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“Raphael Teresse. I have an appointment.”
“Of course, Mr. Teresse. I’ll page Mr. Kane right away.” She smiled up at me, practically batting her eyelashes.
I got this treatment from almost everyone I met. Something about me drew people in. I wish I knew what it was so I could downplay it more. People bothered me, and I preferred few.
To avoid pointless small talk with the smitten receptionist, I looked around the waiting area. The stark minimalist decor didn’t impress, nor did it line up with the vision I had for my latest endeavor.
When I checked out their work, I expected to see more flair, something to set them apart. Some color, maybe? Their online portfolios had spoken to me, but my hackles were up. Something was amiss.
I was no expert, but this generic office setting wasn’t what I had in mind.
If I call now, I can probably move up my second meeting time...
“Mr. Teresse! Great to see you. Derrick, Head of Design.”
The paunchy man extended a hand, and we shook. I didn’t offer up any pleasantries. It didn’t slip my notice that the receptionist had called him Mr. Kane, but he’d introduced himself with his first name. That small detail made me even wearier. Derrick stared at me for a beat with beady eyes hidden behind horn-rimmed glasses.
“If you’ll follow me, we have everything set up for you in the conference room.”
“Thank you.”
Derrick had the smile of an imposter. He was a short, portly man with thinning hair and the lines of a frown etched around his stern mouth. Everything about the man seemed wrong for the job. The blatant blandness threatened to overpower my ability to think straight. At least I’d thought ahead enough to have a secure Plan B and C to fall back on if this was as much of a disaster as it appeared. Derrick was on thin ice, and we’d barely made it past introductions.
I followed him to a conference room every bit as boring as everything else in Design Everything. Derrick motioned for me to have a seat across the long walnut table. There was a projector on the ceiling, and a single laptop on the excessive table. He pulled up a superfluous, over-embellished presentation.
When I contacted design firms, I had given them the general concept, a vintage theme with modern elegance. Their only guidelines were dimensions, crucial amenities, and the desired theme carried throughout. I wanted to see what they could do if they spread their wings. A flashy website and professional responses weren’t enough to earn my business.
I envisioned the refinement of Experience and the sister club Aire, but with a vintage-meets-modern twist. I wanted the décor and design to reflect this vision and make the feeling of the room seamless for the patrons. The staff, food, and entertainment would only add to the magnificence of the space. But did Derrick Kane have any idea how to pull that off? If what I saw around me was any indication, the answer was no fucking way.
I expected nothing short of excellence, and a gut feeling that I was making the right call. That’s what Geoff always did when scouting for staff; talent searching, he called it. He rarely looked through the stack of employment applications on his desk. He allowed the reputations of the worthy to find him. That’s how I ended up in a boring room at Design Everything. That’s how I had lived with Kendall, my roommate, for the better part of a decade. That’s how Geoff had staffed all his lounges.
Design was something I never worked through with Geoff, though, so I needed to get it right. The first time. This was business. There wasn't room to pander.
“Make yourself comfortable. Do you need anything?” Derrick looked at me over his garish spectacles.
He still hadn’t clicked off his gaudy opening screen. I stood beside the table, sunglasses still on my face, bored. I needed to say something and end this. The gut feeling wasn’t there, and I had to trust my instincts. I cleared my throat without sitting down.
“I don’t mean to be crass, but I’d expected a lot more flair. This room, this entire office feels like low-budget rental space. Did you decorate?”
Sweat dotted Derrick’s forehead. His throat bobbed as he swallowed nerves, trying to answer me. If I intimidated him, good.
“I-I did, yes. I’ve established a minimalist design approach that’s been sought after by several luxury establishments in the surrounding area. With national interest, too. You won’t be disappointed, Mr. Teresse. If you’ll just have a seat, we can get started.”
I stifled a smirk. Derrick was desperate to move on.
Against my better judgement, I took a seat and let Derrick shower me with his rehearsed narrative about The Amazing Boring and Usual. I tuned out soon thereafter. Two minutes with this man felt like an hour.
As expected, he’d conjured no flair or interest in his design concept. Generic. It presented more like a theater restaurant than a social lounge. The color scheme, the placements for the kitchen and dining area... Every opportunity Derrick had to make an impact, he played it safe instead. His design reflected the 1920s only if I imagined the concept had aged since then, yellowing until a fossilized layer of dust and disappointment covered every surface. To say I was unexcited was an understatement I couldn’t afford. My career couldn’t take a mistake of that scale. The reputations of Experience and Aire rode on my name, too.
I pushed out of the chair and stood, crossing my arms. My disappointment collided with Derrick’s unease.
“If this is all you offer after the weeks of prep, you’re wasting—”
The door to the conference room cracked open, halting me mid-rejection. Derrick breathed a shaky breath. Maybe it was gratitude for the ill-timed intrusion.
In the doorway stood the most beautiful woman I had seen in all my life. A mass of honey brown waves sat atop her head. The smooth, fair skin of her neck flashed against the fluorescent lighting when she came into the room. Her presence had my pulse jumping. I swallowed over a lump in my throat.
She wore a cream-colored sweater which clung to her petite chest and waist like it was made for her. And her maroon skirt and heels made her legs look miles long despite her dainty frame.
