Enchanted

Book 2 of Meridian Michel'

One- What NOT to do when you say you love someone.

The Essence of Fragrance

For Jonjoui Blue-Ruby West, it was crunch time for a new launch in the fashion, skincare, and cosmetics industries. The jobsite they asked her to save was close to disaster but called her because they knew she was an expert. Jonjoui had to finish a job which would wrap on Tuesday, showing up at the signature store early Thursday with a hot cup of coffee in hand, since Adrian’s booking with the previous artist’s had gone wrong and Jonjoui’s boss will allot her full freelance pay for her recon efforts.

She gets an extra bonus, because of such short notice, but Jonjou’ loved working for guru, Adrian Emmanuel’s, skincare, fragrance, and cosmetics company. She wore his longer haircuts and was first recommended to his firm by a major department store, and he was satisfied with her work ethic ever since. On other work sets, his hair salons and makeup studios premiered his skincare, with his prestigious line of cosmetics in all the signature stores in the world.

She was warmly welcomed and as usual, loved being a part of that show and her agent Penny, had Jonjoui booked the entire year. After Brett’s emotional take down and her love of career, almost no matter what, Jonjoui would not let the company down. As cosmetics sales increased, Jonjou’s travels advanced out of the eastern region and so had her salary. For the first time, hearing of a long-lost cousin named Meridian Michel’ was someone in whom she was interested.

Jonjoui needed an ally in her world. Her friends were scattered about, so her return from Las Angeles was a bust with Heather returned to Texas. Jonjou’ was a busy girl, paid top salary and high monetary commissions. She received bonuses, tips, invitations, nice gifts, and promise of a career. Her intriguing world began to blossom after Brett, but wait, is that?? Why did not Jonjoui pretend not to see what she saw over at Starbucks? Since when has he, business in New Rochelle?

Teake was in a stupor, and Jonjoui could not decide if she should take the other way out through the mall, and just leave. Why? Why had she not walked away then, called it quits, called it over? It is not what she wanted, but what she had gone through last week, stirred her emotions. In plain view of him, she stood for a moment, scanning the window at the Anne Klein boutique; she just happened not to go into the store. That day was a fluke. Just passing there, had he seen her?

Spotting him and her unmistakable footsteps, if she made any sudden moves, or quick turn, he would notice and make a scene for sure. Jonjoui left her job site early of all days, and a coincidence, she was taking another way home. Jonjoui did not want to share a cab with Gordon Miller. Her feelings had not been personal, but intense. Excessively, Gordon was bad business for what she needed to do for the company and he, a little too much for her to manage at the time.

There was so much chaos, she was not sure if Gordon for some reason, wanted to throw her off her game, but no matter what, Jonjou was nice to him, the coo-coo lady and Jessie too, when others weren’t. Something fishy went on in the store’s warehouse and what a disaster. It was not Jonjou’s job to troubleshoot on that level, she just needed the product at hand to train her associates but there were no products. Gordon saw Jonjou’ getting out of a taxicab that day.

Leaving work, he was on her skirt. Training the beauty consultants of the new products Adrian’s company produced, was a mystery. The shelves to stock were empty and the product’s, from what she gathered, were sent back. Jonjoui and the other executives, went to deal with Gordon. He was the person who was supposed to sign, and bring the delivery into the store, but it did not happen with only days before launching. Everyone wanted to strangle Gordon every second of the short day.

If Gordon grasped what really went on, he would have stayed out of situations that caused him embarrassment of losing his job. Gordon Miller-d’Anise, was not bad looking, but they said he thought his crap did not stink. What went on at the store, another mystery, and unfortunate for Gordon letting Sean Corpus befriend him, but had applied for the position as an electrical engineer, but was accidentally administered a position in cosmetics, he knew nothing of.

A cosmetics section was being remodeled and Gordon was not a fool, nor looked like one, patient. The reason for him not showing to work the day of the cosmetics shipment was not his fault but his co-workers wanted it to be. Although the position he applied for was unavailable, Gordon was not briefed on the cosmetic assignment. His dressy clothing made his co-workers think he belonged, so they competed in silence. Gordon did not realize he had not been hired as the electrician he applied for.

