29
They agreed not to talk about their secrets anymore. Rachel wasn’t satisfied but it was the best she could do, if the man wouldn’t talk she would make use of her skills, she was Rachel Rivers after all. He had said he didn’t want her snooping around in the wrong place but in her line of business, there was no such thing as a wrong place in seeking information.
Day 2 of the fashion week went by, she was able to submit a couple of articles to Larry and when subsequent nights rolled by with more designs out on display she noted everything down with a vengeance.
Nate was called away on business on the third day and he left her in the hotel leaving her with the limo and ames to defend her if needed. He didn’t leave without a promise, “When you come back to Gem Hills I’ll show you the room.”
“The room?” she had frowned. He simply flashed an enigmatic smile before walking off into the waiting car that was supposed to take him to the airport and back to Gem Hills. She was excited, waiting for the second stage of her lessons, and at the same time she was apprehensive. Vera had implied that the second stage was where she would see Nate for who he truly was but aside from the fact that he was a man with hidden secrets and insatiable sexual hunger, she didn’t know what to make of the rest of Vera’s words. But she couldn’t worry about that when Larry was buzzing around her with optimism about the articles he submitted.
Not surprisingly, her article appeared on the second page of Vogue where she talked about Francis Giuliano’s designs and another designer who had presented on the third day. But right beside her article that had a picture of her dressed in Emilio Pucci’s prints had been an article recalling her scandal. Dana had also appeared in the magazine beside Jacob and the both of them were smiling widely into the cameras with their arms wrapped around each other. It consoled her that they didn't make 1st, 2nd or center page.
Mabel had called Rachel to tell her she read her article and that she thought it was excellent, Ben had said the same thing and wished her luck finding her footing again then he had delved into juicy gossip about what everyone thought of Dana and Jacob.
“There’s also a certain rumor making the rounds at the office."
“Yeah?” Rachel had said while lounging on the bed with a bowl of strawberries and chocolate and a bottle of champagne that had arrived courtesy of Nate. Even when he was far away he still had control over her. He barely called though and she never called since he was the boss and she was just a submissive.
Rachel didn’t want to think too much of how their conversation had affected their relationship – well in her eyes it affected their relationship - or situation-ship. She didn’t want to see him differently yet when he was so vulnerable exposing her flaws, which she suspected were his flaws with Vera, she couldn’t help but feel she was softening to him even more. But that was not the point in their situation-ship, they were supposed to benefit from each other, he was supposed to be teaching her the many things that could happen between a man and woman in the bedroom, showing her what had caused Vera to run off and she was supposed to be taking liberties in the things her body could do. Yet since he left she found herself missing him. She missed waking up to him sitting beside her like a total creep with a plate of room service breakfast for her.
Their relationship wasn’t supposed to be like this, she convinced herself. Eventually, she told herself that she was simply just getting used to having him there, once he left her life she would use what she gleaned about his life in her second break-out story and she would forget about him. Just as he would forget about her.
Which was why, in order to forget about him she buried herself in her articles, made new acquaintances with people who didn’t judge her, or those who did and pitied her, and indulged herself in Ben’s gossip.
“What’s this rumor about?” she asked.
Ben reduced his voice to a very low tone. “That the Allen Brothers may have some skeletons in their cupboards.” He paused for a moment and Rachel imagined him looking over his shoulder in his tiny office to make sure he was alone. “Teenagers.”
“Huh, they have teenagers in their cupboards?”
“Come on Rachel be serious,” he laughed. “No, I’m saying they might be involved with teenagers, you know? Like underground escorts involving underaged teens.”
Rachel chewed on the end of a strawberry. “Hmm, that’s a weighty allegation, Ben. And everyone in the office is behind this rumor?”
“Well it started with Patricia, you know how chatty she can be but then again everyone at the office loves to gossip so maybe it’s just a rumor?”
The Allen Brothers often fought with Rachel when they thought she went too far with her interviews, they weren’t exactly the most upstanding citizens in the state but in Rachel’s book they were good enough and sex trafficking wasn’t something they were capable of.
“Maybe. Look, Ben, I’m glad I still have you as a friend. I know I’ve lost friends at the office but you are a real one.”
“I got your back. Anyways, I can sense you have better things to do than gossip about rumors so I’ll go now. Take care of yourself. I’ve been seeing you a lot with that Nathaniel Madden guy, is there something I should know?”
“Nothing you should concern yourself with,” she laughed.
“Alright, my love, take care of yourself okay?”
When she hung up she stared out the window at the lovely river, her mind already distracted from Nate. The Allen Brothers would not be involved in sex trafficking but that was a good topic to cover for another story.
She swung her legs over the bed to reach for her phone so she could contact Larry and run the idea through him when her phone buzzed. It was an unknown number. She picked it.
“H-hi, Miss Rivers, this is Francis Giuliano, do you remember me?”
“Of course I do, you’re the designer with the amazing designs.”
“Oh I wouldn’t go that far, I still have a long way to go Miss Rivers. I love the article you wrote about me, it was so thoughtful of you to say those nice things.” Rachel liked him immediately. He was an open, honest man unaware of his potential as a fashion designer. “I suggested a photo shoot with you the other night and your agent agreed but I want to confirm from you Miss Rivers, would you be available to try some of my new designs?”
“Of course no problem.” Larry had convinced her that the better exposure she had the quicker her success.
“Great! My office is at Milano Boulevard. After the show is over it wouldn’t be too much trouble to come, will it? It might take days because we intend to have as many locations as possible.”
Milano Boulevard was in the next state after Mainland. She was supposed to go back to Gem Hills for her ‘lessons’ with Nate but the contract had made provisions for when she couldn’t meet his demands. She would send him an email later.
“That wouldn’t be a problem,” she told Francis.
“Awesome. Thank you very much, Miss Rivers. I look forward to working with you.”
She looked forward to Nate’s response. A few minutes after she sent him an email explaining Francis’s plan he sent a response.
‘Tom will take you to the airport as soon as you’re done with that,' was his response.
The arrogant man.
