Chapter Thirty-One
Ava
Next morning at the office, I make a to-do list of all the things I need to get done before the show. It’s enormous. Looking at it, I decide that sleep is overrated. I’ll run on coffee, adrenaline, and the knowledge that afterward I’ll spend two weeks with Sebastian¸ without work or anything else getting between us. Dirk wasn’t happy when I told him I want two weeks off, but he can suck it. I haven’t taken a single day off in the last year, and I’m not eager to repeat that experience. I work hard. I deserve a damn break. One last trip before this dream ends. I’m surprised at the ache blooming in my chest. I always knew this wouldn’t last, but I never expected to fall in love with Sebastian. It’ll make going back to the way things were so much harder. Imagining my life without Sebastian depresses me. Back to empty hotel rooms and dinners alone in the office, long after my colleagues are gone. Empty beds. I shake my head, trying to clear my thoughts. A job is something fixed; something I can count on. A man can always leave. My job won’t keep me warm at night though. Sebastian does.
“Bah. Get your act together, Lindt,” I admonish myself. For the remainder of the morning, I work through my monstrous to-do list.
I will always remember the moment all hell broke loose. Lola and Sandra, two girls from the marketing department, burst inside my office, looking like they’re about to confess a mortal sin.
“What’s wrong?” I ask them.
“Martha quit.”
“What do you mean, she quit?” I leap to my feet, nearly knocking over my computer. No, no, no. This can’t be. “There is one week left until the presentation.”
“Uh-huh,” Lola says.
“She . . . Jesus.” I bite my tongue, drawing in deep breaths.
“So, we wanted to know who will take over her duties,” Sandra says.
I suspected Martha would leave soon, but I never thought she’d quit now.
A vein pulses in my right temple. “Right. You two go back in your office and continue with your tasks. I will let you know how to proceed.”
After they leave, I take a deep breath and stroll into Sebastian’s office. He and Logan stop talking when they see me.
“Your marketing manager quit,” I announce.
“We’ve been informed,” Logan says. “She received a job in Seattle she couldn’t refuse, and they required her to start right away.”
“You need to hire someone now.”
“There’s not enough time until the show,” Sebastian explains. I swear loudly, because I knew this was exactly what they were going to say.
“I know, but I needed to vent somewhere and I couldn’t do it in front of the team.”
Both men burst out laughing.
“This is not funny,” I say.
“We know it’s not.” Logan‘s expression turns somber.
“Can you do it without the marketing manager?” Sebastian asks. “Logan and I can try to jump in, but between the meetings we’ve already scheduled, there won’t be much time.”
“Well, it’ll mean pulling a hundred hours this week. Nothing I haven’t done before, but I hate it when it happens. I’ll get back to work.”
Sebastian looks at me intently.
I pull myself up straighter. “Just so you know, all these long hours mean you’ll get laid a lot less.”
“We’ll see about that,” Sebastian replies, a rueful smile on his face.
“Does anyone care that I’m in the room?” Logan throws his hands up in the air.
“No,” Sebastian and I reply in unison.
“Okay, glad we settled that,” Logan concludes.
“I’ll leave you two now and get back to work.”
***
One week later, I’ve used up every ounce of energy. I’m convinced my body will give in any minute now. Thank God, it’s the day of the show. I can do plenty of collapsing after it’s over.
I’m in a chic boutique in downtown San Francisco, trying on dresses for tonight. With everything going on, it completely slipped my mind that I don’t have anything to wear for the occasion. The vendor brings me two gorgeous dresses, but my enthusiasm fails when I see the price tag. They’re both over three thousand dollars.
“Unless you have something on sale, don’t bring me any designer items.”
To his credit, the vendor doesn’t look disappointed in the slightest. He hurries off, returning with three dresses that are within my price range.
“I’ll try this one on first.” I point to a dark blue dress. It’s floor length, and made of light chiffon. I put it on quickly, asking him for help to zip up.
I step in front of the mirror and he nods appreciatively. “You look fantastic.”
I smile. The dress hugs my figure surprisingly well, making my boobs stand out and my waist appear smaller. I wish it weren’t so long though.
“I’m going to need killer heels with this one,” I say. “Luckily, I have just what I need.”
The door opens and a new customer comes in. I notice her in the mirror as she looks through the store. Simone.
“You look familiar,” she remarks.
“I’m the marketing consultant at Bennett Enterprises.”
“Oh, that’s right. I saw you at the rehearsal. Will you be at the show tonight?”
“Yes, of course.”
She eyes my dress dismissively, telling the vendor, “Bring me a dress from the Red Valentino collection you have in the front.”
My eyebrows shoot up as the vendor eyes her with disdain and hesitates, as if he doesn’t want to serve Simone. Finally, he moves to bring her the requested items.
“It’s for the after-party tonight,” Simone explains. Not that I asked her. “I have a man to seduce.”