Jonjoui had heard more than an ear full as everyone else just waited around.

“The bosses are fed up.”

“Are they? Well, they should be. What went on, or didn’t, was costly.”

“They were livid Miss Jonjoui,” said the words of a busy body. Gordon would have gotten the concept of time had the addendum been explained properly. Cosmetics had not been his field of work.

Gordon assumed he was hired with the electricians. He liked time consuming projects but had yet been given a locker to change out of his nice clothes. Penelope, the first of his demise, ran to Jonjoui to complain. She knew Jonjoui did not like collaborating with men, period. In her world, she felt men were too over the top, clueless and others too lazy. For work, if a man was not wearing a tool belt fixing things and getting it right the first time, then it could not be about anything else.

Men were good at work if they worked. Jonjoui was uncool with the interaction of pleasure, with business, and even choicer about the company she kept. From the outer limits in just a couple of hours at work, she must have heard Gordon’s name hissed at least twelve times because of the problem and a waste of time getting there. Gordon seemed lost and Jonjoui tried not to categorize him as a bull-crap new hire from who knew where, she was too kind to hurt anyone’s feelings.

She needed to dodge the circumstances with the employees, after such an emotionally draining week, she had. Jonjoui was not in the mood for talking and hoped she would not have to babysit Gordon Miller- d’Anise, a well put together man, who they said somehow messed things up. Jonjoui did not want nonsense all through her journey, and that day had not been a day for learning unknown faces, but wished she had, at the first sight of Teake Teaken) Willow.

She did not know why that guy Gordon had a tough time with things, but he looked disheveled. He was out of sorts at quite a fraction, but that happens to people sometimes, so what. Jonjoui did not want to cross lines between her company business, the department store, or its associates. Gordon was picked on from the start, placing him wrongly, and not briefed on the assignment, could not set up the new retail if his reprehensible team members were crabs in a barrel, with no merchandise.

They knew Jonjoui would be running the show and Gordon, the monkey in the middle. He did not stir the pot but was said to have caused all the confusion, but he could not be in two places at the same time. He was a nice person, but not getting it. If he was too gullible to try to hang in there and get the work done, well then, there is nothing Jonjoui can do to help him, and she did not want to fire anyone on hearsay. He was too far away from home and too intelligent for the people around him.

Gordon should have been on the opposite side of the spectrum. Jonjoui was to oversee all the products in its proper places for the photo shoot in three days. The props were also her department’s responsibility and supposing Gordon’s too, but he was not there. No matter. Jonjoui caught the gist of the problem if the product arrives before Sunday’s launch; the situation started long before Jonjoui arrived but can be rectified if the products are received in time.

The new and innovative products were to be shelved in the background and not even the glass fixtures were done. Jonjoui’s first thought was that the company did not want to jam up the shelves and cabinet spaces during a remodel with dust but soon discovered that the props had not been there either. The photo shoot is supposed to be in the front of the company logos but were destroyed accidentally.

“What?” Jonjoui’ did not want to tell Adrian, but she had to.

She made a call and the product’s collateral packaging, and backdrops were reassigned. The shipment was sent back because Sean Corpus talked Gordon into going out with him on the night before, knowing Gordon would not make the early morning shift. Sean changed his schedule in order to secure his already diminishing position. Gordon went out for excessively too much entertainment. Thursday night was an offbeat night to party, but Gordon thought he could use a friend, or two.

Sean felt there was nothing wrong with starting the weekend early. Sure, Gordon thought, but he should have used common sense, enough to know what he might be getting himself involved. Sean caused Gordon to wake four hours late for work and miss the delivery person for Adrian’s Emmanuel’s delivery and the delay profusely ruined that week’s productivity, yet Adrian’s promotion was only in three days, and is products and set was not done, because of Sean being sneaky.

He switched Gordon’s schedule for his, and no one was there to get any parts of the shipment. The displays and all the cosmetic and fragrance set-ups were missing too. Jonjoui finished her call with Adrian and went into the mall, free for the day.

“Miss Jonjoui! Miss West!” An alarming voice resounded from behind her as she was deciding whether to duck away from Teake, in Anne Klein’s boutique.

