Job meetings and getting nervous

Clary's P.O.V:

After Leon left, I started getting dressed to go to my company and also to prepare my things for my meeting with Isabelle Moon. I got into my closet and started rummaging through it to try to find something suitable for the meeting, and I settled on wearing a blazer with jeans and a white top underneath, a not-too-formal look.

When I was done with my makeup and hair, I started getting my things ready to go out when my phone rang, and it was Alexis.

"Hey Clary. How are you doing? I missed you so much," she said as soon as I picked up, which made me laugh.

"I missed you too, Lexi; we haven't talked since the other night in the club," I said.

"Yeah, I'm sorry, I was just busy."

"It's okay; don't worry about it." I said, "I have the most exciting news ever."

"Really, what is it?" She asked immediately.

"Well, who is my favourite Hollywood star that I have always dreamed of meeting and designing for?"

" Isabelle Moon? What about her?" she asked, confused.

"Well, I have a meeting with her today at 6 because she is looking for a new designer."

"Oh my god! Oh my god! For real?" she shouted

"Yes, for real." "Actually, Leon is the one who got me that opportunity, and I am really grateful for him."

"Oh, that fiance of yours is so sweet," she said.

"Oh, shut up!" I said, rolling my eyes.

"Ok, so you are meeting with Isabelle Moon today? Can I come with you, please?" She said, begging.

"No, sorry, but next time for sure," I said.

"Ok, then I will leave you to it. I just missed you, so I decided to call you and see how you were doing. So when you are free, call us and stop being so ignorant," she said jokingly.

"Yes, of course I will call you; I am just so busy these days."

"It's okay, baby."

"OK, see you then."

"Yeah, bye," she said as she hung up.

I grabbed my bag and my laptop, then made my way out of the house to my car and went to the company.

^^^^^^^^^^

After a while, I arrived at the company and was met by Ashley, my assistant.

"Hey Ashley. "How are you doing?"

"Hey Clary, I'm fine."

"How are the designs going?" i aasked

"They are almost finished; we are just waiting for your designs and your approval for the other ones, and then we will be ready to start making them for the show."

"Ok, good job. Bring them to me in the office so I can have a look at them, but not today." I said, "Today, I want you to get me all my previous designs because I want to take a look at them and prepare myself because I have an important meeting today."

"Okay, Clary, I will get them ready as soon as possible."

"Oh, and Ashley, send me Joy West to my office," I said, and she nodded and went to her office.

I went to my office and started completing my designs. I had only about 5 designs left to make, which were pretty easy.

After a while, Ashley came in.

"Clary, I have sent the designs you asked for to you via email." "Make sure to take a look at them, and if you need anything, I will be in my office," she said.

"Ok, thank you, Ash." "I don't know what I would have done without you," I said.

"You would probably be very lost," she said jokingly. "After all, I am the one who does all the work."

"Yeah, that's true," I said, laughing. "You told Joy that I wanted her."

"Yes, she said she would get here right away."

"Ok, thank you." I said, "Oh, can you get me a cup of coffee, please?"

"yes of course , i'll make it for you "she said

With that, she left, and returned after a few minutes with my coffee and I was just finishing the last of my designs when someone knocked on the door. I assume that it's Joy.

"Come in," I said, and as I expected, it was Joy. "Hey, Joy, how are you?"

"I'm fine, Ms. Jones," she said shyly.

"You can call me Clary," I said. "Come in, have a seat; I want your opinion on something."

"My opinion?" she asked, shocked.

"Yes, you are one of the best designers we have here at the company, so why not?" I said, shrugging. I mean, she really was good, and mom liked her design a lot, and I really wanted her to overcome her shyness. I opened my laptop, opened the file Ashley sent me, and then turned to Joy.

"Ok, Joy, I want you to go through this file and tell me which designs you like the most." I turned the laptop to her and then grabbed a seat and sat beside her in order to be able to see as well.

She nodded and started going through the file. She would stop at every design for a while, taking in the details.

Every once in a while, she would tell me she liked one of the designs.

After some hours, we were finished with all the designs, and honestly, Joy has a good eye and good potential. I think she would be a great success if the right efforts were made. She chose every design I would have chosen, and not only that, when I asked her why she chose that design, she would explain to me every detail in the design as if she were the one who designed it.

"Thank you so much, Joy." "You were of great help to me."

"Really? Me?" She said her eyes were widening in the process.

"Yes, really you; you are really good, Joy," I said truly.

"Thank you so much, Ms. Jo... um... I mean Clary."

"No need, Joy; if you need anything, you can come to me any time, and if I'm not here, you may take my number from Ashley as you go out, and you can call me any time you want."

"Ok, thank you so much," she said, and then she went out.

After a bit of working, I looked at my watch to see what time it was only to find it already 4, so I decided to call Leon to ask him if he would like me to go over there or if he was busy, so I called him and he answered on the third ring.

