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

ch. 41 - July

Cristina appeared after a knock bearing a loaded folder for Sam and Starbucks for both of them. Sora fairly guzzled her two sugars and a dash of non-fat dairy creamer treated coffee. Sam sipped his distracted as he was with the contents of Cristina's delivery. Though curious, Sora left Sam to it, certain that he'd let her know when her attention was required.

"I went to school with the wife of the junior editor at WSJ. I bet I get could get him in here on her order."

"Pink power does not get enough credit." Sam took one of the red photo pencils from Editorial and to mark something his folder.

"It really doesn't." Sora pondered her current dilemma. "How do our numbers look in Rome? What's Europe saying?"

Sam sat in the farthest at the unoccupied table to continue whatever it was that was occupying his attention.

"Sam? Europe?"

"Huh?" He shook his head. "Europe, yeah, Europe doesn't care as much as you'd expect. New York is fine and Europe has their own divisions to worry about. They think the American market is moody at best, hyperbolic at worst. They're not looking at us right now. All we have to worry about is keeping the Board of Directors from setting up a mutiny."

"They love a mutiny."

"Tell me about it." Sam pursed his lips and tapped his fingers on top of his closed manila folder. "I have a feeling I know who's responsible for this. Fair warning, you're not going to like it."

Sora turned to face him. "Something tells me I won't be surprised."

"That's where I think you're wrong." Sam rose and handed her the stack of documents he'd been poring over so studiously. They were glossy photographs, some clearly paparazzi grade whilst other were screen captures from security footage. A girl shoved so far in the background Sora often forget she existed.

A wave of dizziness momentarily upset Sora's world. Whether it was her blood pressure shooting up or plummeting downward, she couldn't say.

It was Gia Misra, Manny's granddaughter via Kamran, sporting the shy smile she was best known for, splashed across each and every frame.

"Gia? You can't be serious. I know she was angry with Ravi over Pedro, but why would she go through Himura to get to Ravi?" Pedro had been an up and coming junior designer on swimsuits. He'd turned Gia's head with his dashing good looks and his smile. He had more charm than talent, however, and when he couldn't evolve Ravi had sacked him. Sora had thought the girl too wise to take it so hard. Too like me.

Sam rubbed his face. "You might wanna sit down, explaining this is going to get complicated."

Sora sat.

Sam laced his hands together to hang between his knees.

"I've been making friends with Gia over the last few months. She's a sweet girl, and she's easy to talk to; it doesn't hurt that she probably loves Yelena about as much as I do." Everyone loved Yelena. She had that kind of face. Perpetually invisible, Gia idolized the girl that everybody loved.

His world-weariness was telegraphed in his pinched lips. She debated halting his confession, only lies had yet to serve her well.

"And?"

"And I might have said some less than glowing things about Himura's financial prospects."

"Sam." He had been one of her champions these past few months, close as Tracy hadn't been able to be and, she thought, rooting for her success. But he is Anthony's son first. How could I forget that?