“Please! Wait up!”

Now, she had to wait only a day before the hustle and bustle of the construction in Adrian’s area finishes. As Gordon called out of breath, she had no choice but to acknowledge him. As if she could help him out of a jam he situated, Jonjoui knew how to stay neutral. With store employees, she had to keep her distance. Gordon shouted out her name loud enough. The entire world hears his call before he trips and slips. All the papers, pencils, pens, and magazines popped out.

He picked up the briefcase he carried and thanked the people who stopped to help him retrieve his things. He was embarrassed, but truly thankful for their kindness and Jonjoui was too.

“Please!” If Gordon reached Jonjoui, his exhaust would have released all over her, from his girth. Let’s hope he’s smart, despite what he might think Jonjou’ thought of him. She was one of the big shots in many of the stores in New York despite her youthful age.

Besides the innocence of Gordon, Jonjoui already knew how to bullshit a bullshitter, he was not, and she was going through things herself.

“Are we going the same way!?” There was nothing wrong with Gordon. He just did not know, as Dakota would say, that there’s more shit out there than sugar. He was a confused, unfortunate thing surrounded by the same imbeciles Jonjoui had to work with all throughout the years, but she as in no mood for company.

Gordon went to the cosmetics department after he was hired but thought as an electrician. Somehow human resources got their signals crossed and needed to be corrected. Gordon worked best in the cosmetics stock rooms. He transferred shipment from the store’s warehouse and after that day heading to an interview. Where he presently worked, sucked, and not too far from Jonjoui when he fell and she turned around, despite what she was feeling.

Jonjoui gave Gordon a warm, pleasant smile, as if his fall did not happen quite so abruptly. She signaled with her thumb, going in the opposite direction, with her unmistakably sweet voice that bellowed. Gordon wanted to catch a taxi with her and would not have brought up work at all. He just wanted to travel with anyone kind.

“I have to go the other way,” she called, as though nothing was wrong or had gone wrong in her relationship.

Gordon nodded his head, acknowledging her gesture and called, “Oh. Okay!”

“Are you okay?” Jonjoui mouthed as if she was holding a telephone and Gordon nodded, yes.

“Will I see you Tuesday?” They nodded, yes. Gordon wiped the sweat off his brow, and she gave him, thumbs up, and blew him her signature kiss, as she does everyone, with a cheerful smile, and vigorously waves goodbye. Walking off, Jonjou’ tossed the dark curly hair off her brow too.

She exited the area of prestigious stores and might have shopped which she loved to do but felt differently. Like a confused child, unsure she should ignore her circumstances, Jonjoui faced a huge obstacle. Money, not her issue, only her fiancé Teake. He was an obstacle within himself, and she was sure he had already seen her, with all the commotion Gordon caused. Should she seize the chance to duck him, or walk away or was showing up there a game?

Jonjoui did not want to cause confrontation. She was almost sure she had seen his eyes shift over to her, but it was hard to tell from a distance, but they had not. She nervously asked herself if Teake was there waiting until she approached him, or to see if she had the guts not to. Unannounced, she could have considered him a stalker after what happened. He certainly looked like one, but that was not her way. What ripped her too, was that Teake knew she would approach him.

She had too. He was unsure if he still had Jonjoui eating out of the palm of his hands. Things changed after last week and on that day, Jonjoui wanted to go to Dakota’s house on Long Island, to catch a hug from her mother. Being with Teake took time out of any other relationship, which made her feel guilty. With Teake waiting, her visiting Dakota would be out of the question, since lately, they too were at each other’s throats, disagreed, and neither of them, give in.

Jonjoui had to extend her work week into the weekend which seemed because of Gordon, Sean, and his stupid ass cronies. She had not taken off her engagement ring but was not in the mood for Teake’s crap. That week, even at the other stores, people asked about them. With all the questioning about the wedding, Jonjoui kept a stiff upper lip, kept busy, saying that things were good, grateful the components to the job were too intricate to hold lengthy conversations.

