Page 55 of Simply Irresistible
“Brianna Heatherly holds a lot of keys in the fashion industry. She’s well-respectedandpeople actually like her. She’s a double threat,” Heather smiled. “So tell me, Melanie, what are you thinking? What is it you want to do with your designs?”
I’d rehearsed my answer to this question seventeen times since I accepted the meeting with Heather Gregory. Heather was a freelance trend forecaster contracted by some of the most popular—and most expensive—fashion houses in New York City. I’d actually met her briefly in Paris, but I hadn’t realized who she was until I stepped into her studio today. She was a short round woman with a sharp blonde bob and a kind face. I liked her immediately.
“I want my own fashion line,” I said firmly. “I’d like to have a casual catalog as well as a professional catalog. This style already screams casual so that’s a given, but I want to come up with items that can pass as business wear.” I pulled the shift dress that started it all out of my tote. “Some more dresses like this and blouses that will go with simple pencil skirts.”
“Professional boho-chic.” Heather chewed on the words like she was trying them on for size. “I love it, and I love your work. I think you’ve got something here and I would love to work with you. Does Brianna have you meeting with anyone else?”
I couldn’t contain my smile. After the week I’d had, I really needed this. “She hasn’t set anything else up. She wanted me to talk to you first. She said we were kismet.”
Heather laughed. “She would say that. What’s your timeline?”
“I don’t really have one. This has all happened so quickly. I’m committed to working for Brianna. I don’t have another source of income right now, so that’s not something I can compromise on. I can put things together during my off hours, and hopefully grow to where this can be my primary focus.”
Heather nodded. “I understand that, but I’d hate to see you spread yourself so thin between your line and the magazine. I’d really like for you to set some business goals for yourself and let’s meet up again next week to discuss them. Then we can come up with a plan.”
“That sounds wonderful, Heather. Thank you so much.”
She stood from her seat and I followed suit. “You’re so welcome. I love the energy that comes with a new project, and all this just screams energy. I’m honored to be part of this exciting time with you.”
“Thank you for wanting to be part of it. You have no idea how much this means to me.”
“Big things are going to happen for you, Melanie. I can see it now.”
They had to, I thought to myself. Because I couldn’t handle any more disappointment.
***
“Hey girl,” my best friend said as I walked down the block away from Heather’s office. “How was the meeting?”
“It was great,” I told her, plugging my ear buds into my phone. It might have been 2019, but I loved my wired ear buds. Wireless could be so finicky, I preferred a good, wired connection.
“That’s wonderful. I told you not to worry about it.”
“I know, Mer. It’s just been a rough week, so it was hard to relax.”
“Still no word?”
“Radio silence.”
I heard her sigh across the line. My sentiments exactly.
“I can’t believe he ghosted you.”
“Me either.”
That was the understatement of the century. Things between Tyler and me had been awesome…until they suddenly weren’t. We were talking about moving in together...looking at apartments even. The worst part of it was that I had no idea what went wrong. Had I done something? Was he bored? Sick? Dead? I didn’t know.
Well, that wasn’t entirely true. I knew he wasn’t dead. In a moment of desperation, I reached out to Preston, and he said that as far as he knew, Tyler was fine. Which made me feel even shittier about the entire situation.
He was fine, and I was a damned mess.
“Earth to Melanie.”
“Sorry! I was stuck in my head. What’s up?”
“Are you coming home for your dad’s birthday this weekend?”
“Yeah, I think so.” Wasn’t like I had other plans. Tyler was my social life in the city, and he was gone. Only he wasn’t actuallygone. He just wasn’t talking to me for whatever reason.
