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Caroline didn't say anything. she just held on to Mark's hands closed her eyes and prayed. she wanted to believe what mark said. she wanted to believe they would work it all out. She just wasn’t as sure as Mark was, but she hoped time proved her wrong.
* * *
Austin had played hishand, but he didn’t know how it would all work out. He was so unsure if Claudia would take the job that he asked Sasha not to come in that Monday. Not that she had listened to him. In fact, she insisted on coming saying that she would be his moral support if he needed to lean on someone.
He had already started making up a plan about who he could go to beg and borrow to get Claudia to join him. If gossip could be believed, Claudia had two friends Tanya and Tamara and Alston had been doing his homework on what they like and how to reach them. all of those plans fell to the wayside though when Claudia stepped in through the front door. He would have fell at her feet and thanked her for coming if he didn't think that it would freak her out and make her run back out the door.
“I'm so glad that you decided to come in today,” he said moving to the side to show her that all of the tables were prepped and ready to go. where Once Upon a time there had been runners on the tables and orders and appetizers now the tables were cleared and lined with onion paper and bolts of clothing at each end. next to each colorful bolt or a pair of shearing scissors. he thought he had set up each station so that she could go from place to place or stay at one station and work on an item until she was done.
“Was there doubt in your mind that I would come?” Claudia asked.
Austin nodded.
“I was hoping that you would, but I have to tell you there was a sliver of me that thought maybe you wouldn't.”
“Good. it's not healthy for a person to take another one for granted I can see you two have already started. Yes this is going to be just as entertaining as I thought it would,” Sasha said.
“Forgive me for not knowing you on site?” Claudia sighed as she approached Sasha. “I feel like I'm the one who should be doing an apprenticeship with you at the very least in order to discover if I have any skill at all.”
“I'm not worried about your skill child, so you shouldn't be worried either.”
“Well, I'm going to be counting on everybody a lot because this is all brand new, and I don't know how it works. or if it works,” Claudia said.
“I've learned to leave all the planning to Austin. he saw your designs first he saw some of the patterns that you made first. All in all, Austin was significantly moved by your talent and that's enough for me.”
Claudia turned back around and faced Austin.
“I hope you haven't built up an expectation there's no way I can get to?” she said with a little tremor in her voice
Austin finally stood up and spoke. when Claudia had come into the room, he had been sitting at one of the tables reminiscing about yesterday.
“Just so you are feeling a little better Claudia. My role is just to make sure you two are on the right road. I am here to help Austin get setup nothing more. Once you know how to plan for the next season and the holidays I’ll be gone,” Sasha said.
Claudia spun around and looked at Austin.
“It sounds like a lot more than me just sitting around making new patterns?” Claudia said in an accusatory tone.
Austin shrugged and then gave Claudia his most innocent look.
“You didn’t say anything about what she’s talking about”
“It’s true. I didn’t think to ask you if you wanted to control when and how your own product went in the window or we did a campaign or not. I mean if you would prefer not to have – “
“I would prefer to know the whole truth. Honesty is very important to me,” Claudia said with a tenseness about her voice that told Austin that it wasn’t just an idle request.
“Forgive me Claudia. It won’t happen again. I wasn’t trying to trick you; I just didn’t really give it any thought.”
“Okay Austin but remember this is an issue if we can't be honest with each other,” Claudia said. the both of them were brought out of their personal conversation by the laughing and clapping of Sasha in the background.
“Wow she's not even in the office for two hours and already she's got you saying I'm sorry. this is already over,” Sasha said laughing as she left the room.
Austin wasn't going to give her the time right now right now what he needed to do was to get Claudia up to speed.
“So, here's my thought. we will start bright and early doing some brainstorming over what fashion what looks that we want to do for the upcoming events in the city.”
“You want me to plan patterns on events for the whole day?”
“Do you think you can get it done sooner? I mean no matter when you finish, I'll still pay you the full day, but I was just wondering.”
