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Chapter 16 – Chai Tea and Sapphires
I was surprised by Alice's studio. I mean it was beautiful, don't get me wrong, but after meeting her I had expected a riot of color, loud music and caffeinated beverages. Instead, I was treated to a cup of home-brewed Chai tea by a well-dressed, handsome young man. I set the real china cup down on the tasteful end table. I sat on the tailored couch as I waited for Alice to finish talking with a client in her office.
Riley spoke to me quietly, "So, you're Edward Cullen's new girlfriend?" He raised an eyebrow, giving me a conspiratorial look I remembered from my junior high school days.
"Uh… um…," I spluttered. I was surprised that Riley possessed this bit of information. Edward and I weren't at that stage yet.
"Oh, let me guess," he continued, his hands fluttering in the air before him, "you haven't 'defined' your relationship yet." He crooked his fingers in little air quotes when he said, "defined." He rolled his eyes before smiling at me kindly.
"Don't worry, honey," he said, patting my hand lightly, "I won't say anything."
Riley poured himself a cup of tea before sitting down next to me on the couch.
"I've met him a few times, you know," Riley continued. "Mm-mm-mm…, what I could do to that man. He was in his office yesterday when I dropped off your outfit for last night. God, I want to lick that jaw." I blushed a deep scarlet. I could actually feel my face heating.
Riley squealed, looking at me with wide eyes. "Oh, honey, I see I hit a nerve there. Tell me, does he taste as yummy as he looks?" He pulled a small flask from his pocket and added a splash to his tea before gesturing to me with it, offering me the contents. I shook my head. He shrugged and recapped the flask before depositing it back in his pocket. He leaned forward, eyes wide, and looked at me expectantly.
I'd been stunned into silence by Riley's conversation since accepting the tea. I finally found my voice and was about to clear up the misunderstanding when the door to Alice's studio opened and she emerged along with a finely dressed older woman. The two women walked to the exit and exchanged air kisses before Alice opened the door and the woman left.
Turning to face me, Alice's face broke out in a smile.
"Bella!" she greeted me enthusiastically, bounding over to the couch. I could see Riley roll his eyes again, this time at her exuberance.
"Shut up, you," Alice told him, swiping at him playfully, though he hadn't said a word since she entered the room.
Riley sighed. "Do you want tea, Alice?" he asked.
"Did you make it?" she asked, looking dubiously at the cup I had picked up.
"Yes, but I didn't put anything in it." He sounded offended.
"I've heard that before. You might not want to drink that, Bella," Alice warned. I looked at my tea cup as if I could see what Riley may or may not have added to my drink.
They both laughed at my trepidation.
"Don't worry," Riley assured me with a wink. I took a cautious sip, though the worried look hadn't left Alice's face.
"It's good," I said. Riley beamed.
"See, Alice, I told you." He shook his head and stood up, walking back to his desk. "There's more in the pot, if you want it, Bella." He sat at his desk, plugged in a set of ear buds and turned his back, effectively dismissing us from his presence. Alice snorted quietly before turning to me.
"So, let's get started." She stood and I followed her example. We walked into her office and she closed the door.
"What did you think if the outfit last night?" she wanted to know.
"It was beautiful. And the necklace, too. Edward told me you picked it out?"
"Yes, I love that piece. It's simple and elegant, it goes with everything."
I nodded and then remembered something. "Did Edward send over my stuff? I left everything at his office."
"Yes," she paused thoughtfully. "Yes he did, and I wanted to ask you about that."
"What?"
I could see a mischievous glimmer in her eye.
"How, exactly, did you end up separated from not only your laptop, but the granny panties and beige bra, as well, hmm?" She waved a hand indicating my things, which were on a small table behind her desk.
"Edward took me right home after dinner. We didn't go back to the office," I answered truthfully.
Her eyes got wide. "You went home with him?" She squealed.
I didn't rise to the bait. I really did want to talk to Alice about what had happened last night.
"Dinner didn't go quite the way I'd expected. Things got a little out of hand, and Edward drove me straight home after we left the restaurant."
All traces of levity left Alice's face.
"What happened?" she asked seriously.
