Chapter Five

Gabby was going to the fucking dinner.

Standing in front of her large closet, Gabby squeezed her eyes shut, pinching the bridge of her nose.  Gabby  surveyed her closet for clothes. She had clothes suitable for work and casual outings but nothing there was appropriate for a dinner.

You would think with all the money she had, she would have a lot of dinner wears but the truth was that Gabby didn't do dinners, she didn't care for such things.

When Gabby had decided to start her company, she didn't think it would involve dinners with other big names. But no, Laila had called this morning to inform her they were attending a business dinner and it involved top leagues in the new York business world.

God; what had she been thinking to agree to this? Laila said they needed to associate more with other fashion big names.

Right. If she constantly said that to herself, maybe she could make it through this evening without going insane.

Sighing, she grabbed her phone to call Andrew, he was good with this kind of stuff.

* * *

The loud, buzz of her door bell alerted her. She treaded out of her bedroom and down the stairs. It must be Andrew, no one else would drop by unannounced.

She peeked at the security cam. Andrew stood on the door step with a beautiful woman in a perfectly couture peach dress. Confusion and curiosity struggled as Gabby opened the door.

"Andrew you are late, and who is this" Gabby asked,

The woman who appeared to be younger than Gabby smiled and a sense of familiarity tingled inside her. Was she Andrew's girl friend? Was she Andrew's sister? Is that why she looked so familiar.

"Gabby Lot?"

"Yes." Gabby nodded, arching an eyebrow

"And you are?"

"Jemima Job, I'm a friend of Andrew"

"May we come in?" Andrew asked

"Oh, um, sure". Though a bundle of questions pinged off her skull, she stepped back granting them entrance.

"I am sorry if I forgot you were coming over with someone. I don't recall you mentioning..."

"Why am I not shocked? Well if you must know I am a stylist"

Gabby wondered how she hadn't immediately guessed her identity. Though her name sounded different from what she used as her business name, Gabby could see the famous stylist, Style goddess.

"Where should I place this?" Andrew asked, referring to the set of garment bags he carried and a smaller pack which should be the shoe.

"Care to tell me, what's that?"

Jemima exhaled "well I am your stylist for your dinner, Andrew hired me to style you.

Mortified, Gabby seared through her, probably branding her cheeks a shade of red. Yes, she had nothing to wear but that didn't mean she couldn't dress herself.

Her face still fuming with rage, she met Jemima's gaze.

"I am sorry that he bothered you, but this is not necessary I own a fashion company, I should be able to style my outfits too."

"Please, before you say no—which I know you will" Andrew said, "I admit that my mode of approach was wrong but my heart is in the right place l promise, I wanted you to look your best, because you deserve the best and who better to give you the best than Jemima here and besides you haven't seen the dresses she picked yet, they are gorgeous".

In spite of the lingering mixture of feelings, Gabby smiled.

Capitulating, Gabby motioned for them to move into her dressing room. "Those better be gorgeous outfits" she muttered.

Andrew walked ahead of them carrying the luggage with him.

"One thing is for sure, I don't pick ugly outfits".

Gabby chuckled

* *

Gabby stood in front of her dressing mirror and stared at herself.

She felt different. She looked different.

Though at the start she was angry with Andrew for bringing Jemima she felt like a  princess.

The dress she wore was couture to her body, it accentuated her curves. The cowl neck of the silk dress flowed into a form fitting too that glided over her breast and stomach. Jemima had packed her hair up into a bun. The Stiletto's she wore shined with sprinkled stones.

From one second to the next, she was reminded of her past, after college when her parent informed her they wouldn't be supporting her dream. She felt an agonizing pain in her. Even now after four years, that memory still made her want to crumble on her knees, it devastated her.

"Gabby?" Jemima interrupted her thoughts Gentle hands placed on Gabby's shoulders.

"You look beautiful"

"Thank you so much, for all your help. I can't believe you did this in an hour, I don't think I would have been able to pull this off by myself”

"Please" Jemima scoffed, "I was just doing my job" Jemima tilted her head, her reflection on the mirror.

"I must say when Andrew told me to style you, I was really curious to see the woman who stormed the Fashion world and changed it,"

"I know" Gabby waves a hand. "I don't look it right?"

"No," Jemima answered "you are over qualified for the part, I am really happy to have met you"

"Thanks". Gabby said, her face lit up with a wide grin.

* *

Larry opened the door to the car and Gabby came out drawing in a breath, she halted, and looked at him.

"I'm ready" she needlessly announced.