Elite Passenger

Chapter 33 - New Garage

Charlie's POV

The last days before going to New York were chaotic! My days were filled with designing the coats, getting to know my sewing team, finishing the preparations for the new garage, and packing my suitcase. And the next few weeks will be even busier.

When I met Sofi, Luca, Val, D, Cami, and Adri, we connected immediately. Each of them loved the studio, and they quickly made their workstations more personal with decorations and other items that represented them.

When I showed them the coats I had designed earlier, they went crazy! Each one shared their ideas on how to shape them, who would do what, and in what order, so everything would be ready as quickly as possible. I just watched them cut the fabrics, take measurements, sew, decide on the finishes, and choose buttons or closures. The coats came to life in record time. It all felt magical, and the atmosphere in the studio was so amazing that it didn't feel like we were working; it felt more like we were playing, laughing, and chatting as if we were lifelong friends.

I learned so much from them in a very short time. Even though I didn't have half their experience in the fashion industry, they always listened to my opinions. I know I'm the boss, but they never made me feel different. We were all part of the same team, and without each of our contributions, we wouldn't have been able to meet our main goal: to make the coats.

Luca, the oldest on the team, was the one who made us laugh the most. His sense of humor was very similar to Tara's, so soon we started joking with each other. D also joined in on our playful attitude, and we could talk about various topics at once without losing track of the conversation. Cami was always running around, making sure we followed our schedules. Adri's curiosity and huge desire to learn made her the perfect person to help anyone in the studio. Val joined our conversations but without losing focus on her work. Her station was always the most organized, and she often picked up the tools that others left out of place. Sofi, the calmest in the group, kept the balance between the chaos and the seriousness we needed to keep working. I couldn't imagine a better team, and I was amazed at how quickly we had created such a friendly atmosphere in just a few days.

When Jenny came to get familiar with the studio and met the team, she almost ran away from how energetic they were. Everyone talked to her at the same time but made her feel part of the group from the very first moment. It made me laugh to see her a bit out of place, as she is a very polite person who only speaks when she has something important to say. But in a few days, she loosened up, and I was happy to see her more comfortable and relaxed. She was attentive to everyone and practically became the "Mama Bear" of the team, making sure we always had something to eat or drink. We nicknamed her "Mama Jenny," and she really enjoyed the attention we gave her.

Jenny settled perfectly into my office, which was a complete contrast to the sewing studio. On one hand, the office was always tidy, with spreadsheets, numbers, and calls from Sofia to discuss company matters. On the other hand, the studio was more artistic, filled with color, noisy with conversations, and occasionally playing a song from the speakers. However, Jenny managed to fit perfectly into both worlds, despite their differences.

I didn't have to worry too much about the final details before traveling, as Tara took care of everything we would need. From the forms for interviews, the investment plan, to the schedules for each activity we would do in New York. Plus, Tara had already found a dealership that sold top-notch vehicles at a great price. When she told me about the owner's reaction upon learning that we would buy ten vehicles at once, I couldn't help but laugh. It's not every day that someone buys ten cars at once. The only task Tara left for me was to pack my suitcase, and I think that was the most complicated of all.

Packing for several weeks turned out to be harder than I imagined. Between the different outfits I had to choose-casual clothes, workout clothes to maintain my fitness, and more formal clothes-along with the corresponding shoes for each outfit, my skincare products, courtesy of Lizzie, some accessories, my laptop, chargers, and documents; it took me two days to organize everything into a couple of suitcases. Tara couldn't believe how long it took me, as it only took her a few hours to pack.