Thank you to everyone who read or reviewed the last chapter.


Chapter 5: Rumors, Assumptions, and Apologies: Part II

Amanda sat in her office in New York with wedding plans and design sketches everywhere. With just over two weeks until the wedding happened they were in the last stages of wedding preparations. The outfits were chosen, the venue was booked and Monique's dress would be arriving tomorrow for the fitting.

Today the only wedding thing she had to do was make sure everybody showed up for his or her fitting. Helping plan the wedding kept her distracted from her daddy problems in between frequent trips to the bathroom. She was too babies sick to function as a celebrity stylus right now. Was it really her fault that she threw up on Monique's mom's shoes yesterday? She didn't think she threw up this much when she was bulimic.

The first unfortunate phone call was to Monique's sister, who had her assistant answer instead. The next person she called was one of Monique's friends from college. She knew that she used to work with Molly, but she couldn't remember her name right now. She was really angry when she found out Daniel was bringing his new girlfriend to the wedding. Suzuki St. Pierre's hot story this morning was Daniel Meade leaving Mode for London to follow his former assistant and new girlfriend "Betsy" Suarez.

The third and fourth people she had to call were Gio's two cousins who were both ushers. Both guys hit on her several times during the call. Fortunately the baby made her throw up again, giving her a wonderful excuse to get off the phone.

Finally, she got to call the one person she actually wanted to talk to. She needed a juicy update on the Betty and Daniel situation anyway and Daniel was a much bigger gossip.

"Have you slept with Betty yet?" She said into the phone without even saying hello as soon as Daniel picked up.

"Amanda, I'm not used to this time conversion thing yet but shouldn't you be working?"

"I am working. I'm calling everybody to remind then when they have to be there for the final fitting for the wedding. Because you are all the way in London, Briana is sending her partner from the French part of the company to do your fitting at the Mode offices Friday at three your time. Monique also set up a meeting at the same time for you to talk with the head of advertising for the European division of the company. Monique already emailed Candy, but got her out of office message saying she would be at the photo shoot all day."

"I'm a little surprised that Monique is setting up advertising meetings for us. I am not used to having a partner that actually helps me succeed instead of sabotaging my efforts."

"She tries her best not to be Wilhelmina. She also wants you to call her at five your time to talk magazine and wedding party stuff."

"How did she talked me into being in the wedding party? I'm still your escort right?"

"No you're going to be escorting Gio's little sister. The one who is really mean and snotty. Monique's mom threw a fit about keeping everything even. Maybe she did that because I threw up on her yesterday during the planning meeting. You are also going to be standing on Monique's side now. I think she asked you just to make sure that you would be back to give her the ultimate wedding present of you and Betty making out at the ceremony."

"That may not be happening. It depends on if Betty is speaking to me again by the time the wedding happens.

"You did not screw up again ? Did your relationship make the papers in the UK as well?"

"I did not screw up. What papers?"

"Why isn't she talking to you?" She asked deliberately ignoring the paper question.

"We may have got caught by her boss making out on her desk. I forgot to lock the door."

"How did that happen? You always remember to lock the door. You were always really good at stopping when you heard people coming. You're great at sneaking around."

"I kind of forget basic things when I'm around her."

"You're in love. I like you in love."

"I've been in love before."

"Not like this. You know that if Molly wasn't dying you would've never married her. Even Monique refers to it as a "make a wish wedding" and she was Molly's best friend." He did not respond to what she said. "What you did wasn't that bad. At lease you didn't break up with her when she was pregnant with your child because you thought she was sleeping with someone else even though she wasn't." So she was still a little upset about what Matt did, even though they were back together.

"What have you been making Matt do to make up for that?"

"Do you really think I absolutely need crunchy dill potato chips at 3:00 AM with a specific brand of dip? I'm planning on making him as miserable as possible for the remainder of this pregnancy."

"You made me do the same thing."

