by Jessie Cooke
“I thought you said that our meeting was tomorrow.”
“Do I look like an idiot to you?” Kelly's voice was loud and shrill, and everyone was staring at them. Isabelle was tempted to answer in the affirmative, but she controlled herself. Lowering her own voice instead, and hoping Kelly would take the hint she said,
“Of course not. I'm sorry, maybe I wrote it down for the wrong date.” Isabelle had been working at Ragged Beauty for about three months now and it hadn't taken her long to find out what Kelly's problem with her was. She was the ex-girlfriend that Alex thought he had an “amicable” breakup with. Apparently, it hadn't been “amicable” for Kelly. She was obsessed with him and hiring Isabelle had been simply because she knew Alex was interested in her. Kelly not only stipulated that in order to get the sign-on bonus, Isabelle would have to stay away from Alex…but she also put it in writing in Isabelle's contract that if her employment was terminated for any reason during her six-month probation period, she'd be required to pay the bonus back…in full. Isabelle was locked into the job…and Kelly's insane demands, at least for a while.
The night that Levi called her, Isabelle's loneliness and craving to see Alex had caused her to impulsively agree to their half-cocked plan. She was so happy she'd gone along with it, but the second the fun and passion was over, reality hit her hard and she began to worry that Kelly had followed one or the other of them there. When Alex wouldn't agree to her terms, she'd told him they were finished and as much as that hurt her, she'd stuck to her guns. For the first week afterwards, he'd tried to reach her, and she'd ignored him. It had been months since she had heard from him now, and her heart still felt broken and her spirit beaten down. But even though she wasn't sure Alex would have understood if she'd tried to explain it to him, she had seen what happened to women that had nothing to depend on other than a man, firsthand, and it hadn't been pretty. She had to establish herself and become self-sufficient and if Alex was still available and willing then…she'd tell Kelly to go fuck herself and do as she pleased. For now however, she was locked into her deal with the devil for at least three more months. Whatever Kelly wanted to “meet” with her about was probably not good either, but at least Isabelle could honestly tell her that she hadn't seen or spoken to Alex in months if she asked. The last she heard, he was in Asia. Knowing that made it easier to sleep at night. She could at least lie to herself when she lay in the dark and fantasized that someday there might still be a chance for them. She told herself that he hadn't given up, he'd just paused things, the way she had, for the sake of business.
“I'll expect you in my office in five,” Kelly said, turning on her six-inch heel and storming toward the elevator. Isabelle sighed and began putting her things away. She grabbed her bag when she finished and headed for the elevator. When the doors slid open, she was face to face with Daniel.
“Izzy!” Isabelle grit her teeth. She had grown weary of correcting people. She forced a smile and said,
“Hello Daniel, how are you?” She was waiting for him to get off the elevator, when he didn't, she stepped on. The doors closed, and he said,
“I'm doing great. I was coming to find you.”
“Oh?”
“Yes, there's a gala at the Plaza this Saturday to introduce the new sculptures created by Monte Lorenz for the park. I'd love it if you could be my date.”
Isabelle didn't know what to say. Daniel wasn't her boss…exactly, but he was an executive with the company and Kelly's right hand. She even suspected that he and Kelly were sleeping together. Isabelle wasn't sure that going on a date with him would be appropriate even if that was all there was to it. When she added in the fact that rumors abounded around the company about his prowess with a lot of the female employees and not just Kelly, it was all bad. She didn't want to go out with him, but since he did hold an important position in the company she worked for, she did have to find a diplomatic way to turn him down.
“Um…I sort of have plans already for Saturday…” she tried.
“Aw, I know it's short notice,” he said, “but my original plan was to take my mother since she was supposed to be in town. She had to cancel on me because her sister is in the hospital, and I really don't want to go alone.” Everything Daniel said and did seemed so sincere, but yet Isabelle always got the feeling he was hiding something, making up a story, or just plain lying. Maybe she wasn't being fair and he really had planned on taking his mother, but she doubted it. He probably thought that made him sound appealing…and it might, if it were true. She was smart and savvy enough as well to know that rumors were simply rumors and her feelings, well, they were far from fact.
“I'm sorry,” she said, “but I highly doubt that you would have a hard time getting any woman to go with you.” A play on his ego might help, she hoped.
He smiled and said, “I'll take that as a complement.”
“It is,” she said as the elevator doors slid open. She hoped that he'd leave it at that, but he didn't. He stepped off behind her and she smiled at him again and headed for Kelly's office. She was surprised and slightly unnerved when he continued to follow her. It must have shown on her face because he smiled and said,
“Kelly asked me to sit in on this meeting.”
“Oh,” she said, not knowing what else to say. She had no idea what the meeting was about, and now that Daniel was involved, she was even more curious. They stepped into the suite where Kelly's office was located, and her receptionist looked up and said,
“Go in, she's expecting you.” Isabelle hung back slightly, letting Daniel go in the room first. Kelly was at her desk and she looked up and smiled at Daniel. The smile fell when she looked at Isabelle.
