When Beauty Met The Beast

by Khardine Gray

  Clothes were just clothes if you couldn't bring some life into them and make people want them. She had the ability to do that and breathe life into designs.

  Until word of the position had been announced, she'd planned to leave in the fall, after Fashion Week. She thought she might go to France and stay with her parents for a while. From there she'd decide what to do. Whether that was to stay in Europe or venture back to LA.

  Getting this job signified a lot for her. While she was very happy, she also had to make it her duty to think of her future. Her talents would be wasted if she didn't.

  "My friend, believe me when I say you totally got this. Even Taylor thinks her mom just did the whole application thing to dot the I's and cross her Ts. Regina wants it to be legit so when she picks you no one can say that they didn't have the chance to apply."

  Chloe wished she could believe that, but she wasn't sure if she could be so relaxed. Someone like Lisa, for example, could knock her off her perch. Lisa was really good. She'd been part of the creative team a year or so longer than Chloe.

  The way it worked at the moment was each person in the creative team would have a chance to be in charge of a show and a magazine issue. Lisa did the Christmas show and the accompanying magazine. She'd come up with this whole ice theme that blew everyone away and definitely caught Regina's eye. Regina still talked about it now, and Christmas was two months ago. Regina didn't tend to remember anything unless it was truly memorable.

  And, while Regina often gave Chloe compliments, Lisa's work had made a lasting impression.

  "I hope so."

  "Good. Now that's sorted, you have to consider going out with this guy later. His name is Chase, and he looks exactly like Brad Pitt."

  Chloe started to laugh. She knew well enough to be wary when Kelly said things like that. The last time was supposedly a Val Kilmer lookalike. Kelly swore blindly, hand on heart, that Chloe would be getting a dupe of the perfect masterpiece Val Kilmer was as Iceman in Top Gun, but what Chloe got was more like a Fonzie from Happy Days wannabe. The guy even tried to talk like him. Chloe had to hide her laughter through the whole date and when he caught her laughing she had to make up excuses.

  "Does he really, Kelly?" Chloe narrowed her eyes and tilted her head to the side.

  "Yes, he even does lookalike shows."

  Chloe blinked several times.

  "Here is a picture." Kelly took her phone out from her back pocket, flicked through her photos and handed the phone to Chloe when she found the picture.

  Chloe widened her eyes. It was actually true. Chase definitely looked like a young Brad Pitt. As in Legends of the Fall, Thelma and Louise, Meet Joe Black Brad Pitt.

  "So, will you go?" Kelly smiled mischievously, seeing the look of appreciation Chloe gave the picture.

  "Yes, I will." Chloe nodded vigorously. She'd be stupid not to go. She'd have to prep her hair with some leave-in mist and to see if Francois could fit her in for a conditioning treatment after work.

  "That's the spirit," Kelly laughed.

  Maybe a break from the stress and a date with a super-hot guy was the very thing she needed.

  "Do you want to hear about the guy I'm going to see tomorrow night?" Kelly's eyes beamed with wildness.

  Chloe laughed again. Kelly's men had to be butch with triple the amount of muscle on a normal person, and they had to be covered in tattoos. She loved military men that looked like they'd been lifting weights since birth. They were all hot—hot, but a little too vain for Chloe.

  "Don't we have to leave soon?" Any talk of men with Kelly was guaranteed to take up the little time they had left, and Chloe wasn't even dressed yet.

  She was about to answer when Taylor burst through the door in a cloud of excitement.

  "Girls!" she shrieked. "Oh my gosh, oh my gosh." She was wiggling her hands and jumping up and down, bright green eyes beaming as the excitement rippled off her.

  "What? What's happened?" Kelly urged.

  "Yes, what is it?" Chloe said with insistence. She couldn't deal with suspense right now.

  "Richard's going to ask me to marry him," Taylor cried, jumping up and down so much her white blonde hair loosened from her high bun and tumbled down her shoulders.

  While Kelly screamed with delight and equal excitement, hugging Taylor to share in the joy, Chloe did her very best to put on a happy face.

  She tried her extreme best to look happy and was glad that Taylor didn't see her disdain. Chloe would have felt bad for not being happy for her best friend. It was supposed to be fantastic news, beautiful even, but she couldn't feel it.

  Put simply, Chloe didn't like Richard.

  He was an okay guy to be around, but there was something off-key about him. Something Chloe couldn't put her finger on and could only describe as off. She'd seen it from the first time she met him when he offered his insincere smile and fake compliments. Chloe knew when people were fake, and Richard was definitely that.

  She couldn't help the need she felt to be protective of her friends. Especially Taylor. She was a Vanderville, and everyone everywhere knew that name. Her mother owned Runway, and her father was the state’s attorney. To add to all that, the Vandervilles were incredibly wealthy billionaires. That could make you a target, and an easy one if you were Taylor who fell in love at the drop of a hat.

  "Did he say when he was going to propose?" Chloe asked when Kelly and Taylor stopped jumping. She wanted to know how much time she had to prep her to say no.

  "No, I found this this morning. I just had to come and show you guys." Taylor giggled. Chloe held back a cringe at the thought that Taylor must have spent the night at Richard's again. That was happening a little too often for her liking.

