She'd had over a week to soak in the information, yet she was still freaking out that Gabriel Agreste liked her designs.
Her fashion idol. Approved. Her. Work.
It still hadn't fully sunk in.
Currently, she was riding in the car with Adrien and Emma to Gabriel's house while she bit her lip to suppress her squeals. Instead, her excitement came out in the form her constant squirming. And she was pretty sure that the smirk on Adrien's face and the gleam in his eye proved he was not going to let her live it down.
Emma was in the back seat, focused on the way rain was rolling across the windows of Adrien's car instead of chatting as she normally would. The car was filled with the steady drumming of the rain over the soft tune coming from the radio. Marinette was thankful for the quietness which afforded her time to collect herself. She already had her major freak-out, one Alya was there to witness. Yes, she took blackmail photos. Yes, she harassed her mercilessly for squealing like a pre-teen girl. Yes, she shook her head and questioned their friendship. But none of that mattered to Marinette because holy crap Gabriel liked her designs!
When they pulled into the driveway, Marinette had to take a moment to marvel at the house. No, the mansion. That was a much better word for the building in front of her.
Adrien parked the car then flicked the keys to kill the engine. "We're here, Emma."
"I want to tell grandfather about the quilt!" she cried.
A warmth enveloped Marinette's heart, a stark contrast to the chilly day. That had been a fun project, and she wondered if she should start another with Emma or if she should introduce a different sewing project.
"He'll love to hear it," Adrien said, grabbing his umbrella from the back of the car before stepping out into the downpour.
Marinette did much the same, grabbing the umbrella that was in her purse by her feet. She got to Emma's door before Adrien did and unbuckled Emma from her car seat. She felt her umbrella being taken from her hand and allowed Adrien to take it so she could help Emma from the car. With the hand that wasn't holding onto Emma's, she took back her umbrella with a smile and a quiet thanks.
Before they made it under the overhang, a woman smartly dressed in a red turtleneck and black suit pants opened the door to greet them.
"Grandmother!" Emma cried, immediately launching herself at the woman.
"Grandmother?" Marinette said under her breath.
Adrien closed the umbrella. "That's Nathalie," he whispered in explanation. "My father's assistant. She's been with us for a long time. She's like a second mother to me, so when she volunteered to act the part of Emma's grandmother, I really didn't see a problem with it."
"That's kind of her."
"She may seem stoic, but she's hiding a big heart." With that, Adrien motioned 'after you' towards the door.
Marinette entered the mansion, Adrien following behind to shut the door. He dropped the umbrella in the metal holder by the door, and Marinette did the same before following Adrien down the hallway to what she assumed to be Gabriel's office.
When they arrived, Gabriel was sitting at a desk, Nathalie standing right beside him while Emma squirmed on his lap telling them all about the humongous quilt she made with Marinette. For his part, Gabriel played along with a soft smile. He wasn't overly expressive or egging her on. He sat and listened with a quiet pride that Marinette was willing to bet Emma could feel. Nathalie looked down with a fond expression nodding along and asking questions to further Emma's descriptions.
"That is very exciting," Gabriel said. "I'm sure you did a great job."
"Yeah!"
"As much as I love spending time with you, I have a very important meeting with your father. Why don't you tell Uncle Gorilla about the quilt?"
She bounded off his lap. "Okay!" With that, she sprinted off into the house shouting for her 'uncle.'
Gabriel chuckled while Nathalie smiled amusedly at the retreating girl.
"I suppose you would like your desk back, Nathalie," Gabriel said, standing from the chair.
"I would, thank you," she said, reclaiming her seat.
"Are waiting for Alya to show?" Gabriel asked Adrien.
"She called me before we left saying she was held up at work and wouldn't be coming for a little while. She said that in the meantime, you and Marinette can debate the best woman dress and she'll trust your opinions on it."
Gabriel gave a nod before turning to acknowledge Marinette's presence. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Mrs. Kurtzburg. I've heard quite a bit about you, mostly from Emma. She's quite pleased with the quilt you two have made, and even though I have only seen pictures of it, so am I."
