From Heel to Heart Read online

  From Heel to Heart

  By: Amy DeMeritt

  From Heel to Heart

  Copyright © 2019 Amy DeMeritt

  All Rights Reserved.

  ISBN: 9781701662025

  This book may not be reproduced in any form, in whole or in part, without written permission from the author.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or events is entirely coincidental.

  Cover designed by Amy DeMeritt

  Contents

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Other works by Amy DeMeritt

  Chapter One

  Lana Scott is running late, again. For the past couple of months, she just can’t seem to get out the door on time, no matter how much time she gives herself in the morning to get ready for work. To make matters worse, her car was blocked in by a double-parked delivery truck today, and she couldn’t find the driver to ask them to move, so she had to call a cab. To add insult to injury, it’s raining, the cab driver she got stuck with is driving slower than a snail dragging bricks, and she hasn’t had a bite to eat or a sip of coffee yet.

  “Can you go any faster?”

  “Hey! I’m not telling you again, I’m going the speed limit. You don’t like it, you can walk!”

  Lana growls in anger and pulls her wallet from her purse while she looks at the meter. “Fine, here. It’s only two blocks. I’m sure I’ll get there before you can get through this next light.”

  The cab driver puts his flashers on, takes her cash, roughly shoves her change at her, and bellows for her to get out.

  As soon as Lana steps out of the car, the driver takes off at a fast clip, fueling the incensed heat in her chest, turning Lana’s blood to lava.

  “Fucking bastard.”

  As a horn blares, and a car whizzes past, Lana sharply turns to get on the sidewalk, landing the right heel of her brand-new pair of strappy back stilettos between the rusted and gunk covered grill of a sewer. Nearly tumbling to the ground, she hisses as she reaches down to grab her twisted ankle and to wiggle her scuffed heel free. As soon as she puts weight on it on solid ground, the heel snaps off, making her stumble again.

  “Just fucking great! Can anything go right today?”

  She looks skyward to curse the heavens for her misfortune, and a sense of irony and agitation takes her over. She’s standing directly in front of a shoe repair and tailor shop. She picks up her broken stiletto heel and hobbles forward. As she roughly pushes the door inward, a small silver bell at the top of door emits a joyful jingle, making her cringe with annoyance.

  “Well, mornin’, Sunshine. What can I do for you?”

  Lana glares at the woman’s smirk and slams her heel down on the counter before bending down to pull her broken shoe off.

  “Ah, that’s a fine way to start the day, aye?”

  If she wasn’t bitterly fuming with how her day is going, the woman’s European accent would be something Lana would normally find very attractive and charming. But she has no room for such emotions and thoughts today.

  “It must be so easy to wear a smile when you stage a shoe eating drainage grate in front of your shop to drum up more business.”

  The woman releases a bellowing laugh before picking up the heel and shoe to inspect the damage.

  “Aye, I’m loaded, Sunshine. I built this whole block and paid the best engineers to design a grate with shoe magnets to munch them up right good. I have so much money, I’m at a loss for why I work in a shop handling people’s stinky muck covered kickers and sometimes knickers. You don’t need your knickers unknotted too, do you?”

  The woman’s accusation of her having “knotted knickers” actually makes Lana’s mood elevate about twenty stories and she releases a small laugh, winning her a brilliant smile from the woman holding her shoe.

  “I’m sorry. This day is just…” Lana shakes her head, unable to figure out how to finish the assessment of her day without sounding like a complaining bitch.

  The woman nods in understanding and finishes for her, saying, “It has your knickers in a knot. I’m guessing you’re needing this right now and can’t leave it with me?”

  Lana’s mood deflates and she clasps her hands on the counter as she leans forward. “Oh, please tell me you can fix it now. I’m already late for work and twelve blocks from home.”

  “Right.” The woman checks her watch and scans a book on the counter. “Take a seat and I’ll get you on your way in about fifteen minutes.”

  “Oh, thank you so much.”

  “What’s your name, miss?”

  “Lana Scott. You?”

  The woman quirks a grin at Lana as she begins to write out the heel repair in her day planner. Realizing the woman wasn’t asking to make conversation, Lana blushes beet red and turns to walk away to sit down.

  “Elli Voss.”

  Lana looks over her shoulder and smiles at Elli, saying, “It’s nice to meet you.”

  “Likewise.”

  Elli winks at her before she walks away to start working on fixing Lana’s shoe. The simple gesture causes Lana’s mood to elevate again, and since she’s alone in the shop, she doesn’t worry about trying to conceal the smile curling her cranberry red tinted lips.

  Elli is not her usual type. She normally dates ambitious women climbing the corporate ladder. But Elli’s charm and the ease at which she tempered Lana’s horrible mood have her wondering what else lies behind those gorgeous ocean blue eyes. What’s the mind like under that blonde pixie cut? If they were to get to know each other, would Lana continue to be able to easily tempt that adorable dimple to pucker her right cheek?

