Before he could respond, the automated voice cut in, informing us we only had five minutes left. When the recording ended, I heard the defeated sigh my dad let out before he spoke again.
“I just don’t want any of us to get our hopes up and it doesn’t happen.”
“It’s all good, Pops. Just keep your head up in there and stay safe. Let me come see you soon.”
“Give me time to think about that. I would love to see you and your mother, but when the visit is over and I gotta come back to this cell, it fucks me up. My mind be all over the place then my thoughts go to a dangerous place.”
“Aight, old man. I’ll talk to you tomorrow. I love you, Pops.”
“I love you too, son.”
Throwing my phone on the end table, I took a seat on the couch and grabbed my rolling tray. Just last week my life made sense and shit was in order. It’d been a ripple effect since my uncle had that meeting and I felt like this was the calm before the storm.
CHAPTER 4
Celeste
Turning music on from my work phone, I connected it to the speaker and made sure the volume was just right. I wanted customers to hear the music clearly, but I didn’t want it too loud to where they couldn’t think. After a long night and early morning, I declared that today would be a good day. Allen had caught me off guard when he told me we had visitors this morning. I was disappointed when it was the jewelry man, Dennis. I’d gotten so much jewelry as I’m sorry gifts and was over it. There were only so many diamonds I could have, and honestly, none of them meant shit. What terrified me earlier was the pull I’d felt for Dennis’s nephew, Shane. That man was one of the finest men I’d seen in a long ass time.
Normally, I preferred men who were slim and Shane was quite the opposite. His arms were so thick and defined. Even through his T-shirt I could tell how sculpted he was. Shane’s light skin was covered in tattoos, from his neck to his wrists. What pulled me in the most was his masculine energy. He hadn’t spoken much while I was around, but I felt everything he had to offer when he shook my hand. It’d been a while since I’d been turned on sexually and I prayed Allen wouldn’t notice howaroused I was. Light knocks on the front door pulled me from my inappropriate thoughts about Shane. A smile crept across my face when I saw Erick standing on the other side.
“Good morning. Look at you, dressed to impress,” I greeted.
Erick stood in front of me wearing a three-piece black suit. It was hot outside, but the fabric looked light. His slacks stopped right at his ankles, giving the perfect view of his loafers. A pair of black, square, Ray Bans sat perfectly against his round face and his hair cut was fresh. He looked handsome. This was my first time seeing him outside of his work uniform and I had a feeling he’d be a perfect addition to the Luxe family.
“Good morning, Celey,” he said, referring to me by the nickname he’d given me.
“Come in. I’m just about done setting up for the day. Follow me right over here,” I instructed, leading Erick to the front counter.
“Thank you again for this. I’ve been trying to find my way into the fashion industry and this would be a perfect start. I’m okay with starting from the bottom and working my way up.”
I wanted us to be seated before the conversation turned serious, but this was the perfect time to start the interview. Erick was already telling me why he wanted to be here and also informed me that he was okay with taking instruction.
“What other avenues have you tried? Like have you ever tried to get a high-end retail job?”
“I’ve applied and interviewed at Angels and Fisher’s,” he answered.
Both places he named were high-end brands. So high-end that customers needed appointments to even step inside the storefront. I wasn’t sure about Fisher’s, but I knew Angels had the best threads in the fashion industry right now.
“What happened? What was their reason for not taking you on?”
“No real experience. I didn’t go to an actual fashion school, but I got a certificate from an online program out of New York. I had to do an externship and everything.”
Honestly, I wasn’t at all surprised to hear Erick hadn’t gotten those jobs. Not to say he didn’t have what it took, but both Fisher’s and Angels ran a tight ship. Had Erick known someone on the inside, he would’ve had a much better shot at getting the job. Aside from that, their commission was so good it made their turnover rate damn near non-existent.
“I feel like if you really have a love for something, it is a good idea to invest in yourself and learn more about your craft. You don’t need a degree from the fashion institute to work for me, but I need you to love fashion. At Luxe Addiction, we don’t sell products. We sell emotions. Here, sell me this shoe. Tell me why I can’t leave the store without this specific pair of shoes,” I said, handing him my best-selling shoe in the color red.
A dubious expression took over Erick’s face, but he complied. He glanced between the shoe and me a few times before finally speaking.
“What do you see when you look at this shoe?” he asked.
“All I see is a red shoe,” I answered, not giving him my honest answer.
I knew exactly what I saw when I looked at the shoe. Other customers did as well, which was why it was my best-selling item. Erick needed to show me that he could sell emotions without me leading the way and my response would evoke just that.
“What I see is a shoe with versatility. Just off top of my head, I can come up with at least four outfits that would go perfectly with this shoe. Biker shorts and a graphic T-shirt is a go-to outfit, but with these shoes, they’d elevate the look. Tennis skirts and off the shoulder tops would also pair perfectly.”
“That’s true, but the shoe is two hundred dollars. Why would I pay that much for a shoe that isn’t name brand?”
