by Mary Smith
“There’s more to it…” She stopped talking.
“And you won’t betray his trust,” Mikayla finished for her. “You’re a good person, Joy.”
“I’m seeing him again tonight,” she rushed out before continuing to do her makeup.
“Do you want to be…a thing?” Mikayla treaded lightly with the inquiry. The last thing she wanted was to offend Joy.
“He’s in need of a friend.” Joy refrained from going into any more details, and Mikayla stopped asking. “Are you happy?”
“With what?”
“Being here with Jarvis?” Joy glanced up at her for a beat before returning to looking in the mirror.
“I am. I know there’s a long road ahead. I can’t even be sure we’ll make it to anything more than what we are now. Now, I want to try.” Confessing to Joy made her feel a bit better and apprehensive all at the same time.
“If any two people I know in this world belong together, it’s you two. Even if those two people are extremely hard-headed and stubborn.” Joy giggled.
“You know those two words are the same, right?”
Instead of giving Mikayla a smart retort, Joy simply stuck out her tongue. Then they both laughed just as Jarvis made his way into the hotel room.
“Hurry up,” Joy told him. “We can’t be late.”
Mikayla’s awe had to be noticed by the entire crew. They were in a warehouse. It was meant to look abandoned, but they were actually million dollar lofts. She never realized how much went into photography, but it was a true form of art.
She watched Jarvis in the makeup chair as several women worked on styling his hair and patting his face with a brush to tone down any shininess. Next to him had to be the world’s most beautiful model. Jealousy ran through her, but she had to keep it at bay. He had a job to do and waking up and seeing his face this morning meant a lot to her—and to him.
“Who’d you bring today?” one of the designers asked Jarvis.
“My sister Joy, who doubles as the world’s greatest assistant, and this is Mikayla, my girlfriend and the world’s greatest jewelry designer.” Jarvis spoke as if he had introduced them in this manner a thousand times.
Mikayla froze in shock, unsure if he truly meant what he said.
“Girlfriend?” The supermodel held the expression Mikayla felt. She wondered if they had a fling in the past.
“Yes,” he confirmed without a second of hesitation.
“Oh,” was the only response Ms. Supermodel came back with.
“Mikayla.” The designer dragged out her name and moved over to her. “I’m Jean.” He held out his hand.
“Nice to meet you.” She shook the man’s hand. Studying him, he was the same height as her, with 90s bleached blond tips and dawning a black turtleneck and black jeans.
“Come.” He laced her arm through his and escorted Mikayla toward a table along the wall. “What do you think?”
Her eyes moved about the items laid out in front of her. All were beautiful pieces of jewelry.
“Lovely,” she replied.
“No. No. No.” He released her arm. “Tell the truth.”
“Okay,” she said with apprehension, not understanding why her opinion even mattered.
Moving closer, she leaned down to see all the designs with a closer eye. They were beautiful pieces but some were poorly put together. Mikayla told him as such.
“To be a higher-end piece, they look like they picked these gems from a clearance aisle. And the design on the larger one isn’t centered.” She pointed at each one as she spoke about it.
“Do you create rings?” Jean questioned.
“No. Necklaces, chokers, and bracelets.” She stood up straight wondering what the interest was in her hobby of making jewelry. Knitting was her love.
Jean gave her the biggest smile. “Do you have any samples?”
“Not with me.” Mikayla’s confusion came out through her tone. “I have photos.” She pulled her phone from the side of her purse and tapped the screen.
For the next half hour or so, she controlled the conversation about her designs, her technique, and materials. By the end of their talk, Jean stared at her. Without much more to say, Mikayla just stood there. Then the photographer called Jean over to where they were shooting. She hadn’t realized it even started. Moving over to Joy, who stood off to the side, she wondered why she manipulated the man’s time. She loved talking about her projects, but this man had better things to do with his time. Pushing away all thoughts, she cleared her mind and watched Jarvis at work.