"Thank you, sir," Marinette said, telling herself to calm down because she was talking to her fashion idol and the last thing she wanted was to make a fool of herself. "I thought it would be a fun adventure of sorts. Her patience with putting it together is what really impressed me."
"Me, as well. Four-year-olds are not always known for their patience for a task that size."
"It was enjoyable, though. And Emma had a good time, so that's what matters."
He hummed his approval. "I suppose we should start discussing the dress designs," he started, turning on his heel to open the door behind Nathalie's desk. Adrien motioned at her to follow, so she did.
"Your best woman dresses were fine as they were," Gabriel continued, walking over to the desk and grabbing his tablet. "There was no problem with the design, per se, but I feel they did not fit with the bridesmaid dresses nor Alya's wedding gown. Therefore, I thought it was in the best interest to redesign them." He handed over his very nice, very expensive tablet to her. Marinette took great care to hold it securely. "I made four designs, taking inspiration from the bridesmaid dresses rather than the best woman ones."
Don't freak out, she mentally warned. Of course, that was hard to follow when her favorite fashion designer just insinuated that her designs were good.
This was the best day ever.
Slowly, she scrolled through the four designs, absorbing the entirety of each design. "They're incredible. Not that I expected anything less," she quickly added.
"Your designs were all very good for someone who was only self-taught," Gabriel said. "Exceptional, even. I'm impressed. That sort of talent does not come without much studying."
If she didn't keep a lid on her excitement, she was going to explode. "Thank you, sir."
He nodded. He pointed at the screen, discussing his thoughts behind the first design.
She was vaguely aware that Adrien came to stand beside her, putting in his own input on the design. However, she countered both of them with why she didn't like the dress and moved on to the next one.
This pattern of debating fashion with her favorite fashion designer which dress—that she herself, a self-taught designer, had partially designed—was the best continued for a while before a final design was chosen.
"That would fit with the design for the bridesmaids as well as Alya's dress. Like a nice mix between the two. But… is there a stylus?"
Gabriel quirked a brow but walked to his desk and returned with a stylus for the tablet. She immediately got to work, adding in different elements and erasing others. "This particular cut of bodice doesn't flatter my figure," she mumbled absently, adding her own lines to Gabriel's work. "Which would mean that this line…"
She fell into full design mode, making adjustment after adjustment. Both men were silent to the point Marinette nearly forgot about them, but it was a little hard to do so with the constant reminder of both her fashion idol and her boss looking intently over her shoulder.
"Very interesting," Gabriel hummed, examining her finished work. "Yet I can't argue. This design would look best on your body type."
"I think maybe a lighter blue than the color of the bridesmaids," Marinette said. "That way it still appears that I match with the group but will still make me different from them."
"I was thinking the same," Gabriel agreed. He took the tablet from her and returned it to his desk. "Tell me, Mrs. Kurtzburg," he spoke while digging through a desk drawer for something. "It is clear that your talent lies in design, both fashion and interior. How did you end up as my granddaughter's nanny when it is clear you should be working in a design house?"
Marinette froze for a moment, her eyes wide and mouth partially open. Her mind blanked, slowly kicking back into gear and realizing she needed to answer that question. "I… umm… I don't know. Alya called me out of the blue one day telling me that her friend Adrien needed a nanny for Emma, and since I had not heard back from any of the places I applied, it was the best option at that point."
He hummed, shutting the drawer. "And where have you applied?"
Marinette paused for a moment. "At least fifteen different places, both fashion and interior, but since I never studied either of them, no one wished to take me."
"Yet do they not realize that you ran your own business?" he asked, leaning back in his chair. "And that many wise designers would find that that experience can be as valuable, maybe even more so, than schooling?"
"The answer I would always receive is 'I didn't meet their criteria'."
Gabriel scoffed. "Their loss. I would have to see more of your work, but from the few pieces I've seen as well as seeing you work, it's clear you have a designer's mind."
"Thank you, sir."