Her job took precision, was time consuming for everyone, therefore chatter nulled, and the open assignment went exceptionally well. At the signature store during the cosmetic reconstruction, upper management was pleased Jonjoui had not said anything to Adrian about the things she troubleshot, aware of the problems. She was not relieved about her extended work weekend seemingly because of Gordon Miller, who she did not want, hanging on her shoulders.

He and Teake kept her away from Long Island seeing her mother with the argument of, Gordon having a problem with procrastination. His co-workers concocted lies because they did not know a cosmetics representative was coming, and laziness was something that would cause Jonjoui to lose her cool, but she saw things differently in Gordon. The expensively dressed, well scented rugged, well-groomed sweet gentle giant was perplexed, since his co-workers did not know what to do either.

They left him too stupidly dumbfounded. They were ignorant. Jonjoui was sorry for Gordon yet had no use for folly. Time crunched, even with the little time she spent at work devising order. Her work was strategic and one more mention of Teake that week and Jonjou’ would cry. Her ex-fiancé Brett had his quirk’s, but not like Teake’s. His quirks were different. Jonjoui loved Teake Willow, the security of his purpose and the freshness of a new beginning. Teake loved Jonjoui too and she knew it.

From the beginning, he was decent, generous attractive, and attentive to her. They were silent beings at times and as far as relationships go, Teake seemed ready and right for her, but now he needed to focus. With Teake sitting at Starbucks by himself, he stood out and looked like something was ticking, but Jonjou did not know what him had so spaced out. Teake appeared pasty and almost lost, and Jonjoui was a woman any man could trust. At the sight of Teake, she approach him in friendship.

She took care not to notice him so uneasy. Teake was a hard nut to crack, but since they had a loving past, Jonjou’ was fifty-fifty his arrival. Him being that far out of town at her place of business, where he has no business, was rare. Jonjoui had to assume he was there to see her; who, or what else drew him? If she walked away, would Teake have let her? Would he have left her? Jonjoui was upset with Teake, but they were not enemies, she gave him that.

That week, Jonjoui had no closure with Teake, but there he sat and there she went, to not agitate the situation. It would have been too cold a move for her to leave, and no one ever knows who could be watching. Jonjoui works through various agencies who hire special cosmetic teams to set up, train and promote eccentric cosmetic, skin, facial care, and fragrance products to the public, and had to be stress free and looking well as a representative certified for the companies who hired her.

Knowing many tricks of the trade she arrives at work ready to launch! Adrian’s campaign was for big bucks and Jonjoui did not ignore the invitation, besides, the crew hated one another. Without them talking to each other she could get more work in less time. Competition was fierce and after training the beauty advisor’s, Jonjoui is going to pull as much money to the cosmetics counter as she can, receiving a part of the sales in commissions as the store’s crew are often funny to watch.

Jonjou,’ was the glue that held them together and in two weeks, Jonjoui has another photo shoot in Manhattan. She thought the work would be nice, since its location will be outdoors, surrounded by nature and away from home, since she had not heard from Teake. The extra photo shoot launch will take her mind off the things, as she will be busy with Adrian’s beauty company, a trend emerging, leading with the leader of them all as Adrian’s promotional model, trainer, and make-up artist.

Jonjoui instructs the beauty advisers how to sell new products by demonstration, and then the beauty advisors applied the concept to each other. Next month, her photo shoot to complete her tour as the promotional artists for Autumn Rain in three major department stores are still on. She accepted another booking for a new fragrance launch in the fall of the next year and did not have to worry about where her high pay would come from for a while, careful not to overspend her advance.

Gordon was tall, astute and a male positioned in cosmetics. No matter how it sliced, Gordon came up short, he was not supposed to be there. Penelope mentioned Gordon sloppy in both appearance and work, and a slob in the eyes of most in her line of work. Little had most known, Gordon was the runt end of folly when they met, how the backdrops were stained. Jonjoui stayed out of office politics, giving the benefit of the doubt, but then, she had to hear something else.

They said, Gordon had more interest in Sean Corpus giving back his headphones, than listening to the morning’s briefing. Sean having a crush on Jonjoui did not matter, she disliked him from the day they met. His ass kissing only made things worse for him as it turns out, him being fired, was no skin off Jonjoui’s nose. Backbiting she had no use, with everyone still thinking the shipment error was Gordon’s, amid even the floor managers bitching psychobabble about him.

