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A repeat of Fashion Buzz played in the background on the TV as Betty was doing her yoga exercises:
"Word is out that MODE's leading man, Daniel Meade, has ditched Daddy's dazzling empire for good," Suzuki revealed as a picture of Daniel popped up on the screen. "According to sources, and his latest Letter from the Editor, New York's most eligible bachelor is no longer wanting to be a bachelor and is no longer in New York. Which tempting tigress tamed the Lover of Lust? Why it's none other than his former assistant and Junior Features Editor, Betty Suarez, who is now EIC of the new London magazine Perception."
A picture of Betty in her poncho from four years ago appeared on the screen.
"Are you shielding your eyes from the hideousness? We did too. How in the name of Louis Vuitton did she tame the Sexy Stud of Style when she can't even tame her own locks and frocks?! No fear, fashionista fans, because this hairy hobbit is now this curvaceous brunette bombshell," he continued.
A photo of what Betty looked like currently, taken from another magazine's launch party the night she'd arrived in London, showed on the screen.
"Miracles do happen, people – and my guess is lipo, caps, a stylist, and a decent blowout were hers!" he assumed. "No news as to whether heartsick Daniel has actually bagged the luscious Latina or not, but Fashion Buzz won't rest until we find out. Meantime, who is set to take his throne? Rumor has it the tiara goes to the Voluptuous Vixen, Co-EIC Wilhelmina Slater, with former assistant and Junior Fashion Editor, Marc St. James as her new Creative Director."
"Ugggh . . . I've been to his house! Daniel and I know who he really is. What the hell is his problem?!" she flipped off the TV in exasperation.
"Hi, butterfly - I'm home!" Daniel greeted her. "Damn! Do those reporters ever give up?! I had to dodge a mob of them at the front steps. Ever since Suzuki did that piece on Fashion Buzz this morning, there's no escaping them – even all the way in London. I have to wear a hooded sweat jacket and sunglasses to get past them. I know they'll figure out we're together eventually, but I just wanted a little more time before the media started to monitor everything we did."
"I know. I just got through watching Suzuki's piece again - I don't why I torture myself. Babe, why didn't you sneak in through the back door?" Betty asked, giving him a brief kiss.
"There's a back door?" he said, surprised.
"Yeah, how do you not know that by now? Didn't you read all the building info I gave you when you moved in? Never mind, you're you. Of course you didn't," she lovingly teased.
"Hey, I started to, but there's this curvaceous brunette bombshell who's been distracting me every time I have a free moment," he flirtingly excused, his lips making a trail down her neck.
"Nice try, but you had a whole week of afternoons while I was still at work and you hadn't started yet," Betty gently pushed him away, returning to what she was doing before he came in. "And I know you stole that description from Suzuki."
"Doesn't make it any less true . . . Are you still working on that feature?" Daniel asked, watching her get into a downward dog position, her hands and feet on the floor, her bottom up in the air forming a triangle.
"No, I'm done with that, but I've found this can actually be relaxing," she replied. "And I really need that, lately. Work is hell. I don't know how you did it, Daniel. The launch of the first issue is in three days and nothing is going right. I'd still be at the office, but it's so insane there that I needed a quiet place to sit and go over the final changes in the book before it goes to print. I thought maybe a little yoga might calm me down and get me focused so I don't screw something up."
"Hey, I couldn't have done any of what I did without you, Betty. I was a mess. You're amazing and I know you've got this. But if you need any help with proofing or anything else, just let me know," Daniel offered.
"Thank you. But you did so much on your own, too, Daniel. I just wish that someday I make Perception as good as you made MODE," she told him.
"We did it together, Betty. Which is why I know you will make your own magazine great – I promise. I bet your first issue is a huge success!" he said.
"Hopefully," she said and attempted to move. "Um, D? I think I'll take you up on your offer to help me."
"Yeah, sure. Is the book in your briefcase?" he asked.
"No. I mean I'm stuck," she clarified.
"Oh," he mused, gazing at her ass. "Great, 'cause I'm loving this view!"
"Daniel," she berated. "Stop staring at my ass and help me up!"
"But it's such a nice ass," he smirked, smacking it lightly. Then he relented.
"You're gonna pay for that," she threatened with a devious smile, wrapping her arms around his neck.
"I hope so," he shot her a sexy grin.
Betty leaned in and closed the space between them, kissing him soundly on the mouth as she fingered the hair at the nape of his neck.
"Screw yoga – this is the way to relax," she muttered into his lips.
Daniel shamelessly grinned as he ran his hands through her soft tendrils of wavy dark brown hair. Betty kissed his smile as her hands worked their way down to his ass. They maneuvered their way onto the couch when her phone interrupted them.
"It's Marc!" she shot up, pleasantly surprised. She hadn't had the chance to talk to anyone back home except her family, since Daniel had shown up in London. She leaned back against Daniel's chest and took the call.
Daniel proceeded to toy with her hand. He zoned out for a second wondering if his grandmother's ring would fit her finger or if it would have to be resized. Her fingers were so delicate.
Meanwhile, Betty was dealing with Marc.
"Hey, Marc!" she greeted him.