"You are the reason why he broke up with me. I also still was not positive about the baby's paternity at the time. Speaking of making you and Matt miserable, your mom wanted me to tell you that on Saturday before the wedding you, Matt, and Tyler are joining her for brunch at the hotel where the wedding is taking place."

"How is my brother doing?" He said with a sigh. She should be happy he said "my brother".

"Good. He is geting out of rehab permanently right before the wedding. You would know this stuff if you called him. You're as bad as Matt. Sometimes I think you two are the ones related by blood. You act too much alike."

"Can I bring Betty?"

"If she's talking to you.I'm coming with suggestion for an "I'm sorry I'm an idiot" present is a really good box of expensive and is good but don't get her what you used to get your if it is really pretty and goes with 't even think about getting her business cards did that too many times. You couldn't even remember when she already had cards.

"It was a practical present." He said defensively.

"It's not a romantic never said anything because she was too just buried them in the same door where she kept her snacks.I found two boxes buried in this desk once I started cleaning said I was nesting."

"What about flowers?"

"Again don't get her the same thing you got all the girls you slept with but couldn't remember their names. That is just going to make things worse. Although they were really nice flowers, but they really didn't make up for being in love with someone who couldn't even remember your name." She started crying at that point and abruptly ended the call. She blamed the baby hormones.


Betty was going over the resumes for the various people she just interviewed for her assistant position. She was a little upset that Lindsey had his personal assistant sit on the interviews, but she didn't have a choice. It didn't help that the woman let her know that her relationship with Daniel did in fact make the tabloids.

Of the five people she interviewed, the only person she liked was Betsy Williams. She just happened to be the former assistant to Daniel's predecessor at Mode UK. Betty was just about to check with Sumreen about Betsy's qualifications when her phone rang.

"Hello"

"So I talk to your boyfriend and he's really sorry about not locking the door." She heard a very familiar voice say quickly without introduction.

"Amanda is that you?"

"Who else would be calling you? It's not like you had any other friends besides Daniel and me. Now you just have me because you're dating Daniel." Did Amanda have to remind her. Before she could complain to Daniel when her boyfriends were acting like complete idiots. Now she did not have that. Christina was not as good.

"Christina."

"She doesn't count. She's all the way in Scotland." Betty just rolled her eyes."

"She lives closer to me now than you do. She's coming over to visit soon."

"That's good. Maybe she can talk you into wearing the dress that I chose for you for the wedding. If you're talking to Daniel again by that point. He is really worried and asking everybody ideas for apology presents. I suggested good chocolate or really good jewelry." She knew that Daniel was worried. True to form, she already had 15 voice mails from him on her cell phone alone. She should probably call him but she was still upset.

"I'm not surprised. I'm fine with any apology present as long as it's not business cards again." She said with a sigh.

"You're using your "everything's OK when it's not" voice. Why are you still upset? What he did wasn't that big of a deal." Not wanting to explain herself to Amanda she chose to redirect the conversation.

"Why did you pick out a dress for me? I'm not in the wedding party." She wanted to know about that anyway.

"Matt's aunt wanted to design a dress for the woman who can completely unnerve her former sister in law. They absolutely hate each other. She loves you for driving her crazy, even without meeting you. Because Cliff is doing all the wedding pictures, he wants you in all the shots with Daniel. Besides you two look really hot together. No wonder everybody thought you two were fucking even before you two got together." Great even Amanda thought she was a slut.

"I'm not hot. I'm not sexy. I'm not the type of girl who has sex with their boyfriend on top of their desk in their office. I'm definitely not the type of girl who gets their job by performing oral sex on their boss."

"You never heard about you going down on Daniel in the men's room at Mode during the entire race of the phoenix thing?"

"It was Community of the Phoenix. Daniel told me about that. It was just a rumor." She said with a sigh.

"Those of us who know you know that it was just a rumor. We love you exactly the way you are. Your round and complicated."

"See you just made another crack about me not being beautiful."