“Have a seat and let's get started since you're both late,” Kelly said. Daniel looked like he was trying to control a smile as he sat down. Isabelle took the chair next to his and Kelly said, “Saturday night is the gala at the Plaza Hotel for the dedication of the new statues for the park,” Daniel looked at Isabelle. She kept her eyes on Kelly. “We received an invitation that includes all of our executives, but I want you there too, Isabelle.”
“Why?” Isabelle blurted out the question without thinking. Kelly raised an eyebrow and said,
“Well, I could say because I'm your boss and leave it at that…but, since I'm feeling generous today I'll tell you that the fashion editor for the Post, Martin Towers, will be there and he specifically asked about you.”
Isabelle was confused. She didn't know any reporters. Why would he be interested in her? “Okay…um, why exactly?”
Kelly rolled her eyes. “First of all, who cares why? Your name is getting out there, isn't that what you want? If it's not, then you'll never make it in this industry.” Isabelle hated the way Kelly spoke to her, like she was an idiot. She spent so much time biting her tongue, it was a miracle she had any left. “He saw the layout we did for Fresh Faces this month and he wants to talk to the people responsible…particularly the stylist.”
“Stylist?” Isabelle didn't consider herself a stylist. She was a designer. She dressed the models in clothing someone else designed, but the accessories were all hers and Kelly knew that. They were a huge part of what drew the model's outfits together with the color of their eye shadow, their lips or their cheeks…and Kelly knew that. Being able to design her own accessories was the one thing Isabelle had insisted on when she and Kelly hashed out the details of her contract that Kelly had agreed to.
Kelly waved a palm at her. “Don't get picky about titles here, it's a great opportunity for publicity either way, not just for you, but for the company. We're starting to get noticed and the competition in the cosmetics industry is so steep that getting publicity for doing something different…designing our own accessories for our cosmetic models to wear or carry in the ads…that will put us on the map.” Isabelle's head was reeling. Was Kelly actually saying something she was doing…something that was her idea, had put them on the map? She wondered if Kelly had fallen and hit her head in the shower that morn
ing. It wasn't like her to give a compliment, even an off-handed one. She quickly morphed back into herself however as she said, “Of course the company will get credit for the idea.” It was said as a statement, a matter of fact. Isabelle could have argued the point, but she'd signed a contract and the legal jargon said that any ideas she came up with while employed with Ragged Beauty that involved the company, became the sole property of the company. Intellectual property laws didn't apply to to corporate policy in this case. “But, you'll get the credit for your designs…as primitive as they may be…” That was when Daniel finally spoke up.
“Primitive? You just said they were putting us on the map. Why do you have to temper every compliment you give with an insult?”
Kelly shot daggers at him out of her gold eyes. “It's not an insult,” she said. “Isabelle knows what I mean. She pulls together a scarf or gloves or belt or whatever from the fabric at her disposal, stitches it together in a day and then it gets tossed back in the fabric pile as soon as the model is finished with it. They're not designer clothing for God's sake, they wouldn't even stand up to a washing.”
“Then maybe we should think about upgrading the tools at her disposal,” Daniel said. Isabelle appreciated him going to bat for her, but she could tell by the look on Kelly's face that the other woman didn't like it. That fact actually made Isabelle appreciate it even more.
“You look at the budgets for each department every day, Daniel, maybe you'd like to tell me where the money for that would come from? This is a cosmetics company. We are not trying to compete in the fashion industry in any way. We're just doing things differently…fresh, new ideas. What that is going to get us is publicity which in turn will get us more customers. Adding a division where we actually design and make these accessories for anyone other than our models, and put our brand on them, is something we can look at five years from now, maybe. If you don't realize that, then maybe your title is above your actual pay grade.” Daniel didn't look as put in his place as Kelly's tone seemed to want him to be, but, he didn't argue with her. When she finished her rant she said, “Back to the matter at hand. Isabelle, I want you to go over to Rags and talk to a woman named Vera Porter. Vera will help you get outfitted for the gala. Daniel, you'll escort Isabelle to the gala and Isabelle…this is the most important part, you do not speak to Martin Towers, or any reporters without me present.”
“And why is that?” Daniel spoke up again.
Kelly narrowed her eyes at him this time and said, “Because I said so.”
The meeting was over, and Isabelle had a date for Saturday night that she hadn't wanted. Kelly hadn't left her any wiggle room. She supposed that she could have just refused to go…but refusing Kelly didn't come without repercussions. Isabelle's three months in her employ had taught her that. She had to wonder though if any of this was actually helping her career, or if she was simply losing more of herself by the day. She felt like she'd lost control of almost everything and the only thing she had gained in the process was a paycheck. That night at home, she repeated the conversation in Kelly's office to Theo as she was searing his Tilapia and expressed her concerns. Theo's reaction to what she told him, the look in his tawny eyes and the way he flipped his tail at her as he ate his dinner, only served to cement her concerns.
18
“Damn, it's good to see you. I think three months is the longest I've gone without seeing you since we were kids.” Alex and Levi were having a beer in a pub close to Alex's penthouse. Alex had been back from Asia for two days now and his body was just beginning to shake the jetlag.
“It's good to see you too. How are things with you? Seeing anyone?”