"Blimpy! So here's the sitch: Mandi and I are crashing with you next week 'cause I'm stuck covering some combined photoshoot with MODE London in the Land of the Unfashionable and Troy and I are saving up for a bigger more fabulous apartment," Marc announced. "We're coming Sunday."
"Ooookay," Betty rolled her eyes in amusement. "Not that I don't want to see you guys, but doesn't MODE cover your travel expenses? They did when I went."
"Yeah, well some of us don't have luvahs for bosses. Where is Weak Chin anyway? Probably pouting like a pitiful puppy with his tail between his legs after you ignored that Letter from the Editor he wrote. And good for you! You don't need him anyway! No seriously, we had budget cuts as big as J-Lo's booty. Only airfare is being paid for. Besides, I know you miss me!" he sung.
Betty snorted.
"So how did you get stuck, again?" she asked, ignoring Marc's comments.
"Ulchh . . . Everyone else is swamped. Willie and James Bond are at it like Ike and Tina again ever since Nico the manipulative bitch came back ready to attack Step-Daddy-to-be. Willie's stuck in the middle and I Can. Not. Take It! I need a break from all the drama, even if it is somewhere that makes you look like Eva Longoria. God, I hope I don't run into that Clark guy," he made hurling noises.
"Who?" Betty asked.
"Do you ever listen to anything I tell you!" he huffed. "That guy who I did the YETI assignment on when we had to interview someone who had our job at another magazine?"
"Oh, yeah . . . So what happened to Amanda's stylist dream?" Betty inquired.
"It's sinking like the Titanic, so I hired her as my Girl Friday for the shoot since my real assistant Knows. Nothing!" he complained. "Reminds me a lot of you actually – you know, except for the frizzy hair, furry unibrow, hideous glasses, and metal mouth . . . 'cause who wants to look at that every day?"
"I think I remember I don't have any space . . ." she threatened.
"Okay, okay, okay – don't get all Westminster Crabby on me. I didn't realize waddling walruses were so sensitive!" Marc scoffed.
"Marc!" Betty berated.
"What?! You sound fatter on the phone - like you ate one too many English muffins - you're not preggers are you?" he dramatically gasped. "No wait – that would mean you and someone would actually have to – Ewwww . . . deleting that image."
"Do you want to stay here or not?" Betty snapped.
"Gahhh! For the love of Gucci, I'm sorry! I swear on Halston's ashes I'll behave," he apologized.
"Okay. I'll see you guys on Sunday," she said, hanging up.
"Sunday?" Daniel inquired.
"Yeah, he has some sort of shoot to oversee at the London branch so he and Amanda are going to stay with us," Betty answered.
"Does he even know there's an 'us'?" he asked.
"Nope. And you know Marc, you can't squeeze in a full sentence when he's in one of his moods," she scoffed.
"This should be fun . . ." Daniel grinned, his eyes dancing devilishly.
"I know! He insulted me ten times during our conversation, so it's payback time!" Betty agreed as they high-fived each other.
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"Hey, how's the gorgeous new EIC of Perception?" Daniel greeted his girlfriend as she came in from her magazine launch party with a hug and a kiss. "So how did it go?"
"Pretty good, I guess," Betty answered, a little disappointed. "What are you watching?"
Daniel quickly clicked the power button on the blu ray remote.
"'Die Hard'," he answered.
"Oh, so you found your box of movies?" she assumed.
"Uh . . . I found a movie. What happened at the launch party?" he asked, sitting down with her on the bed.
Betty took a handful of popcorn.
"You know how you insisted on not coming – that this was my night and that if you came, all the attention would be focused on you and us instead of the magazine? Turns out that happened anyway. All the press really wanted to talk about was you and us," she answered. "They asked me where you were and had you contacted to me - had I read your Letter from the Editor. They even asked me what plastic surgeon had I used and what I'd had done."
"Think it's time for Byron Woo to come out of the hetero closet?" Daniel asked.
"After tonight, it's sooo tempting," Betty pondered. "I tried to avoid answering their questions, but you know how I am when I get nervous. You might as well have come with me and just made it official after all, because they ended up figuring it out."
"I'm sorry, baby," Daniel apologized and held her. He hated it when she was unhappy.
"It got better, though, when Lindsay reminded them what they were there for and got into a discussion about the magazine itself. I think they really liked the first issue," Betty said.
"Hey, that's great!" Daniel exclaimed. "And you did it all on your own. See – I told you it'd be a hit!"
"Yeah . . ." she replied, halfheartedly.
"What's wrong? Why am I not seeing that signature Betty smile?" he asked.
"It's just . . . it all feels kind of tainted. I'm not sure whether they liked it because of my relation to you or because they honestly liked the magazine itself," she admitted, taking off her Manolos.
"Betty, listen to me. I read your entire issue before you put it to print. It was amazing. Well thought out, well-written, great layout, appeals to your target demographic, you got Emily Blunt to do the cover, and your Letter from the Editor was from the heart. You didn't pay a guy from Features to do it for you. You should be proud of yourself – I know I am," Daniel told her.
