Chapter 4 Ella
ELLA
“How have I never seen you in this building?” Matthew asks, linking his arm with mine as we exit onto the busy New York street.
I raise my voice to talk over the blaring horns and roar of traffic.
“Because executives and other high-level employees use the east entrance of the building because only those elevators go all the way up to the top floors. I only use the west lobby. Just now I felt like a loitering peasant, waiting in the east lobby for you.”
“Well, you certainly look the part today.”
“Hey!”
He laughs. “I’m teasing, although you know it’s true.”
“Well, we don’t all work on the executive floor with executive floor salaries to help us look like supermodels when we come into work.”
“I make pennies compared to the executives.”
“Well, you still look like a supermodel.” And he does.
Matthew has perfect boy-next-door golden hair, bright blue eyes, and dimples that are criminally adorable and sexy at the same time.
And his clothes look straight out of a fashion magazine.
If he wasn’t gay, I would be doing everything I could to land him.
“At least I’ve met you now that we get to be a part of this super fun project. There’s a divine sushi place just across the street, and they always get me in right away since they know I’m Asher’s assistant. Do you like sushi?”
“Love it.”
The buzz of the lunch rush in the restaurant filters around Matthew and me as we sit at a cramped corner table barely large enough for two.
“Wait, your bank account and all your credit cards were drained?” Matthew gasps through a mouthful of food. “And this is after he assaulted you for trying to leave him? Ella, you were not wrong. This is like a made-for-TV movie.”
“Don’t I know it.”
I've been living by the grace of Zahra for a month, in part because I sent a large majority of my last paycheck—what little there was—to my best friend-turned-adopted-sister, Maya. She’s away at graduate school in the UK and because of the demands of school and limitations on her visa, she isn’t able to work much, so Mom and I help pay for her monthly expenses.
Maya would kill me if she knew I’d sent her basically all my money this month. She already hates that Mom and I help her out, but we can't let her give up on her dream. All I want is for her to succeed, so I didn’t change how much I sent her even though I’ve been in a tight spot.
I wouldn’t change a thing.
Except for the asshole Kyle stealing from me and burning my things, obviously.
“Yes, so I haven’t had my clothes, my things, or much money for the last month. I’m lucky my friend Zahra is letting me stay with her.”
Matthew is rapt.
“Okay, but then this is the big question: what are these clothes you’ve thrown on today?” He looks at them like they’re a rabid sewer rat.
I laugh. “These are Zahra’s. She’s five-foot-two and has a very petite frame. These were the only clothes of hers that would remotely fit. The shoes were bridesmaid shoes she wore a couple years ago, and, luckily, they were a size too big for her, but they’re still a size too small for me.”
“And when does the bank think they’ll have everything in order?”
I sigh. “I don’t know. I call in every day and get the same story that they’re working on it, and it will be fixed as soon as possible.
But we don’t get paid until Friday, so I have no idea how I’m supposed to come into work the rest of the week,” I groan, shoving a California roll into my mouth.
I like sushi, but I’m a basic bitch at heart.
“There’s only one real solution here. We’re going shopping, and we’re going right now. You can’t work under these conditions; those clothes are like workplace torture, and I won’t have it.”
“As I said, I would love to go shopping, but my cards are all literally frozen, and my bank account has less than a hundred dollars in it thanks to Kyle the asshole.”
“Yeah, I know, babe. But this is clearly a business emergency, and I have Asher’s credit card.”
I almost spit out my water. “We are not going shopping with Mr. Langford’s credit card!”
“Asher won’t even notice or care.”
“Um, yeah, no. The last thing I need is to get fired. Or get you fired.”
Matthew rolls his eyes. “First of all, Asher would never fire me. He would die without me. I could take his credit card for a joyride to Vegas, spend thousands of dollars on gambling and strippers, and he still wouldn’t fire me.
That’s how much he needs me. And he trusts me, fully.
I’m listed on the account for approval of purchases. ”
“And you would risk that trust by using his credit card like it’s your own?”