"I said you were round, not unpretty. I'm just as round now. I have to send you the pictures of the baby belly. My belly button just popped. Matt said its adorable. I feel like an elephant in designer clothing. Thankfully they make designer clothing in maternity sizes. Evil Megan called me the good year blimp when I came into work yesterday."

"That's because Megan is a…"

"Complete bitch who wants to fuck Matt."

"I wasn't going to say that. I was going to say mean person."

"That's because you're still Betty underneath the brand new wardrobe. You're too nice, but I know you want to. Megan was the one who started the bathroom BJ rumor and the rumors about you only getting your job because you and Daniel were sleeping together. Jackie may have helped, but it was all Megan. She was just jealous. She was trying to break you and Matt up permanently. Now I am her new target."

"The rumors are starting here too, all because Daniel couldn't remember to lock the door."

"Vicious backbiting and nasty rumors have nothing to do with what happened yesterday. People will be talking behind your back no matter what, especially when you really are better than they are."

"I thought that was just Mode?"

"The rumor mill is everywhere and envy has existed for a very long time. They're talking about you because they hate you. They hate you because you're smart, successful, beautiful, an you have a really hot boyfriend who is so in love with you that he moved to a another country just to be with you. It's just jealousy."

"He came to fix Mode UK. I just happened to be here."

"Is that really what you believe? Daniel was planning on giving Wilhelmina complete control of Mode U.S. and come to London no matter what. When Wilhelmina took Monique's offer, Monique was the one who talked him into taking over Mode UK. He just wants to be with you. He has been in love with you for so long."

"He came here for me?"

"He's never loved anyone like he loves you. Not even Molly. Let me let you in on a little secret; the beautiful people hate you because you can just as easily be one of us. Under those layers of clothing that you used to use to cover yourself up there has always been this beautiful person underneath. I don't think you dressed like that because you didn't know better. It was obvious by your third month at Mode you knew what looked good and what didn't. You were just afraid."

"I was not afraid." She argued.

"Yes you were. You look scared to death to get your braces off. Daniel had to hold your hand the entire time. Although maybe that is what you wanted. See your beautiful and good deep down inside. That's a really rare combination. Other people want to get rid of your goodness. Don't let them. But don't tell anyone I said that."

"When do you get this smart? I actually understood what you are saying. That's a rare thing for me."

"I think it's the baby and being forced to spend time around geniuses. Matt AND Monique have like a combined IQ of over 300. Call Daniel. He so desperate that he just text messaged Matt for ideas on a good apology present."


Daniel just walked out of his 4:00 PM meeting with features. Half of the writers were actually doing well, the other half were clueless. He already knew he would have to fire more people and the thought alone was making his headache worst. He checked his personal phone one more time before calling Monique. He had a text message from Candy that said this shoot was going better now that Becks stop hitting on all the models. Becks sent a message about being sorry for what he said to Betty Monday and asked if Daniel and Betty wanted to go out to dinner next week. Daniel really didn't want to answer that text message. He still had nothing from Betty. He put up his cell phone and called Monique on the other phone.

"So I see my assistant did something today besides throwing up." Monique said to him.

"Amanda is really good at her job."

"I know she is. She is just having a really rough pregnancy. It's getting worse. I'm probably going to have to find another assistant by the time the wedding happens. If things keep getting worse, I'm positive her doctor is going to put her on bed rest for the rest of the pregnancy. If I'm lucky I may have my new intern broken in by then." He really didn't want to know what she had in store for Justin."

"If you're really lucky you might have your new creative director broken in by then."

"Not happening. The only person I have so far that is remotely qualified for that job is Marc. He doesn't have the formal experience, but he knows how to do the job. He has been watching Wilhelmina do it for the last six years. Unfortunately, if I promote him any higher than I already have I'm going to have a mutiny on my hands and there's going to be rumors going around about Marc getting this job on his back."

"That's not going to happen with you in charge. If I was still there maybe." He said with a laugh.

