Chapter 13 #2
We walk in companionable silence, hand in hand, fingers entwined, taking in the warmth of the morning sun. We stop at a boutique, and Denham looks down at me with a smile and a wink before we walk through the large, highly polished, glass doors.
A tall, elegant lady looks up from behind the main desk and a smile graces her perfectly painted features.
Her long chestnut hair is tied up in a smooth ponytail that swishes from side to side as she walks toward us.
Dressed in an immaculate, midnight-blue pantsuit, she exudes class.
I feel extremely underdressed in jeans and a tank, and I’m cursing Denham in my head for letting me come here so unprepared.
Hell, I don’t even have a scrap of makeup on.
“Well, hello there. If it isn’t my favorite King.
” She laughs. “Denham, it’s wonderful to see you.
” She greets him with a warm smile and a kiss on both cheeks and I’m immediately jealous.
It’s irrational and unjustified, but I can’t help it.
I don’t want him to be her favorite anything.
I’m hoping and praying that these two don’t have a history together because I’m not sure my emotions are under control enough to filter what comes from my mouth.
She turns to me with the same genuinely happy expression on her face. “And this must be the lovely lady you were telling me about.”
Denham squeezes my hand and looks at me with what I can only describe as pride, and I feel the tension in my shoulders soften. “Beth, this is Arianna. Arianna, this is a very good friend of mine, and the person you can thank for my sense of style, Beth.”
“Arianna …” Beth clasps her surprisingly warm hands on either side of my cheeks and kisses me as she did Denham.
I’m a little taken aback at her openness, but I don’t find it offensive.
Instead, it’s warming and I find myself liking her already.
“Look at that magnificent bone structure. Girl, have you ever done modeling?”
“I … uh, no, I haven’t, ma’am,” I stutter.
“Oh please, no formalities. It’s Beth,” she corrects.
“Okay, Beth.”
“You are every photographer’s dream. Maybe a little shy, but we’ll work on that.”
Denham laughs. “Give the girl a chance, Beth. We’ve only been in the door two minutes and you’re making plans already.”
“You know me, Den, no point wasting time. Always on the lookout for new faces,” she says frankly.
“Well, Arianna is very interested in the fashion industry. I thought you’d be the best person to come and see.”
“Oh! This is?” Beth says with wide eyed recognition, and Denham nods. “The one who?” Denham nods again in answer to her bizarre question.
“Oh, dear lord. Why didn’t you say? Come with me, Arianna.
We have things to discuss.” Beth takes my spare hand and I look between her and Denham, catching a wink that he throws her way before letting my hand drop reluctantly.
“Cancel any plans you had together. I want your Arianna for at least a few hours. Go on … I’ll call you when we’re done.
” She makes a shooing motion with her hand, and just like that, Denham is affectionately dismissed.
He steps forward and kisses my cheek. “I guess I’ll be back later when you’re done whatever it is that you girls are doing.”
I smile, not knowing what to say. Not really knowing what’s happening but none of it feels bad, in fact, it all feels really amazing.
Beth wastes no time, marching me to the back of the shop.
I try and take in the rails and shelves of designer clothes around me, but her stiletto covered feet are moving too fast and I’m trying to keep up.
We go through a mirrored door and into what I can only guess is her stock room, filled to the brim with designer clothing.
She grabs a dress off one of the rails and holds it up—floor length and cut on the bias with a plunging neckline adorned with tiny crystals that sparkle when the light hits them.
It’s beautiful. I reach out and touch the silk, running my finger along the delicate stitching on the neckline.
Any woman who wears this dress will feel like a million dollars, I’m certain of it.
“You like?” Beth asks confidently, already knowing that I will.
“I love it, Beth, it really is a quality piece.” It probably has a quality price tag too.
“Yes, it’s a one off. I know the designer and managed to secure it.” She hangs it carefully back on the rail before pulling out another dress to show me.
“Okay, tell me honestly, what do you think of this?” She holds out the next dress—blue, green and yellow in an explosion of patterns and swirls.
It’s illegally short and one of the most disgusting dresses I’ve ever seen, but how do I tell her that when I’ve known her for approximately five minutes.
She owns a high class, designer boutique on the Las Vegas Strip and she’s asking me what I think.
