A Sea of Roses

"Really? You won't talk about it?" Leah followed her out of the consultation room and continued to nag her. Rose shook her head playfully while walked to her table.

It was just a few seconds later that she abruptly stopped in her track that caused Leah to bump right into her back.

"Ouch! Why did you stop suddenly?" Leah grumbled unhappily and rubbed her forehead.

"Err... This is my office, aye?" there was hesitation in her voice. She was adamantly sure this was her office at first , but why did it... Full of roses? The one that sat on her table was the biggest bouquet of all.

"If it is not your office, then where do you think we are now?"Leah still grumbling over the matter of bumping into Rose's back that caused her nose to be painful.

" I'm thinking of my grandmother's rose garden, " Rose couldn't masked her astonished voice as she uttered those words. Wow! A dreamy sight... What makes it even more dreamy was her office initially exuded warm and cozy feeling. The kind of feeling that made you feel at home, with all the gentleness and love.

Leah who was still grumbling over the unfairness of the pain that she experienced, peeked from behind her and totally dumbstruck by the sight of, if not too much, a sea of roses.

"Roses Rose! Roses!" she exclaimed loudly with all the excitement written all over her face. Rose rolled her eyes and groaned in displease, like she couldn't see it herself the sea of roses right in her office!

"Ellie!" She called one of her assistants, Ellie to come forward. Ellie was all smile and appeared energetic. Even Rose got the goosebumps seeing her over-energetic manners whereas Stephanie more timid and usually not talking too much.

"Who sent the roses over?" she inquired.

"Oh... It was delivered by the most popular florist in town called Heavenly Flowers Just For You. They sent them by a mini truck and of course they themselves arranged the roses in your office, miss. And oh, wait," she turned around and dashed to the counter to retrieve something. It looked like a card as Ellie ran back to her with it in her hand.

" Here. The handsome delivery boy asked me to pass this to you, "Rose took the card and carefully opened it to read the content.

'There maybe many flowers in a man' s life, but there is only one Rose.' Both the ladies were speechless with the words appeared to their line of sights. The handwriting indeed exquisite, with the right curves and strokes that made them appealing to the eyes that see them. Based on the handwriting, it was definitely not Mr Devon Luke, the so-called romantic man alive. Who was it? This was overwhelming!

" Oh my tender little poor heart... Why does it sound so sweet?" Leah pretended clutching her heart and sighed in content. Shock, surprise and bewilderment of everything that transpired that day, for the umpteenth time, she was totally exhausted to entertain such scenarios.

"Excuse me?" while the three of them still immersed in their own thinking, a matured and masculine voice could be heard and it was the type that could weaken one's knees thus plopped down to the ground.

"I'm here for the job as photographer," his face turned into three-part crimson as 3 pairs of eyes looked straight at him. No one had watched him in that way before.

Jeremy began to sweat profusely. If only he knew someone tricked him to take up this job for the sake of a lady called Rose, he won't do it, not even if he was rewarded with tons of cash. But, photographing was his career after all, and of course, it meant his soul. Thus, he willingly to accept the offer by that someone, and oh... anyway, he needed a job himself.

"Photographer? You're here for the interview?" Rose regained her composure and asked him directly. When the man nodded his head, Rose smiled sweetly at him. Ah... a handsome photographer in my gallery... It spelled 'TROUBLESOME'. Hmm... But right now, she was desperately needed to hire a photographer.

"I see..." she glanced at her signature Micheal Kors watch.

"Come, let's have some talk about your job and the pay." She brought him to the consultation room. But before she left, she instructed the the two ladies to move all the roses in her office to the front and make use of them to decorate the gallery into blooming rose gallery, except, the biggest bouquet that sat on her table.

"How did you find this job advertisement?" Jeremy momentarily stunned with the question posed to him. Uh, should he come clean and tell her that someone crazy sent him here? Nah... I'll be dead by then.

"Word of mouth, and, if I'm not mistaken, your partner posted about this job yesterday on the social media," he answered without batting his eyes.

"Uh... Yes. Miss Leah did post this job on the net . So, tell me, have you ever taking formal photos, like during a graduation ceremony, wedding ceremony?"

"Of course. I would say I am a professional freelance photographer and my photos usually featured in the leading magazines like National Geographic, Times even in Galaxy," the way he talked made her couldn't stop from smiling with giddiness.

"Perfect. Then, are you really willing to work for me, work for Queenie Majestic Gallery? I have to tell you in advance, we might need to work over the weekend too."

"Not a big deal. I love taking photos anywhere, anytime whenever I've got the feeling," Rose raised her eyebrow at his remark. Got the feeling... Indeed, got the feeling.

"Alright, if that is the case, then, let's sign the contract," she then called Leah to bring over the contract.

Jeremy thoroughly read the contract and was quite surprised at the pay provided. It was definitely worth his professionalism. He immediately signed his name and gave back the contract to Rose.

" Now next, let's give you a tour to our studios," Rose stood and gestured him to follow her, which he immediately complied.

"We have eight studios at Queenie Majestic Gallery. With these eight studios, we are able to provide the choices for our soon-to-be groom and bride to have their pictures capture. These eight studios represented different settings like, China's great Palace, Cherry Blossom in Korea, Romantic night in Paris, Royalty Garden in England, and so forth. I think you can take a look at them yourself, " Jeremy was astonished upon listening to her descriptions of the eight studios. Eight studios, for God's sake! No wonder they were occupied the whole 8-storey building.

So the studios were occupied fourth floor all the way to eighth floor. Second floor was the display of dresses from bridal to bridesmaids to evening gowns. And the third floor was their designing team to design their own signature wedding dresses including the evening gowns. And another group was to design the perfect pictures for the couples based on their clients preference. Everything about Queenie Majestic Gallery impressed him beyond words.

"So, I hope that you will be able to adapt to this big family of Queenie in no time. And of course, welcome board to Queenie!" Rose extended her hand and Jeremy quickly took her hand and gave her firm handshake that imply his willingness to work hard for Queenie. Maybe it was not a bad idea after all that someone sent him here.