The camera loved him, and he loved it. Mikayla knew he was a natural model. She watched him move with ease and without much direction. However, Ms. Supermodel seemed to be struggling a bit. Mikayla kept her laughter internal. Although, she understood how Jarvis could throw off anyone’s game. It was nice to see the girl wasn’t perfect.
After numerous outfit changes, a set change and a couple of small breaks to touch up hair and makeup, the photographer called it quits.
“Well, that was a fun eight hours.” Joy yawned as she packed up Jarvis’s items.
“Could be worse?” Mikayla commented, eyeing Jarvis across the room, who was signing autographs and taking pictures with the crew. “Do you need any help?”
“Nah,” Joy said tugging the bag over her shoulder. “As high maintenance as Jarvis is, he doesn’t require a lot of stuff.”
Mikayla giggled because it was true. She followed Joy. Stepping into the air and sun, she shivered. She was frozen. They kept the shoot extremely cold to keep the models from sweating, and now the heat of the sun was tingling her skin.
“What time are you leaving in the morning?” Joy asked.
“Early.” She sighed. “I have to work on orders and school.”
“Does Jarvis know?”
“I told him I was leaving Saturday. I just don’t know if he knows the time,” she answered. She came to speak with Jarvis. Apparently, she held the title of girlfriend now. Something she didn’t know how to handle yet.
“Mikayla.”
Turning toward the French accent, Jean strolled out of the building toward her.
“Yes?” She wondered if they’d forgotten something.
“Let’s have dinner tonight.”
“Pardon?” Obviously, she must have misunderstood him.
“Dinner.” He chuckled. “Don’t tell me you don’t eat.”
“No, I do—”
“Jarvis and Joy are more than welcome to join us,” he added, cutting her off.
“Why are we even going to dinner?” she questioned.
“To talk business.”
Furrowing her brow, she figured Jean ate one too many croissants during the shoot. “What business?”
“We’ll be there.” Jarvis suddenly appeared at her side. “At the usual spot?”
“Perfect. My driver will follow yours.” Jean actually blew a kiss to them and strolled to a car parked a few feet away.
“What’s happening?” Mikayla growled.
“Trust me. Please.” Jarvis gave her a soft kiss on her lips. “This is a good thing.”
A hundred questions ran through her mind, but she would give him the benefit of the doubt. Just this once.
The three of them got into their car, and Jarvis told the driver where to go. On the way, she noticed he was holding her hand tight but remained silent. She figured he was exhausted from work.
When they reached the restaurant, Jarvis continued to hold her hand as they made their way in. Mikayla watched as the hostess’s eyes widened upon seeing him.
“We need a table,” Jarvis stated. “Something private.”
“How many will be in your party?” She batted her eyes at him, causing Mikayla to roll hers.
“Four,” he answered.
The hostess smiled and began to walk toward the back, swaying her hips.
Mikayla caught Joy’s eyes, which silently told her to get a load of the hostess. Joy nodded in agreement. To her surprise, Ja
rvis didn’t pay any attention and even held out the chair for her when they reached the table. Mikayla felt the hostess’s glare, and she enjoyed it.
“My Mikayla.” Jean’s accent came from across the room. Before she could respond, he hugged her and kissed both of her cheeks then hugged her again. “No words can express how excited I am.”
“Now I’m more confused.” She sat down and Jean took the seat to her right.
“You have a gift,” Jean began.
This made her brow furrow deeper. “A gift for what?” She wondered if Jean had been drinking during the shoot.
“Design,” he answered.
Mikayla busted into laughter, glancing at Jarvis and Joy and neither of them was joining her in this joke. She stopped. “Wait. Are you serious? I’m a designer?”
“But you are,” Jarvis spoke up.
“I’m not understanding.” She kept searching their faces for an answer.
“Your insight of my pieces was eye-opening,” Jean told her. “I’ve been in a black hole on my accessory line. I need you to work for me. To help.”
