Until Then

Francine "My gosh Christian! What are you up to now?!" I texted Christian as I drive through New York traffic. I will really strangle him to death if this is not a matter of life and death. I am in a middle of a shoot and my best friend is texting me for help. After almost an hour, I parked at my designated spot, got my keys to his penthouse and made a dash for the elevator. As soon as I reached the penthouse I fumbled with my keys only to be welcomed by a pitch dark apartment. It made me worry even more. "Christian!!!! Chris are you here? I got your message and I came as soon as I can. Dude I know we have been friends since high school if this is some sick joke, I swear to God I will you!" Where the f*ck is he? My latest iPhone rings and it's Shelly, the best assistant one could ever asked for. I hope the shoot is going well because if something happens i will kill you Chris I swear. “What?!” I asked as soon as I picked up. I personally hired my own production team so I do not need to outsource them every time I have client. I own a Marketing and Advertising Firm and have a good roster of top brands as clients. Today I have shoot for Vogue featuring Dior. Because I am OC I make sure I attend shoots of my top clients and of course because they pay high I make sure they get their money’s worth by seeing to it that I am there if I can. Shelly has been with me for 7 years now. She started as a marketing intern and now she remains to be my assistant but I have trained her enough to oversee shoots when I need to attend to other matters. She is Director now in my company and is also a good friend. “Frank, we are almost done here. I sent some of the lay outs in your w******p lemme know if you want more safety shots before we pack up.” Shelly answered right away as and I heard several beeps on my phone. I checked right away and cannot help but smile. These are good. John my used to be in-house photographer is such a gem. He has won so many awards already and I allowed him to go freelance and take on other clients so that others can experience his talent. Whenever I need him for a shoot he will reschedule all of them to accommodate me. “Shelly, these are good. Please tell John I love him even more. But you cannot pack up yet. Take some more shots please but this time more candid and less structured. Alright?” I told Shelly as soon as I finished looking through the photos. “Ha! I knew it!!! No matter how good the shots are you will still want more.” Shelly answered with a snort. “You know me Shells, I always trust you and John but we should never be complacent and should always give our clients options. That’s why they love us. So go get your ass back there and start rolling yeah?” “Got it! I am assuming you won’t be back so see you at the office on Thursday.” Shelly says before hanging up. Now why Thursday? Never mind, will check my calendar later. For now I need to deal with this bastard first. So I went straight to his room and found nothing so I went to his bathroom and there he was in his full frontal glory, knocked out, whiskey in hand. Good thing he is tall and well-built, we wont slide down the tub to drown. I want to slap him real hard so he can wake up. Seriously, this is what he needed me for? I’m in my Balmain suit for crying out loud. Argh!!!!! “Christian Andrews! Get your butt out of there now!!! Wake the f*ck up!” This ain’t going to work. So yeah took kicked off my YSL heels, took of my jacket and I almost took off my pants because I don’t wanna ruin them and but decided against it. Any other girl would love to be in my shoes at this moment. Christian Andrews the most eligible bachelor in New York, is here naked. If he isn’t CEO of the Andrews Summit, i would have hired him myself and make him one of those models you cannot help but drool and dream about when you see them. I cringe, I might throw up just thinking about it hahaha, I guess because we kinda grew up together that I have never looked at him as a man you know what I mean. Good job Chris my outfit is drenched I still have one more meeting this evening and I don’t intend to go home to change but I have to now. Christian It was an ordinary day until I bumped into Jack, Frank’s loser for a boyfriend. Seriously for the life of me what does my best friend see in this jacka*s that she so loves him to pieces as she puts it. “Hi Chris! I was about to go up to your office and see if you have like few minutes as I badly need to talk to you. It’s regarding Francine.” Jack told me as soon as we saw each other. When it comes to Francine, Frank to me, I am always all ears. For some reason, I have always been protective of her. I feel she is mine in a certain kind of way and that no matter what happens she will come home to me. When Frank lost her parents on a car accident 10 years ago, she was fresh out of college, they are just from an ordinary family but his dad was my dad’s best bud that’s why Frank and I are like best buds too. Her brother Tom is still in med school then. She cried for a week but after that the focus and determination in right there like fire blazing in her eyes. Their parents left them enough for Tom to finish medical school and for Frank to put up her own Marketing Firm. She sold their family house and settled for 3 bedroom apartment in one of the elite places in New York. She said one for her, one for Tom when he wants to crash and one for me for sleepovers. Fast forward to today, Frank is one of top female CEOs in Manhattan. Men would just do anything for her. And right in front of me is that man who won her heart for God knows why and how. “Jack I have 15 minutes maybe let’s go to my private lounge then.” He looks really tensed and it made me tensed too. If he f*****g lay a finger on Frank, he is dead that’s for sure. “So? Start talking.” I told Jack as soon as we got in the lounge. The Barista left us with my favorite house blend coffee and now it’s just him and me. “I.. well Chris you see I want to propose to Frank.” Jack says as beads of sweat are seen on his forehead. “What kind of proposal are we talking about here?” I asked trying to remain calm. God let it not be a wedding proposal. I think I will lose my s**t if it is. “”Chris man, you know I love her right?” Jack asked, “I dunno do you? Jack let’s be honest here. I have been quiet all along because I don’t want to hurt Frank’s feelings and knowing who you really are, I am not sure if Frank is open to that idea. But yeah because she tells me she likes you a lot, I let you two be. So tell me what does this proposal have to do with your “so-called love” ?” I asked Jack, I don’t let him see that I am exactly as tensed as he is right now. “I will marry her.” Jack said and as soon as he does he stood up and left me and I was left there speechless. The only thing that brought me back to really is my phone ringing. I need to leave now for another meeting. The whole meeting was like a blur. Everyone was on their toes because yeah my mood was just that - sour. He will f*****g propose to her. Seriously? Why? When? “Chris would you like my assistant to arrange a tour for you in our Seoul Hotel?” Mr. Park, CEO of The Park Hotels “It will be great if you see it for yourself and see how AI can make the travel experience even better.” “Sure, she can arrange with Earl, he would know my schedule best. I’m sorry i need to head off to another appointment.” I bowed my head as courtesy to our Korean partners and left the hotel immediately. “Earl, cancel all my meetings for the next 2 days. Don’t ask me why.” I told Earl and hanged up not waiting for him to respond. What is happening to me? He is her boyfriend. So why do I feel bothered about it? It’s not as if Jack has such a deep dark secret but yeah their business is not doing as good and with Beyond Inc. (Frank’s company) they just might have a saving grace. Though this is one big accusation and I don’t want to be the one to break it to Frank. I cannot see her cry but I cannot just watch and wait for it to happen. But what if I am wrong, what if Jack really loves her to the point of marrying her? I went straight to the penthouse. I think I am having a panic attack and only Frank can give me one. The thought of losing her gives me one. I opened a bottle of Jack Daniel’s, seriously? opening a jack because of what another Jack said. s**t I’m going nuts. I need to calm myself right now, I cannot breathe, I think I am going to pass out. I don’t remember how I got in the tub all naked, knocked out because I downed the whole bottle in God knows how fast and now I am in bed still naked but with Frank in front of me.