False Impressions Read Online Free

working at the house as part of the Retro Reproductions team, stamping the walls with her historically accurate designs, since June. January 1, Ed and Vince had escaped to the time-share in Florida they’d bought years ago, spending their days at jai alai and the dog track. Her pleas to restart the jobs fell on deaf ears. Deaf and tanned ears.
    “I’ve been looking at your home décor drawings,” Rocky said, laying aside her sketchbook and clearing a space on the table for April to open her portfolio. April felt her spirits lift. This was what she was truly interested in.
    She could see her designs stamped on walls all over the country.
    “This is my favorite,” she said, pointing to a William Morris chrysanthemum.
    “Too complicated,” Rocky said. “How am I supposed to manufacture that? It would take six separate stamps. The price point would be too high. We’ve got to keep these simple.”
    April sighed. Making simple stamps was not her strong suit. Interesting did not translate well to a few lines.
    “Keep it simple, stupid,” Rocky said. At April’s quick look, she said, “You know. KISS. Keep it simple. Not that you’re stupid. I know you can do this. Just bear in mind the amount of cutting we’d need to do to make the stamp. Then reproduce it.”
    “But I like complicated,” April said.
    “I know,” Rocky said. “But complicated means costly to manufacture. Expensive means fewer people can afford it. That’s why you’re lucky to have me to remind you.”
    April closed the book. She rubbed the front of her portfolio, the smooth leather soothing her spiky feelings.
    “We can’t make these stamps now anyhow,” Rocky said, her mouth in a straight line.
    “But you said—”
    “I said once we start making some money, we could expand into home dec stamps. We’re not there yet. I need more of the cute kind of rubber stamps. People like those.”
    “But there’s twenty lines in that catalog.” She indicated the Stamping Sisters catalog. Her California Dreamin’ stamps were just one of many.
    The business model for Stamping Sisters was the same as that for Tupperware. The sellers were all independent contractors who made money in two ways: by selling the stamps themselves at parties held in private homes or by recruiting others to become salespeople. Rocky was revamping the business she’d bought from Trish, but the basic premise remained the same. The more people selling the products, the more money everyone made. And since April was to receive royalties on the stamps she designed, the same went for her. It was in her best interest to help Rocky sell stamps. But she’d never been a good salesperson.
    “The public is always demanding new stuff. We have to keep up. I need you to design four more lines of coordinating sets by the next catalog, which I will send to the printer next month.”
    April hadn’t signed on for this. She’d designed a line of seven stamps that she’d sold to Trish. Trish had promised to pay her royalties. End of story.
    “Are you going to pay me for my time?” April said.
    “We’re all going to have to make sacrifices. I don’t make money until your stamps sell. The more stamps you’ve got out there, the more money you can make. Make sense?”
    April buried her face in her hands. Yes, it made sense, but is that what she wanted to be? A designer of stamps for the Stamping Sisters line? Was that her career path?
    She did stamping on walls for historical renovations. Her wall stamps were unique to the project, based on historical architectural research. Rocky had promised a line of wall stamps in the catalog. Eventually. She had to earn the right to get there. She lifted her head, leaned on one palm.
    “All right,” April said. She wanted that home dec line more than anything. She’d have to pay the piper in the meantime. Rocky being the piper.
    “Okay. So how about a new line of stamps from you?” Rocky’s tone was reproachful. April felt like a first-grader