Page 56 of A Home for Harmony
She wasn’t always one to travel and meet others in person unless she knew it was safe, or if there were third parties she’dworked with before, like today, or there was a lot of money involved for her business.
The whole “make a friend and meet up for fun” was never on her radar. She was too afraid of the risks and being taken advantage of.
“Marion is a little on the high note,” Rick said. “She’s more about fashion and will be heavy on the product.”
She grinned. “I know,” she said. Marion was twenty-six and liked the club scene. The heavy sultry eye. Marion wore just as much daily, but not as dark. Marion was the type of woman who took hours to get ready to walk out to the mailbox.
“Belle,” Rick said “He’s a new strategy for us. His following is crazy, male and female. He’s more into the bright and bold during the day, drag queen at night.”
“I love Belle,” she said. “He’s great. Very down to earth and his following is pushing a million.”
Harmony was a mega-influencer and still didn’t know how she got over a million followers in such a short period.
In her mind, it was luck that started it and the rest was being herself.
“He is,” Rick said. “And I’m sure he’s going to top it after this campaign. That is the hope. And then there is you.”
“The girl next door,” she said, laughing.
“That’s right,” Rick said. “We want it known our makeup is for everyone and every style. Whether they are getting ready for a night out, their job, or a lunch with a friend.”
She smiled. “My makeup is pretty much the same for all that.”
“And your followers know that because they’ve seen you fresh faced. By the way, I loved your Christmas morning post. You’re real when so many worry that others aren’t.”
Because she knew she might be in the minority there, she was hustling to build her business in other ways. Her time would come for this to end, she knew it.
When she had a family someday, she’d never expose them the way others did. Her children would have a choice to be online and she wasn’t going to be the one to make it for them. Not for a buck or for an extra follower.
“Rick,” she heard over his phone. “Belle is here. Marion is running late but on her way.”
“Thanks,” he said. “I’ll be out in a minute to get them.” Rick turned to her. “Marion has an issue with telling time. Her followers are the only thing that keeps her going, but she’s not the easiest to work with. In your business, will you let companies know if that is a problem?”
“I’ll hear both sides of it and weigh what might be an issue,” she said. “And I’ll give feedback with it also.”
“Good,” Rick said. “Why don’t we go out and you can meet Belle in person?”
She stood up and walked out of Rick’s office with him and down the hall to a conference room where he was waiting. Belle stood up. He was in black leather pants, a red fuzzy sweater and red patent leather pumps that had to be six inches easy with the platforms.
How the hell did he balance on them?
“Harmony,” Belle said. He had no makeup on, but she had to admit she loved watching him apply it flawlessly in some of his videos. He had a buzz cut, also making him look like a fairly normal man in his forties other than his wardrobe.
He gave her a big hug that she almost had to jump up to get. “I’m so happy to meet you in person, Belle,” she said. “This is going to be so much fun.”
“I can’t wait,” Belle said. “I don’t suppose you’ll let me do your makeup for the shoot?”
“Sorry,” Rick said. “You’re all doing your own. And because Harmony wears the least, she will finish first, so she can then walk over and interact with you both. The next one done will do the same to the third, then you’ll all be in the last video when we go through editing.”
“I like that,” Belle said. “I’ll be second as I can do it faster than Marion. She’s a lot more bougie than me.”
Harmony giggled over that statement. “It might be about equal,” she said.
Belle winked at her. “You might be right. She’s also the diva coming in fashionably late.”
Rick smirked when she looked at him. “If you two don’t mind relaxing until she gets here, that will be great. My assistant has instructions for Marion to be no more than thirty minutes late or the video is only the two of you.”
“Oh snap,” Belle said, waving his hand in front of his face. “She will come running in here all out of breath at the last minute asking if she missed it. She’ll probably be waiting in the hall to time it that way. Not being judgy or anything.”
