--- 04 ---
Paul told Reba to meet him at his hotel suit, he introduced her to people that was working at the large table in his suit. She assumed they were designers since she saw a stack of fabrics and designs on the desk. He took her to another room and dragged a large box to her. She examined the big box that contained different out fit: her size. They were somewhat more revealing than she usually wore.
"You want me to wear this? I'm not wearing them, they are showing too much! Why the heck do you make it such a big deal in what I wear?" Reba flared up.
"You're working for me now, I can't let you be seen with me wearing clothes made by my competitions."
"These are a fraction of the price of your brand, they are not your competition." Reba argued.
"Doesn't matter. You're being seen with me, you're wearing my brand. Since you don't have to buy them, there should be no argument." He picked up a black skirt and a dark blue top. Reba annoyingly took them from his hand and walked to the washroom to get change.
"Do I have to change my underwear too?" She was being a smart-alecky.
"Sure, you can tell me your size or do you want me to guess?" Reba looked up at the ceiling and rolled her eyes trying not to slam the door shut. She put on the outfits that he selected for her and it fit her perfectly. The skirt was a few inches above her knees, but not too short. A little split on the left thigh added a little sexiness but not showing too much. The dark blue shirt perfectly contoured her figure. The neckline was a little too low comparing to what she own, but it only enhanced her cleavage. Reba wasn't surprise now why people would pay a good three digits for just a shirt. The material was good and the stitches were perfectly sewn together. And the outcome was outstanding. Reba stepped out of the bathroom. Paul was astonished by how great she turned out.
"How did you know my size?"
"I just guess. And here's a pair of shoes."
"I have to wear high heels to go to furniture shopping?"
"Wear something else if you want as long as they are from this box." He pushed a big box to her with different pairs for shoes and once again, they were her size.
"Forget it, I don't have time to go through them." She slipped her feet into the pair he selected for her. And they were comfortable.
"And here's your purse."
"What?"
"Yep, you have to use my brand from head to toes." Reba sighed taking the purse from his hand and transferred her belonging in to the new purse.
"How much this whole thing would cost me if I had to buy them?"
"Couple of thousands," said Paul casually, examining Reba like the way designer examined the model. Reba's eyes widened. "Don't worry, I'm not going to bill you for them."
"But that's a lot!"
"My reputation cost more than that. I can't have you working for me and wear someone else's brands. I went to LA to get whatever I can that seemed to fit you, I'll have them send some more later." He called couple of people to help taking those boxes filled with brand new out fits, shoes, and accessories to her car. They looked at Reba in awe. She came in looked like she was going to church, and Paul made her change into a stunning, sultry working woman. "Yes they are all yours." He answered her silent question that she couldn't seem to form.
"So if you fire me, where do I have to return them?"
"No, keep them as gifts." And those gifts got Cheyenne and Barbra Jean jealous as heck.
"He gave you all these?" Cheyenne was upset that because she was pregnant and she couldn't try on any of the clothes her mom got. Barbra Jean loved them too, but couldn't afford them. "You know how much they cost right ma?"
"Yes, good three figure for each item. Oh some of those purses may cost four figures."
"Purses? You got purses too?"
"And shoes." Cheyenne was almost past out from envy.
"I can let you borrow them." Reba covered her ears when her oldest daughter squealed. "You can borrow them too Barbra Jean." Now Barbra Jean squealed too, looking through purses and shoes. Reba let them enjoy those items when she went to the kitchen. Brock came back with Jake and his bottom jaw almost hit the floor.
"Whoa. You look..."
"Great. Thanks for the compliment." Reba helped him finished the sentence. She had people turning their head to stare at her all day. Jake said hi to his mom and went to his room, when he walked past the living room he stopped.
"Mom you went shopping today?"
"No those are my new outfit that I have to wear for my new job. Has to be that brand and I can't wear anything else," explained Reba when Brock glanced at her as if to question if she blew her entire saving account for these. Brock joined Barbra Jean in the living room.
