He had me- I knew it and so did he. I forced down a grumble and muttered a few choice words under my breath before taking the mic out of his hand.
“I’ll be waiting with the crew to test it out when you’re done,” he stood up straight, “If you need me, don’t be afraid to call.”
In that moment, all I could think about was that one day, I was definitely going to strangle Nathan Cowe and I would derive absolute pleasure from doing it.
It was that thought that kept me going as I attached the mic and stood next to him while he checked the sound equipments and made sure everything was in perfect condition.
After that, they tested different areas in the office for lighting. The more testing they did, the realer this thing became.
It wasn’t until he stepped into my office and decided that was the spot to be used for the Q and A that I realized the implication of what I had done.
For the next two months, I will be stuck with him in my space, and in my face, listening to everything I do and seeing me at my most hectic period.
Lord help me.
CHAPTER 6: FIFTEEN DAYS POST BREAK UP
It has been weird having Nathan Cowe and his team in my space. I thought it would be easy to ignore him, but he had a presence that commanded attention. He walked into the room and you couldn’t help but notice, even if he wasn’t speaking.
Yesterday, they did the test shots and took a few pictures and videos of people working. It was a very different atmosphere for everyone, but we quickly got used to it.
The fabrics also arrived yesterday which means the sewing can officially begin. I was back on schedule and hopefully, I should be done with everything in about two to three weeks.
I could feel the anxiety slowly leave my body. During the preparation for shows, it is very easy to get worked up. I liked things to be perfect, or as close to perfect as they could get. This usedto grate on my parents nerves, because they didn’t like how much pressure I put on myself just to make everything work out. But it’s not like I had a choice, I could either be perfect, or I could fail; and failure isn’t a word in my vocabulary. My nerves end up stressing everyone else out, but it is a sacrifice I am willing to make for the betterment of the company and myself.
A knock on my door had me lifting my head. Marissa opened it slightly so she could stick her head inside, “I gave the feedback to Hannah and she looks excited.”
Hannah’s sketch was good. It was plain and simple, but good. She has a real talent for art but I can’t work with simple and plain. I gave her the admiration that she so deserved while also letting her know that she would need to give me something out of the ordinary before I considered putting her on my team of artists. She seems like a good kid, and I have a feeling that she will surprise me soon enough.
“Also,” Marissa continued, “Nathan wanted me to ask if you’re ready for the Q and A.”
I cleared my throat before responding, “You can send him up.”
This will be my first session with him. And while I’m not particularly scared, I can’t help but feel on edge. I have never done anything like this in all my years of business. I was young and naïve and I tried to be the nice girl, the sweet one. The girl who never stepped on toes, and would always be seen at events. I tried to make myself relevant. After a while, I grew smarter and I limited all my interactions with the press.
The truth is, the public and the media have a way of twisting words. They have a way of making the innocent look guilty and making your good deeds look like shit. No matter what you say,everyone already has a perceived image of you and nothing can or will change that. They will portray the image of you that sells the most and they don’t care about whether it is detrimental to your health or business. All they care about is making a quick buck.
The image of me is that I’m a stuck up diva, I am harsh and rude and very disrespectful. There were even some claims that I like to traumatize my workers. I don’t mind the rumors to be honest; some of those things can be true depending on the circumstances. And most of their opinions are formed from hearsay and rumors.
The only problem is that this time, there will be actual evidence and words from me that they can use to either back up their claims or put it to rest completely.
I have seen businesses and reputations ruined because of one innocent comment, one statement that was taken out of context. The funny thing is, even when they learn the truth, they won’t apologize, they won’t fix what they ruined- they can’t. it would mean owning up to their wrong. And if there is one thing that the media hates more than telling the truth, it is admitting to a wrong.
The media is a lot harder and tougher on women, and most especially women like me. It is too late to back out now even if I wanted to. I made a commitment and I’ll stick to it regardless of the consequences.
Nathan walked in with two guys behind him. The guys were dressed very casually in jeans and plain shirts but Nathan was in slacks, shiny black shoes and a button up shirt. I wonder if those are the only clothes that he owns. I would have asked him if my mind wasn’t running a mile a minute.
I kept my hands under the table so they wouldn’t see how much I was fiddling with my fingers.
The two guys set up two cameras, one facing me and the other to the side so it would capture both of us I guess. Nathan handed me the mic so I could attach it to my outfit. Seeing this mic still pissed me off, and I still haven’t forgiven him for practically blackmailing me into wearing it.
As if he could read my thoughts, he shot me a smile. It was obviously a sarcastic one considering that it didn’t reach his eyes but it was still a pretty smile and it made him look a lot different from the growly journalist that he is.
As soon as the guys were done setting up the table, they spoke to Nathan in hushed tones then left. I was shocked; I thought they would man the cameras.
“Where are they going?” I really should learn their names so I can refer to them as anything but the guys.
“I prefer to have my Q and A sessions in private. You never know what you’re going to let slip, and it’s easier to control the narrative when there’s only one person around to hear it.” He explained, “But if you’re not comfortable, I could always ask someone to stay.”