  Elli suddenly appears in front of her and squats down holding her shoe and heel out. “We have a problem.”

  Sitting forward with her elbows on her knees, Lana pleads, “No, please don’t say that.”

  Elli looks at her sympathetically and points to the top of the heel, where it used to be attached to the shoe. “This shoe was designed with the purpose of making it irreparable if you break the heel off. Basically, those wanks want you to buy a new pair. See, what they did was add a tab imbedded in the heel. When the heel snapped off, this tab split the heel. If I reattach it, you’re going to break an ankle. Now, not all hope is lost, but I can’t fix it in fifteen minutes. I know these were expensive, and aside from this unfortunate break, they’re in superb condition, so if you want to save them, I can construct a brand-new heel. I could probably have it finished by Friday. I would need you to leave both shoes with me so I can match the new heel perfectly.”

  Lana puts her face in her hands and groans in frustration and defeat. Elli rubs her shoulder, trying to offer her some comfort, but remains silent so Lana can decide what she wants to do.

  After a few moments, Lana drops her hands, and with a pout that Elli can’t help but find adorable, Lana asks, “How much will it
cost?”

  Elli stands up with a grin and glances towards the door, before looking at Lana again. “The normal rate is twenty dollars. But for you…” Elli flashes her that beautiful smile that Lana is becoming very fond of. “Have coffee with me and we’ll be square.”

  Without waiting for a response, Elli walks to the counter to start filling out a customer work order for the new heel. Lana hobbles up to the counter, trying not to put her entire bare foot on the floor. Elli pushes the work order in front of Lana and pulls a clear plastic bag with a zippered top out from under the counter.

  “You just have to sign that and I can get to work. I’ll also need your phone number so I can call you when the work is done. I’ll try to get it done earlier, but I guarantee it by Friday or you don’t have to pay.”

  “So, if I choose to have coffee with you, how will we be square if you’re not done by Friday?”

  Elli releases a surprised laugh and licks her lips to moisten them. She looks into Lana’s soft light brown eyes and Elli’s stomach flips in joy.

  “I know a very nice local bistro that I could make it up to you at.”

  Lana’s chest swells with delight from Elli’s directness without coming off as predatorial. Elli’s accent, her sense of ease around her, even though she came barging into her day like an out of control freight train, and her smile – god, that smile – everything about Elli has Lana tingling with excitement.

  “It’s a deal.”

  “Great.”

  Elli walks out from around the counter and promptly locks the front door and turns the closed sign with the return hour reading an hour from now.

  “What are you doing?”

  “I thought we are having coffee?”

  “Oh, I didn’t know you meant right now. I’m already late for work and I have no shoes now that I’m giving them to you.”

  With a smirk, Elli asks, “So, you’re going to work without shoes?”

  Lana’s shoulders slump as she stammers, “No, but…”

  “Are you going to catch a cab barefoot?”

  Lana sighs deeply, but she doesn’t answer. Each question forces Lana to realize she is in a very awkward situation. She can’t go shopping without shoes – no store will let her in. That means she has to go home, and to get home, she’ll have to take a filthy cab without shoes. Her eyes mist up with hopelessness as she hobbles back over to the chair to sit down, feeling completely overwhelmed.

  Lana puts her face in her hands again and Elli’s feeling of amusement completely vanishes. She hadn’t intended to upset her. She wanted to set her up to get her excited again. Elli quickly walks behind the counter, grabs a package, and squats down in front on Lana. She places a tentative hand on her shoulder and squeezes it.

  “Hey there, Sunshine, no worries, okay? Look, I have you covered.”

  Lana drops her hands and her lips curl into a small smile. Elli is offering her a simple pair of black flat dress shoes factory sealed in a plastic bag.

  “I keep them in stock for these situations. City grill grates, rushing over curbs, and stomping on the feet of scumbags break many heels on these streets. I just can’t send a woman out there without something on her feet.”

  Lana releases a small laugh and wipes at her eyes before she accepts the shoes from Elli. She checks the size, then tears into the bag. Elli takes the right shoe from her and lifts Lana’s foot to slide the shoe on for her.

  “How is that? I know they’re not the best, but at least you won’t break a heel.”

  Lana smiles and nods as she wiggles her foot side to side and bends at her toes to see how the shoe will flex when she walks.

  “It is more than adequate. Thank you.”

  “No problem.” Elli carefully removes her left high heel and helps Lana into the flat. “Let me just get these packed away, then you’re good to go.”

  “No coffee?”

  Elli smiles at her over her shoulder but continues to the counter. She puts the shoes and broken heel in the bag with Lana’s work order, then adds them to an empty cubby to work on later.

  “When you’re ready, we’ll have coffee. I know you have things to do. Let me get the door for you.”

