Page 11 of At Your Service
Riley nodded, her dark brown hair falling in deep waves over her shoulders. She wore a black, round-necked shift dress with gold stripes at the end of the three-quarter sleeves and across the hem, and cute strappy black sandals.
“I thought you’d be more comfortable here,” Riley said. “As comfortable as you can get in this situation.”
She was right about that. Nina’s fingers clenched the strap of her laptop bag as she stood amid so much action not really knowing what to do. There were now seven people in her not-so-big hotel room. The stylist, whom she presumed was the woman giving all the instructions, four people moving clothing racks, shoe boxes, bags and hat boxes, a woman with super-long eyelashes, and a man wearing dark shades and dime-size diamond earrings in both ears. He was on his phone and carrying a huge clear bag with flat irons, combs, brushes and other hair paraphernalia inside. Nina and Riley made nine—enough for a softball team.
“Thanks for that,” Nina said and set her laptop bag on the floor next to the nearest chair. “As much as I’ve always loved fashion, computers are my first love. Besides, the last twenty-four hours has been a bit of a whirlwind. I mean I haven’t thought of what clothes I’d wear beyond the initial meeting.”
Riley nodded again. “I can imagine. You look great in this suit, by the way, but I’m here to dress you up. I work with numbers and charts primarily, but clothes are my business and Lila over there, sheknowsclothes. She’s one of the best stylists in New York and works with many of our high-end customers.”
Looks by Lila, owned by Lila Cantone. Nina had heard of her, but she’d never imagined the woman was probably no more than five foot two without her heels and moved like an Energizer Bunny.
“Tonight, we want chic but grab-you-by-the-throat elegant. The annual Sip ’n’ Chat is one of RGF’s most notable functions where fashion critics, photographers, reps from modeling agencies and specially selected members of the press are going to get the surprise of the year with this engagement announcement.” That was Lila giving her crew a pep talk. “She’s being presented to the fashion world tonight. Let’s make her dazzle so that every single woman that’s still breathing will wish she were her.”
Riley wrapped an arm around Nina’s shoulders. “I know she seems scary, but I promise you this is the way to go. Major wanted the best and I assured him I would get it for you.”
So he’d sent his sister to work with her. Nina didn’t know how she felt about that. Did he not think she could pick out a suitable outfit on her own? So many questions whirled through her mind but she had no time to entertain any of them because Lila was heading straight for her.
“Okay, I was told size twelve or fourteen, so I brought both.” Riley’s arm had slipped from around Nina, leaving space for Lila to step in and touch her shoulders. “Turn,” Lila directed Nina.
“I’m Nina, by the way. It’s nice to be working with you, Lila,” Nina said before moving because no matter how important this agreement was, there was absolutely no excuse for rudeness.
Lila blinked, wide gray eyes flanked by long lashes that looked natural. Her hair was shaved on one side and layered in perfectly glossy auburn strands with pink tips on the other.
“Hello, Nina. We’ll see how nice you think this is when it’s all over. I can be a real bitch.”
Well then, honesty was going to be the name of all her dealings with RGF and the Golds. Nina smiled, because in her mind that was a good thing. Dishonesty, secrets and lies had played a big part in the demise of her parents’ relationship and Nina had promised herself she’d steer clear of those things in business and in pleasure.
“Now, let’s get started. You have nice curves, let’s show them off, make some men as envious as all the women will be.”
The comment was followed by Nina being whisked off into the bedroom to try on dresses.
The first was a black-and-blue, A-line, round-necked dress with a beaded waist.
“Hmm,” Riley said. “Major’s wearing a navy-blue suit, Excellence in Men line. Single button and a pale gray shirt. She should complement him, but they shouldn’t be too matchy.”
Nina glanced in the full-length mirror that had been brought in and propped against the wall in the living room. She looked like she was going to the prom and shook her head to express her dislike.
“I agree,” Lila said, waving a hand to signal she needed to go and change into another dress.
Seven dresses and forty-five minutes later, Nina stepped in front of that mirror once more.
This one was an asymmetric panel of overlays with a one-shoulder fitted bodice and straight skirt of dark blue sequins. Her breasts looked amazing thanks to the strapless shaper Lila’s assistant had brought into the room while Nina was changing. Thankfully, no undergarment lines showed and when she turned to glimpse the dress from the back, she smiled at the admirable, definitive curve of her ass.
The dress was gorgeous and more expensive than anything she’d ever worn before. She knew because there was no price attached. The only tag on these clothes was RGF Style or RGold Original, which equated to expensive because those were the signature lines at the fashion house. RGolden Label was their couture line and all other lines simply had the RGF logo attached somewhere on the inside of the garment.
The material of the dress was impossibly soft and hung decadently over her usually too-curvy butt and hips. Her body looked great in this dress, even with the slight pouch of a belly that on bloated days could push her into the next pant size.
Garen, the hair stylist came over and pulled Nina’s hair up, leaving out a few tendrils.
Lila stood behind her to one side and Riley was on the other.
“I think this is it,” Nina said as she continued to look at the shimmering material.
“With these shoes and the pounded-metal cuff. Cheree!” Lila yelled to one of her assistants and set a pair of silver, five-inch-heel slingbacks next to Nina’s feet.
One by one, Nina slipped her feet into the shoes and waited while Anya, another assistant, buckled the straps.
Cheree placed the pounded-metal bracelet on her right wrist.
