The Fashion of Love | Adult F/M Romance [COMPLETE]

BONUS MATERIAL - Ravi (4) - March

Ravi scratched his ear, ready to move on to something that felt less telling. "I'm famished. What do you say we grab some lunch?"

Sora glanced at Hana where she was communing with Narsi and the others in the corner. Ravi had successfully dodged this meeting.

"Are you sure you don't want to take this chance to have lunch with Hana?"

"Nah, she already ate. I want to eat with you, it'll give us time to catch up. You can vent about the Board again."

"I don't complain that much."

Ravi tipped his hand back and forth in a middling gesture.

"Okay, but they're really aggravating."

"I'm sure they are. If it bothered me, I wouldn't be inviting you to share a meal with me. I know what I'm getting myself into."

"Who am I to resist such a welcome invite? I'll go get changed."

"I'll wade into the lions' den and see what the lions have to say."

"Play nicely," Sora cautioned.

"No promises." He squeezed her hand to see her off. "Hurry back."

Ravi hopped off the stage where Narsi and Hana were waiting.

"First things first. I'd say the fitting went well. I've got a couple of other garments I wanna lay out for my client, but they can wait until we meet next week. The ivory dress is out, the blue is in."

Narsi frowned. "I liked both."

"The white's for Sora. You saw her, she looked like a dream in it; I can't sell that to another woman. The blue is still in play for the time being."

"I'm not sure I agree."

"Couture is what I do. I've met my client, I've met Sora. Trust me, she doesn't best Sora."

Hana decided to make her feelings known.

"Ravi knows what he's talking about, honey. If he says Sora wore it better, who are we to argue?"

Ravi wavered on the spot. "...Thanks."

Narsi shrugged. "If you think you can produce another gown equal or better than the one you're giving away, go for it, but this I'll definitely have to see." With that parting shot, he left Ravi and Hana to their uneasy silence. Ravi waited for the other shoe to drop.

"A Ravi Misra original is some gift. She must have been a very good friend to earn that."

There it is.

"She is a good friend, she's an all-around good person. But that isn't why I gave her the dress. I gave it to her because I knew immediately that nobody could wear it better. That's a fact."

"It's not like you gave anybody else a chance. Freddie's right over there," Hana nodded toward where Frederica was consorting with Pedro over his camera. He might have photographed Sora, Ravi didn't know.

"It's like I said before, Sora was the best candidate."

"I'm sure she was."

Ravi exhaled deeply. "Gallegos, that wasn't intended as a slight to you, it had nothing to do with you."

"Didn't it?"

Sora returned from backstage, her business casual elegance restored.

"I can't have this conversation right now. I'm going to lunch—but thank you for earlier. It was ...nice."

...

After his aborted lunch with Sora, Ravi went to his bolthole in the Hollywood Hills to think over his predicament.