Just Something about You

Part 22 - Beginning of the end

Millie kept her phone off all day
By 6pm she felt somewhat more human.
She needed to focus on work and shut herself away from the world for a while. She knew Dex would worry and be annoyed with her ignoring him but he had to understand that being with him and the life he led was tough and he was just going to have to let her deal with it how she wanted to. The only godsend was that it appeared that Sophie hadn't seen any of the magazine stories otherwise she'd have been in Millie's face about it the second she got into work this morning.

She hoped today was going to be exciting, a step in he right direction for her career, she expected to hear from big name brands and world renowned fashion stores wanting to work with her, but the entire day had passed and nothing, it had been like any other day in the office, she hadn't even had any feedback from anyone from their own team or Mr Salvatore.
Millie was just packing up her things to leave when Ricco stuck his head around the door.
"Can Mr S see you upstairs for a minute please Miss Vine" he smiled.
"Mr S senior or YOU?! And what for?"
Asked Millie, rolling her eyes, Ricco smiled,
"You'll see" he replied. Millie grabbed her bag and shoved some files into it quickly, she shut the blinds, turned the lights off and followed him down the hallway, sneakily watching his butt which looked beyond amazing in his tight black suit.

On the top floor of the office building Ricco led her into his Dad's office, she was surprised, she thought Ricco was just going to drag her into his office for something silly and unimportant.

"Ah Amelie" said Mr Salvatore in his deep Italian accent,
"Please, take a seat" he gestured for her to sit at his desk, Ricco stood in the doorway behind. Mr Salvatore liked Millie, he had often made comments to Ricco about what a lovely daughter in law she would make, he knew his son was gay but still seemed to hold out a little hope that he would settle down with a girl and provide grandchildren some day, he was of a different generation.
"Amelie" he started. Millie wondered why he always used her full name, he knew she preferred Millie and she hated the sound of Amelie.
"How is your weekend fixed?..." Millie began to think, interrupted before her mind could even process the question.
"Well I'm sending Ricco to New York tomorrow for a few days. I need some distribution issues sorted and I have a couple of meetings he's going to attend in my place because I'm tied up in London until late on Friday." Mr Salvatore had a habit of waffling on and never getting to the point. Millie glanced behind at Ricco and he winked at her she knew he would have volunteered himself for that trip thought Millie, considering his new beau lived in New York.
Mr Salvatore was still waffling on with a life story of his week, Millie had already switched off.

"So, after the success of your show yesterday I've set up a meeting for you with a couple of big US designer stores who all expressed interest in you..Gucci etc"
Millie heard Gucci and suddenly sat up straight.
"Gucci?" said Millie, she was definitely listening now.
"Yes.. and some other.." Mr Salvatore tried to explain but Millie cut him off in her excitement
"What am I doing with Gucci" she asked, fidgeting in her chair
"They contacted me about some kind of luggage collaboration, bag thing.. I don't know, you'll have to find out" said Mr Salvatore
"Oh my god!" shrieked Millie
"So can you go with Ricco?" asked Mr. Salvatore he didn't need to ask, Millie had already packed her suitcase in her head, she was going alright!
"Yes, absolutely!" she squealed, leaping out of her chair, she was already almost out the door
"Amelie" called Mr Salvatore
"Yes, Sir?" she replied, turning back
"I wasn't finished" he replied
"Oh. Sorry Sir" She said making her way back to the desk
"Amelie you've had a fantastic year here and shown you have a real knack for this industry. I've heard nothing but amazing feedback from your collection at London fashion week. Everyone loved you, all the big brands were talking about you! I was so impressed. With that in mind I'm giving you a promotion. I'd like to make you a head designer in charge of international design" Mr Salvatore explained. Millie was in shock, she didn't expect that at all.
She squealed a sound so high pitched she was surprised it was even audible to Mr Salvatore but from the screwed up expression on his face it definitely was.
"Oh my goodness! Thank you! Thank you sir" Millie gushed.
"Now it will mean you travelling a lot more, are you going to be ok with that? You'll need to visit our stores in Paris, Milan, Tokyo, New York, Los Angeles and Barcelona whenever its needed so it's quite different to your current role, do you think you're up for the challenge?" Asked Mr Salvatore.
"Yes, of course, I'd love to do that!" She replied.
"Good. I'll get Ricco to brief you on full details of the position but for now go off and get packed for New York" he relied
"Thank you so much Mr Salvatore" said Millie as she turned to Ricco, her smile couldn't have been bigger! She had forgotten all about Dex! She was climbing the career ladder faster than she'd ever imagined.
Ricco put his arm around her as they headed downstairs.
"Congrats babe" he said, giving her a squeeze. You'll get to come with me on all my work trips now" said Ricco. Millie couldn't imagine a better job than travelling the world with her best friend. She hoped she had got the promotion on her own merit though and that Ricco hadn't talked his dad into it.
"Do I have you to thank for this?" She asked
"No, I swear this was as much of a surprise to me as it was to you! You did this babes" he replied. That only made it 10x more exciting for Millie.