Looking away from her, I return my attention to the mirror, pretending to inspect my neckline.
“Do you know if Sebastian Bennett is dating someone?”
I swallow hard. “He is.”
“Well, it doesn’t matter much. Whoever she is, she can’t compete with me. Men leave their wives for me. They always fall for this.” She gestures at herself. I turn to her in disbelief. So this is what a homewrecker looks like. Does she know how much hurt she causes? All for what?
I look at Simone, pitying her. Strangely, I don’t feel the need to compete with her. “You have a very low self-esteem.”
“Excuse me?”
“Going around, offering your body,” I clarify as the vendor arrives with a Red Valentino dress.
“At least, I have something to offer,” Simone says viciously. “Unlike you.”
“We don’t allow this kind of behavior in our shop,” the vendor tells her.
“She insulted me first,” Simone says.
“I don’t see how telling the truth is an insult.”
“Do you know who I am?” she asks him dismissively.
“Yes, I do. The owner of this shop is one of those women whose marriage you take so much pride in having ruined. I thought you looked familiar. Now, get out.”
Simone stares down at him, but he doesn’t back off. After a few seconds, she leaves.
“Don’t listen to her,” he tells me. “You look beautiful.”
I look at myself in the mirror again, pleased with my choice of dress. Still, I feel uneasy.
***
When I enter the venue for the show a few hours later, I’m dazzled, even though I’ve been at the rehearsal and I know play-by-play how this will go. The opening act is a show of diffused lights. Simone is lowered slowly from the ceiling to the stage, looking every inch the beauty she is. The rest of the models come out next. The collection is exquisite, though one can barely see the jewelry on the models. That’s what the large screens on either side of the stage are for.
I sit at the table with the marketing department, right next to the runway. Sebastian sits with Logan, Alice, Blake, and Daniel at a table on the other side of the runway. I’m proud that he’s finally attended his own show and sits in the front row as opposed to hiding in the back room. He catches my eye on several occasions during the show. I blush every time. We’ve planned to stay for about an hour after the show, so he can answer questions from attendees. Then we’re going to celebrate—just the two of us, while everyone else attends the after-party. Tomorrow, I’ll clear my office while he attends a daylong meeting, and then our vacation will start.
The show ends with Pippa walking down the runway with all the models, bowing as the crowd applauds. As the girls return backstage, she jumps off the runway, coming straight to me. I stand up and give her a hug.
“You were wonderful.”
“Let’s get out of here,” she says in my ear.
“You don’t want to stay at the after-party?” I ask in surprise.
“Not really. I had a fight with my ex-husband over the phone before the show. I’m in the mood for a girls’ night out. I say we grab Alice too and go out. You can’t say no.”
“I’m all in, but Sebastian—”
Pippa holds her hand up, rolling her eyes. “My brother will have you for himself for two whole weeks. He can do without you tonight.”
“Okay. Where are we going?”
She grins. “I don’t know, but a good friend of mine, Caroline, is somewhere around here. She always has great ideas.”
“Okay, let me tell Sebastian I’m leaving.”
“Meet you in front of the entrance in fifteen minutes?”
Wow. She must want to leave this place badly. “Okay.”
Getting to Sebastian is not as easy as I thought. Though the press was invited to leave right after the show ended, there are plenty of people fighting for his time and attention. When I finally do reach him, a tall guy in an expensive suit extends his hand to shake Sebastian’s.
“Bennett, this is extraordinary. You always had great marketing, but this surpasses everything.”
“The merit belongs to our consultant and our team.” Sebastian points at me, and the man takes a step back, nodding appreciatively. “She was the fresh mind we needed in our company and worked well with our team.”
“Are you free to take up new projects? You could do wonders in my company.” The man gives me a sleazy look that tells me he’d also want me to do him. Not happening, buddy.
“I’m afraid you’ll have to discuss that with my boss,” I answer politely. “I already have projects lined up, but we have a large team of consultants.”
The man opens his mouth, but Sebastian cuts him off. “Sorry, we must leave you. I have to make the rounds, and everyone will want to meet the brain”— he points at me— “behind this show.”
Sebastian looks uneasy as we leave. “Our private celebration will be impossible tonight. There are too many people I have to talk to, and that’ll last well into the after-party.”
“You don’t need me here though, do you?”
“Why?”
“Pippa wants to get out of here for a girls’ night out.”
Sebastian frowns, looking through the crowd. “Is she okay?”
“Yeah. She wants to let some steam off. She’s worked hard these past weeks.”
“So have you. Go with them. Blow off some steam.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yeah.”
I nod, but instead of leaving, I start tugging with my teeth at my lower lip.
“Ava, is something wrong?” Sebastian asks me.
“I met Simone today when I was shopping. She has this great plan to seduce you.”
He laughs, cupping my cheek. “She’ll fail hard. Go and have some fun with my sister. The two of us will have fun at home. Don’t doubt me. ”
“I trust you. Completely.”