Chapter 9
Chapter Nine
Lorelei
Thank God it was Friday. My last day of work for two days, and then I could spend the entire weekend with my daughter. Jack wasn’t in the office most of the morning because he was in back-to-back meetings. It was finally lunchtime, so I grabbed my sketchbook, bound in a leather zipped case, my lunch, and headed to Central Park. Sitting under the same tree I had been, I worked on my sketches and ate my lunch. It wasn’t long before my business phone dinged with a text message from Jack.
“I know you’re at lunch, but when you’re done, I need you to go to Banana Republic and pick up the outfits I had put together. Call Tony when you have them, and he’ll pick you up. Also, stop at Starbucks and get my coffee.”
“Yes, Mr. Sutton.”
When my lunch break was over, I did as Jack asked. After collecting the outfits and stopping at Starbucks, I walked into his office and set the cup on his desk.
“Hang the clothes on that rack over there.” He pointed.
He got up from his desk and took the plastic off each outfit.
“What the fuck?! This isn’t what I asked for,” he shouted. “Who the fuck put these outfits together?” He paced around the room in anger.
I stood and looked at the outfits, then walked over to them and changed a few things around.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” he asked.
“Rearranging a few things. I think it looks better this way.”
He stood back with his hands on his hips, stared at the outfits I put together, and then looked at me.
“You think that looks better?”
“Yes,” I softly spoke.
“Well, I don’t.”
Coco walked into the office. “Oh, perfect. You got the outfits from Banana Republic. Looks good, Jack.” She smiled as she took the rack from his office.
I looked at him and shrugged. “Told you they looked good.”
He sighed and rolled his eyes. “Get out of my office.”
I didn’t know what the hell his problem was, but he didn’t need to take it out on me. It was finally five o’clock. I grabbed my sketchbook and my purse and walked out of the building. As I was trying to hail a cab, my business phone rang. It was Jack. I cringed.
“Hello.”
“I need you to meet me for dinner tonight. I have some things I want to discuss with you regarding the launch party.”
“It can’t wait until Monday?”
“No, Miss Flynn. It can’t. Meet me at The Four Seasons at eight o’clock sharp.”
“But, Mr.—”
“No buts, Lorelei. Be there or else.”
I couldn’t believe this and the nerve of him. I quickly dialed Stella.
“Hello, best friend. What’s up?”
“I am so sorry to ask this, but do you think you and Sebastian can come to babysit Hope tonight? My asshole boss is making me meet him for dinner at The Four Seasons.”
“Nice place. But why is he making you meet him on a Friday night?”
“He said he needs to go over some things with me regarding the launch party.” I finally hailed a cab and climbed in.
“Hmm. Sounds to me like he’s using that as an excuse to see you.”
“Oh, please. I just threw up in my mouth, so you know.”
She laughed. “Of course, we’ll come to babysit Hope. I’ll bring some board games. It’ll be fun.”
“Thanks. I owe you.”
“No, you don’t. What time do you want us there?”
“I have to meet him at eight sharp. So be at my place at seven-fifteen.”
“Okay, sweetie. We’ll see you later.”
I picked up Hope from my mom’s house and waited until we got home to tell her about my dinner plans.
“Baby, I have to meet my boss for dinner tonight, but Auntie Stella and Uncle Sebastian are going to come over and stay with you.”
“Okay.” She looked down in disappointment. “Why are you meeting him?”
“He wants to go over some planning for an event his magazine is hosting.” I ran the back of my hand down her cheek.
“He sounds mean.”
“He is. But don’t worry. We have the whole weekend to ourselves.”
“Okay.”
“You understand, right?”
“Yeah. I know it’s your job.”
“Thanks, baby. I’ll make it up to you.”
She went and sat on my bed while I got ready for dinner. The Four Seasons was fancy, and I needed to dress appropriately. I went to the back of my closet and pulled out a short black dress I had made a few months ago but never needed to wear.
“What do you think?” I asked Hope as I held it up to me.
“I like it.” She smiled.
After slipping into the dress, I twisted my hair in a clip and freshened up my makeup. I heard the front door open, and Hope leaped off the bed to run and see Stella and Sebastian.
“Look at you, fancy girl.” Stella smiled as she walked into the bedroom. “Looking all hot for the boss.”
“Oh, please. You know The Four Seasons is fancy.”
“I know. But somehow, I feel Mr. Sutton’s jaw will drop when you walk in.”
“Oh, it will drop, and I’m sure some yelling will come out when it does.”
She laughed as I put on my heels.
“Thanks again for coming over.”
I walked into the living room, and Sebastian whistled when he saw me. I smacked him on the chest with a smile, kissed Hope goodbye, and headed to the Four Seasons.
When I arrived at the restaurant, the hostess led me to the table where Jack was already seated.
“Wow,” he spoke. “You look great. I like that dress. Where did you get it?”
“I made it,” I replied as I sat in the seat across from him.
His eyes widened. “You made that?”
“Yes.”
He tilted his head. “Is there something I don’t know about you?”
I let out a light laugh. “What do you mean?”
“You rearranged the outfits in my office to make them look better, and now you’re wearing a spectacular-looking dress that you, yourself, made.”
I picked up the glass of water in front of me and took a sip. “I studied at Parsons for a couple of years.”
“Interesting. You didn’t graduate?” he asked.
“No. I had to drop out due to a family emergency, so I lost my scholarship. I couldn’t afford to go back.”
“I see. How did I not know you were a fashion girl?”
“You never asked, I guess.”
“Then I’m going to have to start asking more questions.” He winked.
I narrowed my eye at him. “You said you didn’t like the outfits I put together.”
“My sister did, and that’s all that matters. And it’s not that I didn’t like them. I was pissed they weren’t exactly what I asked for.”