by Alexis Gold
I turned off my alarm and stretched while Jeffrey pressed a kiss on my shoulder before he got out of bed. He grinned at me while he stood, completely naked, and then put his hands on his hips. I could tell he was definitely awake as my eyes traveled down the length of his body.
“So are you ready for today? When are you going to do it? In the morning or before you come back home?”
I tilted my head at Jeffrey’s question, I wasn’t sure if he realized how he phrased it. Come back home? Did he maybe mean go back home? I decided to let it slide as he just woke up out of bed and all.
“I think I’ll get one last day of work in and then tell Marissa before I leave for good,” I said while nodding to myself. Yeah, that was the better plan rather than feeling completely terrible for quitting and leaving them all day without someone to get their breakfast and lunch.
“Cool, if you can, please try and record it for me. I just want to see Marissa’s face when you tell her, or hear her, I only have to hear her, really.” Jeffrey begged me to record Marissa while I told her that I would be quitting all through brushing our teeth and getting ready for the day. We were heading out to the car when I finally told him no.
“Well, fine, but you have to tell me everything, detail for shiny detail.” Jeffrey grinned and I rolled my eyes and shook my head at him. Sometimes he was just a big kid.
“Okay, I’ll tell you all about it after work,” I promised. Jeffrey’s driver dropped me off at Urban Plus and Jeffrey made a show of kissing me in front of the building before I went up. I almost didn’t want our perfect weekend to end, and Jeffrey looked delicious in his tailored blue suit, like he was ready for a photo shoot at any time.
I took a deep breath and went inside to head up to the office. Jennie was all smiles when I walked in and I looked at her cautiously. “Hey Jennie…what’s up?” I asked and she grinned at me like she knew something I probably should have been in on.
“You’re dating Jeffrey Bates, the Jeffrey Bates,” Jennie gushed and I shushed her so she could keep her voice down. “Oh, the entire office knows, Marissa is a horrible gossip, and get this, I think she actually likes you more because of it.”
My expression was a question mark.
“Seriously?” I asked incredulously and Jennie nodded sagely.
“You’ll see,” she grinned and then pointed me over to my desk. I went to clock in and then took a deep breath before I poked my head into Marissa’s office.
“There’s my Target girl! Christina, come in, come in,” Marissa gestured me into her office and I walked in feeling suspicious of her oddly happy greeting. “So before you go and get breakfast, you have to tell me, what was your weekend with him like? What did you do?” She wanted to have girl talk? I blinked away the shock before I simply went to sit across from her desk.
“Well…it was wonderful honestly. He spoiled me a little, but, of course, instead of getting him to stop, I simply have to get used to it, I guess.”
“Of course you have to get used to it, Jeffrey is a billionaire, there’s nothing he can’t afford to give you if he wants to,” Marissa scoffed. “So continue, was there passion between you two? I’m hoping this relationship will go somewhere, Christina. The two of you make a surprisingly beautiful couple.”
I was shocked, she was complimenting me? Like in a socially acceptable compliment and not a weird insult covered compliment that was expected of Marissa.
“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 the
re 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.
We arrived at the W and then went up to the suite where the photo shoot was being held. There was a fantastic view of the city and Times Square. Jeffrey was already there when we arrived and Marissa went into her weird gushy mode when she saw “her boys all dressed up,” or dressed down I should say. The guys were modeling underwear first and then a few other full outfits. I didn’t know how I felt about Jeffrey’s perfect body being on display for all to see…but for me, of course.
“Christina, go out and get these boys some refreshments, sparkling water, you know these minibars overcharge tremendously.” I clenched my jaw and was going to go do her bidding when Jeffrey came over to me and pulled me against him for a kiss.
“Hi,” he said with a smile that made me feel like the luckiest girl in the world just to have his attention.
“Hi…I have to go and get you guys some refreshments.” Jeffrey lifted an eyebrow at me and then nodded his head over to where Marissa was talking to the two other male models.
“You can quit right now and she can go get the refreshments.” Jeffrey grinned mischievously and I squared my shoulders. That was it, I was going to go over there and quit. I nodded and Jeffrey rubbed my shoulders before he kissed me good luck and watched me walk over to Marissa.
“Excuse me, Marissa, can I have a word with you for just a few seconds?” I asked politely, she seemed a bit annoyed, but otherwise she excused herself from the two men and we stepped to the side as the last guy had arrived and they needed to get started.
“Yes, Christina, what is it?” Marissa was waiting for me to get on with what I needed to tell her.
“I’m sorry to have to tell you this, but I’m quitting,” I said bluntly. Marissa squinted at me, as if she was trying to figure out if I was for real or not.
“You’re quitting eventually, or you’re quitting right now and you won’t be coming in tomorrow?” She pursed her lips, her expression souring as she waited for my answer.
I prayed that she would not make a scene.
“I’m quitting right now; I wasn’t planning on working at the modeling agency forever, Marissa, I really want a job in marketing and advertising. It’s time I start putting my focus on that.”