  She watched Taylor retrieve a small piece of paper from the back pockets of her jeans. It had Tiffany's written on it in gold ink. As she unfolded it Chloe could see it was an insurance certificate for a ring. Taylor's eyes sparkled even more as she held it out. Chloe didn't think she'd ever seen her look happier.

  Damn. This was so hard, and Chloe felt bad for her negative thoughts towards Richard. It was something Chloe would talk to her about, just not today. Today Chloe had to worry about herself. She had to hand in her application and gear herself up for the next few weeks so she wouldn't be too stressed out with worry.

  They traveled to work together in Kelly's car. Taylor talked their ears off right up until they got to the glorious revolving doors of Runway, and she continued to do so when they entered the main hall. She'd been talking about her prospective ring, and now she was trying to decide if Vera Wang made better wedding dresses than Elizabeth Gayle.

  "How about a new designer?" Kelly suggested.

  Chloe pulled in a steady breath. The girls were both giving her a headache. This was the part where they'd branch off and go to their separate departments.

  "What do you think, Chloe? I'd love a new designer." Taylor gave her a penetrative stare and inclined her head to enhance the look. It was because Chloe had hardly said anything.

  "Why don't you let Richard propose first. Then maybe you could see if he wants a big or small wedding. That way you'll know what kind of dress to get."

  There, that was a good answer, one that hid her awareness of Richard quite well.

  But Taylor couldn't be fooled that easily, she'd known Chloe for far too long to accept a flimsy answer like that.

  "Oh please. You know the size of the wedding won't affect the type of dress I buy. Come on, girl, we're hopeless romantics. You haven't said much since we left the house." She pursed her lips together and narrowed her gaze.

  "No, you haven't," Kelly noted, too, giving her the same sort of look. Kelly knew Chloe wasn't too keen on Richard, but she'd tell her off for not being happy for Taylor.

  "I'm just worried about the whole creative director application." That was very true. She was worried, and it was making her very edgy.

  "Why are you thinking about that?" Taylor looked at her as if the thought of her not getting the
position was absurd.

  "It's important to me." She hadn't shared her plans about leaving if she didn't get the job. She was hoping she wouldn't have to.

  "I understand, but Chloe, there isn't anyone here who deserves the job more than you." Taylor giggled and gave her a quick hug. "Aside from the fact that you're you, you're you."

  Chloe laughed and rolled her eyes.

  "My mom knows you, and she trusts you. And you work as hard as she does," Taylor clarified. She spread her arms wide, opening her mouth as if she were about to burst into song, but froze as she lifted her head.

  Something caught her attention in a big way.

  "Wade," she whispered.

  At the mention of that name Chloe whipped her head around and followed Taylor's intense stare. Chloe froze too. Just like always when she saw him.

  From as far back as she could remember she'd always had the same reaction to him. No matter how much time had passed, no matter how old she got. It was the same reaction.

  Her knees would turn to jelly, her heart would still and skip several beats. Her skin would flush as warmth spread through her, and her nerves would scatter.

  Wade Vanderville always did that to her, and it infuriated her to no end. Chloe was a woman in control. She didn't like this weakness he'd created within her. Especially after what happened when they were younger.

  She watched him standing by the second-floor balcony, talking on his phone. He looked as handsome as ever with his spiky blonde hair, dark jeans, and a fitted white cotton shirt that showed off his incredible physique.

  Chase, Mr. Brad Pitt lookalike, and Brad Pitt himself for that matter, had nothing on Wade. They were small fry in comparison to him. Add that to his massive ego, bad-boy attitude, and sinful mind, and you'd have a deadly combination.

  He'd been gone for five years.

  Seems like he was back.

  Chapter 2

  Regina

  Regina straightened up in her chair and leaned forward, placing her hands on her desk. Her eyes never left Ben's as he sat back opposite her with that smug expression on his face she hated so much.

  "Tell me again how this will benefit me." She narrowed her gaze and inclined her head, allowing the loose waves of her light blonde hair to drift further down her shoulders.

  She just wanted to hear him repeat this absurd idea of his to become joint-owners of Runway. Him, the state’s attorney, running and owning a fashion magazine. Him, who hated fashion and everything about it. He wanted her to agree to this ridiculous concoction of his as if they were talking about grocery shopping.

  "Regina, I'm certain it's quite obvious. I'm a very powerful man, having my backing will increase popularity and maintain it." He smiled, revealing perfect white teeth.

  She almost laughed in his face. She' hadn't needed his backing for a long time. Not since she started the company. Now that she was world renowned, she definitely didn't need it.

  The only other magazine that could offer some form of competition was Vogue, and that was simply because of their lifestyle and beauty additions. Runway was exclusive to fashion, and she wanted to keep it that way. It was what made it special and gave it that edge.

  He thought she was the same stupid, naïve woman he'd married thirty-seven years ago. The same woman who married him to please her parents. Why? Because it would improve her parents' business relations in the damn oil industry. They were both dead now, but they'd had a great life from the façade marriage and life Regina had with Ben.

