Page 36 of Simply Irresistible
Melanie
Fashion Week was as amazing as I’d dreamed it would be.
In my four years working for Brianna, this was the first time she requested that I be by her side through it all, and I was so grateful. The lights and the glamour were everything I thought they would be. I reveled in being in the middle of it all, and then I went home and stayed awake imagining running one of the shows myself. Dressing the statuesque models in my designs and sending them down the runway. The flashing lights of the photographers’ cameras capturing images ofmyclothing line and splashing them all over the pages of magazines likeLeading LadyandVogue.
But through it all...I missed Tyler. I missed him so much. I hadn’t had an actual free minute during the day to call or see him in nearly two weeks, and I felt guilty calling him before I started my day or when I got home, knowing it was ridiculously early or way too late. I’d already fallen asleep on the phone with him too many times.
Fashion Week was almost over though, and while I was having the time of my life, I was also relieved that my life would finally be returning to normal. No more eighteen-hour days on my feet in crazy heels. I wasn’t sure how the elite walked in these shoes all day long. I actually lost feeling in two of my toes and expected them to fall off any day now. My personal closet consisted of more practical selections, but because I was on Brianna’s arm, I had access to the sample closet and was expected to dress accordingly, mainly as a nod to the designers we were visiting at the show, but also in an effort to blend in with the rest of the beautiful people.
By day, we were at shows and by night, we were mingling at whatever restaurant or club was hosting the best party, sometimes more than one a night. It was exhausting, but the food and drinks were delicious, and the company was decent. Tonight’s locale wasThe Theater. It was dark with a vintage theater theme. Candlelight sconces dotted the walls between dark, velvet curtains. Ornate chandeliers hung from the ceiling, and what looked like actual candles burned in them. The theme made no sense to me because we were in Tribeca, nowhere near the theater district, but whatever. Maybe it had to do with the annual film festival. There were always going to be some things I didn’t understand about this world.
“I’m so impressed with your work this week, Melanie,” Brianna said, turning my attention from the decor. “You’ve been such an asset to me this week. I can’t thank you enough.” She tapped her wine glass against mine in cheers.
“Thank you for the opportunity to be here. I’ve dreamed of what Fashion Week was like my whole life. This is pretty amazing.” I blushed, partially from the alcohol and partially from my rookie confession.
Brianna leaned in and confided, “I used to dream of this, too.”
I returned her smile and relaxed. I truly had the best boss. Maybe Meredith was right. Maybe I could share my designs with Brianna. She had told me my outfits were cute once or twice, maybe she would support me in my ultimate goal of being a designer.
Gathering some courage, I leaned forward to confess the underlying reason I applied to work for the magazine four years ago, but Brianna spoke first.
“There’s something I’d like to ask you, or rather, offer you. Another opportunity.”
“I’m listening,” I said, intrigued.Was Brianna a mind reader?I doubted that.
“I’ll be gone the next two weeks...London and Milan,” she said, not that she needed to remind me where the next two fashion weeks would take place. “I’ll finish the month in Paris and have some additional work to do there as we’re considering establishing a French sister magazine,Femme De Tête. I could really use the assistance of my assistant,” she giggled, the wine loosening her up as I’d witnessed a few other evenings this week.
I softly laughed with her, until I realized what she was asking. She was askingmeto go to Paris Fashion Week withher.
“You’re an amazing assistant, Melanie. You always have been. You’re a little quiet in the office, so before I asked you to go to Paris with me, I needed to make sure you could handle yourself in that kind of environment, which is why I had you accompany me the past two weeks. You go above and beyond outside of the office, just as you do inside the office. Like I said earlier, you’ve impressed me. It’s not often that staff impress me, to be honest. I set extremely high expectations, and you’re constantly surpassing them. I appreciate that.”
“Wow. Brianna, I don’t even know what to say.” I was speechless. This was probably the most I’d heard Brianna say to one person in four years and the fact that it was all praise directed at me had me gobsmacked.
“Say you’ll come!” She smiled, taking another sip of her chardonnay.
“Of course. I would be honored.”
“Yay,” she said, clapping her hands together like a schoolgirl, nearly spilling her wine. Maybe I’d underestimated how many she’d had to drink.
I tried to match her enthusiasm, but then I realized...I’d have to tell Tyler I’d be going to Paris. Another week spent away from him, and this time an ocean apart. If it was difficult to keep in touch while in the same city, I couldn’t imagine what it would be like when we were in different time zones.
19
Tyler
“I missed you so much,” I said, my lips and tongue making their way up Melanie’s body. Fashion Week ended last night and after she slept in a little this morning, Melanie came straight to my apartment. That was ten hours ago, and it was starting to get dark. “I missed you, too,” she said around a groan.
I rolled off her and she frowned. “Hey now…” she said.
“What?” I asked. “We’ve been at it since ten o’clock this morning. I’m tired and famished.”
“You’re such a tease,” she whined.
“First, I do believe you’re fully satisfied. Second, I’ll show you a tease,” I said, and she smirked. “After I eat.”
She frowned again and slapped my bare ass.
“Ouch,” I said, rubbing it as I climbed out of bed. “Just for that, I’m not letting you pick the grub.” I pulled on a pair of sweatpants and walked the short distance to my folder of takeout menus, stepping around our discarded clothing as I went.
