Their Little Beauty (MxMxM+GF)

(M)Chapter Sixteen- First Project, Ruby Lips and Night-time Fun

It's okay. You've been preparing for this for three weeks. You've got this.

Pulling open the restaurant door and walking over to the hostess, Briar gave over his name. 

"Your dining partner for this afternoon has yet to arrive but your table is ready whenever you are, Sir". 

Not wanting to go outside and pace until his shoes got dirty, he asked to be seated and was shown to the table which was in a private corner of the dining area. With a glass of water nervously being sipped, Briar looked around. Was he even allowed to be somewhere so nice? He knew he was meeting an important person to Stephen but wasn't this too much?

Thoughts took up all of his time until soon enough, the privacy divider was parted and in walked a very beautiful woman, smiling easily at him. Standing, he shook her hand and waited until she sat to do the same. 

"You're Briar Everton, I assume?" she asked, placing an order with the waiter who promptly left.

"Yes, I am. Evangeline Ridgeon?". 

She waved a hand, laughing lightly before relaxing back in the chair. 

"Please, call me Lina. I despise my name; it makes me sound so old! And you can relax; you look one minute away from chronic neck pain. Just think of me as a friend rather than a client". 

And Briar did find himself relaxing, falling into easy conversation with the woman as their light lunch was brought out and enjoyed. He knew through his research that she was a long-time friend of Stephen and the owner of a magazine centred around the latest fashion trends and combating stereotypes, which had been in circulation for almost thirteen years. Briar, having read a few for research purposes, confessed to have fallen in love with Hot Breeze magazine. 

"I'm flattered, considering you look as though you could be on one of the pages" she smirked over the ring of her wine glass with a mischievous quirk to her brows.

"Oh no, I'll leave that to the professionals. But it's a very high compliment". 

"Shame, we could've made a whole article about that pretty face" she sighed dramatically, sweeping her long hair over a heavily tattooed shoulder. "Anyway, I suppose it's about time we got to talking business?". 

Briar nodded, moving his plate out of the way to place down the folders he had brought. Handing one over to Lina, secretly admiring her blood red nails with black webs, he waited as she read it through. 

"Hm, interesting concept. And these designs are very nice, perhaps some of Stephie's best work. But-" she closed the folder with a snap then crossed her legs, the jumpsuit and stance radiating power, "I already have two other options for next month's release lined up. Just because Stephen is a good friend and a very capable designer does not mean he gets first pick".

And rather than feel intimidated, Brair found himself feeling a thrill charge through his veins like electricity. This is what he had been preparing for, it was time to see if he had what it took to stay by Stephen's side for a while longer. 

"That's why Mister Kleinman, his team and I have prepared this".

Handing over the second file, the important one, he clutched his kneecaps beneath the table with bruising strength. Lina perused it with pursed lips. 

"Tell me more as I read". 

He leaned forward and began explaining in detail, making sure to emphasize just how this would benefit Hot Breeze more than any other potential client could offer. Lina appeared enraptured, pausing him to ask questions then smiling subtly at the answers.