His choppy English caused her to pause, ensuring she heard everything. “You want me to work for you?”
“Yes. Think of it as a consultant and design position. You will work closely with me,” he explained.
“I live in New Hampshire. I’m still in college. I can’t possibly pick up my life and move.” Granted, the opportunity would be life-changing, but she couldn’t leave New Hampshire—yet.
“I do my best work away from concrete.” Jean smirked. “You know big cities. I’m a country boy at heart. Recently, I rented a large home not far from your Manchester. This way, we will be close.”
Again, she felt as if she was in a dream and was waiting to wake up in her bed.
“You and I will design two new lines. One for fall and one for spring. I have some ideas, but when I’m in my black hole nothing seems right.”
More questions spun in her head as the waiter came up to their table and asked for their drink order. Jean ordered an expensive bottle of wine and calamari. Mikayla still stared at Jean.
“You know I’m not a designer,” she said a bit louder as if he had bad hearing aids. “Why are you wasting your time?”
“You are a designer.” He picked up his cell phone and tapped the screen. “See.”
In front of her was her Esty store.
“This is yours, yes?” Jean asked.
“Yes,” she confirmed.
“And those pictures you showed me earlier were yours, yes?”
“Yes,” she said again.
“Then take the job.” Putting his phone down, he continued to smile at her. “We will do good together.”
Mikayla sat back in her chair. Still wanting to pinch herself, she turned her gaze to Jarvis. He’d been very quiet, which wasn’t normal for him.
“Did you have a hand in this?”
“Jean had spoken about needing some help out of his slump or black holes as he called it.” Jarvis explained to her. “I know you two would be a perfect fit. He needs guidance and your designs are much better than his.” He winked at Jean, who roared in laughter.
“I’ve only been working with jewelry for a short time. I’m certain I have a lot more to learn.” She brought Jean’s attention back to the topic at hand.
“True. All the more reason I need you and you need me.” He went on to explain further, but the waiter brought the wine and four glasses. Jean poured the wine and turned to Mikayla with a raised glass. “I need you. You’re a breath of fresh air. You need me because I can help with technique and introduce you to lots of people.”
Jarvis handed her a glass of the blood red wine. Jean’s eyes stayed on her. Her mind raced with three hundred fifty-six excuses of why she shouldn’t—why she couldn’t—do this. However, one question stood out.
“Why not?”
She dreamed of going forward with her career and this opportunity would be one many only dreamed of. Now, it sat in front of her.
Raising the glass, she confidently said, “Let’s do it.”
Between Jarvis’s long photoshoot and the extended dinner, Mikayla collapsed on the hotel bed onto her stomach almost as soon as she walked in.
“I’m guessing sex is out.” Jarvis laid next to her.
She refused to say anything but did turn her head and gave him a dirty look.
“For one, I’m tired. And two, I should be mad at you.” She tucked her arms under the pillow, lifting her up slightly.
“Your being mad at me doesn’t have a thing to do with sex,” Jarvis informed her with a smirk.
“How did you do it? Why tell Jean about me?” She had much more to ask—and say—to him.
“One, you’re my girlfriend. Two, you’re the most talented person I know and deserve every opportunity that comes your way. Plus, all I did was show Jean the site. He just knew true talent when he saw it.” He leaned down and kissed her forehead.
“Do you even hear yourself?” She moved up to her elbows.
“Yes,” he answered without much thought. “You deserve much more.”
Her heart swooned at his words. Then again he knew how to make any woman weak in the knees.
“I love you and will do anything in my powers to ensure your success.”
No matter how badly she wanted to do it all on her own, she knew people would help her along the way. She wasn’t ignorant of this fact.
“Now, when are we going on our date? This way I can get into your pants.” He wagged his eyebrows.
“Not tonight.” She laid her head down. “I have to leave tomorrow. I need to get back to New Hampshire.”
Jarvis’s face turned solemn. “We’re heading to Los Angeles for a few days and then Texas for several days for business.”
