Free Fashionista by Kat Parrish Page A

This last? ” she asked, showing Hugo a photograph of the shoemaker ’ s last from the House of Zangari website.
    “ Yes, ” Mariella said tightly.
    And right then Hugo had a feeling. He didn ’ t have them often but he ’ d learned to trust them when he did.
    “ Bailey and I have more people to see this afternoon, but we are prepared to offer AZ a contract to provide shoes for our store. ”
    Bailey looked at him without expression but her eyes said, “ What are you doing? ”
    “ Fantastic, ” Mariella said as if their meeting could have had no other outcome. She gathered up her things and turned to leave.
    “ On one condition, ” Hugo said.
    “ Condition? ” Mariella echoed.
    “ That you can produce the mate of the shoe. ”
    “ It ’ s a prototype, ” she said, thinking fast. “ We only do the one shoe. ”
    “ Then I want to see the last, ” Bailey interposed. “ The famous Zangari last. ”
    “ Fine, ” Mariella said through gritted teeth. “ I ’ ll send it over. ”
    “ Oh that ’ s all right, ” Bailey said. “ We ’ ve got a dinner planned tonight and we ’ ll be going right by House of Zangari. We ’ ll see you around six? ” Mariella struggled to keep the furious frustration out of her voice.
    “ See you then, ” she said and flounced out.
    “ She so doesn ’ t have the last, ” Bailey said.
    “ But who does? ” Hugo said.
     

Chapter 18
     
    Mariella did not go straight back to the office. Stopping off at a bar, she ’ d ordered a Campari and soda and sat in a booth by herself considering her options. She vividly remembered throwing out the shoemaker ’ s last when she cleaned out Enzo ’ s office, but she didn ’ t know what had happened after that.
    If she were still married to Brian, she could have had him sculpt a fake out of one of the hunks of old wood he always seemed to have lying around, but she hadn ’ t talked to him in years and didn ’ t think he ’ d be glad to hear from her now.
    She tried to think if there was anyone at the factory who might be willing to help her but she couldn ’ t think of anyone who didn ’ t still resent her for cutting the Christmas bonuses.
    She dialed Julia ’ s number.
    “ How did it go? ” her daughter asked.
    “ Shut up, ” Mariella said. “ Do you know what happened to that stupid shoemaker ’ s last that Enzo was so fond of? ”
    Julia was silent a moment, wondering if it was a trick question.
    “ You threw it out, ” she said finally.
    “ I know I threw it out, ” Mariella yelled, then lowered her voice as she realized the bartender and everyone else in the bar was staring at her.
    “ I know I threw it out, Julia. What happened to it after that? ”
    “ The garbage men picked it up? ” Julia said uncertainly.
    “ Ask Sina if she knows, ” Mariella ordered, “ and call me back. ” She hit the end call button and drained her drink.
    “ May I buy you another? ” a fifty-ish barfly asked her with what he probably thought was a rakish grin.
    “ Go away, ” she snarled.
    “ Bitch, ” he muttered, but he walked away. She saw him say something to the bartender, but was too far away to hear the exchange.
    Her phone rang. It was Julia.
    “ What? ” Mariella said.
    “ Sina says she doesn ’ t know, that you should probably ask Allegra. ”
    “ And where is Allegra? ”
    “ Still in the sample closet, ” Julia said. “ Unless she managed to pick the lock with a bobby pin. ”
    “ Don ’ t get snippy with me, ” Mariella said. “ Go let her out and ask her if she knows where it is. Tell her the future of the House of Zangari depends on it. ”
    “ Are you coming back soon? ” Julia asked, her voice on the edge of panic.
    “ I ’ ll be there shortly, ” Mariella said.
     
    It took Mariella nearly an hour to get back to the office, fighting rush hour traffic all the way. She walked in to find everyone still at their desks but not even pretending to work as Julia stood at Allegra ’ s office