Sloan walks through the large open space in which people are bustling around everywhere with so much confidence while I shrink into the background, hoping I blend in enough to disappear.
When we finally find Abbott’s office, I let out the breath I’d been holding in and slump into a chair.
“Whoa, what’s wrong with her?” Abbott asks.
Sloan giggles. “She saw a hot guy in the elevator.”
“Oh, yeah? I haven’t seen anyone hot,” Abbott insists.
“Well, you work here. They’re probably all old news by now,” I challenge.
“I guess so. Are you girls ready for a crazy day?”
Sloan smiles. “We’re both really excited.”
“Good, you’re going to need to put your big girl pants on today; my mom is on the warpath. Lucky for you, my brother came back to work today, so he’ll get most of her wrath,” Abbott says, laughing.
“I mean, throw us to the wolves; we need to be prepared,” Sloan adds.
“Just stay behind me for now,” Abbott cautions.
We follow Abbott out to the main floor where a mock runway has been set up and racks of clothes are hanging to the left and right.
Models with perfect bodies are changing openly while a distinguished older woman looks on, scrutinizing their looks.
“Do you want me to introduce you to Mom?” Abbott asks.
“If it won’t be a problem,” Sloan says shyly.
“Now is better than later. She is just going to get more stressed as the hour approaches.”
We stay behind Abbott as instructed, and she walks confidently over to the woman in charge.
“Abbott, honey, I’m doing a fitting,” the woman says.
“Sorry, Mom, I just wanted to introduce you to Sloan Lawson and Carly Anderson; they’re from LILAC.”
The woman’s face twists a little, and she purses her lips like she’s thinking, then nods affirmatively. Abbott steps aside, and Sloan walks up first and extends her hand.
“Hi, it’s such a pleasure to meet you. I’m Sloan, the lead brand designer at LILAC, and this is my assistant brand designer, Carly.”
I nervously shake the woman’s hand. Her grip is firm and intimidating.
She smiles. “Nice to meet you both. We are quite busy today, but feel free to observe anything you’d like. We’ll have to schedule a meeting for another day so we’ll have more time to talk.”
We follow Abbott back to her office and get caught up chatting until lunchtime.
So, she’s here with Abbott… Interesting.
Sure, I could go over there and introduce myself, but that would probably just piss Abbot off.
I wonder who she works for. Does she work for us? What’s her name? Dammit. Maybe I’ll just make sure that I’m in the cafeteria at lunchtime. Hopefully, Abbot will bring them to eat there.
This whole thing is absurd. I don’t know why I’m so afraid of her. I’ve never been afraid of a woman, let alone anyone in my life.
But she is so intimidating. She has the power to pull my heart from my chest and crush it and she doesn’t even know it.
There is something about the way she smiles that is shy and just makes me like her more. I want to know what is behind that shy smile. What makes her tick?
I wonder if my mother knows her outside of today. What could she be doing here if she isn’t a Dubois employee?
This whole thing would be a lot easier if I were on better terms with my mother and sister.
Step one of coming home: make nice with Mom and Abbot to get to Dream Girl. Operation Get the Girl is underway.
As we chat in Abbot’s office, I struggle to rationalize how this girl who has become one of my best friends so quickly has an uber-famous mom.
“Do you girls want to go out to eat? Otherwise, we can eat here?” Abbot asks.
“Whatever you suggest. How is the food here?” Sloan asks.
“It’s pretty good, but we should go downstairs to the cafeteria. Maybe there’ll be someone else for you to meet.”
Sloan giggles. “Maybe Carly will find her elevator hunk.”
“Oh, my God, you’re going to tease me forever. How about the fact that there was a hot guy in the elevator, and Sloan didn’t even notice it? She’s blinded by Kade.”
Abbot grins. “Kade is a hottie.”
Sloan smirks. “I’ll allow that.”
“I know you will; we all know I prefer Finn,” Abbot adds.
“You, girls!” Sloan giggles. “It’s crazy that I’m married now but don’t envy you having to date.”
The three of us make our way back to the elevator and down to the cafeteria on the main floor. All kinds of people are eating there because it’s open to the public and is really busy.
“Oh, I just saw my brother,” Abbot says as we queue up for the food. “Maybe I’ll introduce you guys if we ever get out of this line.”
“You don’t talk much about your brother,” Sloan pushes.
“He’s fine and all, but we’re not super close anymore,” Abbot says. “He’s been traveling and just relocated here, so it’s like we’re getting to know each other again.”
Abbot giggles. “He doesn’t know anyone here, so he’s been a little annoying if I’m honest.”
“Well, yeah, let’s meet him. We should plan something so he can meet some people,” Sloan suggests.
Abbot chuckles. “You don’t even know him. He’s a turd; you’ll see.”
I have no idea what it’s like to have a sibling, but it seems like Abbot and her brother might have a cute relationship.
After waiting in line for what feels like forever, we find a place to sit.
Abbot scans the room, but she says she can’t find her brother again, so we let go of that idea and talk more about the event and what we want to check out when we’re done with lunch.
“I’m just going to go refill my tea. Does anyone else want anything?” I offer.
Abbot smiles. “No, I’m good.”
“Some water would be amazing. Thanks, Carly,” Sloan says.
I make my way over to the soda fountain and wait behind a few people when I realize that the hot guy from the elevator is standing right in front of me.
Oh, my God, this is my chance, I could totally talk to him…
I watch him fill his cup with green tea, my favorite, and he walks away without turning around or even noticing I exist. Seems about right.
When I get back to the table, I am too embarrassed to say anything, so I try to ignore it, but these girls can already read me like a book.
“All right, where is he?” Sloan insists.
“Gone,” I admit. “He was in front of me in the soda line, but I couldn’t make myself say anything. I guess it just wasn’t meant to be.”
Abbot smiles. “We have to keep working on getting you out of your shell.”
“Yeah, there is no shortage of hot guys in California,” Sloan concludes.
“Thanks, girls.”
“No worries. I was lucky that Kade talked to me first and, even then, I only talked to him because he pissed me off. I had to get comfortable with him before I could flirt.”
“Yeah, well, hot guys don’t usually approach me,” I admit.
“Oh, my gosh, me neither,” Sloan admits.
“What? You’re lying!” Abbot yells.
“Seriously, remind me to tell you girls about Archie. Wait until you hear how sad my life used to be. Maybe, then, you’ll see why I have ‘Kade-blinders’ on,” Sloan explains.
