Mr. Handsome A Billionaire Romance(31)
“Thank you…um, y—yeah…there’s passion between us,” I said, feeling awkward with the entire situation. I was talking about my love life with my freaking boss, and I didn’t even like her that much to talk to her about my love life.
“Wonderful, well you had better keep him, Christina, one doesn’t just get a Jeffrey Bates every day you know.” Marissa’s tone was dismissive and I guessed that meant I could go and get the bagels. I tried not to hurry out of her office, but I didn’t meander to the door either.
Then I remembered that my car was at home; Jeffrey had dropped me off at work that morning. I sighed, I really hated having to hail a cab. I went downstairs and got ready to try and flag a cab down when I noticed Jeffrey’s car on the curb. His driver got out and walked over to me with a friendly smile.
“Hello, Miss Rothschild. Mister Bates lent you my services for the day.”
I smiled gratefully and thanked the driver before I sent a text to Jeffrey, telling him that he was a life saver. I was able to get the bagels and coffee on time and be back at my desk before Marissa could come out of her office grumpy and looking for coffee.
“Christina, Kristi is out today because she has some 'appointment' for the child that hasn’t even been born yet, so I’ll need you to pick up her duties for the day,” Marissa informed me dispassionately as she grabbed her coffee and bagel with cream cheese.
I wondered how she never seemed to put on any weight or at the very least get any cellulite from all the bagels and cream cheese she ate. Once she was back in her office, I sighed heavily and went into Kristi’s office to be both her and me. I thought the day would be a good day, but it was turning out to be one of those super stressful, busy days.
I didn’t even have time to eat lunch while I worked that day. Marissa had me running errands left and right, while setting up shoots for her models and doing everything Kristi was responsible for. It only fueled the fire for me to quit once the day was over.
“Christina, I’ll need you to accompany me on a shoot tonight so you’ll be working late, also one of our models ruptured something or other and we’ll need a replacement,” Marissa said, piling on more work before I could dig myself out of the pile I was already under. I held my tongue though, and simply did as she asked.
None of our models that fit the description for the shoot were available, they all had their own shoots they were busy working for at that time and the only other person I had on my list, of course, was Jeffrey. I gave him a call and he answered on the second ring.
“Hello, beautiful, please tell me you did it. You’ll have to draw her face for me, because I know that expression was priceless,” I checked the time and saw that it was close to seven p.m. already. I needed a replacement model for the shoot like two hours ago.
“Not yet, I’m working late tonight and helping Marissa out on a shoot. I need a replacement though and you’re the last model on the list, please, please, please say you’re not busy?” I begged and Jeffrey chuckled, the sound like warm chocolate on my frazzled nerves. I sighed, it was weird how he calmed me down, but I needed to hear his voice.
“I like it when you beg. You know what? My late meeting ran early and I’m just walking out, so I’m free for the night. How about after the shoot we go and grab some dinner?”
I smiled and could’ve sobbed with relief. Marissa would have murdered me if she wasn’t able to deliver a model on a photo shoot for Marc Jacobs.
“Yeah, dinner sounds great. I think I’ll need a few drinks after the day I’ve had. So, I need you like thirty minutes ago at the W on Broadway.” I told him which name to give at reception and they would send him up to the suite where the photo shoot would take place.
“Alright, I’ll see you soon, baby, don’t stress too much, just remember you’re quitting today.” Jeffrey reminded me of what I needed to get me through the last few hours I’d ever spend working for Marissa, before we ended the call.
“So were you able to find a model?” Marissa came into Kristi’s office looking at me expectantly, I could tell she was ready to let me have it if I gave her disappointing news.
“Yes, I was, Jeffrey will be there in twenty minutes.”
Marissa smiled and I breathed a silent sigh of relief.
“Very good, he always seems to come through for us, doesn’t he? Sometimes I feel as if a few of my other boys are divas, which is why I chose to work explicitly with men in the first place.” Marissa sighed, long-suffering, before she gestured me to follow her out. “Come on, we better get going, it will take us at least twenty minutes to get there in this traffic, and I hope you’ve called a car because mine is being serviced today.”
Good thing Jeffrey loaned me his car today, I would have been dead otherwise. I shook myself out of that train of thinking and remembered that I was quitting after the shoot. In fact, I figured that I should quit while we were on the ride over, just in case anything happened after the shoot and Marissa went home with one of the models, which she probably would. Then I considered Jeffrey’s eagerness to see her face while I told her, so I decided to give him the treat and wait until we got to the shoot.
We went down to Jeffrey’s car and then headed over to the W hotel. I mulled over how I was going to quit, exactly. I thought I should just say it and get it over with, I knew Marissa liked being straightforward and she didn’t like to draw things out. I was actually looking forward to quitting and feeling the giant weight lift off my shoulders after I did it.