Chapter 13
Russ took a step forward and when our eyes locked, he froze. His handsome face maintained his professionalism, but his eyes gave him away and I could tell he was surprised.
“We were just leaving,” Sasha insisted, opening the door for us to exit.
He stared at me for a moment before sweeping his gaze to the rest of the models. He flashed his perfect smile. “I was wondering who the extra guests were. It’s nice to meet you. I’m Russell Long.”
He moved from left to right, shaking our hands. When he got to me, he stared into my eyes.
I opened my mouth, but no sound came out. I didn’t know what to say.
Should I act like I don’t know him? Should I let him take the lead? Should I—
“I thought there were four brand ambassadors,” Russ said, sliding his hand over mine.
“We have five now,” Remedy responded. “I met Nina at a conference and added her to the lineup. Her style, social media presence, and relatable content make her perfect for RLF. She fits in with the others beautifully. With these five, you are looking at our social media marketing campaign.”
Russ cleared his throat as he removed his hand from mine. Looking around, he took a step back from me.
“And now that you’re caught up”—Remedy gestured to Sasha—“we need to go over the mid-quarter projections for you.”
Sasha nodded. “We are heading out now.”
In a single-file line, we followed her out of the conference room. Even though I felt his eyes burning into me, I didn’t look back. I was in a state of confusion and disbelief.
Russ is the president and CEO of Real Life Fashions?
“I hope you all have a great rest of your week,” Sasha told us as we reached the unmanned front desk. She turned and handed me a folder. “Your information and your parking pass. Welcome to RLF.”
I thanked her, grabbed my tote, and then joined the models in the elevator.
“Whew! I thought he was one of the models when he walked in,” Jacqueline gushed, fanning herself.
“I met him a few weeks ago when I was first doing my measurements. He’s the sexiest man I’ve ever worked for,” Taisha commented.
“I wouldn’t mind being his arm candy,” Jacqueline joked, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively.
“How’s your man going to feel about you talking like this?” Matias asked.
“Talking like what? Telling the truth?” Taisha tossed her hands in the air. “She’s just pointing out the obvious.”
“And he might be mad, but he’ll know it ain’t a lie!” Jacqueline added.
Both ladies giggled as we walked out of the elevator.
“We have eyes!” Taisha looked over at me with a full smile. “Ain’t that right, Nina?”
I nodded, still unable to find my voice.
The three of them continued their playful conversation.
“You good?” Jonah asked quietly. “You haven’t said a word since we left the meeting.”
Looking at him, I nodded again. “I’m okay.”
“Are you overwhelmed?” Jacqueline asked gently.
I looked up, realizing all four of them were staring at me. Walking slowly and watching me with each step, they were waiting expectantly for my response.
My eyebrows flew up. “Um… yeah, something like that.”
I was overwhelmed, but not for the reasons they were thinking.
“You don’t strike me as the nervous type,” Taisha replied, cocking her head to the side.
“And I’ve done one of these deals about a year ago and it’s pretty chill,” Matias informed me. “Nothing to worry about.”
“But if you need to talk or need anything at all, you have my number,” Jonah said, holding the door open for me. “Call me… anytime. For anything.”
“Damn, Jonah,” Taisha reacted, turning all the way around to look at him.
“What?” he laughed.
“You’re laying it on thick,” Matias answered with amusement.
“And we were explicitly told we can’t mix business with pleasure,” Jacqueline mentioned.
“That’s rich coming from the woman who just said she was trying to get Boss Man to be her arm candy,” Jonah retorted.
“I didn’t say that!” Jacqueline put her hands on her hips. “I said I would be his arm candy.”
We all laughed.
My laugh was a little distracted and my smile was a little forced. My head was spinning, but no one thought plagued it. It was several thoughts all at once.
I exchanged goodbyes with the models and as soon as I got in the car, I called the girls.
Neither of them picked up.
I sped out of the parking deck and headed home. I was just about to park when I received a text message.
Russ: We need to talk.
“We sure as hell do,” I muttered as I grabbed my stuff and rushed into my place.
I was just about to call him when my phone started ringing.
“Liyah!” I cried as I answered.
“Hey, what’s going on? How was your first day?” she replied.
“Tell me why I met the CEO of the company, and it was Russ!” I yelled into the phone.
She gasped. “The Fun One?”
“The fucking Fun One!”
“Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. Hold on.” She sounded as if she was walking, and then I heard two different doors closing. “Okay, what? Run that back from the beginning because what?”