Jonjoui saw through them. Working from the better stores, she knew what the employees could afford, and their clothing did not come out of the stores they worked in; therefore, they were envious of Gordon. He was not from New York, but a place quite sultry, Jonjoui could only imagine at the time, but will someday come to know. It should be Miss Justine and Penelope, who’s heads should have been rolled, and Jonjou’ wondered why they still had not gotten rid of them.

It was Jonjoui who made the call to Adrian, the managers had done nothing to rectify a solution, whether Gordon was informed of the problem or not, but Sean will no longer be working for the company, and that was a start. When things began unraveled, it was unfortunate Gordon had to take the blame. Sean knew whose duties would change with the schedule he misadjusted and distracted Gordon, who thought he was hired as an electrician for the remodel.

It pleased no one working that weekend, after that entire week. Jonjoui had only been going through the motions of life and laid low in pretense that everything with her and Teake were okay. With things left unsaid, had Teake thought he would come to farther hurt Jonjoui’s feelings, calling the wedding off? If that, he could have phoned, and not made a grand appearance. Jonjoui was betwixt, did not go her own way, but at the same time, was Teake friend, or foe?

In the beginning of autumn’s holiday, it was not good to fall short of deadlines. If Gordon got the memo or not, he would better have gotten wind. If not on fire, he better meet the next truck at the precise time that Saturday for the crew to have all the shelves stocked according to the print. Opening Sunday, he needed to be there too, or heads would roll on sorted levels for that slip. Jonjoui hoped Gordon would not fall short since Lynne Milan was also a part of the trouble.

She saw Sean push Gordon off balance in play at breaktime, why Gordon looked like a wreck after falling through a backdrop and tripped on wires. It was Gordon’s meatball pizza sandwich that landed all over the drop cloth, where the cosmetic counter was being constructed. It badly stained the first set of company banners and none of the mix-up at the store was a reflection on Jonjoui, and not good for any of the store associates to stop working to make drama in front of company reps.

Jonjoui was a fair person. Sean was the real cause of Gordon’s problem’s thus, the store’s and probably the reason the other artist took off. In Jonjoui’s line of work, mischievous people hating the game threw wrenches in the agenda, but that was what the reps were for, so trying to shatter diamonds was useless. She was used to perfection, performed to perfection and there was only one Picasso and Adrian Emmanuel was it. Gordon had no clue of the cosmetics department.

He did not realize any reason for deadlines, having not a clue from the shitty staff, and elected to finish the tasks once it arrived, but Gordon knew about things electronically, there for his position. He rendered peace while eating quickly by the scaffolds and then headed to human resources redetermining his position from cosmetics, but the department was closed. Without Teake’s possessiveness, Jonjoui can work that weekend and make the extra money without hearing his cries of abandonment.

Adrian Emmanuel was concerned with the professionalism of the store, outraged having to confirm a shipment’s replacement which was a big expense, wondering what type of people he had working his cosmetics line, as not Gordon, or Sean were anywhere to be found that Friday morning. Neither of them met the messenger’s special delivery hence, the prototype photo shoot switched to another location and the mistake ran quite an expense and inconvenience.

With the work schedules still shifted, luckily a manager from another department was there to sign for the shipment, Saturday which sat inside the dock until Penelope thought to go save her ass. The following week, Jonjoui will work as a promotional artist in another store to promote Adrian’s image in a new phase. Three years, months and days ago she launched the first phase of Adrian’s skincare line and worked behind the scenes as a photo shoot, make-up artist and he liked her.

She was a leader in rank and the project phase in the West, and Northeastern region. Adrian Emmanuel’s work did not interfere with her other cosmetic bookings, yet presently, she wanted to get through the project for the week, clear her mind, and unwind for a change. If not for wanting to pop in to see her mother Dakota, on Long Island, she would spend time alone, and get pampered since Teake was as MIA as their relationship, headed to the Exotic Bath shop for Ben Andre bath crystals.