"Mark slept with his YETI instructor."

"What?" He could not have heard that right.

"Amanda told me. He was desperate to get an editor's job and he was willing to do anything, even have sex with a woman. I can understand being extremely desperate to get away from Wilhelmina. If I know about the rumor, everyone is going to know about it. I just can't deal with that stuff right now. People are vicious. Nikolai is already making things up. He's the one who told Suzuki about you moving to London for Betty. I got him to keep quiet about you being the new EIC of Mode UK until the formal announcement in exchange for confirming the story and a invitation to my wedding.

"It's fine. I'm sure after yesterday's incident it was going to become public knowledge anyway that Betty and I are dating." He then preceded to tell Monique everything that happened.

"I don't think it's as bad as what Candy told you. I told you this industry is vicious. They will make stuff up anyway. You just have to prove that you're her boyfriend, not the boss who use to fuck her in the copy room. I'm suggesting more romantic lunches and maybe an office dinner party. It's the perfect solution."

"I'll talk to her tonight to see how bad things really are. As for your situation, just hire someone on a one year contract and then move Marc into the position next year."

"I don't think there's anybody I can hire on a one year contract. Maybe I should just not have a creative director position. I could just split up the duties. Is your search going any better?"

"At least you have Marc. The interviews are so bad today I started text messaging Betty."

"What about someone in house?"

"Unlike you, I need all the help I can get. Diana is a possibility. Unfortunately, things are too unstable to move her. Maybe in a year or two, but not right now. We lost another advertiser."

"Fuck."

"That's what I said in the car. They did not just leave Mode. They pulled out of all of our publications in Europe."

"I wasn't going to say anything, but I know someone who may be willing to take the job."

"I'm desperate."

"I can tell. Otherwise, I would not be telling you this. I have a friend who I worked with at Isabella who went to London Style because of some family crisis. Your dad was trying to get her for Mode UK, but was unsuccessful due to David . She's coming to the wedding in a couple weeks and when she called to RSVP she mentioned how much she wished she could come back to New York to work for me. The woman in charge at London Style is a bitch. There's just no other word for this woman. She is just that horrible. She makes Wilhelmina seemed pleasant. Then there is the fact that Lindsey does not let his top people do any writing. She does not like that policy." He had a feeling that if Betty was under that policy, she wouldn't like it either.

"What does this mean for me?"

"Natalia absolutely hates her job, but she has to stay in London because of a really messy family situation that I can't get into. It's just too personal."

"My mom is a recovering alcoholic who killed my ex girlfriend's mom, my sister used to be my brother, I thought my nephew was my son, and I share a half brother with a guy who I may have accidentally stole my current girlfriend from. Oh I forgot, earlier this year me and that same guy were caught up in the middle of a "whose baby is it" drama involving the daughter of the woman my mother murdered. No one's family situation can be more complicated than mine."

"You have a point. Although, hers comes pretty close. What I'm saying is that we might be able to get her to come to Mode UK with a good offer an a flexible schedule. There is just one complication." He knew there would be a but.

"Briana is willing to give Mode U.S. and Mode UK exclusive rights to her new wedding collection."

"How is this related?"

"She wants Betty in the shoot."

"Why? She's never met Betty."

Anybody who Victoria Hartley despises is a friend of Briana's. One of her dresses was specifically made for Betty. If we want the collection, we need your girlfriend to be in the photo shoot. To get Betty in the issue we have to get a release signed by Lindsey Publishing. If you poach the creative director from London Style for your magazine, we're going to lose the exclusive. We need this exclusive." He realize they needed the exclusive without Monique saying anything.

"Too bad we didn't know before I signed Betty's release form. We could have used it as leverage."

"I did not know how unhappy she was until a few days ago."

"Talk to the lawyers to see how badly we need the release form. Maybe there is a loophole for the U.S. magazine. Apparently, there was no conflict of interest with Betty functioning as the New York correspondent for London Style when she was working at Mode U.S. When does your friend's contract end any way? Maybe we can wait it out if she's interested.

