Page 40 of At Your Service
Major chuckled, more so to keep his mind from drifting from the wordloveto the woman who would soon be meeting him in his office to go home. Or, rather, to his apartment.
“Fine, then what do you want, man? You come barging into my office at the end of the day like it’s some big emergency.”
“It is.” RJ leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “I was supposed to go to this trade show tonight to check out some new vendors for the Paris and Milan Fashion Weeks coming up, but now I can’t go, so I’d like you and Nina to go instead.”
“Isn’t that the production department’s responsibility? And did you say you want Nina to go?”
“Riley’s not the only one thinking about taking RGF to the next level. I’ve had some thoughts about expanding in the area of accessories. We already have purses and luggage. Why not create a full line, accessorize our customers from head to toe? So, yeah, I’ve been looking into Nina’s business a little more and watching the numbers from our temporary collaboration closely. If anybody should be checking out new vendors and giving her thoughts on specific items for the company, I think it should be her.”
“Wait, you weren’t even certain making this temporary arrangement with Nina was a good idea. What changed your mind?”
“You’re right. I wasn’t sure about her in the beginning because she was some woman from Pennsylvania who we’d never heard of until you agreed to meet with her and she presented this new app that would tap into our existing and new customer base. She had no experience with large fashion houses. So, yes, I was skeptical.” RJ took a breath and shook his head. “And I definitely didn’t think she was a good pick for this marketing plan. Hell, I wasn’t even certain this marketing plan was a good idea on its own.”
That was something Major could agree with. The moment Desta and Riley had come to him with the idea, he’d been doubtful and had wanted to beg off, to push it onto Maurice who would have loved spending a few weeks in the company of some random woman. But then he’d thought about the fact that he was planning to jump ship on RGF and figured the least he could do was submit to his family, and this company, one more time. His father would appreciate that in the end.
“But I’ve seen her at the office every day, working diligently, and I’ve heard of how she’s been handling the press,” RJ continued. “Then, after seeing the two of you together at Mom and Dad’s house, I changed my mind.”
RJ Gold never changed his mind. Ever. He was a decisive man with a proven track record in everything from commanding the sales force at RGF to building his own unique brand as the next head of the company. He was a debonair young businessman and unapologetic bachelor.
“It’s her job, and that was just dinner.” Major didn’t believe these words so he only half expected his brother to believe them.
RJ laughed. “Yeah, keep telling yourself that. Look, here’s the info and your passes. You, Nina and I will grab some lunch tomorrow and we can talk about her thoughts.”
Major accepted the envelope RJ had stood to hand him. “She doesn’t work here. I mean, she has her own company, and her own goals. Do you really think we should have her making decisions on behalf of the company?”
“You’re going to be with her,” RJ said. “And something tells me she’s gonna be around long after this fake scheme you’ve got going. So get yourself together, stop brooding, put your game face on. Do all that, grab your woman and get to that show.”
RJ walked out the same way he’d come in: quick, unannounced, without taking any questions, comments or concerns.
“She’s not my woman,” Major mumbled into the quiet office as he sat back in his chair once more.
Was she?
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
“LOOKATTHISPICTURE! He’s with another woman and this was just last week,” Daisy said, her lips pursed, head tilted as she stared at Nina through the computer screen.
Nina had been on this Skype call with her sisters for approximately six minutes and already her temples throbbed with an incoming migraine.
“This woman looks like a model. There was a fashion show that day and I was there,” Nina said as she glanced at the tabloid Angie so helpfully held close to the camera for her to see.
She remembered the beige outfit Major had worn that day and the model. Of course, the girl, wearing a very short skirt and a gold-lamé blouse that barely covered her tits with its plunging neckline, had draped her slim body over Major’s shoulder as if she were somehow physically attached to him.
“You were there but he was taking pictures with her? I thought you were supposed to be his arm candy for six weeks.” Angie, the matter-of-fact sister, dropped the paper and stared pointedly through the screen.
How rude would it be if she slammed the laptop closed and went on about her business?
“That’s pretty rude of him. But then again, he is the Fashion House Playboy,” Daisy quipped.
“Is there a point to this conversation?” Nina asked because she did have other things to do. And none of those things included thinking about Major leaving her for another woman. Even though he’d have to actually be with her to leave her. And he wasn’t... Or, rather, they weren’t really together.
“Aren’t you bothered by this?” Angie asked.
“Why should I be? This was a business arrangement and it’s almost over.” In seventeen days.
“What were you doing while he was feeling up on this model?” Daisy asked.
“I was probably with his brother, Maurice, or seated in the audience where the reporters could see me—or rather, Major’s fiancée. Look, if you two don’t have anything better to do, I do have work to take care of.”