"Well, everything started out normally enough. Edward and I left the office a little before seven and met his brother for a drink at a bar nearby. Then the three of us walked to the restaurant. J.J. and Jasper were already there." I noticed Alice smile briefly at Jasper's name. She really did find his old-fashioned name amusing. Not that "Alice" was topping any baby name lists.
"Everything started out pleasantly enough. Then, Jasper and Emmett congratulated Edward on some recent business success and J.J. brushed it off like it was no big deal. I know it was because some of the people at the cocktail party last week mentioned the same thing."
She nodded at me to continue.
"Things went downhill from there. J.J. asked me what I did for Edward and then came down on him for having three assistants in this economy. He also recommended a meal I didn't want and then proceeded to order it for me, anyway. Edward kinda cut him off and ordered me the dinner I said I wanted, instead. We ate but then there was a problem with Jasper. He got a message that upset him. He got angry, like loud angry, and started hitting the table. Edward and Emmett pulled him out of the dining room, leaving me with J.J."
"He got really inappropriate with me. He ordered me a drink even though I didn't want any more. Then he fed me cheese—"
Alice cut me off. "He fed you?" She was incredulous.
"Yeah, he put the wineglass in my hand and fed me a piece of cheese and told me to drink. He started making comments about food and sex being passionate experiences and how having one made you want the other…"
"Ewwww…," Alice interjected.
"I know. I was just about to tell him off when Edward returned to the table. We hustled out of there and he drove me home. That was it."
Alice leaned back in her seat and shook her head slowly.
"Wow."
"I know. Not at all what I was expecting. I'm sure I'll have to see J.J. again. I don't know what I'll do then."
"Did you tell Edward?"
"Yeah, he could tell something was wrong when he came to the table. He asked me what happened."
"What did he say?"
"He got really angry. He's a very different person around J.J., less confident, more restrained."
Alice looked thoughtful. We were quiet for a few moments. I watched her while she stared into the distance, like she was looking at something I couldn't see. Finally, she turned and smiled at me.
"I like the coat," she offered, indicating my trench, which I had carried into her studio with me.
"Thank you."
"It was a great choice. Perfect for two solid seasons, neutral color," she mused reaching over to touch the fabric. "Heavy," she continued. "Is it comfortable?"
"Definitely."
"Good. Did you buy anything else?"
"I got a camel-colored swing coat."
She nodded. "Where did you go shopping?"
"Macy's."
"Let's pull up their website, you can find me the coat and I'll let you know if it is good enough."
We spent a few minutes online and, once I got Alice's approval for my other purchase we got down to business.
"It's time we moved away from the neutrals, Bella. Honestly, they don't do much for you. I think that blue is a good choice for you. Here, take a look."
Alice went to a sideboard and slid out a thick hard-covered binder. As she flipped it open I noticed my name along the spine.
"All these gowns, whether it's shown here or not, come in different shades of blue that I think will look amazing on you."
She began flipping through the pages. There were at least two dozen pages and some had more than one dress on them. It was a little overwhelming.
"See anything you like?"
"They're all beautiful."
"Yes, yes, but are any of them calling to you?"
Never in my life had I had a dress call to me, so I wasn't sure what feeling she was hoping to evoke. She flipped back to the beginning and began describing each one in detail. She pulled out fabric swatches from a large cabinet and let me feel the fabrics. She described shoes, hairstyles and jewelry options for each dress. Before I knew it an hour had passed and I was getting antsy. The dresses were starting to blend into one another in my mind. We were about three-quarters of the way through the book when I finally saw it.
"This one, Alice. Tell me about this one." Instead of looking at the dress, though, Alice was studying me. I looked back at her and smiled.
She glanced at the book.
"That dress is made out of jersey," she started pushing a swatch towards me to feel. It was incredibly soft. "It's an unusual choice for an evening gown, but not unheard of. The low, square neckline would be particularly attractive on you because of your bust size. The model is wearing her hair down, but I would recommend an updo to show off your long neck. Sapphire jewelry would complement the color nicely, though champagne diamonds are another option.