Kicking my shoes off, I paced my living room. “Remedy, the one I thought was the CEO, introduced us to the real CEO—Russ!”
“Stop! You’re lying!”
“I swear!”
“That’s wild!” She paused. “You know what this sounds like?”
“What?”
“This sounds like a scheme that Todd set up,” she joked.
I stopped in my tracks. I wanted to laugh and cry at the same time. “Aaliyah!” I snickered and then groaned. “This is not the time!”
“I’m sorry, you’re right. What did he say? What did you say?”
“We didn’t say anything! There were like fifteen people in the room. We just kind of looked at each other in shock, and then I was escorted out of the conference room.”
“Oh my God!” she screeched. “That’s… I don’t even know what to say because ohmigod!”
“I know!” I pinched the bridge of my nose. “And he just sent me a text message saying we need to talk.”
“So, what are you going to do?”
“I have no idea. I haven’t even fully processed the situation yet. I don’t think I’ve ever been so shocked in my life.”
“I bet!”
“I literally saw every inch of the man this morning, and then I find out this afternoon that I work for his company.”
“You’re sleeping with the boss,” she mused.
“Oh—I…” I hadn’t had a chance to fully digest it. But hearing her say it stopped me in my tracks.
I am sleeping with the boss. More than that, I’m in a relationship with the boss!
I started pacing again. “We have to end it. There’s a no-fraternization clause in the contract that I signed.”
“But he’s the boss, so he could easily get that clause thrown out.”
“Or the board could easily get that contract thrown out.”
She laughed. “From everything you’ve told me, I don’t see him letting that happen. And you like him too much to give him up that easily.”
My stomach was in knots. “Aaliyah, please.”
“What? Tell me I’m lying.”
“Russ is great, and we just…”
Made it official, I completed the sentence in my head.
My heart was racing.
“The two of you just had the best time together,” she reminded me.
“But this is my career we’re talking about. And his, too! We’re going to have to end it.”
“People date at work all the time. You and Russ have something real. I’ve never seen you like this with anyone,” she said, hopeful romanticism dripping from each of her words.
I opened my mouth to tell her she was projecting, but I was interrupted by an incoming call. Pulling the phone from my ear, I stared at it in stunned silence.
“See, you can’t deny it,” she continued.
“It’s Russ. He’s calling,” I told her, still staring at his name as it flashed across my screen.
“Answer it! Call me back!”
She said goodbye but I barely heard her as I hit the button to answer his call.
Clearing my throat, I took a deep breath. “Hello?”
“Are you home?” Russ asked with a firmness that caught me off guard.
I swallowed hard. “Yes.”
He was quiet for a moment. “I’m on my way.”
He didn’t ask.
He told me.
And due to the circumstances, I didn’t question it.
“Okay,” I murmured.
I didn’t know what else to say so I ended the call.
Ten minutes later, there was a knock at my door. Even though I knew who it was, I peered through the peephole. Seeing him caused my heart rate to spike. Taking a deep breath, I opened the door.
“Russ,” I greeted him.
“May I come in?” he asked, a serious look on his face. “Please.”
“Of course.” I stepped back, shifting from one foot to the other. “Come in.” I locked the door behind him and gestured to the couch. “We can talk over here.”
There was a chaotic energy between us. It felt anxious and uneasy, unlike every other time we’d been together.
While it was strange, it was a little reassuring knowing that the laid-back man I’d grown fond of was just as out of sorts as I was.
There was something different about him—an emotion I’d never seen in him was seeping out of his pores.
He got halfway to the couch and then spun around. Running his hand over his beard, he searched my face before he spoke. “You are one of the brand ambassadors…?”
It was a statement and a question all rolled into one. I wasn’t sure if he wanted confirmation or not, but I gave it to him.
I nodded. “And RLF is your company.”
“So, you weren’t at The Player’s Ball on Saturday as a guest of someone.”
“Technically, as an invited guest of Lori. When I was hired, they told me to come out and meet everyone.”
He pinched the bridge of his nose. “So, the people you were rushing to meet with…”
“Were the other models,” I finished. “And when you said you were meeting with people trying to give you money, you meant investors…”
He nodded. “For RLF.”
Twisting the bracelet he’d given me around my wrist, I shook my head. “That never dawned on me. I was told there were lots of different people from different businesses there. You being the CEO of RLF never even crossed my mind.”
“We met at a fashion event where I was meeting with investors, so I didn’t question why you were there. You working for my company never crossed my mind.”
We stared at each other for a few seconds.