“Your face says it all darling. Be brutal …”
“I …”
“Just say the words that were going through your head when you pulled those faces not ten seconds ago.”
I decide to be as tactful as I can. “I think … the colors are a little too much for me. The patterns are garish, and I’m sorry Beth, I really, really …
hate it.” Oh shit. I hadn’t meant that to come out.
She said be honest, and it was actually easier than I thought it would be, but now I’m standing here watching her flat expression, and not really knowing what to say or do next.
Beth suddenly dissolves into hysterics, holding onto my shoulder for support as she roars with laughter. It’s contagious and I laugh with her. Before long we’re both holding our stomachs and wiping tears from our cheeks.
“You’re hired,” Beth says as she calms her giggles.
“What?”
“Oh, I’m sorry, Arianna. Would you like a job?” she offers more seriously.
“You’re offering me a job?” I ask in disbelief. She nods. “Yes, I’d love a job!” I have no idea what job she is offering me. For all I know, it’s the job of errand girl or coffee maker, but I don’t care. I know I would love to work here.
“Good, I need a buyer, someone with class and style, but most importantly I need someone who isn’t going to blow smoke up my ass. If you don’t like the clothes, I want you to tell me. Got it?”
“A buyer?” Shit. I know what I like, and I have a pretty good understanding of the fashion world, but I don’t know if I’m good enough to make decisions like that. I have no experience and…
“Denham said you would do this.”
“Pardon me?” I question.
“He said you would, and I quote, ‘Talk to yourself in your head’. What are you worried about?”
“I … I’m not sure I’m experienced enough to be given such a responsibility.”
“He said you’d do that too …”
“Do what?” I question, slightly irritated at having to guess what she’s talking about.
“Put yourself down.”
“I—”
“Listen to me, Arianna. I won’t feed you any bullshit if you give me the same respect in return. Speak to me. I want your input. From here on in, you need to believe in yourself and trust your instincts, understand?” I nod. “Good girl.”
“Did Denham tell you to give me a job?” I query. As much as I think it would be a sweet gesture, I want to make my way on my own. I want to do it myself.
“There you go again, doubting your ability. He most certainly did not tell me to do anything. I would never hire anyone on his say-so, or anyone else’s for that matter.
If you work here, you’ve earned it on merit alone.
My instincts haven’t let me down yet and they’re telling me that you and I will get along just fine. ”
She doesn’t look like the kind of person who would take an uncalculated risk.
She takes no prisoners and makes no apologies for it, but I feel at ease with her.
She’s similar to Denham—no pretense and no ulterior motive.
What you see is what you get. It’s far easier to be yourself when you know you don’t need to change to please someone.
If I had trusted my instincts up until now, I never would have married Aaron and I would have left Jonny long before things got really bad.
“But he did tell you about me?” I know I shouldn’t pry, but I can’t help it.
“Yes, we’re good friends. Denham has been there for me through some tough times.
When he told me about this beautiful young woman he met, I just had to meet you.
So, tell me …” Her voice softens as she brings her perfectly manicured hand up to touch my bruised cheek with her index finger. “Is he sorting this out?”
“Yes,” I whisper.
“Good. Denham King isn’t your average asshole, Arianna.
He’s one of the good guys. Let yourself go, just a little bit.
You’ll soon learn that he’ll always be there to catch you.
” She smiles kindly and removes her hand.
“Now, what do you say to coffee?” It breaks the intensity and I am so grateful.
“And then it’s time for the fun part. We need to get you dressed for your new role. ”
“I’d really love that, Beth.” I answer with genuine enthusiasm and awe for how this day is turning out.
After five hours at the boutique, I am loaded down with bags.
Denham seems to be running late, so I decide to go back to the Kingdom alone.
I have a problem accepting gifts; every gift I’ve ever received in the past has been tainted with guilt and used as a method of persuasion, or given as a gesture of apology.
But Beth has told me that the bags are not full of gifts, and to consider it a uniform of sorts.
Needless to say, I don’t think Beth has any other motive than to employ me and make me work my ass off.
She has convinced me that I need to look good if I’m going to be working with her.
Everything is starting to come together, like little pieces of a jigsaw puzzle.
With the exception of a small corner of my heart that won’t let me forget the past.