AllFreeNovel
Share Us
If I thought the fabric room was amazing, this room is heaven. This is where the magic happens. Where designs are drawn and given life. If I wasn’t so shaken up by my run in with Finn, I’d love to explore the room. Well, that’s if Juliette Monet let me.
After finishing the water, I put the glass on the desk, careful not to place it on any drawings scattered on the smooth surface.
“Are you okay?” Ms. Monet asks. “Back in the fabric room, it looked like something, orsomeonehad frightened the life from you.”
Thatsomeonewas Finn Alessi. Why is he back from London? He shouldn’t be here. I can’t be near him. My heart won’t take it. I have to tell Tamara I’m quitting. Unless I’m already fired.
“I’m fine,” I reply. “I freaked out a little when I dropped the fabric. It’s expensive, and I worried I might have damaged it.”
Through narrowed eyes, Ms. Monet scrutinizes me like she’s gauging whether or not I’m telling the truth. I shift in the chair.
Now that my hands have stopped shaking and my heartrate has slowed down, I’m feeling a little calmer. “Thank you for the water, Ms. Monet. I better tell Bianca you have the fabric before she wonders where I am.”
Juliette rolls her eyes. Picking up a folding fan on the desk, she opens it with a flick of her wrist and fans it in front of her face. Who uses a folding fan these days? Juliette is fabulous. “Tell Bianca I needed help. That will shut her up. And please, call me Juliette. Ms. Monet makes me sound like an old woman.”
Juliette could be anywhere from thirty to fifty. With her smooth features, it’s hard to tell. I smile my thanks. “I’m Harper.”
“Lovely to meet you, darling.”
I rise from the chair and turn to leave. A drawing of a gown propped on an easel catches my eye. “This is gorgeous.”
Juliette rounds the desk and sits on the corner. She screws her lips to the side. “Something’s not quite right. I can’t figure out what it is. It’s for next year’s spring collection. What do you think it could be?”
What? Juliette Monet, the famous designer, is asking for my opinion! “Oh, I don’t know. I think it’s stunning.” Then I inspect it more closely. Can I really make a suggestion?
“I can see you’ve noticed something,” Juliette says. “Darling, I’d love a fresh set of eyes.”
Excitement bubbles inside me. Juliette Monet has asked me for my opinion. Can this day get any crazier? I trace a finger along the V neckline. “Maybe this needs to be lower?”
Juliette picks up a pencil with a long, pink feather attached from the desk and draws on the design. She glances back at me. “Like this?”
Oh God. Spending a year at design school had me dreaming of moments like this. “Yes, and maybe the skirt needs to be a little fuller here?” I point at the hips of the skirt.
Juliette makes quick strokes. When finished, she takes two steps back to look at the amendments. “That’s it!” She places the back of her hand on her forehead and smiles at me. “I’ve stared at this for days and couldn’t work it out. Such a simple modification and it’s exactly how it should look. Thank you, darling.”
I dip my head, a little embarrassed by Juliette’s enthusiastic praise. “I’m glad I could help.” Although, I’m sure Juliette would have eventually worked it out on her own.
“You have a good eye. Are you a designer?” Juliette asks.
“No. I went to school to study for a year but…arhhh…things didn’t work out.” Before she asks why I quit, I quickly continue, “I better find Bianca.”
As I rush back to Bianca’s office, I search for any signs of Finn. Thankfully, I make it to her office with no more run ins. I step into Bianca’s office, and she’s typing on her computer. Without looking up, she asks, “Where have you been?”
Twisting my fingers together, I say, “I gave the fabric straight to Ms. Monet. She also needed me to help her with something.”
Bianca flicks her hair over her shoulder, not saying a word. Wow, Juliette Monet was right. It did shut Bianca up.
“Is Finn around?” I want to avoid him as much as possible. If I know where he is, it will be easier to stay away.
Bianca’s eyes snap up from the screen, and she raises an eyebrow. “Finn?”
I shuffle my feet. God, Bianca makes me feel like I’m in trouble and have been sent to the principal’s office. “I’m sorry. Is Mr. Alessi around?”
“I don’t know why it’s any of your business, but no. He left and won’t be back until tomorrow.”
My shoulders sag with relief. I can finish the day without fear of bumping into him again. Why haven’t I been fired on the spot?
For the rest of the day, Bianca has me running around delivering documents, making copious amounts of coffee, and picking up dry-cleaning among many other things. I keep looking over my shoulder, half-dreading, half-hoping Finn comes back. My nerves are so wired from the stress, when I finish work, I’m a jittery mess. I make my way to Tamara’s office and drop with exhaustion onto a chair in front of her.