Millie wanted to talk to Dex, her mood had lifted so much that she finally felt able to talk to him and he was always the first person she wanted to tell any good news to.
She sat in the passenger seat of Ricco's car driving home from work.
"Do you mind if I call Dex?" She asked
"No, of course not" he replied, hoping she wasn't going to go all gushy after her big work news and just forgive and forget what Dex had done.
She switched her phone on and messages immediately started beeping as they came through, one after another they kept coming.

DEXTER ROSE
DEXTER ROSE
DEXTER ROSE
MUM
DEXTER ROSE
LEXI
MUM
AMBER WILLIS
DEXTER ROSE
DEXTER ROSE
RICCO SALVATORE
JESSE HENDRY

Ignoring them all she called Dex, not knowing what the time was or where he'd be right now.
"Millie!" Said Dex, her name never sounded so good
"Hi" she replied quietly
"I've been worried about you" he said
"Sorry, I needed some space" said Millie, Dex didn't totally understand that, they were apart more often than they were together, how much more space could she need but he kept quiet knowing she was as mad at him.
"Mil, those pictures you sent from the magazine, that's Jess, not me" he explained.
Well actually one is me, only the one on the couch but she was drunk and annoying me! I didn't want her anywhere near me, you can ask Mac, he will confirm it. I promise Mil. I have no interest in her whatsoever."
Millie wasn't sure what to believe, it didn't seem believable that he was only admitting to the one photo where his face was clearly visible. After temporarily lifting following her great day at work Millie could feel the dark cloud that was hanging over her return and she felt like she couldn't breathe again as her heart was strangled.

"Really?" She asked, sarcastically, putting her phone on loud speaker so Ricco could hear
"Yes, the night the rest of the photos were taken I was in bed on the bus, the girls came in and Jesse and Isy went off to get Pizza, I stayed in my bunk.. texting you! Isy came up to my bunk and was trying to get me to go out but I told her to go away and after her annoying friend flashes a camera in my face she left with Jesse. Mac can confirm that." He explained, Millie wanted to believe him so much.
"But I found her number in your hoody pocket" said Millie, Ricco looked over at her, not knowing that.
"She did give Mac her number to pass on to me.. but I just screwed it up and intended to put it in the bin, I forgot it was even in my pocket" he explained. There was a pause
".....Jesse fucked her the night those pictures were taken, believe me she's got no interest in me anymore" said Dex. She wanted nothing more than what he was saying to be true. But her mind turned to Cat, how would she be feeling if she knew Jesse slept with Isy, he was in New York, where he lived with Cat! They were supposed to be getting married next spring! If he was even telling the truth, Jesse was an easy target.

"Oh" Millie didn't know what to say, she didn't want to start an argument but she wasn't convinced. Her head was filled with thought, did she even know him? Was he just a really good actor at pretending he cared when really he was just as bad as Jesse when she wasn't around. And if he was telling the truth Millie felt sad for Cat and yet still humiliated that the whole world thought it was Dex, whether it was or not.
"How long are you in New York for?" She asked
"Uh...until Sunday morning" he replied
"Oh, I'm coming to New York for work on Friday, I'm there until Wednesday" she explained, she was slightly gutted that he wasn't there for long but she was sure the next time she saw him would end in a fight anyway so maybe it was for the best.
"I will see if I can get out of anything and get a bit more time with you" he said
"Ok" she replied, unenthusiastically. She couldn't 100% be sure that it was Jesse in the pictures, it could have easily been either of them.
They were both so similar looking. She needed more proof than just his word, but wasn't sure she was ever going to get it. She wanted to trust him, but in reality she hadn't known him that long and wasn't sure she truly knew who he was yet. She hoped talking to him in person would help her to believe him, but the sinking feeling in her stomach told her this was the beginning of the end.

Millie and Ricco chatted all the way home, she was so pleased to have her best friend back, Amber had been working late shifts for a few weeks and they'd become like ships that pass in the night at home lately. She missed having someone to talk to, or just some company outside of work.
She loved to talk about Dex and knew that Ricco would happily listen and would never tell a soul anything that she told him.
Ricco dropped her off at home, she leaned in the window and kissed him on the forehead.
"Thanks babe, see you at the airport" she said as she turned to walk towards her & Amber's house.
"Don't bring that tatty old suitcase or I won't be seen with you!" Ricco joked.