Alpha Billionaire Series

KAYLA

The next day...

The past twenty-four hours seemed like a dream. None of this was real, it couldn't be. At least I hoped parts of it weren't, they seemed a little too much like a disappointment.

The sharp stab of a pin bit into my leg.

“Ow?” I complained, and tried to glare at the woman putting them in my dress.

“If you would hold still, then maybe I wouldn't catch you with the pins," she snapped.

I breathed out through pursed lips and glared at Isaac.

I stood on a small dais in a room surrounded by mirrors. It reminded me of something at a fancy dress shop. I hadn't expected to see something like it inside Nick's house. I was beginning to understand what he meant when he said that being an actor was nothing like the movies. I hadn't moved. I was winning this game of playing a statue, but she kept stabbing me. “You're off your game, Lydia. If you think I don't know what you're doing, you are in for a nasty surprise. Prick her with a pin one more time and I start deducting from your fee."

“She's—" Lydia started

“she’s holding perfectly still, and you are terrorizing her. Cut it out. I've seen you hem a mini dress on a pop diva while she was fighting with her boyfriend and you never once complained about her moving too much. And you sure as hell didn't poke her”

“'m doing you a favor, Isaac”

“You're doing your job, now live up to your reputation.”

My phone rang on the couch next to where Isaac sat. He looked at it and held it out to me.

“It's okay, I'll call them back” I didn't want to move. I was afraid Lydia was going to stab me again.

isaac shook his head with tight little movements and answered the call. “kayla’s phone” He waited a bit. “Sure, hold on hun" He held the phone out to me again. “It's Amber."

Moving like a robot, I reached out and took the phone.

“Hi, Amber!”

“Oh my God, Kayla. How is it? I want details. What have you been doing?"

“Ym in the middle of a fitting right now. I really haven't had time to do anything. Let's say we got in kind of late. I called Mom, I texted you. I'm in a hotel right now. I went straight to bed.”

“Oh, where did Nick sleep?”

“Really? I don't know. 'm assuming in his own bed at his house”

Isaac's eyebrows went up. He could only hear my side of the conversation, and it wasn't exactly polite conversation.

I smiled at him and shrugged.

“I slept in and after breakfast, I called a car to drive me over to Nick's house and I started getting ready for this party we're going to”

“You're first day in LA and you're standing in Nick Sadler's house before heading out to a party? Are you going to see anyone famous?”All content © N/.ôvel/Dr/ama.Org.

“I have no idea.” I didn't even know what the party was for. “Best guess it's not a Christmas party because this dress isn't red or green.”

“No? What is it? Tell me. Are you in a ball gown?”

I bit my lip. This part of the dream bounced between fantasy and nightmare.

The dress was a deep rich purple, with black lace accents. I felt very glamorous in it. The middle cinched in with corset lacing, and the skirt swooped out with a train.

The first stylist showed up and took one look at me and pitched what could only be described as a fit. It was completely unprofessional. And her choice of words to describe me were hurtful. I didn't know what I would have done if Isaac hadn't been there.

He was a frightening man when he needed to be. I was glad he was on my side.

A few phone calls later Lydia had a rack of dresses in my size and a judgmental sneer on her face. She didn't want to be dressing me. Something she made clear with every stab of hem pin into my leg.

I told Amber an abbreviated version of the story, leaving out how nasty I found Lydia to be.

“That sounds epic Kayla. What's Nick wearing?”

“I have no idea. Hold on”

I lowered the phone. “Isaac?”

He looked up from his phone.

“What's Nick wearing tonight?”

He shrugged. “A tux?”

“You're no help," I teased. Returning to my call I repeated Isaac's words.

“Send pictures!”

My phone started buzzing with a second call.

“Oh hey, Amber, Mom is calling. I've got to go."

“Love you, send pictures.”

I switched the call.

“Hi, Mom."

“Kayla, I just talked with your uncle and cousins”

My stomach lurched. I hadn't wanted them to know I was here. She never spoke to Uncle Dave very much, so I figured I had time. I didn't know what to expect from my cousins, honestly, they would probably just leave me alone. But this would be easier if they didn't know I was here.

