Falling For My Playboy Boss
Chapter 20

Cora's POV

It is the day of the fashion show, and I am nervous and excited. I both can't wait to get there and am scared for the show to start at the same time. I know it is because it is my first time, and the unknown will do that for you. But as with all things, the more you do them, the easier it will get. My besties, Iris and Livi, will be there with me, and that helps my nerves, and they are picking me up and bringing me back home. I love Mateo and he will be my rock through this as he has so much faith in me and I want, to succeed for him. Franco and Eric will also be there, and they are going to make me gorgeous. So, all I need to do is not smile, do my walk correctly, sway my hips, hit my poses right, don't swing my arms wrong, and not trip on my way out or my way back and I will crush this. Sounds easy in theory, but I am petrified of embarrassing myself out there. This show is so important to Mateo and could get him worldwide exposure and I don't want anything that would make the potential investors not be willing to take a shot on Mateo. Iris really helped me with tips on walking last night. She put music on and showed me how to do it. All those years of singing into my hairbrush and dancing around my room finally paid off. I enjoy music and it helps me when I get nervous, so I will focus on the music, and push off on the beat so my hips will sway to each side on the beat. I should be okay with this. Iris said to not overthink this and to just let my body flow when I hit the runway. She said to relax, that the runway would be 4 feet wide and 40 feet long. She also told me that I actually have 5 outfits that I will be wearing for the show, but I didn't get stressed out, because that is just 1 more than he told me, and I considered it to be no big deal. He has done so much to help me; I would wear every single outfit in this show for him if I could. Iris also mentioned that Mateo was most excited about the last one that I was wearing but she wouldn't tell me what type of outfit it was going to be.

I get to the venue at 1130 so I can get my hair and makeup done. There is a line as all of the models need to get their hair and makeup done as well. I wanted to be early for them as I had heard some of the girls had run behind for the last show, and I didn't want to be the one who messed anything up for Mateo, Franco, or Eric.

I am so excited about seeing Mateo and he was glad to see me there early as well.

Eric called me over to him for him to start on my makeup. Eric mentioned that my foundation was going to stay the same, but that for my last two outfits he was going to darken my eyes up even more with additional eyeliner and a distinct colored eyeshadow to make them pop. He said that my lips would stay the same color as he was going to use a bold, true red.

I sit in the chair and am totally still for him to work his magic. I think back to last night and Iris told me that to stay calm I should just be my "alter ego" while on stage. That several celebrities do it, as it is hard to have all eyes on you when you are on stage, even for the esteemed Beyonce, who also has an alter ego, with a name that builds her up and shows her that she is invincible on stage. Iris even told me I already had my alter ego in place, as I had already told them to call me "Shae" when I was in "Model mode" and to do that to keep me calm because Shae was a voluptuous, desirable woman, who is not scared to claim what she wants. Well, at least that is the plan for me. I still have my fingers crossed that I don't trip and fall.

"What is taking so long, is her face that ugly that she needs extra time in the chair", I heard a voice behind me say. I can't turn around as Eric is doing my contour, but he sees me looking at him in a kind of panic, so he stops and straightens up.

"Brandi, you are on time for the show, which seems like a sign of the apocalypse as you almost sabotaged the Spring show with you showing up right when the show started. A lot of people would love to take your spot, so you need to act right, because I will tell you right now, today is not the day for you to clown. Anyone can be replaced, and I believe that you have been", Eric tells her and then bends down to continue working on my face.

"Well, I hope you don't think it is her because I don't see anything impressive here at all? Brandi says before stomping off to go get her hair done.

"Good Lord, who is she?" I whispered to Eric.

"That honey is Brandi. She was the top girl around here, but Mateo has a lot of models asking to work with him now that he is about to blow up. But I do believe that you, sweet thing, are about to be the top girl now, and she is mad because she only has 3 outfits and you have 5 now, so she is trying to psych you out and make you scared, to try to get her top spot back. She really messed up at the last show and I know Mateo wants to replace her. If we weren't already shorthanded, I would have him kick her out of the show. I will help you look out for her because I don't trust her as far as I can push her down a flight of stairs", Eric tells me.

"I happen to know someone that is built like me with a beautiful face that wants to do it already," I told Eric.

"You do, who?" I heard behind me and opened my eyes to see Mateo himself standing behind me.

