“It sounds like a wonderful opportunity, Archie. I’m on the tip to say yes, but can I get a few days to think about it?”
“Sure thing. No pressure. Just let me know as soon as you’ve made a decision, and I’ll talk to Mark,” he assured her.
“Thanks, Archie.” Erin smiled appreciatively even though her boss couldn’t see her.
“No problem. When I get back, we need to discuss the campaign for the Teen Vogue issue coming up. I need to have a team meeting with the other analysts, and we can brainstorm.”
“Okay. I have a few ideas,” Erin informed him.
“Great. We’ll work through them when I get back.”
“Alright. Sure thing.”
“Goodbye, Erin.”
“Bye, Archie.”
Erin pushed away from her desk and walked over to the floor-to-ceiling glass windows that took up the entire east wall of her office. Skyscrapers as tall as or towering over her building perpetuated the Manhattan skyline. True to its nature and fame, the Empire State Building stood regally in the middle of downtown. At nighttime, it came alive with lights running from its base to its antennae summit and surrounded by the other buildings that seemed to be paying homage to its brilliance. It was like a beautiful yet complex matrix. Manhattan was a great place to live, but it was also a bustling city where everyone was always rushing
There was a knock at her door. Erin turned in time to see Gregg, the lead photographer entering her office.
“Hey, Erin, did you talk to Archie? I’ve been trying to call him for the past hour, but it keeps going to voicemail.
“I did,” she replied. “He’s happy with the numbers and wants the team to brainstorm ideas for the Vogue issue.”
“Sweet!” Gregg exclaimed, rubbing his hands together. “I can’t wait for this feature. To finally have my name added to a piece.” He raised his hands, with his indexes and thumbs at right angles, as he took on a faraway look. “I can see it now…the quintessential Gregg Duhaney has done it again— his work is nothing short of spectacular.” He dramatically flipped the scarf hanging loosely around his neck.
Erin shook with laughter at his fantastical display. “They’ll talk about you all right, but it’ll be for an entirely different reason,” she snickered.
“As long as they’re talking, I don’t mind,” he countered with a grin.
Erin shook her head. Leave it to Gregg to find pleasure in any press as long as it involved him. She wouldn’t call him conceited, but he was pretty close to it. She looked at his perfectly coiffed blond hair, the expensively tailored gray suit that clung to his body like armor, his brand-name shoes, and his all-American smirk as he stared at her. He didn’t dress like the other fashion photographers she’d met.
“Yup, you are definitely on an ego trip,”she thought.
“I’m going for lunch in fifteen minutes. Care to join me?”
Erin blinked in surprise. All the time she’d worked at Saint, he’d never invited her to lunch with him. He didn’t even hang with the team, who usually stayed in the office and had their food delivered from the deli on Park Avenue.
“Um, I’m having lunch later on today,” she explained.
“What time? I’ll wait.”
Erin fought to keep her mouth from hanging open. Why did he have a sudden interest in having lunch with her, of all people.
“Did you want to discuss anything about the upcoming shoot? Because I have a little time now.” She looked at her watch, playing it cool.
“No. I just wanted to have lunch with you,” Gregg said pointedly.
“Oh,” Erin replied, dumbfounded. A few seconds passed before she was able to collect her thoughts. She returned to her desk and stood behind it. “I don’t think that’s such a great idea,” she said lowly.
“Why? Are you dating someone?” he asked, moving closer to her.
Erin averted her gaze. “I’m not dating, and I’m not looking to date anytime soon. I just came out of a long relationship. Right now, I’m just trying to appreciate this time by myself,” she explained, staring at her hand now resting on the desk.
“Who said I was asking you out on a date?”
Erin's eyes found his this time as her brows scrunched together in confusion. “Then, why did you?”