"You have to be – you're sleeping with the editor-in-chief," Betty pointed out, taking off her dress and getting one of Daniel's Harvard t-shirts out of the dresser drawer. She went into the bathroom and began to remove her makeup.
"Betty, have I ever lied to you?" he asked.
"Yes, several times, actually," she recalled, brushing her teeth. "Like when you said you were in Rio and wrote me all those postcards and it turned out I found you hiding in your closet. Then there was the time when you were popping pills under your desk, because you were using them to get over your sex addiction. And just recently, you told me 'no problemo' with signing my release form and that you were okay with me leaving. The entire Meade building knows how that turned out."
She came back into the room and sat down on the bed.
"Okay, fine. So I haven't always been truthful with you," he admitted. "But we're still a team and you have to believe me, Betty. Whether the press or the readers love it because of who you are to me or because it truly is a great magazine shouldn't matter. Deep in your heart, you know it's great. And it will continue to sell because you're amazing at what you do – not because of us."
"I guess you're right," she conceded. "Thanks, I needed that . . . Hey, since when did you start being the one to give the pep talks, anyway?"
"Since we switched job positions – now you're the one who's under the most public scrutiny," Daniel replied.
"I wouldn't go that far – you're still a Meade," she pointed out. "No one would know me if it wasn't for you. And before you start in on another pep talk, I can accept that. Because I know my true accomplishments even if nobody else does."
"Good," he smiled and brushed the hair back from her face. "So. Want me to go get the cookie dough ice cream?"
"I hate how you know me," Betty sighed.
Daniel lovingly kissed her forehead and left for the kitchen. He came back with an already half-eaten carton of ice cream and a spoon.
"Amanda and Marc are coming tomorrow aren't they?" he asked, taking a bite and then handing the container to Betty. "I can't wait to see Marc's face when he realizes we're together!"
"I know! I love him, but he totally deserves it!" she agreed and took a spoonful.
"Ice cream and punking Marc - see, I knew I could cheer you up," Daniel smiled and continued to eat some more.
"You definitely know the way to a girl's heart," she said, taking her last bite and handing the rest back to him. "Daniel, could you do me a favor?"
"Anything, B," he said, finishing off the carton.
"Could you just hold me tonight?" she asked.
"Sure," Daniel told her, settling in with her and wrapping his arms around her.
"You wanna finish watching your movie?" she offered.
"Nah. That's okay – I know it's not your thing," he said.
"No, go ahead," Betty insisted. "Maybe I'll finally see why you like it so much."
Daniel reluctantly turned the movie back on.
"Wait a second – this isn't 'Die Hard'! This is 'Confessions of a Shopaholic'?!" Betty realized. "I thought you said you found one of your own movies?"
"Yeah, well I lied. I-I got bored and I couldn't find the box. So I looked through yours and that was the only one I hadn't already seen ten times that wasn't a cartoon. It at least had Isla Fisher in it and was about fashion and magazines," Daniel defended himself.
"Daniel, it's okay. It'll be our little secret," she patted his cheek, thoroughly amused. "Whenever I see this now, it reminds me a little of us, actually."
"Yeah, it kinda does in a way," he agreed. "Especially when that Rebecca girl slams into the glass and all the other clumsy, quirky things she does."
"You know, I was going to say you're cuter than Hugh Dancy. But maybe I'll take it back," Betty playfully threatened.
"Well, you're definitely ten times prettier than Isla Fisher," Daniel added. "Not to mention adorable, driven, intelligent, and incredibly irresistible."
"I have you well-trained, don't I?" she kissed him.
Daniel chuckled.
"And you really are cuter than Luke. You're sexy, and smart, and kind -" she began, her fingers absently tracing lines on his chest.
"Keep it up and I might have to go back on my no-sex promise tonight," he flirted.
"Daniel . . ." she lightly jabbed him.
"Ow! Hey – don't you have that Henri Bendel scarf?" he noticed.
"Oh, yeah – except mine's in pink," she said.
"Yeah, that's right. I remember the day you won it from the Closet. It was a few days before I found out you were leaving. You were so happy to have snagged it and some shoes before everything was picked over. You came bounding into my office and asked me if I noticed anything different. Of course, I acted like I couldn't tell. You started modeling for me . . . I played oblivious to the point where you wrapped the scarf around my neck," he fondly mused.
"I remember. That's when you warned me to watch out for the cameras if I was going to perform one of my lap dances again, and I realized you were playing me the whole time," she thought back, and shoved him.
"What?! Can I help it if I love watching you get all flustered and embarrassed? You're so cute!" he defended. "Plus, it gave me an excuse to see you model again."
"You're incorrigible," she rolled her eyes.
"And you love me irregardless," he playfully smirked.
"Daniel . . . you said that on purpose! You know that's not a word," Betty scolded.
"Well, don't you?" Daniel persisted. "Regardless . . ."
Betty hesitated for a minute, fighting a smile she inevitably couldn't resist.
"You're right, can't help but . . ." she toyed with his hand.
"Where is that scarf, anyway?" he asked.
"It's in one of my drawers. I'll find it for you later – I promise," she answered.
They snuggled against each other and ended up falling asleep by the end of the movie.
