Chapter 38: Dress Delivery
Cassandra’s POV
“Holy crap!”
I couldn’t believe what I was seeing! Had I just caught Ellie cheating? For a moment, I stood there like a stunned idiot. Then I snapped back to my senses.
I wanted to get back to my cat without being noticed, so I slowly turned around to skulk my way back to my car.
“Cassandra?”
Shit. That was Ellie’s voice. She’d seen me. I turned around. Ellie glanced at me then pushed the man away. He stumbled a few steps, then scratched his head. He cast Ellie a look that I couldn’t quite see from my position at the bottom of the stairs. Ellie held the door open for him and he slinked through.
“What the hell are you doing here?” Ellie asked, turning to me, her hands on her hips. If she’d just been caught cheating, she sure wasn’t acting like it. She was acting like her normal, bitchy self.
I held up the garment bag. Ellie glanced at it, then saw the Hot House Flower logo.
“Oh my god,” she said, her expression changing. “Is that my dress?” Her face broke out into a smile.
“Yes,” I said dryly.
“Well what are you waiting for?” she quipped. “I asked for personal delivery. I’m up here.”
I resisted the urge to roll my eyes and started for the steps.
“Careful,” she called out. “Don’t let the dress drag on the steps. You can’t even begin to imagine how much that dress costs.”
This time, I couldn’t help it. I rolled my eyes. I arrived at the top of the steps. Ellie snatched the bag from my hands like a greedy little child.
“Well, there you go,” I said, eager to get going. The dress was delivered. The job was done. I had a lot of other work to attend to.
“Not so fast,” Ellie snapped. She unzipped the garment bag, just a crack, and peeked inside.
“It’s your dress,” I said.
“I can see that,” she said with disgust in her voice. “But I need to inspect myself. It was a complicated order and I want to make sure my instructions were followed.”
“I’ve seen the dress, Ellie,” I started. “I assure you…”
“Wait here,” she cut me off. “I’m taking it inside to look at it. You’re not to leave until I come back.”
“That’s really not necessary,” I sighed. I knew there weren’t any issues with the dress since I’d made it myself. She didn’t know that though, so I explained. “How about you bring it inside and take your time. If there are any issues, just contact the office. We’d…I mean ‘they’d‘ be happy to cover any issues at no extra charge.”
“You should shut up,” Ellie scoffed. “You don’t even know what you’re saying.”
“Excuse me?” I asked. I’d dealt with Ellie enough times now to know what she was like. But she was being so derogatory, and
for no good reason.
“You heard me. You’re just a stupid assistant. You don’t know anything about the actual dresses. It’s normal for the cli inspect the dress BEFORE the delivery girl leaves,” Ellie said haughtily.
No. That wasn’t normal at all. High–end clients took the package into their homes and thanked the delivery person. They had social graces. They didn’t treat people like slaves, demanding they wait out on the front step like dogs.
1/2
Chapter 38 Dress Delivery
That’s what I wanted to say, but it wasn’t worth it. So I said:
“Whatever you say, Ellie.”
“That’s better,” she said smugly. “I might be awhile.”
She opened her front door, the garment bag slung over her arm.
“Because of the man inside?” I let it slip out. I hadn’t meant to say t, but I was really perturbed by Ellie’s arrogance.
“No,” Ellie snapped angrily.
+25 BONUS
“No?” I repeated. “I just thought you’d want me to leave, so you could keep doing whatever it was I SAW you doing on the front step.”
I just wanted to go. I guess I figured if I called her out on what I’d seen, she’d be embarrassed and tell me to scram. But instead, she chastised me.
“That’s no way to talk to a client,” she huffed. “You’re just a dam assistant. You’re the bottom wrung of the ladder. How would your boss like it if I called and told her you were…talking lewdly to me? Threatening me, even?”
“I didn’t threaten you,” I said.
“Doesn’t matter. I’m the customer and the customer is ALWAYS right.”
Iglared at Ellie. She glared back.
“Look, I don’t know what you THINK you saw,” she told me, her voice low and threatening. “But I wouldn’t say anything if I were you. If you do, I’ll leave a scathing review of Hot House Flower all over social media, and I’ll blame you for it.”
Shit.
That was the last thing we needed. Hot House Flower had a really good reputation and a strong on–line presence. I intended to keep it that way.
Truth be told, I didn’t really care what Ellie did. If she was cheating on Jordyn, well, served him right. He’d cheated on me with Ellie, so what goes around comes around. Ellie had her dress now. Jordyn and I were officially divorced. Hopefully, I wouldn’t have to see Ellie again, or at least not for a long time.
She could screw whoever she wanted. But I wouldn’t let her ‘screw our company with a bad review. She simply wasn’t worth it. “Go on,” I sighed, turning away from her and crossing my arms. “Inspect the dress. I’ll wait here.”
“I thought so,” Ellie said triumphantly. Then she went back into her house.
I had to admit, I was surprised that Ellie was cheating. She seemed to really love Jordyn. I wondered for a moment who the man was. I hadn’t been able to see him very clearly.
Just then, though, I was struck with a strange feeling.
I felt like I’d seen that man before. But where?
I couldn’t quite recall.