“As a matter of fact, I met a woman while you were gone. I think this might really be the one this time.” Alex laughed. He'd heard Levi say that more time than he could count since they were teenagers.
“Really? Where did you meet her?”
“I don't want to tell you. But, her name is Rachel and she's coming to the gala with me tomorrow night, so you'll get to meet her.”
Alex laughed and took a drink of his beer. “And why, pray tell, do you not want to tell me?”
“I don't want you to judge her.”
“Please, I'm the least judgmental person you know.”
“Yes, for the most part. But Rachel is different from most girls that I date. She's a single mother. She has a three-year-old daughter.”
“Wow.” Alex raised his eyebrows. The thought of Levi settled down with one woman was hard to fathom, but settled down with a kid…that was almost too much. “Have you met the kid?”
“We took her to the zoo together last Sunday. She's cute.” Alex smiled. Levi sounded like he was talking about a pet.
“So, you think you're ready for all that…being a father, I mean?”
Levi shrugged and popped a handful of peanuts into his mouth. After he washed the down with a drink of his beer he said, “I like Rachel, a lot. I think I'm finally growing up and realizing that no one comes without a past, and baggage they carry around because of it. It's a step, and being a stepfather, if that ever happens, will be another step that I think I could learn to handle.”
“Wow,” Alex said again. “So much can change in only three months.”
“You're right there. What's new with you?”
“Nope, not yet. I want to know where you met Rachel.”
Levi sighed and said, “Fine. I don't think you'll judge her, I just didn't want to bring up a subject that might…I don't know, stir up bad memories for you or something.”
“Like what kind of memories?”
“Rachel was my masseuse at the club the night I took you there. The club where…”
Alex held up his hand. “I get it. You're afraid you're going to remind me of Izzy and I'm going to get all depressed again, the way I was before I left for Asia.” Alex couldn't understand why Izzy refused to give them a chance. They were so good together. She acted almost afraid of the idea of them being together…or at least people finding out. It still didn't make sense to him. He had tried for a solid week to get in touch with her after that night…the hottest, sexiest night of his life. She wouldn't take his calls or answer her door…he even waited for her in the parking garage at Ragged Beauty one night where he was sure he'd never run into Kelly. Kelly used a driver and there was no reason for her to be in the garage…but, she was. He'd had to make up a lie about why he was in the garage that night. He didn't want Kelly to know about his interest in Isabelle just yet. Isabelle had just gone to work for Kelly's company and something like the CEO's ex-boyfriend being interested in her, might hinder her growth there.
Finally, he'd had to put Izzy and his desires for her on the back burner and get on a plane for Asia. He was in the process of a hostile takeover of one of the largest telecommunications companies in the world. Their main headquarters were in Singapore and they owned subsidiaries in Australia and Africa. He had to be there, and he knew the entire process was going to take months from start to finish. His hope was that after Izzy had a few months to settle into her new job and get her life back in order, she'd be more open to starting something up with him. Besides business, it was all he'd thought about for three months. He'd left her alone, but since he was still loosely connected to Ragged Beauty he was able to at least get updates on how she was doing. He had gotten glowing reviews about her work for the company, but short of sending someone to follow her around, which he would never do, he hadn't been able to find anything out about her personal life. He wondered if she was seeing anyone and he wondered if his heart would be able to take it if he found out that she was.
Kelly had kept in touch while he was away. She never mentioned Izzy and Alex never brought her up, but Kelly was at least acting like her old self. She wasn't questioning him about who he was seeing or talking about the two of them getting back together. Mostly they talked about business and he gave her advice where he could. Otherwise their discussions centered around society events happening in New York an
d people that they both knew in common. She had invited him to attend a gala with her the first Saturday he was back, which was the one Levi was talking about that was happening tomorrow. He had agreed because it was something he'd be expected to be at anyway, but come Sunday morning he planned on getting in touch with Izzy one way or the other.
“How are you doing…with that? Have you talked to her?”
Alex shook his head and drained his beer. “No. But, I plan to, first thing Sunday morning. I promised Kelly I'd go to the gala with her, but then it's all about Izzy.”
“Are you sure that's a good idea?”
“I can't stop thinking about her, Levi. I can't just give up, at least not until she tells me she absolutely doesn't want to be with me, and not just that she can't be with me in public.”
“No, I meant going to the gala with Kelly. Aren't you afraid she'll get the wrong idea?”
Alex frowned. “She hasn't said anything to you, about us getting back together, has she?”
“No, not since the day months ago, that I told you about. But do you really think she's just given up?”
“She seems pretty content with running her business, and you and I both know she won't be alone for long. She's gorgeous and smart and doing well financially. She's a hell of a catch…for the right guy. I think she just panicked a little when we first split up and that's what all the behavior was about. But she seems to have accepted it now.”
Levi looked skeptical, but he said, “Good. I hope it works out for you.”
“Me too,” Alex said. He didn't understand what it was he felt for Izzy. He knew that it was too soon to be love, but it was a connection that even being six thousand miles away from her for months didn't break. So, he wasn't giving up. Alexander Romaletti did not get where he was at by giving up.
