CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

Xavier’s POV

I was at my office in the company headquarters when I got a call from Ivanna’s events coordinator, a woman named Pamela. She was one of the A-list events coordinator in the city, her clients are mostly top personalities in the elite circle. I had met her at a couple of social events I attended. So, I wasn’t that surprised when my personal assistant told me Pamela asked to schedule a call with me, I knew it was Ivanna’s doing.

“Hello, Mr. Beaumont. I am Pamela James, your event coordinator. I’m calling to confirm your engagement checklist and when you will be available for an appointment with the fashion stylist.

I told her to go through Ivanna for every appointments and other things to do, she’ll handle it better.

She answered in affirmative and I ended the call.

My assistant came in with a cup of coffee I requested few minutes ago. I told her some other things she needed to do before I dismissed her.

I was half way through with my coffee when I got a call from Ivanna.

“Pamela told me she reached out to you already,” she said. I guess that’s her own way of greeting.

“You can handle all that Ivanna, just tell me when you need me to show up for the appointments.”

“Perfect then,” Ivanna replied, the enthusiasm in her voice was pretty obvious. “Also, your fitting is in two days, I’ve fixed the time to two in the afternoon. It’s JAYJANE on the Mayfair. I’ll have Pamela forward the address to you.”

“I have a board meeting that same at two.” I said.

“Oh! That’s not a problem then, I’ll move the fitting appointment to four,” she replied.

***

We’ve agreed on four in the afternoon for the fitting. Tell me why Ivanna has been calling me since one pm. Despite telling her that I had a board meeting to attend to. At some point, I needed to silence my phone and drop it face down.

When I was finally done with the meeting at few minutes past three, I headed back to my office and have my assistant get the car ready.

I was going through some acquisition records when a knock landed softly on my office door and my assistant came in.

“The car is ready, sir,” she announced.

I nodded. “Tell the chauffeur I’ll be there in a few minutes.”

She nodded in affirmative and walked out.

I closed the acquisition records page I was going through and stood up. I was about to grab my suit jacket from the cloth hook adjacent the window side when I saw I Ivanna’s call again, my phone was still on silent mode.

“Hello,” I answered the call.

“We’re waiting, Xavier.” Ivanna’s voice rang from the other end of the call.

“We agreed on four. Ivanna. This is still past three and you’ve called me more times than I could count today.”

“I wanted to be sure you’ve not forgotten about the appointment.”

I sighed. “I haven’t, I’m on my way already.”

***

JAYJANE is the exact kind of atelier establishment that communicated its value through exclusivity and bespoke wears.

Ivanna was already inside, seated in one of the low chairs near the fitting area with a glass of sparkling wine and the expression of a woman in her natural habitat. Pamela was beside her with a tablet and a third woman I didn’t recognize was holding fabric swatches.

“You’re here,” Ivanna said as she flashed one of her sweetest smiles.

We went into action immediately.

The next forty minutes involved me standing on a raised platform in a suit that was being adjusted by a stylist whose tag pinned to his wear read Jose. He communicated primarily through pins and disapproving exhales while Ivanna and Pamela discussed pocket square options with the focused energy of people solving a problem that actually mattered.

At some point Pamela came forward toward me, holding three shades of crepe fabric against my jacket sleeve and asked me which one felt most like the occasion.

“They’re the same color,” I said.

“They are not,” both Pamela and Ivanna said simultaneously.

Ivanna picked the middle shade. “That will suit his body tone and aura more,” she said.

I didn’t argue. I just want to be done with this as soon as possible.

Pamela complimented Ivanna on her good eyes for quality stuffs while Ivanna blushed at the compliments.

I saw that as flattery, artisans do that a lot get on the good side of their clients.

After a lot of trial and error with Jose, we finally settled on a particular design and color.

“I want all eyes on my man that day,” Ivanna mid-screamed across the room to Jose.

Jose smiled. “You can count on us.”

When we were finally done, I checked my wristwatch, it was few minutes past six, I can’t go back to the company anymore. I’ll just go straight to the penthouse.

“Can we have dinner?” Ivanna asked behind me.

I rolled my eyes but steadied my face before I turned to face her.

“Oh! I would have loved to, but I hurried down here so I won’t disappoint you. I have some reports I have to go back to the office to attend to. We can do that next time.”

She looked at me intently, as if searching for the truth beneath my words.

“Okay,” she replied. “When will the next time be?”

“I’ll call you myself,” I replied. “See you later.”

I turned and walked out of the building.

It’s suffocating enough that I’m going through this engagement brouhaha, spare me the unnecessary clinginess, Ivanna.