"Four months if they don't opt to renew. Considering how weak the creative director market is right now, I'm sure they're going to renew."

"I really Miss Wilhelmina. Evil schemes and contract loopholes were her specialty. I hate having ethics."

"Did you just say you missed Wilhelmina?" Daniel heard a voice say from the door.

"Hey I have to Go. Betty is here. I'll call you tonight to go over everything else."

"You didn't have to end your conference call."

"Yes I did. I been calling you all day."

"I'm sorry, I didn't return your calls. I had a bad day at work yesterday and today an eye was taking it out on you. Do you have any idea how hard it is to find the perfect assistant?"

"Not until I had the perfect assistant. Although in all honesty, all the good ones just fell in my lap. I'm sorry my horrible reputation is probably getting you a nice nasty reputation. How bad were the rumors?"

"Bad. Apparently everybody thinks I slept with my current boss to get my job because I was sleeping with my last boss." He winced when she said that.

"I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault. At least that rumor has not made the tabloids. Fortunately, for you I had a nice talk with Amanda. Apparently people only make up nasty rumors about people they are jealous of and feel threatened by." She said walking to the couch with him behind her.

"Usually," he said taking a seat next to her.

"I've never had people jealous of me before."

"Everybody was jealous of you." He said wrapping his arms around her and kissing her on the forehead. "I was jealous of you. Do you have any idea how great you are? There's this goodness in you that I will never achieve. You are so beautiful and sexy as hell."

"Apparently in the corporate world that's a bad thing."

"Just because I want to have sex with you in the copy room or on my desk does not mean I don't love you. It means I love you so much that I can't wait. " He said kissing her neck. "Except we will wait a few more weeks until you're used to me doing this." He said pulling back.

"I never had someone before who thought of me like that."

"I know Matt thought you were beautiful."

"I mean sexy. The most erotic thing I ever did was try to eat ice cream off of Henry's stomach. I told you how bad that went." He couldn't help but laugh at that. He remembered her telling him that embarrassing story to cheer him up after Molly died. He also remembered reading that she had a fantasy about trying to do that with him in her diary. He's used that passage for personal time recently.

"That's because you were doing it wrong. First of all you need to be the one covered in chocolate syrup." That got him a blush. "We're fixing that. We can do it tonight."

"Doesn't that involve actual sex, which you don't want to do yet? Have you done this before? Of course you have."

"Not necessarily. It depends on your definition of sex. I thought we're just going with no penetration." She started blushing again when he said that. "Also you are the only person I would ever try this with. At least with actual ice cream involved." He wondered if chocolate body paint counted?

"I find that hard to believe."

"Most of my previous girlfriends, if you can call them that, did not do food. The first time around, Amanda and I were not in a place where we trusted each other enough to do this. The second time around she was too busy listening to me be mad about Matt. Actually I was listening to her be mad about Matt."

"I will admit that entire thing was a mistake. This is why I'm not that upset about Matt starting to date Amanda right after we broke up. What about Molly though?"

"Molly was too sick to do anything like that. Technically our marriage was not even legal because we were never able to…" That's when Betty kissed him. A part of his mind thought she did it to keep him from talking about having or rather not having sex with his first wife. The rest of his brain was too occupied with being slammed down on his couch by his girlfriend to think. The next thing he was aware of other than Betty, was yelling from his managing features editor and praise from his college friend.

"I told you if you were going to have sex with your girlfriend in the office to lock the door. All I ask is for you to lock the door."

"Okay now I know why you're with her. The sex must be unbelievably hot. It's always the quiet ones."

"Okay now we are even as soon as you let me have the purple cappuccino machine." His smirking girlfriend said as she got up from him.

"You did that on purpose."

"Yes but I'm willing to try the ice cream thing now." His girlfriend whispered in his ear right before she left with Sumreen.

"That is why I love her." He said out loud to no one in particular.