other day, this wouldn’t be an issue. One of the nicer perks of being the founder and CEO of your own company was that no one got on your ass for being a couple of minutes late. But today, he had the most important meeting of his life to attend.
And he couldn’t be late. No, he needed to be early. And ready.
“Do you know what the hold up is?” Grayson asked, unable to see anything other than the long tail of cars stretched out in front of them.
“No idea. Probably a wreck, honestly,” his driver responded with a shrug.
“I think I need to walk.” Grayson checked his watch, releasing another sigh. He could make it there with a little time to spare if he walked fast, but that might mean he arrived looking more disheveled than he’d like. What kind of impression would that make? Would it sour the meeting before it even began?
It wasn’t as if he was new to important business deals. He’d built his company from the ground up and had found tremendous success. But he was reaching a new level now. If this meeting, pitching his brand-new fashion app to investors, went well, then he would be on his way to an IPO. And when that happened, his success would be established beyond any shadow of doubt.
But nobody would invest in an outfit-pairing app if the creator himself looked like crap.
Grayson exited the car, slung his briefcase higher up his shoulder and started to walk. He turned the corner at the next block, figuring he’d take a mini shortcut through a tucked-away plaza of shops. But construction equipment filled the side street, no doubt causing part of the blockade on the main thoroughfare. The workers were pumping something out of the ground, and Grayson made sure to hug the far sidewalk as he hurried past.
Just as he was almost clear of the construction work, one of the workers let out a gruff cry. “Watch out!” someone shouted. Grayson turned just in time to see an arc of water cut through the sky. The mystery liquid sprayed all over the pavement—all the way to him across the street.
His mouth parted as his body registered first the cold sensation, and then the horror as the dampness seeped through his clothes.
“Sorry, buddy!” One of the construction workers waved his way.
“It’s just dirty water,” another one offered with a shrug.
Dirty water. He should be glad it wasn’t sewage, but while the way he smelled wasn’t a problem, the way he looked was a disaster. He had no words, could only sputter and look down at his ruined, damp clothes.
He didn’t have spare clothes in his office, and he had no idea where he could pick up a fresh suit around here.
He was screwed.
Before panic took over entirely, he whipped out his phone and began searching for solutions, typing in ‘clothing boutiques near me, for men.’ The search engine processed for a few moments, and then the list of results appeared.
And luckily, there was one within a few blocks from where he stood right now. MOMENTS WITH MILA: Fashion for all occasions.
It would have to do. He made a note of the intersection and hurried as fast as he could toward the boutique, which had a five-star rating on the search engine. There was that, at least. He just hoped that Mila, whoever she was, included ‘life-altering investor meetings’ in her list of occasions she planned for.
Within minutes he was facing down the cute boutique, which had flowers lining the display window and sleek mannequins showcasing trendy, sophisticated clothes. He pushed inside, taking in the soft floral scent and the low jazz coming from the back of the store. Before he took another step, a feminine voice chirped, “Hello there!”
It took him a moment to find her, but when he did, all his frustration and impatience took a backseat to immediate attraction. A petite woman with mahogany tresses, pulled back into a low chignon, sent him a sparkling smile as she tugged a T-shirt over the mannequin tucked between her legs. Black wire rims sat low on her nose, highlighting rather than hiding a pair of striking green eyes.
“Hi,” he said, momentarily forgetting what else he needed. How could he be expected to remember in the presence of such unexpected cuteness? He blinked a few times until he located his voice. “I need some help.”
“What can I do for you?” She straightened, pushing up her glasses with an index finger.
“Are you