Francine quickly checked her room reservations for the models and after unpacking she had a welcome shower before deciding to check out the venue for the show.
    The hotel lobby was packed with wide-eyed tourists, including a jabbering party of Japanese following their flag-waving leader as she herded them into a corner to check them all in.
    Francine headed for the Bell Captain and asked if he could organize a taxi for her. With the typical courtesy of a New York flunky, he merely pointed to the revolving doors and mumbled. “Outside!”
    ‘Welcome to the Big Apple!’ f lashed through her mind as she made her way past bodies and suitcases to the curb outside. This being her first visit to New York, she was about to find out first-hand the joys of hailing a cab in the Big Apple. The first two that actually stopped for her were taken by rude, bustling people before she could even blink and as the third one stopped, yet another obnoxious woman was about to jump inside ahead of Francine and the latter blinked in surprise as almost out of nowhere, a strong arm restrained the woman and a deep baritone voice belonging to a dazzling smile persuaded the woman otherwise.
    “I’m afraid this cab is taken, ma’am.”
    The woman was about to scream some abuse at the person obstructing her way until she focused on the disarming smile of Gerard Cinclare.
    “Oh, oh I’m so sorry.” was all she could mumble.
    Gerard then turned to Francine, the latter still standing there open-mouthed. “Can I give you a lift, Miss Dubois?”
    Francine quickly pulled herself together with a hasty, “Oh, are you sure you’re going my way?”
    He grinned. “Even if I’m not, it’s no trouble to drop you off.”
    She relented, realizing that if it hadn’t been for Cinclare, she could have been still waiting there for a taxi as Christmas rolled around. “Well, in that case, thank you.” she climbed inside and he followed her.
    “Where to?” he smiled as the Pakistani Kamikaze-style Taxi Driver sat impatiently waiting for instructions, meter already running.
    “Well, I was on my way to the Fashion Center at Seventh and 28 th , but if that’s too far in the wrong direction for you?”
    The Taxi driver was already getting uptight. “Hey, lady, to where do you wish to go? Decide please!”
    With the gentlest of movements, Gerard reached over through the opening and grabbed the man casually by the shoulder, but Francine could see the strength of his hands squeezing the turbaned driver’s shoulder until the man winced
    ‘Ouch!”
    “Let’s have a little courtesy, please?” was all Gerard said as the man winced in further pain and nodded in approval.
    “Fashion Center at Seventh and 28 th it is,” Gerard smiled. “As a matter of fact that’s where I was heading myself.”
    “Really?” Francine was surprised, almost disbelieving. “Are you sure, the show isn’t until the day after tomorrow.”
    He smiled. “I can see this is the first time you’ve been to the Big Apple Fashion District. My agent in New York has offices on the second floor,” he put his forefinger to his lips. “Let me guess - you’re going to check out the scene, right?”
    Francine blushed. “Yes, as a matter of fact, I am.”
    “Smart move!”
    She couldn’t resist her response. “My, my, don’t tell me you actually approve of something I’m doing?”
    “There goes that hostility again,” he grinned. “I’ll tell you what, how would you like a guided tour of the place. I have some time to spare?”
    Her first reaction was to say no, but a sane voice in the back of her head kept saying