“I know. Joy told me all about it. We’ll get together.” She pulled her hand from under the pillow and cupped his cheek. “But if you hurt me, I’ll kick you in the balls.”
He smirked. “I figured. However, you don’t have to worry. I won’t hurt you.” He leaned down and kissed her cheek. “Sleep. You have a long train ride back.”
Jarvis moved closer to her. As she shut her eyes, she drifted into a dreamful sleep of Jarvis’s eyes and his hold.
Mikayla had been in a whirlwind of fury for the past week with classes starting back up from spring break. The focus should have been on her work, but Jean began sending some of his ideas for the jewelry line. Many of them, in her opinion, were a hot mess. He would be in New Hampshire soon and then they had to get to work.
Tonight she and Elexis planned on having a roommate dinner. Elexis had been busy with work and the upcoming library benefit she had been put in control of. They both needed a night to unwind.
“I ordered pizza,” Elexis called out to her.
“Do we have Hi-C?” she yelled back as she typed her conclusion to her paper.
“Yes…wait…I don’t know. Let me check.”
Mikayla smirked making her way out of her bedroom and downstairs. Elexis always went above and beyond as a friend and roommate.
“We don’t have any,” Elexis said with her head deep inside the fridge.
“I’ll run to the store real fast.” Mikayla grabbed her keys. “Do we need anything else?”
“No.”
Thankfully, the convenience store was less than a mile away. Walking in, she moved directly to the back of the store where the Hi-C was on a shelf along the wall. She grabbed two, paid for them, and strolled out to her car. Just as she opened the door, she froze, feeling someone staring at her. Turning, she saw Donnie Burns giving a slight wave as he pumped gas. Every hair stood on end as her gut screamed for her to get into the car and drive far away from his stare. However, she gave him a polite smile, moved over to him, all the while keeping a car’s length between them.
“I texted you,” he said, hanging up the nozzle.
“I’ve been busy.” She gave an excuse. He had texted her over fifty times, each text cr
eepier than the last. “I went to New York City. The guy I’d been on and off with is back on,” she explained.
“Oh wow.” He seemed shocked by her statement. “Really?” He grew red.
Mikayla couldn’t understand why the sudden change in the air. Donnie went from shock to anger.
“Yep,” she said. “So…” She trailed off for a second and then just finished with, “See you around.”
“Wait.” He rushed to the front of the car where she stood. “Sorry, I’m just surprised you broke up with me without even a text or call.”
Blinking several times, Mikayla couldn’t believe he said what he did. “We weren’t dating. There was nothing to break-up.”
“Whatever,” he barked, which caused her to flinch. “You’re just like every other bitch. Fuck you.” He flipped her off, got into his car, and squealed out of the lot.
Mikayla stood frozen in place, shocked at the short encounter that took place between them. Finally, she felt her legs move toward her car.
Walking into her house, she quickly told Elexis everything about Donnie. Her confused and bewildered expression matched Mikayla’s emotions.
“Did he seem as if he was drinking or high?” Elexis asked, opening the pizza box.
“I don’t believe so.” Mikayla never saw him drunk and couldn’t be one hundred percent sure. However, he didn’t appear to be.
“Are you worried?” Elexis placed a couple of slices onto her plate.
“No, he seems harmless but I did always have a strange feeling around him.” She confessed, taking a bite of her pizza.
“Maybe he’s just an overbearing guy?” Elexis shrugged at her conclusion.
“Maybe.” She agreed.
“Now, come on.” Elexis led the way into the living room. “Chris Pine is on Netflix and we must watch. Also, I need all the details of your new job.
As they sat on the couch, Mikayla told her all about Jean and her new job description. Jean might be a touch annoying, but Mikayla was very excited about the opportunity to work with him. It could lead to more doors being opened for her.
“You sound happy,” Elexis commented.
“I am,” Mikayla confirmed.
“It’s because of Jarvis,” she added.
