Falling For My Playboy Boss
Chapter 23

Cora's POV

"Hello, how did you all like the show? What did you think?" I asked as I walked up to the group.

"It was wonderful. I already liked Mateo before we got here, but I loved all the clothes in the show, and I think that this is exactly what my husband and I were looking for. Victoria told us that this was your idea, and I am so glad you suggested it. I didn't actually know what we were looking for, but you hit the nail on the head. It would be our pleasure to talk with him about his vision for the future and see where it leads us. I hope he will be out soon, as I am really excited about this and would love to see if he had time to go to dinner with us tonight and discuss his future plans with us. You, my dear, are absolutely stunning and you did an excellent job up there", the wife tells me.

Victoria introduces the family as being Jackson and Billie Adams, and their beautiful daughter Ella. I see Jerry Siler heading our way now with his wife, Margo, and his son, Christian.

"Well, Jackson, what did you think of the show?" Jerry asks Jackson Adams as he reaches out his hand and shakes hands with Jackson.

"We all loved it and my wife and daughter both agree that this is where we want to invest. This was a very innovative idea, and from the time Victoria told us that we had tickets to the show, from the excitement that Billie and Ella had, I knew that this was probably the route we wanted to take.

"Well, this lovely young lady here was the brains behind the idea," Jerry says and taps me on my shoulder.

I blush and say, "Well they wanted something artistic, but not art for their wall, so I consider these pieces to be wearable art, and Mateo is a really good man, and a fabulous designer. He helped me out when I needed help, and I am proud to model for him as long as he wants me to", I tell them.

"You looked beautiful up there, Shea", Christian tells me, and I blush again. "Would you like to go out with me sometime?"

"Sure, anytime, just let me know when Christian," I told him.

I saw Mateo heading our way and stepped over to introduce him to the investors and the group. I introduced him to everyone, and I noticed him taking an interest in Ella, and her blushing and looking down, so I figured that I would make it easier on them both and say, "Mateo, Mr. Adams here was interested in taking you out to dinner tonight and discussing where you see your line going? I know both Mrs. Adams and Ella here both love your designs and are so excited about your upcoming designs. Ella especially has several pieces and loves your work. I believe that she might be interested in maybe modeling on the catwalk as well. She is absolutely beautiful and if she is interested, she can always get up there and model with us" I taper off and gently push Mateo closer to Ella, and she blushes again and looks down. I may have to encourage them a little more, but I see a spark here, and this makes me so happy.

Jerry and Victoria both nod slightly in approval at me and I excuse myself and head over to my other group. I am still riding high on the show and super happy when I hear Maddie's shrill voice talking asking "What the hell are you doing here, and in those rags? This is a high fashion show, and you look like that. I truly don't even know how you even got let in here dressed like a homeless person." I looked over to see Collin talking to Dalton and Nicolas with Maddie standing next to Collin and looking at me. "She is friends with the designer, so she is, of course, his guest", Catherine says as she steps in front of me.

"Well, she should think of her appearance more. She looks like she rolled out of bed and came straight here. I can't believe that she would even be friends with him. That seems like a stretch" Maddie said. That then gave me a smirk, as she stepped slightly behind Collin.

"Well, that shows exactly how little you do know Maddie, as she is indeed my friend, and my guest" I heard Mateo say from behind me. He continues to speak, "As rude as you are and me trying to have a drama-free zone for shows, I want you to know from my own mouth, that you can stop getting your Agent to call me. I have a new star for my runway, as you just saw earlier, and I just picked up three new models today. That is if Ava agrees to model for me?" He finishes and then looks over at Ava. I hear the start of a squeal behind me as Ava finally registered what he said.

"I would be honored to model for you Mateo" heard Ava gasp out.

I smile over at Ava and wink at her, I then see her and Emily almost hopping up and down in their excitement and that makes me smile, plus not having additional drama behind the scenes is a big plus as well. I am so glad that Brandi is gone, and that Maddie will not be back there with us to cause problems before the show.

"You mean you would pass up an opportunity to work with me, over these two girls, you must be out of your mind. You do know that a model is supposed to be thin, right, and attractive. I saw several girls on your stage today that really didn't need to be there" Maddie said, and then looked over at Emily.

"Excuse me? I know you just didn't look at Emily when you said that because you are totally wrong. Emily is absolutely beautiful, inside and out, as is Ava. You, on the other hand, are only pretty on the outside. You are ugly on the inside and trust me when I tell you that looks fade, and all that will be left is an ugly outside that matches your ugly inside. So, if I were you, I would go ahead and get cracking on trying to pretend that I was a good person to try to get married while you still look good because when they figure out what they have actually gotten a hold of, they will be sorry. Very, very sorry at what they actually have gotten themselves a hold of." I told her and watched her jaw drop.

"Are you going to stand here and let your frumpy assistant speak to me like that? I hope you are going to do something about it because she has no business lying about me like that", Maddie says.

"I am sorry, refresh my memory, which part was a lie?" I said to her, and I have no idea how I have gotten so bold, but I am sick of her talking about people that I care about, myself included. I felt Catherine lean over and put her arm around my waist in a show of solidarity with me in front of Maddie, and Mateo came to stand next to her. I then felt another arm come around my other side and glance over and see Marlow, Ava, Emily, and then Abigail, all lined up next to me in support of what I had just told Maddie. I see Dalton come over to stand next to his mother, and Nicolas come to stand next to Mateo, and I see Collin's face getting madder and madder, as now he is standing alone with Maddie after she was in the wrong.

"You have no business speaking to her like that, she is allowed to express her opinion, Cora," Collin said.

"Yes, she does, as do I. She attacked me first and then lit into Emily, and your own sister. If you forgot, why would you let this evil troll speak badly about your own sister, and for no reason to attack, it is totally unwarranted. She should have been taught the same as us in "If you don't have anything nice to say, keep it to yourself". She had no reason to attack me, Emily, or Ava, but apparently, now that she can't model for Mateo, she is going to just be abusive to whoever she wants to, well, not in front of me. Plus, yes, you are my boss, but this is not work, so you really shouldn't have any say in what I do during my downtime. Sir," I tell him, and I hear Catherine agree with me.

"I agree with Cora. I also heard Maddie. She pointed out that she thought Mateo was making a mistake in offering to let your sister, who is beautiful by the way, as I have no ugly children, model for him. She also spoke badly to Mateo, asking him if he was "out of his mind", and then criticized your sister's figure and her face, which are both stunning, but I guess you will see that at the next show if you are allowed to come to the next show", Marlowe said to Collin. Marlowe continues, "So, you really need to think about who was in the wrong here. She attacked Cora the moment she stepped up into the group. You didn't see her out here dressed like that during the show, and she was probably helping out backstage, where she couldn't be seen, so why in the world after everyone is gone, would Maddie decide to pull out her b***h card, and use it? I already told you to get away from her, but every time I see you, there she is. I really don't know what you are thinking, Collin. I am actually getting disappointed in you with this behavior you are displaying" Marlowe finishes speaking and just shakes her head.

Mateo pulls me away after Maddie and Collin walk away from the group and asked me to go to dinner with him and the Adams tonight and I agree to go with him. I am going to use this opportunity to get Ella and Mateo together.