"We had an opening for a position about six months ago," Adrien added. "It was a base level, but with opportunity to work up. You should have applied, Marinette. I'm sure you would have been a great fit."
"But I did apply."
At this, both Agreste men froze, both a little shell-shocked. Slowly, Gabriel's brow furrowed. "I had option of employing a woman who had worked professionally in the design field, yet never knew about it?"
Marinette wanted to shrink under his gaze. "I was told I didn't have enough training."
Adrien's frown deepened.
"It's… it's one of the reasons I was so hesitant taking the nanny position," she admitted. "I didn't want it to seem like I was trying to gain favor or anything."
"I never would have assumed that," Adrien quickly assured. "Not with Alya being the one to have recommended you."
"Did you submit a digital portfolio, Mrs. Kurtzburg?" Gabriel asked.
She nodded. "Of course."
Gabriel leaned over to press his intercom. "Nathalie, please dig into the applications on file. Look for a Mrs. Marinette Kurtzburg, submitted somewhere May or June."
"Of course, sir."
"Furthermore, arrange a meeting with my hiring manager."
"Any particular time?"
"As soon as possible. His last two hires have been lackluster."
"Right away, sir. Anything else?"
"Not for now, Nathalie. Thank you."
With that, Gabriel stood. "While Nathalie is looking for that application, I'll take your measurements." With that, he raised his hand to reveal the tailor's tape measure that he had likely been digging for.
Instead, she quickly gave out her numbers, leaving Gabriel a bit stunned.
"I make my own clothes," she said with a shrug and sheepish grin in way of explanation.
Gabriel smirked, but before he could say a word, his office door burst open, calling all attention.
"Gabriel," Alya cried, waving her phone in the air. That paired with her determined strut and her fearsome expression, Marinette knew something was wrong. "We've got a problem."
Adrien's stomach sank as Alya scrolled through the photos on her phone. His father was sitting in his chair, rubbing his eyes at the headline while Marinette cringed. Nathalie had followed Alya in and now stood beside Gabriel, a blush dusting her cheeks. Even though it was pale, that had to be the darkest blush he'd ever seen on her.
"Surely there is something you can do to keep this article under wraps," she said.
"I'm doing my best," Alya said, flicking to the next picture. "But this is one of the largest gossip rags out there. They don't go down easy."
"There've been several similar articles and pictures," his father said. "Why is this any different?"
"Because unlike the others, you two actually look friendly in these photos."
Gabriel quirked a brow. "I don't see it."
"You're actually smiling."
Adrien bit back a laugh but wasn't successful in withholding a snort.
His father shot him a glare.
Alya sighed. "I don't mean this as any sort of insult. However, you are infamous for being a straight-laced, no non-sense business man. In these photos, you actually look like you are on a vacation. That alone is enough to spark a media frenzy. But you, on vacation with a woman? And not just any woman, but your assistant?"
There weren't any more words needed to be said.
"It could be worse?" Adrien suggested. The pictures were pretty benign for 'gossip', at least. It was daytime, both Nathalie and his father were dressed respectably albeit not in their regular suits, and they were walking in the city, taking in the sights. The only thing gossip worthy about it was the way his father was smiling at Nathalie and the way she was smiling up at him. Even though both smiles were small, no one could deny the fact there was more going on than a working relationship.
Alya slipped her phone into her purse. "I'm sorry, Gabriel. Trust me, I'm trying to quell the rumor mill, but this one has already sparked a frenzy. There are at least twenty other news companies that picked up the story. Well… as much as they can, anyway. All of which are trying to speculate the depth of your relationship with Nathalie."
Which was a nice way of saying the gossip rags are trying to figure out how long you've been sleeping with her, but Adrien guessed that his father picked up on that.
"I'm sorry, sir," Nathalie said, stoic as ever. "I should have never suggested—"
"Nathalie, I know full well you were only trying to burn some time and try to enjoy the fact we were out of the country. If the media wants to take some pictures taken while we played the tourist out of context, then so be it. That is in no way, shape, or form your fault. We'll deal with it as the consequences roll in. There's not much more we can do."
