“I like Nathan.”
Her eyes widened in understanding, “Looks like I’m spending the night.” She crossed her legs and turned to face me, “Tell me everything.”
And so I did.
CHAPTER 25: 7 DAYS AFTER…. WELL, HIM
I never realized how hard it was to avoid someone until I had to avoid the person I was working with. Thankfully, Nathan has basically stayed out of my way but I know that this little thing we have going would implode sooner or later. Nathan isn’t one to avoid people, and I know for a fact that he has something up his sleeves.
He has stayed silent while I speed walked past the rooms he is in. He has also not come into my office for any sessions. I know he is giving me the space I need but I also know that he isn’t going to do it forever. Sooner or later, he is going to walk in here and demand my attention. I just hope it happens later.
For now, I will try my best to focus on the fact that I am done with my preparations. The dresses have been sent out and all I haveto do is wait to travel. This time I made sure to tell Marissa to book a flight, the last thing I need is my car breaking down again.
For the first time in a long time, I had almost nothing to do in the office. I was contemplating going out for coffee when I heard a knock on my door. It wasn’t soft enough to be Marissa’s and I knew without even thinking too much that it belonged to Nathan.
I thought I would have some more time before being faced with his presence but apparently I was wrong. He walked in wearing his usual slacks and button up and I watched in silence as he began to set up. He placed his journal on my desk and I couldn’t help but notice how simple it was- brown and leather bound. I wouldn’t have expected anything less.
I was hyper aware of his presence and I settled for crossing my arms on my desk in front of me. I kept my eyes away from his face and on my fingers that were drumming over the desk. His eyes seemed to follow the action to and I quickly intertwined my fingers to stop them.
“We haven’t talked about Couture Week,” he began, “How was it? Have you checked the reviews and what people are saying online?”
“Not really, but I have seen a few reviews.” I admitted, “Although I couldn’t help but notice the ones who called me a whore because of my dress. They’re in for a treat really soon.”
He pinched the bridge of his nose between his fingers as he tried to hide his smile and I saw him quickly write something down in his journal.
He asked me a few questions about the show and what an experience it was. It was going well until he asked about the other judges and I specifically avoided saying anything about Mark. The last thing I needed was to start up a feud with him. He never plays fair and I’m not quite ready for that right now.
“I think we’ve said everything we can about this new show. But is there anything special you want to say?”
I thought about it for a second and I ended up shrugging. “I’m just excited for people to see what we all have made and planned. I couldn’t have done it without my amazing team.”
We spent the rest of the hour talking about the upcoming show and for once I was perfectly candid at how slightly terrified I was but also how excited I was to see how things would end.
Nathan had a way of making me feel at ease and making me feel like I could say exactly what I wanted without the fear of him twisting my words later.
Soon however, he closed his journal and sat up straight. “That was our last session. How do you feel?”
“Relieved,” it wasn’t the complete truth but it was part of it. “I’m just glad that I got through it.”
He stayed silent almost as if he was expecting me to say something else but I kept my mouth closed shut. There is no way I am going to admit on possibly live television that I will miss him and his team’s constant presence.
Somehow and sometime during the entire process I got used to the noise and the camera crew. I even got used to wearing the stupid mic and now it just feels weird that it is all over.
Nathan was packing up to leave and I realized for the first time that this might be the last time I see him in my office so casually. An unfamiliar feeling bubbled up inside of me and I didn’t know how to express it.
“Wait,”
I didn’t realize when the word left my lips. I wanted to take it back but it was already out there and Nathan had stopped what he was doing and he had turned to me.
“Are you all leaving today?”
He nodded, “Post production is going to take a while. I need to be there to oversee most of it.”
There were so many words caught in my throat but I didn’t know how to voice any of them without risking him finding out how I felt. I forced the words back down and instead settled for a snarky statement.
“So that’s it? You know so much about me now, but I know absolutely nothing about you.”
“You know more about me than anyone who isn’t my immediate family,” he said but he left the camera and sat opposite me, “But I’ll humor you, what do you want to know?”
