Falling For My Playboy Boss
Chapter 18

Cora's POV

I head to the restroom as it is almost the end of my day, we will be leaving in 45 minutes, and I am super excited that tomorrow is the show. I am even more excited that Catherine and Collin actually showed up at Hamilton's office to defend me against what Lyra had said. The cameras being installed are going to be a good thing too, as I knew she would try again. With Catherine leaving, she might even be successful the next time she tries to get me fired.

I came back from the restroom and heard voices, and as I went around the corner, I saw Nicolas and Dalton standing there and laughing with Catherine.

"There she is, and might I say, what a lovely outfit, you look stunning in it," Nicolas says, and gives me a side hug.

"Thank you, Nicolas, it is one of the outfits that Mateo gave me to wear when we made the deal," I told him.

"I told you she would be here, you need to have faith in me, Nic," Dalton tells him, and then gives me a hug too from the other direction and I winced because his hand hit right where Lyra pushed me, and I really hope that whatever I am wearing tomorrow will cover it. They all three noticed me wincing but didn't say anything to me about it and I appreciated it.

"My friend Iris does that too, predicts things, and she is pretty accurate. She actually called it on this job, in fact." I told Dalton.

"That is impressive. Was she one of the girls we met the other night?" Dalton asks.

"Yes, she was the one with the dark hair and eyes, she works for Mateo, and she has been one of my best friends since middle school," I told him.

"And let me guess the tough cookie is your other best friend, right?" Nicolas asks me.

You mean Olivia, the blonde with grey eyes, right? Yes, she is a tough cookie, and yes, my other best friend. Don't let her get to you. She is a lawyer too and she helps Mateo out as well. She isn't mean, she just made that comment because she is protective of me. We are all kind of like sisters, we love each other", I tell them.

"Well, you three are some of the hottest real girls I have seen in a long time," Dalton tells me and smiles big at me.

"What do you mean real girls? All girls are real" I asked, frowning.

"I mean down-to-earth, attractive girls, even when you don't have a stitch of makeup on. Some girls won't even leave the house without their makeup on and every hair in place. I like it when I can stroke my hand through a girl's hair gently and not be slapped into next week for messing it all up. Beautiful, but not conceited, which makes you the best people to hang out with. But I bet you are all going to be absolutely stunning when you are made up and go out", Dalton tells me.

"Guess you are going to find out tomorrow," I told them and couldn't help the wink and the smile that followed.

"But seriously, all teasing aside, you made my sister Emily and my mom Abigail the happiest I have seen them in a long time this week by getting us into the show. My sister loves Mateo, and she also loves that he designs for larger sizes. She is in 7th heaven and she and mom are planning on making some purchases tomorrow at Saks after the show. I know he will do well, with just them buying, I may have to get a second job to support the family after tomorrow". Dalton said and started laughing.

"I also got tickets for Ava and Marlowe to sit with you guys so you can probably claim a whole row tomorrow. I will come out afterward and say hi to everyone after it is all said and done, so feel free to hang out. Please wish me luck, the only thing that I know, is that models don't smile while they walk the runway, which is the extent of my knowledge. I don't know how to do the walk, and I pray I don't twist my ankle and fall down in front of everyone. I surely don't want that moment immortalized. He may change his mind about our deal if that happens", I tell them.

"How are you supposed to know how to do the runway walk by tomorrow?" Nicolas asks me.

"Iris and Livi are coming over tonight and bringing a pizza and they are going to show me, until I get it down, or give up. Whichever comes first", I tell them and then laugh.

"I believe that you will do much better than you think, Cora. I think that you are really hard on yourself sometimes, but you have made learning this job look like a piece of cake. You are super smart, and I bet you have the walk down by the time the pizza cools off. I also think that it is a clever idea that you are using your middle name, instead of your first name, as I don't want Collin having something else to try to ding you on, as he already has a problem now with Christian" Catherine tells me. "Wait, Christian Siler? Collin is having a problem with Christian. Why? Christian is a great guy, and his dad works here as the V.P. of Finance. How could he have an issue with him?" Nicolas asks us.

