“That’s the part I’m curious to see,” Raleigh admitted.
“Well then, please come right this way.”
It was interesting to note that even Phoenix looked impressed at what he saw in my workspace. I was immensely proud of the collections I’d created and the discipline that had gone into setting up a fluid area that took every piece of the process into consideration. I hoped that the attention to detail, especially when he saw the play space, was more than enough to alleviate some of his concerns about my intentions.
“Holy…” Raleigh muttered when he caught his first glimpse of the brightly colored space.
“Wow.” Murry supplied, “You’ve got everything in here.”
“And I’m constantly adding more,” I explained. “The cabinets in the back of the room are filled with a variety of toys, and as you can see along the walls, there is quite the collection of collapsible tunnels, which are such fun for ferret play.
“F-ferrets,” Raleigh stammered. “I didn’t know people played as ferrets. I love watching them in the pet store.”
“I’m coming to discover that people play as a great many things,” I said. “So, I add a bit to the pet space with every new design, so they have some props to go with the gear.”
“And we get to just play in here and tell you how the clothes feel?” Raleigh said. “I can do that.”
“Same,” Murry replied.
“Yup, in the prototype phase, you just play and let me know how the outfits feel. Once the finished versions are complete, we do photoshoots in here as well as in front of the green screen, by the windows, and anywhere else Coby, who is the photographer that works with me, feels the lighting is right.”
“I think we’re going to like this job,” Murry declared.
“I hope so. I’m already looking forward to working with you both, and you, Phoenix, if you’d ever like to play the part of their handler during a runway show.”
His eyebrows shot up some at my offer, and I could tell I’d truly caught him off guard by including him. “I’ll keep that in mind.”
“Good. I truly do hope you’ll consider it.”
“I think we’re ready to check out the contracts now,” Murry said, still looking around, taking in all the different props as well as the two adult-sized pet beds that were resting in each corner of the space.
“In that case, let me show you to my least favorite part of the loft,” I said, and lead them to the office.
“Why’s it your least favorite space?” Murry asked.
“Probably because it’s where he pays the bills,” Raleigh remarked. “That’s not fun no matter who you are.”
Chuckling, I turned and nodded at them. “Exactly.”
5
RALEIGH
“You and I need to have a chat.”
The voice interrupted my careful scrutiny of the grocery list Murry and I had put together earlier that morning. It wasn’t one I was likely to forget anytime soon, considering he was the asshole who’d grabbed me outside the club on Saturday night. I wasn’t really worried about him putting his hands on me here in a very public space, not when there were at least three other people in the aisle, even if they were at the opposite end from us.
“There is absolutely nothing you and I need to talk about,” I said and started pushing my cart across the aisle to get to the seafood cooler.
“You think so?” He replied, matching pace with me. “I wonder if you’ll be saying the same thing when you’re talking to the bail bondsman about how you are going to bail your little friend out after I file assault charges against him.”
“You grabbed me first, or have you forgotten that part?”
“Prove it.”
“We took pictures of the bruises you left on my wrist.”
“You might have taken pictures of bruises, but you can’t prove that I’m the one who put them there.”