Marissa looked at me as if I were suddenly blind and she gestured to the photo shoot.
“Is that not advertising?” I sighed and then clarified what I meant.
“I mean, I want to work with corporations, not the models that pose in the pictures they decide on after the fact. I want to be a part of the entire creative process, not just getting coffee and doing grunt work,” I explained as calmly and politely as possible.
Marissa rolled her eyes.
“So my Target girl wants to run along and create commercials and ads. That’s fine, I can understand your motivations for leaving.” Marissa’s expression became utterly normal, as if I had just told her I was back with the sparkling water or something.
“I just want you to know something; when Kristi has that child she’s creating and she can no longer work for me, because the girl doesn’t believe in day care, and her position opens up, I’ll call you to come and work for me, you are smart and you do your best at everything, even if it’s just getting coffee.
“But because there is no way you’ll find an open marketing position in a city like this, you will go broke soon. So during the seven-month period Kristi is still taking up space in my office, I’ll let you go homeless and starve from not being able to find a job so don’t think about re-applying for your same position at Urban Plus.”
Marissa turned sharply on her heel and smacked me in the face with her hair before she went and disappeared behind the set lights.
“That was…priceless!” Jeffrey cracked up while he was putting on a black button down shirt and matching black pants. “The expressions on her face were one thing, but the expressions on yours!” Jeffrey continued to laugh while he recounted every word that was exchanged between Marissa and I. I didn’t even know he was close enough the entire time to overhear us as well as watch our reactions.
“Can you verify for me that she managed to accept I was quitting, offer me a job, and fire me all in a few short sentences?”
Jeffrey cracked up all over again and he nodded.
“She said she wanted you to take that Kristi person’s job, and she understands why you’re quitting, but you’re not allowed to have your job back…that sounds about right.” Jeffrey confirmed what I was able to reason out of all of that and he just kept laughing. I shook my head and then soon I was laughing with him. Marissa was a piece of work, that was for sure.
“I have to go give her a hug, that was an amazing performance, I couldn’t have expected better.” Jeffrey was putting on a pair of shoes while he hopped around in search of Marissa. I simply shook my head and took a seat to wait for Jeffrey to finish.
“Hey, that took balls, I must admit. She liked you, though, so that worked in your favor,” said one of the models who came up to me and gave me congratulations for quitting. It made me wonder if Marissa was loud when she was speaking. It was more likely that she was and I was just too confused to keep up with everything, other than what she was saying.
“Thanks, I can’t say that was the least interesting way to quit a job that’s for sure.” The guy chuckled and he was about to say something else when Jeffrey came up behind the stool I was sitting on. He placed his hands lightly on my waist, in a clear sign of ownership and I wanted to roll my eyes at him. Like there was any way that guy was trying to hit on me at all.
“Definitely not, hey they’re ready for the next set now.” Jeffrey gestured to the photographer who was waiting for him and the other model to get over by the huge window and view of the city. The photo shoot lasted for about a half hour more before Jeffrey and I headed down to the car.
“So I have a surprise for you…” Jeffrey said once we were in the car and I quirked my eyebrow at him.
“Really? What’s the surprise?” I asked. I hoped it wasn’t something super extravagant, I didn’t want to have to beat him up that day.
“I got you an interview at Six Fountain Marketing…”
My eyes nearly popped out of my skull.
“How is that possible? They are like one of the best marketing groups in the city! I applied to them months ago, but they never got back to me. I mean I sent e-mails…and…e-mails…”
Jeffrey gave me a knowing look.
“Yeah, but you never called. I simply made them take notice of your resume and they are really interested. You never told me you had such a great track record when you were in school. You won the national university digital advertising award three times in a row?” Jeffrey was impressed and I simply shrugged. “Honestly you have all this stuff you keep under wraps when you should be flaunting it! It’s how you get hired and how you get noticed.” Jeffrey looked at me as if I baffled him.
“What can I say, I lay low sometimes…” I didn’t want to go into why I laid low, I knew it stemmed from my self-esteem issues, but Jeffrey didn’t like it when I doubted myself or even talked about doubting myself.
“Well, you need not to. I forwarded all the information to your e-mail and the group is going to contact you tomorrow about setting up the interview. So make sure you save the numbers I sent you so you don’t ignore their call…you do have your phone on you right?”
I nodded and pulled it out of my bag; I was getting good at keeping it handy, especially as more people had my number now, like Vanessa, Jennie, and…well Jeffrey. I definitely needed to get a social life with actual friends.
“I just couldn’t believe you won that award in a national competition three times and never got offered a job.”
I looked over at Jeffrey, his eyes were on me curiously.
“When I graduated I did get a lot of offers, but that’s when my parents died,” I said bluntly.
Jeffrey’s expression turned understanding in a heartbeat.
“I get it now…well, you are doing the right thing by getting back out there and seizing the bull by the horns.”