"Who designed the dress?" I was curious, not because I cared, but because she had given me that information for all the other dresses, but not for this one.
She paused before admitting, "I did."
"I love it, Alice. It's so pretty and the color is amazing. Can I wear this dress?" She studied me for a moment before breaking out in a huge grin. Then she leaned across the table and hugged me tight.
"I'd be thrilled to see you wearing my dress."
She sat back suddenly and was all business again. Standing, she walked to her desk and buzzed Riley in his office. She gave him instructions on retrieving the dress and spoke with him about shoes, purses and wraps.
"How do you feel about fur?" she called over to me.
I wrinkled my nose in distaste.
"That's what I thought." She returned to her conversation with Riley. I browsed through the book that was still on the table. After the evening gowns, Alice had a smaller section of barely-there outfits, ranging from tiny dresses to what appeared to be shorts and tank tops. Each one was scantier than the next and all were glittery. These were outfits one wore to be noticed.
Alice was off the phone and paging through a glossy brochure she'd pulled from her desk.
"Alice, what are these outfits for?" I asked holding up the book.
She looked over and a wicked smile appeared on her face.
"Those are for the club's soft opening."
My eyes went wide. "You want me to wear something like this? In public?" I pointed to an outfit that was scandalous, at best.
"Well, that one might be a little over the top for you, but a club opening isn't a charity ball. You're going to be competing with some pretty heavy hitters when you're there. Women your own age. Gorgeous women your own age. I can't have you looking all dowdy."
"I'm not in a competition, Alice. I don't need to dress like a tramp."
Alice sighed.
"Bella, listen. You know that there's nothing going on between you and Mr. Cullen. I know it, too, but no one else does. What's more, you want people to think that there is. I don't want to hurt your feelings, Bella, but honestly, your job at the club opening is to be an accessory. Arm candy. You need to look good so he looks good. It's what you signed on for."
Alice would force me into some pretty revealing outfits over the next year using that exact argument.
I took a moment to digest what she said. Some small part of me was screaming about setting the women's lib movement back 100 years to a time when women were nothing more than baubles. The more realistic part of me, though, was reminding me that Alice was right. This was what I signed on for. More significantly, this job was my ticket out of my current life. It was simply a means to an end.
"You're right, Alice. I don't have to like it, but I do have to play the part. Come tell me about them, so we can make a choice."
"Actually, Bella, we should grab lunch first. When we get back your gown will be here. You can try it on and look at the different shoes. I want to order the jewelry and have it sent to Mr. Cullen's office. I'm also booking you at my spa on Saturday. We'll be there most of the day, so cancel any plans you might have."
"Alice," I interrupted, "I don't think I'll get approval for a spa day on my credit card."
"Don't worry about it, Bella. The spa trip is getting charged to Mr. Cullen directly. It falls under my services."
That didn't make me feel better, at all. "Alice, I'm not sure…" I fretted.
"Arm candy, Bella. Arm candy. Arm candy doesn't walk around unplucked, bobby pins showing and with a homegrown manicure. You will go to the spa and you will enjoy it," she avowed.
This last was a bit much for me and I started to laugh.
Alice laughed lightly at my reaction and shook her head before becoming all business again.
"How are you getting to the Gala?"
"Edward said he's sending a car to my apartment for me."
Alice shook her head. "No, that won't work. I'll tell him to change the pickup to here. It'll be easier than shipping your dress all over the city."
"We'll make a choice for the club when we come back from lunch. Why don't you go into Riley's office and have another cup of tea, since the first one didn't kill you. I'll be out in a few. Oh, and by the way, I'm disposing of some of last year's business attire samples. If you'd like, you can go through the pieces and supplement your work wardrobe. "
"Thank you, Alice," I stammered, "that's very generous of you."
She waved off my gratitude with a smile and nod. "Tell Riley I said you should have access to Storeroom C."
I told her I would and left Alice's studio, smiling at Riley when he looked up at me from where he sat talking on the phone. He shot me a grin and pointed to the counter where the tea was brewed. I helped myself to another cup and sat down, waiting for Riley to be free.