"MACI, they make sexy lingerie too, don't they?" Every one stopped their action and glanced at Brock who was busy reading the label. He looked up and met with every one's eyes. "I... emm... I saw a commercial when I flip through channels."
"Is he gonna give you those too mom?"
"I hope not!" Well he did. Reba get them about a week later when he was ready to moved from his hotel suit to his new condo. He told her that they sent them along with the new season clothing that he told his people to ship them over. "I swear I'll quit the moment you make me wear them!" Exclaimed Reba.
"You don't have to model them to me, but they are yours. I told them to ship the new season over, and they included everything. I hope they fit." He winked. Reba rolled her eyes. Oh well. He asked someone to put the box in her car. And took her to introduce to his employees that moved to Houston to help him set up his modelling agency. He introduced her as his personal assistant. They were surprised at the fact that he had personal assistant. He did have managers at different offices to report to him about the business, but he usually did things by himself. He had executives assistant that usually managed his schedule. But Reba took it over. He gave her a PDA, and he changed his business card that had her phone number in it. So if people were looking for him, they had to contact her. And once his private resort was completed, Reba was busier than ever.
"Paul I can't have you dragging me around from place to place and managing the resort too!" Reba snapped after hung up the phone from a demanding movie star, saying that Paul invited her to his private resort, and wanted a room. Reba insisted that she couldn't give it to her because someone else had reserved it. Paul tried not to chuckle when he overheard she said 'I understand that he invited you, but that base on availability... I don't care which movie you're in, you're still not getting the room.' Just a few minutes later, Paul got a call transferred from the executive assistant, saying that movie star wanted to talk to him. They wanted to tell him that Reba wasn't co-operative. He backed Reba up. Paul called the executive assistant back and told her from now on, if any one wanted to talk to him, they had to go through Reba, and if she transferred anymore calls to him again she would be in trouble.
"Hire an assistant then. But now I'm going to the office, and I want you to come with me." Paul grabbed her by her hand and pulled her to his car. He grew accustomed to having her around and talking to her when he was working. She amused him every time she had to deal with difficult famous people. Paul didn't care since they weren't his clients. They were just acquaintances that wanted to have him as a friend for future connection. But most people he hired were intimidated by the fact that they were famous and gave in to their demands. Reba had yet to disappoint him. "Who reserved the room first?"
"One of your employees from San Francisco. He said he got the package as a gift from you to thank him for his wonderful job. He asked if it's okay to bring his family over. He faxed me your letter of invitation and the room was available. So I gave him an extra room for his kids too since he was so nice, and according to the letter you gave him, he's a good employee, so he deserves to be rewarded." Paul laughed. If that actress knew that she didn't get the room because Reba gave it to his employee's kid, she would be furious. Reba slowly learned about Paul. He was one serious businessman and his employees were intimated by him and afraid to joke with him. Paul never made an effort to try and connect with them either. But when he was with her, he would laugh and tell her funny stories. It was a different side of him that she wouldn't see when he was in front of other employees. He said she had to hang around with him almost all the time, so he'd rather think of her as a friend than an employee. As it would be hard for both of them if they had to work under the tension.
Since Paul usually took her with him pretty much everywhere, Reba didn't have much time to manage his resort, so she showed up to his condo a few days later with an assistant that he said she could hire.
"This is Maria, she can speaks French, Italian, Spanish and of course English. She would be following you while I work at the resort." Reba tried to put on her serious face and she almost broke out into laughter when Paul gave her a disapproving glare.
"When I told you to hire and assistant, I meant to help you at the resort. You stuck with me as my personal assistant." Paul wasn't used to his employee joked with him, he thought Reba was serious. She laughed
"Oh lightened up. I was just kidding. Here have a chocolate." She gave him a bar of dark chocolate: his favourite. He grinned. "Maria will be helping me overlook the resort, answer your guests' special demands, manage the schedule, but if there's a conflict I'll deal with them. But at least I don't have to worry about the resort when you're dragging me all over the place." She smiled at him. "Anyway, I'm going to show Maria the place, if you need me, just call."
"I'm going with you." Paul stood up and pushed his work aside.