She would gladly soak in the fragrant bubbles she was out of and had gotten over the scent of peony, violets, or jasmine, although never, ever could get enough of sandalwood, eucalyptus, or patchouli in the house. Those scents were cleanest and refreshing to her, as if a new awakening. It was the season for sultry warm amber. The base of moss, the romantic rose she loved, entwined. Jonjoui wore sandalwood oil in the summer, was allergic to lavender, but liked the flower, itself.

Jonjoui’s favorite places to shop carried an exotic array of candles and incense. Eucalyptus was the only plant to balance her, and recently bought a bushel shopping, something she and Teake did do often. Before anything that weeklong without a peep from Teake, and having to work, Jonjoui just wanted to go home. The cool, clammy air made her look forward to a nice soup bowl of New England clam chowder. That, salad, and a small glass of wine called to her.

That morning from the train station, Jonjoui bought the latest Candace Bushnell novel and after work all day, just wanted to cuddle up and forget about Teake. She had not seen or heard from him in a week after he shouted at her, convinced he no longer cared for her, or their relationship. Before their disaster struck, he was disagreeable and a week later, she had no longer been in the mood to see him, yet there he was and much less, did she want to argue over the past week’s issues.

She thought not, no arguing since he had not telephoned to clarify his apology, but he did not do that and her pride did not want him to think of her, what he said, but despite everything, Jonjoui still loved more of Teake than not. Unless he became that daft, he knew what the truth about her was. He had been rude to her, and any argument would be a waste of time- Teake would see her walk away from him, for sure. Jonjoui was not argumentative. She may have been a boss, but she was not bossy.

Seeing Teake added to her list of things to do, and she hoped she wouldn’t have to be as rude to him as he was to her only a short week ago. In the back of her mind, the backdrop had better be up for the opening, or she sensed serious trouble. The place had been unmanned for two weeks, allowing saw dust to settle badly before the walls went up. The wires Gordon tripped on were replaced. Jonjoui wanted to get paid, feeling confidently something would come together before the launch.

The floor should be laid, the backdrops lit, and everything operational for the photo shoot, or they would have to travel to backdrop a different store, using rental space. Adrian Emmanuel flipped his lid! He did not want the smell of pizza sandwiches, lingering with his cosmetics. He had his skincare and the fragrance packaging to consider, and the only setback would be the product not showing in time. The intricate photo shoot will be arduous work and time consuming.

It was stressful having to move to a different location and Jonjoui hoped at the shoot, the models were cooperative, their bickering can make the day go that much longer. The company went through trouble getting the materials back to the store right away, taking time away from his businesses internationally. Jonjoui knew Adrian did not have time for goof ups. His beauty salons are known all over the world and he could not risk lazy, tired, careless people, for their petty mistakes.

Gordon had independent work to complete. The photo shoot was for trade shows worldwide, fashion magazines, women’s magazines, and newspaper editorials. Adrian showed promotional magnifications. For that shoot, Jonjoui oversees hair and make-up, and great, the other stores were in place for the launch and a good thing. Everyone will have to pull it together, hustle and shuffle when the replacements arrive. Jonjoui was concerned but did not get involved in the politics of store employees.

They are her business too, but she was lenient unless employees are rude to each other, or the customers, outrageous, or outlandish and lets things work their way out. Jonjoui was thinking of replacing the entire crew, thinking of other creative, talented, and qualified special effects artists who would love a shot at the signature store. Adrian’s company could use those people, and she thought she might give him the heads up and could bring them in with a phone call.

Jonjoui had authority to fire people. She could have fired Sean too but there was such a buzz, she knew Sean would finally get his. Unlike Gordon, Sean worked for the cosmetics department and was goofing off for a time and screwed himself when they found out who altered the work schedule. It was true. Jonjoui could be mistaken, but Gordon did not appear in any way, they complained about. The spare units and store products were on its way, he just had to receive them.

Gordon thought he had Saturday off, and it was said, Gordon has a, nothing’s that serious, attitude. Time would not tolerate the crunch and it could not tolerate another slip of laziness. Time wasted, costs the company a lot of money and Jonjoui could not tolerate job, or any pay cuts.