“You haven't checked in with them yet. They were very surprised when I told them you were back in Los Angeles."

“I haven't had time to do much of anything Mom. I got in late last night. You know that. Did you expect me to roll out of bed and immediately call them? Can't I get a minute to settle in?"

“Your cousin Jessie was very excited when I told her you were there. She can't wait to see you again. You need to call her immediately”

“Mom, I can't; I have... my job."

“What do you mean your job? Your boss already has you working? I thought you needed a minute to settle in."

I hated it when she threw my words back at me. I took a deep breath and thought.

“My new boss is going over some initial things. Paperwork, that kind of stuff. She wanted to get started before she had... I cast my gaze around the room. I needed an idea, something I could tell Mom to get her off my back.

I flew more than halfway across the country, and she was still controlling me.

“she has an event tonight, and then the weekend, and it's a timing thing, Mom.”

“Okay, fine. But expect a call from Jessie soon. Okay, Mom. Thanks for the warning—"

“What do you mean, warning?”

“I meant for letting me know. To expect her call. Look, I need to go. I'll call you later. Okay? Bye.”

I ended the call before she could say anything else.

I held out my phone to Isaac and waved it at him. I covered my face. If this was supposed to be some kind of glamorous adventure, I was failing. Why did it feel like I was always failing?

“Didn't the call go well?” Isaac asked.

“My Mom told my cousin I was here."

“That's bad?"

I looked from Isaac to Lydia at my feet, and back to Isaac. I didn't know how to say what I needed to without insulting Lydia. Well, she wasn't exactly hiding her feelings, so why should I? It's not like I was going to ever work with her again.

I took a deep breath.

“Well, my cousin is a lot like the first stylist who was here this morning. Only she tries to be a little less obvious” “Meaning?”

“Isaac, what did you think when you first met me?"

“This feels like a setup. Um, I thought you were guarded and making shrewd but smart business decisions.”

I smiled at the compliment, at least I thought it was one.

“I meant, how I looked" I gestured at myself.

He nodded. “I see where you're going with this. The first time I saw you, I understood why Nick insisted on you. The man likes curves and someone who doesn't look like they are a teenager. To be frank, you are a bit younger than I expected. I take it, your cousin...”

“Made unfortunate whale jokes when we went to the beach”

Lydia snickered.

“If she kicks you, Lydia, you deserved it. You need to finish and leave,” Isaac said in a conversational tone.

“Not everyone around here is a fatphobe, hun. But you will be seen with Nick. You are going to have to thicken up your skin and learn not to listen to the critics. You look stunning in this dress. And the next stylist will make sure you look just as gorgeous. Nick won't be able to take his eyes off you. And that's not something even I could have arranged”

“so this is my job, right? Look as pretty as I can, and let people insult me?”

“Your job is to look as pretty as you can and ignore the insults. What's that saying? Does the lion concern himself with the opinion of lambs? Be a lion, Kayla. Oh, that gives me an idea”

He grabbed his phone, but never took his eyes off me.

“Carly? Change of plans on the hair. Instead of some sophisticated updo, Kayla needs a main. She's got a ton of auburn hair, it's practically down to her ass”

There was a pause.

“What do you mean you need a picture? I sent one earlier?”

Another pause.

“Fine, I'll send more. See you this afternoon, hun”

He looked up at me and made a few twisted faces as he thought.

“I need to send pictures of your hair to the makeup artist”

I continued to do my best as a statue as Isaac took pictures of me and my hair. My feet were going numb, and I needed to pee.

Eventually, Lydia stood up. She didn't look at me, she said something to Isaac, looked at her phone for a long while, nodded, and then packed up her clothes rack and left.

“Are you ready for the next phase of getting ready?” Isaac asked.

“As long as it involves letting me go pee. I'm about to burst”

With a laugh he held up his hand to me, I took it and stepped off the dais.

“How do I get out of this thing?”