"You have employees meeting in two hours." Reba didn't have to go to the employee meeting, because she didn't deal with the modelling agency, she was more or less involve in his personal side than business side. Paul called the executives assistant and he moved the meeting to the next day.
"Shall we?" He grinned after he hung up the phone. Reba glared at him.
"Before you move your schedule all over the place, can't you check if it conflicts with anything else? You have meeting with executives and designers for the new season tomorrow." Reba hissed at him and shook her head. She had to rearrange his schedule just because he wanted to skip today's meeting. Paul gave her a guilty smile. Maria tried to hide her grin. She heard Paul's reputation about being arrogant and his employees were so afraid of him since he fired too many of them because they didn't agree with him or could not do what he told. Yet, Reba seemed like she wasn't afraid of him. And he seemed to be considerate to her. All three of them walked to the parking lot. Paul and Reba led the way and Maria followed behind them. Reba was going into Maria's car to navigate the way to the resort. Paul wouldn't let her. He gave directions to Maria and took Reba into his car.
"I'll see you at the resort." He told the young woman before closing her car door.
"She doesn't know her way around." Reba protested.
"Well then she had to find out or she shouldn't be working there if she doesn't know how to get to her work." Reba rolled her eyes. Paul always wanted everything his way.
"You're such a trouble maker. Okay if she arrived before we do, how's she gonna get past security, have you thought of that?"
"We better be quick then." Paul had forgotten how tight the security was at his resort to prevent the media from getting in. Reba had to call each designer to reschedule his meetings while he was driving them to the resort.
"I'm starting to think working for you is causing me more headaches than when I work at the real estate office.
"I've never said that I'm easy to work with."
"If I had only known," quipped Reba. "But I can't quit now since you made me addicted to your brand. If I quit, I wouldn't be able to afford all of these." The truth was she enjoyed working with him.
"You look great in them, I must say. Or should I say you make my clothes look great." He flashed her a smile. And his heart raced a little when he saw her blush. "When you're done training Maria today, would you like to go see a movie?"
"A movie?"
"And later, maybe we can go to a dinner."
"Is that a date? Didn't you promise me that we only have professional relationship? Besides, I don't think dating my own boss is a good idea, as I told you before, I don't like mixing business with pleasure."
"Okay then, you're fired. See you at seven." Paul kidded.
"Ha ha, very funny." Reba glared at him.
"Well then, your boss wants to go see a movie. And since you're his assistant you have to go with him. Help him carry a tub of popcorn."
"That's not in my job description."
"It is now."
"No it is not." Refused Reba firmly.
"There's a new action movie came out and I really want to go see it. Please..." He gave her a puppy dog eyes.
"Alright fine! I'll go only because you say please!" Reba actually wanted to see that movie too, and when he said please, she found he was a little hard to resist. Paul parked the car and told the security to let Maria in. She was having trouble at the gate. When he came back in the car Reba gave him an I-told-you-so look. Once they were all in his office, Paul told Maria about the benefit and negotiates her salary. Reba had told her roughly, but he would be the one who made the final decision. Reba showed her, her office and told her what had to be done. She lets her study her works while she went out and joined Paul who lay on a patio chair by the pool.
"She got 50% discount on your clothing line? Why do I get them free?" Now she thought about it, not all his people wore his line and he never bugged them about it.
"Everyone in my organization receives 50% discount for the brand. I gave them to you for free because you will be with me most of the time, and just in case paparazzi got our pictures again, I just have to make sure you wore my clothes. But I can still give you 50% corporate discount card. You can give it to your daughter."
"I though they are non transferable."
"Honey, I'm the president. I make the rules."
"I'm sure she'll be thrilled, but no thanks. Let me follow the rules like everybody else. I don't want any special treatment. I'm sure some people aren't happy already that I got these outfits."
"If they aren't happy, they can look for other jobs that make them happier." Paul glanced at her, his eyes lit up.
"Oh you're so mean." Reba playfully slapped his arm as she was getting up to go back to check on Maria. She stopped for Paul was pulling her hand back.
"Reba, I want you to be my guest model for next season."