Once Upon A Time(72)

Twenty minutes later, I was alone in the office except for Kate, who was in her office with several makeup artists and hair stylists, touching her up before she was ready to leave. When I looked at the clock, it was 5pm. I knew if I was going to make it to Alpha, I’d have to leave now and it didn’t look like it was going to happen.

My cell pinged from my desk, alerting me to a text message.



GABRIEL: Leo will pick you up at 7:30. I keep thinking about you in that dress.



I sighed. I hadn’t told Gabriel about what Kate had done, I thought I had it in the bag. I wanted to get it all done without having to tell him I might not make it. Now I'd have to tell him that I wouldn’t be there for the opening of his newest club.



ME: I’m stuck at work. I can’t leave. I’m sorry, I won’t be able to make it.



I sent the text and threw my cell back on my desk as I lay back on the floor, surrounded by paper. The sound of my office door opening had me quickly sitting upright.

“I’m leaving. I want this done by midnight, Payton. Your job's on the line. This is standard account manager stuff and well, if you can’t do that, then you’re not needed here,” she said smugly, checking her reflection in a compact mirror before firing a devious smirk my way and exiting the building with her stylists trailing behind her.

I lay back down and swallowed the lump in my throat and the tears forming in my eyes. I hated my boss but I loved my job. I hated that I sat in the middle of the room surrounded by paperwork when I should’ve been by Gabriel’s side. I was in my own living hell.

“Okay, honey pie, get your ass off that disgusting floor.” I turned to find Quinn standing in the doorway of my office, welding a curling iron and a tube of lip gloss.

“What are you doing here? You need to get on the road if you want to make the opening ceremony,” I said, furrowing my brow.

“Nope. Butt off the floor and in the chair.” He pointed to the chair at my desk. Defeated, I complied. He stepped into my office, revealing Kylie with a familiar white box and a smaller box probably housing shoes. What were they doing?

Kylie, as usual, looked stunning. Wearing a deep purple ball gown with a large split up her left thigh and her hair placed in a chignon. Quinn wore a matching deep purple tux and looked fabulous.

“What are you guys up to?” I asked suspiciously.

“I’m the fairy.” Quinn chuckled.

“Quinn, you came out back in high school. I’m sure everyone knows ”

Kylie rolled her eyes and barged past Quinn, placing the boxes on my desk. That’s when I realized exactly what they were up to. Sitting in front of me was the Vera Wang box with my dress and what looked like a brand new shoebox with the Louboutin logo on it.

“No,” I protested, throwing my hands up in surrender. “You’re not making up. I’m not going tonight, I have to get this paperwork done before midnight or I’m going to be fired.”

“Damn it, she’s evil!” Quinn shrieked, referring to Kate.

“We have a solution to that,” Kylie butted in, turning to my door. “Well, Gabriel did. Leo!” she hollered and in walked Leo, Gabriel’s driver.

“This isn’t happening.” I groaned, throwing my head in my hands.

“This is happening,” Kylie threw back. “Leo is going to finish this paperwork for you and we’re going to get your ready for Alpha.”

“Kylie, Kate is at the opening night. If she or the band of skanks see me, they’ll know I’m not at the office dealing with this.” I pointed at the paperwork.

“We have a solution for that.” Quinn smiled, opening the box which held the Vera Wang dress, revealing not only the dress but a silver masquerade mask. “She won’t even know it’s you.”

Kylie winked, flashing me a smile. So that’s what Quinn meant by being a fairy. Everything made a little more sense but I still didn’t like the idea. I was in an internal battle. I wanted to go but I wanted to keep my job.

“This is the final obstacle, Payton,” Leo said out of nowhere.

He smiled warmly at me and I decided if I was going to lose my job, I’d lose it in style with Gabriel by my side.

“Fine.” I sighed.

Within seconds, Kylie and Quinn pounced, pulling me from my chair and dragging into the office bathroom. Orders came from left, right and center. Quinn added mascara to my lashes once Kylie helped me into the dress. Then there was the battle with my hair as Quinn styled it half-up, half-down while Kylie went back to my office to retrieve the shoebox and mask.

“We have to go,” Kylie said when she came back.

Without getting a good look at my reflection, I was pulled from the bathroom and out of the building, leaving behind Leo, and following my friends into a waiting limo.