"Collin Lauder's, younger sister, Ava Lauder. She will be here today. Two of the tickets were for her and her mother. They both loved the dress you gave me, and they wanted to come to the show to see what was coming out. Ava said she already has some of your pieces and was coming here today to see what ideas you had and then go shopping at Saks after the show to get some more pieces", I told him.

"Beautiful and already a fan, she may truly be an option, which is wonderful to hear," Mateo told me.

"I told her that you might be able to talk to her after all your interviews are complete. I also have a little surprise out there as well. I had offered to help with the Account Managers job that I was originally applying for. They have a couple and their daughter coming today for the show. The couple wanted to invest in art, but not the kind you hang on the wall, and after some thought, it is my opinion that they may want to back you. Nothing is set in stone yet, so some of the tickets I got were for them to come and see the show and get the feel and the excitement of the runway and I think this may be a big move for you. So, I was going to introduce you after the show, and after your interviews. If they do, that would be wonderful, and if they don't you are still where you were, but with a lot of additional sales coming to get your clothes even more exposure. I already know that Marlow and Ava Lauder are here and ready to buy, and Emily and Abigail Fossett are out there and feel the same way, and the investors' wife and daughter love you as well and they are here at least to see your summer line, and at max to buy something after the show and invest". I tell Mateo.

"Oh, baby girl, you didn't have to put your neck out like that, but I certainly appreciate it so much. I would love to have an investor, so I could branch into producing more and have more control over my fashion line. We could take pre-orders so we wouldn't have a lot of inventory leftover, but they can always buy my clothes any day, at Saks Fifth Avenue, and you are telling me at the right point, as from now until we are done, there is truly nothing that I can do about it now, and I would have probably worried and overthought it all week. Thank you for wanting to make the show such a success. I am so glad you talked us up this week", Mateo told me.

"Oh, and I forgot one. Catherine, the lady who is training me, Collin gave her some money to replace her outfit as his ex-girlfriend, Maddie Summers, deliberately hit her and pushed four coffees into Catherine last Tuesday. She is a truly horrible person. I am glad that he broke up with her, she was unpleasant to have around the office", I told Mateo and Eric.

They glanced at each other and then at me and Mateo said, "I am also glad that you told me that. I have gotten four calls from Maddie's Agent trying to get her on my payroll in the last two weeks. I am already trying to get rid of my problem child, Brandi, and I don't need any more bitches on staff, pardon my French. If you think Ava is really serious about modeling, I will certainly take her on. I believe that I have seen her in pictures of Collin with her in the background, walking near him in the gossip magazines and she is an extremely attractive woman. Well, since you are solving all of my problems, do you happen to know if someone is a good, proportioned size 12 by any chance?" Mateo asks me and I laugh.

"No not right now, but you never know, Dalton's sister Emily is supposed to be a fan because of you wanting to celebrate curvy figures, and you never know, she might fit the bill or the investor's daughter. I will keep an ear out. If I can get you set up, I surely will because you helped me out when you didn't have to, and now I look beautiful because you sent me to Franco and Eric, "I told him and tried to fight off crying.

"Honey, you look beautiful, please, do not destroy my work, go over to Franco and get your hair done and then Iris can show you what you will be wearing in the show," Eric told me and shoos me away.

I head over to Franco and wait until he gets done with Brandi, who gives me an ugly look and then goes over to Eric to get her makeup on.

"How are you doing sweet girl?" Franco asked me as I sat down.

"I am nervous and, apparently, Brandi hates me, but other than that, I am super excited to look beautiful again with your, and Eric's, magic," I told him.

"Honey, we can only do our best, and sometimes that isn't enough, but with you, our job is easy, plus we enjoy having you around, so that also is a benefit as well. So, sit back and if you want to nod off you can, but this is going to be way quicker than when I cut and streaked your hair", Franco tells me, and then gets started on my hair. I sit back and enjoy having my hair brushed out and then curled. I have not looked into the mirror yet. I was waiting for me to be the "Finished product" before I looked, and I am glad I did. I look even better than I did a week ago. I reach up to touch my face and Franco gently grabs my wrist and says, "No, don't touch your face, I can assure you that it is indeed you, the showstopper. Eric and I only add to your natural beauty, but touching your face after it is done will mess up Eric's work, so while he is busy, just know that yes, it is you in the mirror, and you are going to be the showstopper today".