APOV
As soon as Bella left I sat back and sighed. She was so damned sweet. I'd given her a lot of leeway for the charity ball gown. Of course I was thrilled that she'd chosen a dress I'd designed. There were others that had been more conservative and I was afraid she'd choose the dowdiest of them all. The one she chose looked terrific on the model, but the model didn't have Bella's obvious assets. I knew exactly what she'd need to wear under that dress to put those assets on display. I quickly jotted down what I wanted her to buy and called my friend at this high-end lingerie boutique. She'd pull everything and have it waiting for Bella when she got there.
I groused a bit as I thought about her reaction to the club wear. Sure, she was shocked by the club opening choices, but I think she understood what I was saying. Just in case, I wanted a few minutes alone with her style book. I quickly removed the more sedate pieces from the line up, which I was sure she'd choose on principle alone. Satisfied, I looked at what remained. The dress I really wanted her to choose was the least revealing of the bunch, but that shouldn't be taken to mean she wouldn't be the center of attention.
I liked Bella. I really did. I think that we could be terrific friends, but Mr. Cullen was my employer and it was my job to make sure he looked good. Having Bella, in this dress, on his arm for the club opening would make him look good. Very good.
I thought a bit about their agreement. From what I understood Bella's real purpose was to keep other women away by making it appear they were in a relationship together. I was dubious. Under the best of circumstances, men like Edward Cullen attracted women like flies to honey. Bella, with her quiet nature, didn't seem like someone who would put up a fight should another woman make a move on him. She and I needed to talk.
EPOV
My mood had not improved much when I arrived at work on Wednesday morning. I didn't know what kind of stunt J.J. was trying to pull last night, but I wasn't happy about it at all.
Either he thought there was something between Bella and me and was hoping to aggravate me by coming on to her, or he thought she was fair game because there was nothing going on between us. I refused to consider the possibility that he was actually delusional enough to believe that there was some sort of competition between us for available females.
Why did my love life suddenly sound like a Mutual of Omaha nature special?
As was my habit, I arrived at the office before anyone else. I quickly gathered Bella's electronics and deposited them on Ms. Weber's desk. I also went into my dressing room and pulled out a plastic bag, adding it to Bella's other things on the desk. I wrote a quick note asking Ms. Weber to take Bella's clothes from my bathroom and have everything sent to Ms. Brandon's office.
I sat in my chair and looked out the window as I replayed last night in my head.
Dinner had not gone well at all. From J.J. trying to order Bella a meal she didn't want, to him grilling her over her position at CE, to coming onto her like a ton of bricks when they were alone. I thought the answer she gave to his question about her job was superb, only an asshole like J.J. would comment on it in front of her. I could tell she was nervous and then there was the whole fiasco when I put my hand on her thigh.
Gah! I shouldn't even be thinking about that now.
Then Jasper went and lost his shit after receiving a text from Charlotte canceling their plans for later that evening. There was something going on there, and it wasn't good. Jasper and Charlotte had been inseparable since grad school. They'd always seemed perfectly content together. I had a feeling that there was more to what was, or wasn't, happening between them than Jasper knew or was willing to admit to himself.
Nothing I could do to help there, though. If worse came to worst I'd be there with a bottle tequila and a box of tissues. Jazz had always been a drunk crier.
I could hear the coffee service being set up in Mrs. Cope's office. I needed a good, strong cup of coffee. Heading out I found Mrs. Cope already on the phone. I nodded good morning to her before pouring myself a cup of coffee and snagging a cheese danish. Returning to my office, I settled in for a few solid hours of work before my afternoon meeting.
It was an hour or so after lunch when my intercom buzzed.
"Yes, Mrs. Cope."
"Mr. Cullen, Felix is on the phone. He says there are three men from Tiffany's downstairs and they have a delivery for you. They won't leave it with him. They're insisting on coming up."
Tiffany. Crap, Bella's necklace. I'd forgotten all about it. My hand flew to my pocket, where, this morning, I had deposited the necklace she'd worn yesterday.
"That's fine, Mrs. Cope. Tell him to let them up."