He snorts. “You’re not getting it, darling.
Asher doesn’t care what I buy with his card.
The man has more money than God, he doesn’t even notice when I use it.
But I want to be clear that I am not only his assistant, but his friend, and I respect him completely.
I never have and never would take his card for a joyride spending spree.
I only use it for things that benefit Asher.
His life is so crazy that he can’t run it all himself; that’s why he has me.
I am the one who makes sure his life runs exactly how he wants it to, both at work and at home. And I have total freedom in that.”
“But my wardrobe problems are not Mr. Langford’s problems.”
“See, that’s where we differ in opinion. I have concluded that they are.”
“You’ve concluded?” I snort.
“Yes. I don’t mean to speak ill of your colleagues, but it’s clear that only about half of you in that room are equipped for the challenge ahead.
And you and Emily seem to be the only ones who really, actually get it.
Which is sad; we spend so much on PR, how do we not have a better team?
And you’re not even from PR, you’re from marketing—but I digress.
You’ve shown that you should be one of the leads on the team, and in order to do that, you need to be able to come into work wearing clothes that actually fit you and that you can actually work in.
You being able to do your job to the best of your ability very much benefits Asher.
The only way this whole plan is going to work is if it’s flawless.
So, I need you to be flawless. Which means I need you to be able to come into work and not worry about damn clothes.
Clothes are easy to replace, talent is not. ”
“How can I snap back at you after that?”
Matthew gives me a fiendish smile.
“But I still can’t do it. It feels so weird and wrong to me. I never do anything like that.”
“Would hearing Asher approve it change your mind?”
“What? No! He can’t know about any of this. The last thing I need is to look like a complete unprofessional mess in front of him.”
“Oh, you already accomplished that this morning, darling.”
I drop my head into my hands.
“But you redeemed yourself completely, so now you’re my new little project until you’re back on your feet.
As I said, this is not from a wholly altruistic position on my part.
Even though I find myself immediately adoring you, and I know we’re now meant to be friends, I am very much doing this for Asher’s benefit.
He needs his team at their best, so I need you at your best. I’m calling him now. ”
“No!” I shriek, but Matthew scoots his chair away from the table so he’s out of my reach. “Asher,” he says, smiling devilishly at me when Mr. Langford answers the call. “I’m going to put you on speaker, so watch what you say.” He pulls the phone away and presses the speaker button.
“Okay, Asher. Our dear little Ella from our PR team is in a bit of a pickle. I just got all the tea from her, and it is piping hot, just how I like it. But that’s not why I’m calling.
” He proceeds to give Mr. Langford the cliff’s notes version of my breakup with Kyle, his thieving, my half-homeless state, and my burned wardrobe.
I thought I was embarrassed this morning in my meeting, but this is a whole new level and now I really want the earth to swallow me whole.
“So, I’m calling because Ella cannot possibly be expected to come into work without proper work attire, and I need to take her shopping to rectify the situation.
We need to get her at least a couple weeks’ worth of outfits until her situation is all sorted out. ”
My mouth is gaping now, and blood rushes to my cheeks. Can I just die? Please?
“Why are you calling me about it?” Asher asks, sharply.
Matthew’s eyes glint with an I told you so look. “Because Ella won’t let me help her with this little pickle without confirmation from you.”
“Just do it. Whatever needs to be done, just get it done. But I do want to know more about this situation with her accounts and her things being locked in his apartment.” He hangs up without another word.
“See? Easy.”
“You did not just do that.”
“I did. And you’re welcome. I have two free hours in my schedule while Asher’s in meetings, and I’ll email Emily to clear that time block for you as well. Let’s go shopping!”
Two hours later, my arms are full of bags, and I’m wearing a new outfit that actually fits me.
Matthew complained the whole time that I was no fun after I shot down the idea of shopping at designer stores, but there’s no way I could do that.
Shopping on Mr. Langford’s credit card was bad enough.
I can’t even think about the anxiety attack I would have if there was another one or two zeros added to the total, which would have been the case with designer labels.