"Hey Leon, sorry if I called at the wrong time, but I just wanted to ask you something," I said, worried that I had interrupted a meeting or something.

"No, it's okay, Clary. I'm not busy; I was just about to call you anyway," he said. "What is it that you wanted to ask about?"

"Ok, I wanted to ask about the meeting we have later today, so the thing is, I'm in my company right now and I have already finished, so I wanted to ask if it's okay if I come over ."

"No, no, it's okay; of course, you can come over whenever you like," he said quickly. "But it's just that I have a meeting in about half an hour and I won't be free till 6, so I don't know if you would like sitting alone."

"Yeah, okay, it's alright; I'll just go wait at home," I said.

"Ok, I'm really sorry."

"It's okay."

"OK bye"

" Bye "

I hung up and sighed, then got my things and went on my way to the house.

After I arrived home, I laid down my things and went to the kitchen. I needed to eat something since I hadn't eaten anything since the breakfast with Leon and had only had another coffee in the office other than the one I had with Leon. I started to look for something to eat, but then I decided against eating and decided to have another cup of coffee. I mean, coffee isn't bad. I started drinking while going through my files again for the hundredth time.

I don't know why I am so nervous; it's not like this is the first time I meet up with a client to make them work with me.

Yes, it's not the first time, but this is Hollywood celebrity Isabelle Moon, so you have a right to be nervous.

As I was making another cup of coffee, like the fourth one today, Leon came home.

"Hey Leon. How are you?" I asked cheerfully when he came in.

"Um.. good," he said, confused. "What are you doing, Clary?"

"I am making a cup of coffee, and I am going to look over my files one more time before we go." I said, "Of course, let's go now that it's already six thirty. We need to go or we might be late."

"No, we still have plenty of time," he said as he sat down and started reading papers he got from work.

After some time, while I was waiting impatiently watching him read his papers

I was ready. He was a moron, though not so much.

"You done with that?" I groaned.

"You asked that just a second ago, and the answer is still the same. No. Relax; it is only six thirty, and your meeting starts at eight. Don't pester me, Clary." He said it with a snooty look on his face. If only I could wipe that snooty look with an eraser or something...

"Ass," she mutters under her breath. "If your head grows any bigger, you won't fit in inside this house." He looked like he was enjoying it as he leaned back in his seat, more comfortable, and quirked his brows. Those hazel eyes were shining.

"You are really enjoying it, aren't you?" I said, and then I went back to begging. "Please, please, Leon. What if we got stuck in traffic? Come on. Get up. Oh, you... Move your lazy ass, Leon."

"Oh my god, you are talking like a broken tape recorder." He shook his head, and his hair fell over his forehead.

This was really not the time to think about how sexy it looked like that, all messy and bedraggled, but the thought sneaked in like a thief. I couldn't help it. My heart and body were working against my brain.

Traitors. The whole lot of them

"You are an abomination. You are—you are...," I said as I picked up my cup of coffee. It was probably a bad idea.

"If you ever find anything to finish that retort, give me a call." He smirked and shrugged. "Better yet, don't. It will be blah."

"Haha. Super cute.Not," I said as I threw a pencil at him, and he ducked.

"You are so annoying." He said this as he threw his papers down. Finally. Success.

"You are annoying. You are the king of annoying." I said poking my tongue out at him.

"God, Alex, I will read the damn paper tomorrow for God's sake. Come on, let's go now before you decide to throw a pan or something." He said it with a frown as he stood up with an exasperated look on his face.

We wore our coats and were getting ready when he said,

"You've got your files and the laptop?"

"Yep. Done and done. I feel like... Oh, my head is spinning. Really."

This time, it wasn't because of Leon. No shit.

"How many cups of coffee did you have?" He looked at me with wariness.

"Only three," I said, rolling my eyes. He didn't need to know it was the largest mug they had in the kitchen, and it excluded the one I was drinking now. "And it is all good. I am so, so good. Fantastic. I am freat, I mean, gine. I mean, fine. So geeling freat. Feeling great."

"Ugh. Stop talking. Three? God! You don't sound good. You don't look like you are geeling freat." He narrowed his eyes at me and said, "You sound high. You sound giddy and tipsy. I mean, can you really get drunk on coffee?" He rubbed his cheeks. "Princess. Did you eat anything at all?"

"Umm, the thing is, coffee is amazingly wonderful, and I don't get high from it." And I can't eat. My stomach is pregnant, shit, I mean, p-popping-"

"Sure, you are not high." He scoffed. "You are such a child, Clary. Put it away." He grabbed my sleek black leather bag off my hand and put it on the table. Then he grabbed my hands and dragged her like she was a sack of potatoes to their kitchen table. He grabbed the plate of eggs I had put away and a glass of juice and placed them in front of me. I shook my head.

"I really can't, Leon." I really can't fall for you. I felt tired. I felt drained. Crashing from a sugar high?

"You are strung so tight. You need to eat, or you are going to mess it up. You cannot run on coffee."

