LILAC Sisterhood 2: Wallflower in Bloom

CARLY

The next few days go by quickly as work shifts into overdrive.

We still haven’t locked down a date for our event because we haven’t decided on the venue yet.

We go to our weekly lunch meetings with Abbot, and honestly, Sloan and Abbot are my best friends at this point. They both help me to come out of my shell and are super fun to be around.

Today is a huge day because Abbot invited us over to Dubois to see what the vibe is like.

They are having a big fashion show tonight, and she wanted us to get a feel of what it’s like the day before an event, so we’re going to be spending the day there.

I put on my favorite, and only, Dubois dress and make my way into the office. I am full of giddy excitement when I walk in, and I can tell Sloan is happy too.

Soon, we are in her car, heading downtown to Abbot’s office, and all we can talk about is how exciting it is to be a part of a Dubois event.

When we get to the building, Sloan parks the car, and we find our way into the lobby.

“Ugh, Carly, I’m nervous,” Sloan admits.

“Me too. Obviously, we love Abbot, but aren’t fashion people usually mean?”

“Like in The Devil Wears Prada?” Sloan asks, looking scared. “I don’t know.”

“Yeah,” I agree.

“We’ll be okay,” she says as she plasters on a smile.

We get into the elevator and push the button for the tenth floor.

The elevator stops halfway up, and when the doors open, the most beautiful man I’ve ever seen smiles and steps inside. He smells like sandalwood, and his ice-blue eyes draw me in.

Sloan is so happy with Kade, I guess, that she’s completely oblivious while she checks emails on her phone.

He stands close enough to me that I can feel the heat radiating off his body, and my knees start to wobble.

NIKOLAI

Today is my first big day in my new position at the Dubois Fashion House corporate office.

I’ve been lucky enough to travel the world for the last few years, practicing my photography, but it’s time to try to settle down. I’m getting older, and it’s time to start planting some roots.

My home base is in Chicago, but my parents convinced me to move to California, where they and my sister, Abbot, live. They wanted me to take a position consulting at the main office.

Nothing was keeping me in Chicago, so I figured, why not? My loft will still be there if I ever need it, and I’ve never been one to turn down a challenge.

I’ve only been here for a few days, and I’m getting tired of only hanging around my sister. She thinks I’m a jerk, but what she doesn’t know is that I’ve grown out of that now.

I was young, and everyone around me was living this aloof, fashionista lifestyle, and I fit in perfectly, but when I realized that wasn’t who I wanted to be, I decided to travel and experiment.

It was the best thing I’ve ever done. I really know myself now, and I like the person I’m becoming.

Now, I can fix my relationships with my friends and family and start a new life here. Hopefully, I’ll meet some new people soon too.

It’s not likely to happen at Dubois though. Everyone who works here is either too scared to talk to me because they think I’m their boss or they are the exact kind of assholes I’m trying to avoid.

When I arrive at the office, I’m not nervous but apprehensive. I haven’t seen my mother in person in years, and it is a hell of a day to start considering the big show we’re hosting tonight.

The first thing I do is go up to the fifth floor to find my office and introduce myself to the people I’ll be working with.

My title is lead brand consultant; I’m almost entirely sure it’s something my mother made up to get me here but, now that I am, I fully intend to earn my paycheck.

My parents had always wanted Abbot and me to be part of the business, but that came a lot easier for my sister than it did for me.

I’m not very into fashion and, sure, I could use my photography skills, but my parents never really respected me as an artist, so that’s kind of off the table for now.

I quickly tire of most of the people on my floor because they all just want to kiss my ass and I don’t need to be around that.

I just want to meet a genuine person who wants to be my friend or know me for me. Carrying this last name around for my entire life has been a huge burden.

That was the best part of traveling; no matter what country I visited, nobody knew me, and I could do whatever I wanted.

It’s about 9 a.m. now, and I’m sure my mother has already started biting people’s heads off, so I decide it’s time to go upstairs and see if I can help anyone out.

I make my way into the main hallway, push the button, and wait for the elevator. When the elevator doors open, there are two beautiful women that I do not recognize standing inside.

One doesn’t look up from her phone at all, but the other has the most beautiful blue eyes I’ve ever seen in my life.

They are perfectly round and captivating, and I can’t stop looking at her. Wow, they’re like pools, and I just want to dive in and swim in them.

Her lips are the perfect shape, and I can’t help but think this girl is the prettiest woman I’ve ever seen.

The old Nikolai—the one that traveled and was so full of confidence—would have had no problem talking to this girl, but right now, in this elevator, with an audience, I can’t… I can’t do it.

I feel like I’m paralyzed by fear, so instead, I decide to stand next to her and hope for the best.

Go on, say it! Come on, Nik, just say it: Hello, beautiful. Where have you been my whole life?

Yeah. Nice try.

CARLY

Oh, my God, he is just perfect.

A guy like that would never be interested in me. Erase it from your mind, Carly.

The elevator stops on the tenth floor, and the handsome man steps back and gestures for Sloan and me to go out first. I try to smile at him, but it probably looks more like I am having a stroke.

When we walk out of the elevator, we take a few steps before I dare to turn around and see if the handsome man is behind us; he must have gone down the hallway because I can’t see him.

“Sloan, oh, my God, did you see that guy?”

“Hmm, what?”

“Wow, you have Kade-blinders on. He was literally the hottest guy I’ve ever seen.”

“Well, why didn’t you talk to him?” she asks like it’s the simplest thing in the world.

I laugh. “Did you forget who you’re talking to?”

“Well, maybe you’ll see him again today. Who knows? Do you think he was a model?”

“No, he was dressed more professionally.”

“Well, let’s go find Abbot. Maybe she knows who he is.”