She sighed. "Fair enough, sir."
Gabriel turned back to Alya. "Thank you, Alya, for informing us of such an unfortunate article. However, I think it would be prudent to move on to your dress fitting now."
When the dress fitting was over, Alya dragged Marinette into the other room, the duo animatedly chatting about the dress and other wedding related things.
"Adrien, stay a moment."
He paused, then shut the door behind the two girls and turned back to his father.
Who looked stressed.
Gabriel never looked stressed.
"I…" His eyes closed, and he heaved a sigh.
Adrien approached the desk curiously.
"I've given serious thought to what you said a while ago," Gabriel finally spoke. "And it is with great embarrassment that I admit you were right."
Slowly, Adrien took a seat in one of the chairs across from Gabriel. Mostly because he really had no clue how to process that.
His father collapsed into his own seat and opened a drawer. "This article couldn't have come at a worse time." With that, he took out a little black box and opened it to reveal an engagement ring.
Adrien was so thankful he was sitting down by now because he was floored. "Are you serious?"
Gabriel hummed, almost in embarrassment. "Nathalie and I have had the occasional conversation here and there, but we never had as long of a talk as we did during our trip to Italy. But, to the point, Nathalie and I have discussed the possibility of marriage."
It took a long moment for that all to sink in. "So you're going to propose?"
"I plan to."
A large grin split Adrien's face.
"I would have asked if you were comfortable with such a fact," Gabriel continued. "But considering you seem to have been wishing us together for a while now, I don't see any point in doing so."
Adrien chuckled. "Very true. But nevertheless, I'm really happy for you, Father."
A small grin twitched up across Gabriel's lips. "Thank you for your approval. I'm … I'm glad you don't see it as a way of me replacing Emile."
Adrien quickly shook his head. "I'd never see it that way," he assured. "I know you loved mother. We both did."
A short silence slipped between the two.
"It took a long time to realize that letting another woman in isn't betraying her," Gabriel admitted. "I've come to realize that while I will always love her, she is no longer here to love the way I used to."
"That sounds like something Nathalie would say."
Gabriel grunted. "It was in one of those grief books that Nathalie got me."
"Close enough."
"Nathalie has a knack in that sort of communication."
Adrien nodded his agreement. "I swore she had a sixth sense back when I was a teen."
"She still has it."
"Touché."
"Sir," Nathalie buzzed in though the intercom. "I found the documents you asked for and arranged a meeting with your hiring manager in an hour."
Adrien smirked. "On top of things as always."
Gabriel hummed his agreement.
"In that case," Adrien said, standing from his seat, "I'll leave you be. I promised Marinette and Emma I would take them to lunch, anyway."
Gabriel's smile grew, and the twinkle in his eye was not something Adrien liked. "You seem to be growing awfully close to her."
And that was what he was dreading. "Father," he said. "She's not ready."
"But you are?"
Adrien's gaze hit the floor. Father already knew the answer to that question: yes, he was ready for a relationship. But now, his father knew the unspoken implication: Adrien was ready for a relationship with her.
Gabriel stood from his seat and rounded the desk so he could place both hands on Adrien's shoulders. "Friendship, trust, communication. Work on building those three things with her. That's what you can do right now. Be patient, my boy. You understand her plight to an extent. You've just had more time to recover from your trauma than she has."
"Fair enough," Adrien admitted.
Gabriel removed his hands from Adrien's shoulders, folding his arms behind his back. "Good. From what I can tell, you've chosen well. Alya did quite a good job setting you up with her."
Adrien's brow furrowed. "Alya didn't set us up, Father. It was mere coincidence."
Gabriel scoffed. "When it comes to Alya, I've learned that girl doesn't do 'coincidence'."
Adrien quirked a brow.
"Nathalie's observation. Not mine. I merely agree with it."
It took a moment to absorb that, but it was still easier to believe than his father noticing that. "Then I'll be off, after one question."
"And that is?
Adrien pointed to ring box. "How did the press not catch you shopping for that?"