"Please." Please don't be like this to me. "Please, Leon."

If only he could hear my thoughts.

"You are eating, or we are not moving away from the table." He warned me as he looked at his watch. "And it looked like you only have forty-five minutes left." He looked at me pointedly.

"Bossy." I grabbed a fork. "Smug, arrogant little..."

"That again?"

"No sorry"

"Ok, please just eat."

It was these small things, small totally unexpected deeds and acts of kindness that made Leon who he was.

Rose and thorn.

Granite and velvet.

Hard and soft.

He was a weird combination of the both. And it made my head spin and my heart stumble.

When I finished eating, Leon drove me towards Isabelle Moon's house.

Here I come, Isabelle.

Leon's P.O.V:

Clary was twitching in her seat all the way to Isabelle's house, and I couldn't help but chuckle. She gave me a glare when she noticed me.

The blazer she was wearing fit her nicely. It was perfection. She was perfection.

It made her look mature and sleek. Sharp. Like she could do it all and some more.

I hope that Isabelle will see Clary's passion and her talent. Would give her a chance to prove herself.

I stopped the car in front of the tall house and called Isabelle. She buzzed me in, and I parked in front of the huge house that looked like it was from the Victorian era. It was old, rustic, and majestic, a symbol of time and art. A symbol of creative genius.

"This is so beautiful." Clary whispered, her voice reverent. Her eyes were wide, and her cheeks were flushed as her eyes swivelled around as she took in everything.

She looked breathtaking. My hands had minds of their own. I watched with confusion as my fingers made a trail on her red cheeks.

"W-what are you-you d-doing?" Her voice was barely a whisper..

"A good luck kiss?" I said this before I pulled her to me. She responded like a matchstick would respond to kerosene. Almost immediately. They made fire together. They would burn together.

I touched her tongue with mine, gently and softly, and she gasped and moaned. My breath mingled with hers, and I felt alive. I felt something I had not felt in a long time.

I felt young. And free.

Her hands made a beeline to my back, and she pushed it inside my suit jacket. The moment her skin touched my naked skin, I wanted to pull her to me and explode together. It would be so easy. It's so easy to let emotions overtake me. Control me. To destroy me. Them.

My body went tighter. Her fingers pulled me by the hair. Closer still. And as I let his mouth trail lower, I could hear her muttering.

"What am I doing?"

I had asked myself the same, but I just knew I couldn't stop now. Maybe tomorrow. Tomorrow, I wouldn't be so feeble to resist her.

But emotions were always dangerous. Emotions would make you lose your sight. Lose your way.

"You shouldn't do this." She said this as she pushed me away. But her hand stayed on my chest.

"It was for luck," I said with a coolness I didn't really feel.

Emotions weaken you.

"Why don't I believe for a moment that you are not a man who believes in luck? You believe in hard work. In talent. In opportunities, Leon Black Not in luck, and yet here you are, kissing me for luck?"

It was true.

I was also the man who believed in keeping calm no matter what. A man who believed that level-headed decisions and a fire for more could bring you to the top

"I am not. You see, you may or may not find Noah Moon wandering the..." The thought of Noah Moon was like a prickly heat on my skin.

"Oh God, oh God, will he really be here?" She gushed.

"See. This is why you have to remember you are supposed to be mine for a year." Mine.

"God, how the heck can I forget that when your grumpy face is so in my face all the time?" And then she flushed. "Not in my face, like in my face. Just.. So, ugh. You make me crazy."

"I get it." I smirked at her. "I make you crazy." She threw a rolled-up tissue at me.

"Shut up and get down." I did as she said, and she followed me, muttering something.

As soon as we got down, we saw Isabelle walking towards us.

"She looks so regal. I think I am going to puke."

"Please don't. This one is a new shirt."

"Gee. Thanks so much for your concern, for your dumb shirt."

He was interrupted by Isabelle.

"Hello, Leon Black. And this must be Clarissa? Clarissa...?"

"Clarissa Jones," she said.

"You are Rob Jones' daughter?" Isabelle asked with a smile. "You are. Aren't you? You were so young when we met."

"Mom, is your new fashion designer already here?" It was unmistakably the nasal voice—ok, maybe not so much—of Noah.

He came bounding towards them, like an overeager puppy, with a big, blinding smile on his face and a halo over his blonde head.

He is disgustingly handsome. I narrowed my eyes at the man.

He stopped in front of me, looked at me, and smirked. "Oh, it is black." How are you?"

"I am good; thank you," I said with a sarcastic smile.

"Umm?" Clary looked at us. "Leon?" I looked into her puzzled eyes.

"They have always been like that. Don't mind them." Isabelle said to Clary

My body went rigid as Noah stepped in front of Clary. My Clary.

He pushed a hand towards her.

She took it.

"You are a fashion designer? Are you sure you are not a model? Don't pull my legs."

"No."

Clarissa Jones giggled. Really giggled.

Dammit

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