  Today's request was a result of her staying with him way past the expiry date. The only document she wanted to sign was their divorce papers. Then she'd be free of him. It had taken her years to get to this point. Years to build up all her assets and arm herself for the foreseeable backlash a very public divorce would bring. But she was there, at the point where she could begin her proceedings. She was just waiting for Fashion Week to pass.

  The press would have a field day if they knew the wife of the great Benjamin Vanderville, the revered state’s attorney, was plotting to leave him. She tended not to care what the press thought, except when there was a chance it could hurt her family or Runway. News of divorce could damage Runway's standing with investors who supported Ben.

  As she looked at him sitting before her with his swath of arrogance, it was tempting to hit him with her own news of what she planned.

  Only God knew what this man had put her through, and now he wanted this, but the question of why piqued her interest. She was intrigued to find out what significance co-owning Runway would have for him.

  "Is there anything else you'd like to add?" She raised her brows with expectancy.

  He looked slightly phased, probably because she agreed so quickly and easily to everything else. However, this was Runway they were talking about. Unlike everything else, she wouldn't be so foolish as to even truly consider becoming co-owners with him. Her heart and soul were in this place, everything that was her was here.

  "What more could there be than that, dear?" He made her sick with such endearments. Always made her feel like vomiting, or at the very least heaving.

  "Am I going to be able to co-own some of your businesses too?" She didn't have any interest in owning anything with him but was interested to see his reaction.

  She almost laughed again when his face fell and that smug smile disappeared.

  "Is that what you want?" He adjusted the sleeve of his tweed jacket and leaned forward, too, giving her his full attention with those light gray eyes and that calculative look he used to assess her.

  "I don't know. I think this could be good. Joining forces in our business endeavors to be stronger. It's a good public image." She was enjoying this torture of him. He'd hate if she had anything to do with his investment and software companies. In fact, she knew he would despise it like nothing else.

  "You're right." He nodded to her astonishment.

  Geez. She smiled and couldn't restrain the little laugh that escaped her lips.

  "Something funny, my love?"

  How about everything? He was up to something. Something big. Something interestingly big and she was going to find out what it was.

  "No, I just wonder… This is such a good idea that would have benefitted us both years ago. Especially you." She threw that in to see his reaction again, but his expression didn't change. "Let's talk more about this. I have time." She didn't. Regina had a full-on busy day and was probably going to be here till tonight because she had back-to-back meetings with new designers and potential clients. Everything they did in the next few weeks had to be on point to create that buzz for Fashion Week. They had six months to hit the mark. She knew they could do it. She had a fantastic team here and didn't doubt that everyone would be doing their best. Regina just wanted to exceed the expectation and ensure they secured that five-year contract.

  "Okay. Where does your interest lie?" He sat back and shuffled so that he crossed one leg over the other and rested his elbows on the glossy arms of the chair. An attempt to look relaxed. She knew him all too well. Knew his tactics, knew his thoughts, feelings, and motives. She'd been with this man since she was eighteen. If she didn't know him by now, something would be wrong.

  "Software," she nodded. "That's always a safe bet. How about I co-own Fast Tech with you. Better to start out small, right?" It was the smallest of Ben's companies but did better than all the rest combined because they had contracts with government offices and the military.

  He made millions from that company alone.

  "Okay," he nodded. "Sure. How about I get the team there to prep some information for you and send over the financial reports."

  Wow. He was desperate indeed. Very desperate. He'd never agreed to anything so quickly before.

  "That would be great. I'll have Gilly help me look over things." Gilly was her PA and most trusted advisor. Her confidant. There wasn't anything that he wasn't skilled in. His biggest skill was snooping around to unveil the truth. Any truth, no matter what it was, or
how well hidden.

  "Gilly, yes." The moment of hesitation caught her attention and made this little meeting all the more interesting. He didn't seem overly fond of that idea. She was guessing that Ben didn't want Gilly looking over anything.

  "Something wrong?" She inclined her head and clasped her hands before her.

  "Well, I just thought we'd decide what we wanted. Gilly has a way of taking his own sweet time."

  "He's just thorough." Idiot, who did he think he was dealing with here? "These things can't be rushed. We're not talking about a lemonade stall here, are we."

  He offered a thin-lipped smile. "No, I suppose not. I'll get the team to mark all correspondence for his attention. Now back to Runway. You haven't agreed yet."

  "You're a quick one, aren't you?" She laughed. "How about I look over the docs from Fast Tech, see if I like it and if it suits me. Then we can talk about Runway."

  Ben didn't seem to like the firmness in her response one bit, but he knew he had to play the game she just started to get what he wanted.

  "Okay Regina, we'll do that. In the meantime, I had this prepared." He lowered to his black briefcase and pulled out an envelope from the front divider.

  "What's this?" she asked as he handed it to her.

  "The proposed joint-ownership contract." He smiled at her as if he'd announced the best idea in the world.

  Regina took a moment to glare at him while the envelope dangled from his fingers.

  "You made a contract? For my company?"

  She couldn't hold back now. Before she enjoyed the game, but this had pushed her buttons in the worst way.