Pulling the necklace from my pocket, I eyed it speculatively before placing it in the box, which was still sitting on my coffee table. Wait…a delivery? I thought that they'd be here to pick up the necklace she wore last night. What could they be dropping off?
My intercom buzzed with the signal that someone would be knocking on my door. I picked up the box and waited for the knock, bidding the visitors to come in when they tapped on the door.
"Mr. Cullen, I'm Jules Forthwright with Tiffany. Ms. Alice Brandon has instructed me to drop off a necklace for your use this weekend."
I nodded, eyeing the men standing on either side of Mr. Forthwright. Neither had said a word, but they both gave off a menacing vibe. These were professionals. I could see why they'd set off Felix's radar.
"Before I leave the piece with you, I'm afraid I'm going to require your signature on some paperwork."
"What, exactly, is Ms. Brandon having delivered here that requires so much security, Mr. Forthwright?"
He turned to the man standing on his left and held out his hand. The guard slid his hand into his suit jacket and pulled out a box somewhat larger than the one I was currently holding.
Mr. Forthwright took the box and turned to face me. He carefully opened the lid. I worked hard to control my reaction to the necklace in the box. One traitorous eyebrow raised in disbelief. I cleared my throat.
"I see."
"As you can imagine, Mr. Cullen, we don't lend out pieces of this quality without some assurance that we'll get it back. While your character is above reproach, accidents do happen. I have here," he held his hand out to the other guard, "our standard contract."
He held it out to me.
"You are welcome to have your lawyers look it over; however, the terms are nonnegotiable. If you choose not to sign it we have many other pieces that we're happy to offer you without so much rigmarole. I'm sure you understand."
"Yes, of course. Can I see the contract?"
I was a fair hand at reading contracts and was able to pull out the pertinent points quickly. Forthwright was correct. It was standard, though I did blink at the retail value of the necklace being offered to me. I thought briefly of Bella's reaction to wearing the comparatively simple gold necklace she had on last night and wondered if I should even bother. I could offer her the necklace and get her opinion before forcing it on her. Certainly there was nothing in the contract that required her to wear it.
I walked over to my desk and quickly signed my name to the bottom line.
"Here you go," I said, handing the contract back. He glanced at it briefly before handing back to the guard on the right. He handed me the box with the new necklace in it in exchange. I took one more quick look before closing the lid.
"Can I give this to you now instead of sending it over?" I held out the box with Bella's necklace from last night.
"Certainly, sir." He held out his hands and accepted the box from me. He opened the lid and eyed the necklace carefully before handing it back to the guard on his left.
"Let me give you a receipt." He pulled a small pad from his jacket pocket and jotted down a few lines before ripping off the receipt and handing it to me.
"May I ask, what's the retail on that necklace?"
"The 18-inch Aegean 18-karat yellow gold necklace retails for $7,500."
"It's quite lovely."
"The Elsa Peretti line is one of our more well-loved," he agreed. "Can I help you with anything else today?"
"No, that's all for today. Please let my secretary know when you'll be coming by on Monday to pick up the piece you're leaving with me. She'll make sure you're not held up by security in the lobby."
"Thank you."
With that Mr. Forthwright and his guards left the office. As soon as the door was closed I opened the box in my hands again. This time I let out a soft whistle before shaking my head. If Bella had balked at a $7,500 necklace, what would she say to this one, which cost thirty-five times as much?
I walked into my dressing room and pressed on the false door that concealed my safe. Spinning the dial quickly, I opened the door and tucked the necklace inside. I closed everything up and walked back into my office. I had a meeting I needed to get to, but felt strangely reluctant to leave a quarter of a million dollars worth of sapphires and diamonds in my wall safe.
- - - - -
Kristi was kind enough to start a thread for me over on Twilighted. Please stop by and say hi! I posted a teaser there for this chapter.
For those who don't feel like figuring it out, the necklace currently in Mr. Cullen's wall safe retails for $260,000. Wait'll you see it! No, you can't see it before Bella does. Her dress for the Gala, however, is linked in my profile.
I'm thrilled by all the author and story alerts. Thrilled! This is why I feel bad asking for a little review. Just a little :) or :( to let me know what you think? I read and respond to all reviews!