  Lana stands up, feeling deflated and uncertain. She’s afraid if she leaves, whatever chemistry they have now will disappear – that Elli will change her mind about her. But she’s already so late for work. She was reprimanded last week for her tardiness, and she knows the later she arrives today, the worse it’s going to be. With disappointment sitting heavy in her stomach and slowing her pace, she meets Elli at the front door, where she’s already standing and waiting to unlock the door.

  “I hope the rest of your day significantly improves. It was nice meeting you, Lana Scott.”

  Her disappointment deepens – Elli’s tone is missing the spark she had before; it’s flatter and Lana can see despondency in her beautiful blue eyes. It feels like someone just poured acid into her veins. Lana nods and takes a step out of the open door.

  “Thank you for everything. I’ll call about getting coffee.”

  Elli just smiles and nods once. Lana holds her gaze for a few moments before turning away and quickening her pace to get to work. She would like to go home for better shoes, but that would cost her at least another forty minutes that she just can’t afford. She would even more especially like to stay and have coffee with Elli, but she definitely cannot afford to indulge in any personal leisure when she’s so late for work.

  “This day sucks.”

  Chapter Two

  The instant Lana sits down at her desk, her boss is at her side with a look of rage that could rival Medusa.

  “My office, now.”

  Lana quickly stands up to follow her with the eyes of her peers wide and watching them. Lana’s heart is beating out of her chest and her empty stomach is filling with nauseating bile. She’s an hour late to work and with everything that happened this morning, she didn’t even think to call her boss to warn her that she would be late.

  As soon as the door closes, Lana begins to explain her tardiness, “Beverly, I…”

  “Save it.” Beverly sits down at her desk and jabs an impatient finger at the chair across from her for Lana to sit. “Give me one reason I shouldn’t fire you right now.”

  “1.5 million dollars.” Beverly’s glare of anger twitches into a brief discontent and agitated smile. “I know my recent tardiness is an issue, but I have given this company six loyal years without any prior disciplines. I have caught numerous errors that saved the company a significant amount of money. I have…”

  “Stop. Lana, my patience with you is waning. You have been late every day for two months. I have been more than generous due to your valuable skills, but my generosity ends now. Don’t be mistaken – you are not irreplaceable. You are not the only analyst out there with a great eye for detail and quick with numbers. If you want to continue at this company, you will not be late again. I’m giving you one month. If you’re late at all in this month, you’ll be packing your desk. Am I clear?”

  “Yes, I understand.”

  “Good. Get to work. I sent you an email that I need completed by two o’clock.”

  “Okay. Beverly, I’m sorry. This morning was…”

  “I don’t want to hear it.”

  Lana nods in defeat as her chest tightens and her eyes prickle with tears. She quickly stands up and leaves the office. She goes straight to the bathroom, and after using the facilities, she washes her hands and splashes her face with cold water. She pats her face dry, not caring her foundation powder is being washed away.

  “This day sucks.”

  “Rough morning?”

  She startles from the reply and looks behind herself. She didn’t realize someone else was in here. A woman who works in sales walks up to the sink next to her and starts washing her hands, giving Lana a friendly smile through the mirror.

  “It’s been a hell of a day.”

  “Sorry to hear that.”

  “Tha
nks. I better get to work.”

  “Hope your day gets better.”

  Lana gives her a quick nod and walks back to her desk. Without meeting any of the inquiring eyes of her team, she turns her computer on. As soon as her desktop loads, she launches her email and the reporting systems and company databases she needs to do her job. She opens the email from Beverly first and panic fills her chest. The task she gave her is not a simple one and it will be very time consuming. If she had arrived on time at eight this morning, she would have been lucky to get it done by the requested deadline. She’s now over an hour behind.

  Her stomach suddenly clenches painfully, reminding her that she hasn’t had anything to eat yet. She knows she thinks and functions better on a full stomach. If she doesn’t eat, she’ll work slower, and if she takes the time to eat, she loses time to work on this project. Which option will cost her the most amount of time?

  After a mental calculation that wouldn’t make any sense to anyone but herself, she decides the least time lost will be in feeding herself. She locks her computer and walks as quickly as she can without running to the elevator to get to the café four floors below. She purchases a breakfast sandwich, a salad for lunch, enough snacks to probably last three days, and two large coffees.

  “Damn, you look like you’re moving into this cube.”

  Lana holds up her coffee in cheers to Asia, her team member, before downing a large gulp and sitting down at her desk. She quickly brings her email back up and Asia sits on the edge of her desk.

  “Everything okay with you?”

  “Not really. I’m sorry, but Beverly has me on a super tight deadline. I need to get cracking.”

  “Anything I can help with? I have a pretty light load right now.”

  “Unfortunately, this is sort of my final exam, and I’m guessing Beverly would define any help I receive as cheating on the answers, but thanks anyway.”

  Lana gives Asia a meaningful look and receives one of a shock and sympathy in return.