"Um, he didn't say it to me, but when I was speaking with Jerry on Tuesday in his office, while Catherine and Ava were here at the desk, apparently Collin had a problem when I was walking backward out of Jerry's office and walked into Christian's chest. I didn't realize that he was standing there, as he had walked up behind me. Collin told Catherine to go over and get me, but she didn't, and when he came out of his office a second time to correct me by saying that I didn't need to be looking for a date at work and that it was very unprofessional of me. That I needed to work when I was at work. He also told Catherine that I needed to start earning the extra $10,000 that Catherine negotiated for me for doing this job", I told them.

"Collin seems to be getting worse and worse with his interactions with Cora. It seems that I will need to have another conversation with him", Nicolas said to us.

"No, we are good, he already got a lecture from his mom when he got in trouble for having Maddie in his office again, and he was a bear to be around for the two days after that. He is good today, and he and Catherine both defended me in H.R., so we are having a good day and I don't want anything else to ruin it. If anything, you should feel bad for Catherine as that witch walked into her when she was leaving and pushed the 4 cups of coffee Catherine was carrying into her deliberately", I tell them.

"Don't worry, Cora was coming up to defend me and I barely got out of the elevator before Maddie closed the doors to leave. Cora looked super mad like she was going to hit her, so she has already defended me. I am OK, and from what I hear they are now broken up", Catherine said.

"What! Really?" I ask.

"Yes, that is why she was so mad and pushed the coffee into me. Collin apologized to me and also gave me a little bonus for me to spend after the show. His mother told him that I had lucked into tickets, and he knew how much I liked the designer. He felt responsible for her actions as she got furious with him, but took it out on me. So, he wanted to replace my outfit for me. Don't worry dear, none of us are going to tell him about you being in the show. It is probably for the best that he doesn't know. Just know that he does go to fashion shows occasionally and may see you there, but he won't realize that it is you modeling. Especially since he has never seen you in makeup, or with your hair down", Catherine tells me.

"Yes, Catherine, you won't believe your eyes tomorrow. We got to see her last week, and Dalton was like that is Cora over there, when we saw her and her group come into the pizza place, but I didn't recognize her at all. Now, after Dalton waved me over I could, but I was like three feet from her then, and Cora, not to make you uncomfortable, but you were a stunner that night, so I know you will be stealing the show tomorrow and I, for one, will be looking forward to seeing you looking fabulous. I have to say I may even take a picture just to mess with Collin. I still can't believe he called you dowdy and frumpy. When he does find out, I plan on teasing him about that for years to come, because I am telling you, Cora, it will be just a matter of time. He only dates the most attractive women in New York, and when you hit that runway tomorrow, you will be making that list. I will never tell him, and I know that you will be going by Shea when you model, but it will be a secret that I will gladly keep for you", Nicolas tells me.

"Me too, you don't have to worry about me spilling the beans, Cora," Dalton says to me and then winks. Which makes me and Catherine laugh, and the door to Collin's office suddenly opens with Collin standing there looking at me and then saying, "You still have 20 minutes before you get off, surely you can find something else to do, then flirt with my best friends". He looks at Nicolas and Dalton and motions them into his office.

"I will see you two beautiful ladies tomorrow," Nicolas says to me and winks before giving Collin a dirty look as he goes by.

"I am excited about seeing you both tomorrow too, ladies," Dalton tells me, and then, knowing that Collin is waiting for him, grabs my hand and kisses it again, just like he did last week. He then winks at me, causing me to blush, and walks into Collins's office. "Cora, you need to remember we are in a professional workplace setting, please conduct yourself like you are aware of that" Collin says before shutting his door on us both.

"I don't know exactly when Collin became such a little a*s, but he is definitely being one towards you. I do think he is acting overly possessive towards you, and I believe that Ava may be right, he might have a little thing for you that wouldn't be good. He doesn't restrain himself when he goes after a girl, just guard your heart honey, because he is showing no signs of being ready to slow down right now, and you are the marrying kind of girl", Catherine tells me as she shakes her head and looks at Collin's door.