NEW
ShamusOnYou
ByOliviaJames
Asafashiondesigner,gettingouttoseetheworldis equallyasimportantassketching,flippingthrough forecastingreports,andchoosingfabricsandprints.
Inspirationiseverywhere!Onapersonwalkingby,the tilesinarestaurant,wallpaperatahotel,aBishop’s robeinamuseum.Itisalltheretobeabsorbedand storedforfutureuse.SinceMountainTownisnot exactlythefashionmecca,KateandIunanimously votedonNewYorkCityforthisyear’sfallshopping trip.NewYorkandthefallseasongohandandhand withitsflurryoffashiontrendsettersstruttingonthe streetsandendlesswindowsdisplayingthelatest trends.TheMetropolitanMuseumisarequiredstop onthistour,featuringtheCostumeInstitute’s“Women DressingWomen”exhibition.Iamcompletely energizedwheneverIcomebacktomysecondhome.
Ofcourse,theicingonthecakeisthatIgettospend timewithEva.Charlieisflyinguptomeetusaswell.
Youneverknowwhatkindoftomfoolerywewill becomeapartofinthisshortvisit.Moretocomeon that…..
Kateisusedtobeingahighflyer,sowealwaysstayat theposhesthotels.Thisyear’spickwasrightacross fromCentralParkbetween5thAveandMadison Avenue.Ithasbecomeabitofaritualtostartourtrip atBergdorfGoodman.Afterwescoureachfloorfor what’snewanddifferent,werelaxattheBGcaféon theseventhfloor.Katelovestogothere,whichmakes sensesincemanyofthewho’swhoinNewYorkalso “lunch”there.ItssweepingviewsofCentralParkand FrenchNouveaudécorattractthewealthiestsetof society.
Kateisusuallyatherbestduringourinspiration travel.Maybesincetherearenowitnessestoimpress byknockingmedown.Weenjoybrainstormingideas fordesignsandtendtogravitatetowardsimilarlooks. Shewilleventellmeaboutherdatinglife.She mentionedthatshefeelsinvisiblebeingoverfifty.
Andhowmuchawoman’soptionschangeonceshe hitsthatmilestone.IfIdidn’tknowanybetter,Iwould feelsorryforher.Butshealwaysmanagestodo somethingtoeliminatemysympathyforher.
Andjustasthatthoughtcrossedmymind,shewas atitagain.Westoppedbytheshowroomofoneof ourbestvendors.Katetoldmetogothroughthe racksandpullmyfavoritepieces.Thenshe instructedmeto“present”thepiecestothe salespeopleandexplainwhyIfelteachwas appropriateforourline.Itwassodemeaning.Ifelt likeIwasbackincollegeinoneofmyretailclasses. ButIhandleditwellconsidering.Bothofusfelt thatthissuedefringejacketwasaslamdunkfor ourcustomers.So,weorderedsomesamplesfor ourfinalpresentationtotheteambackatMosaic.
AfterKateleft,Ipackedupmythingsandmetup withCharlieandEvaatEva’splaceinChelsea.She wasluckyenoughtoscoreabeautifulapartmenton
10thAvenuebeforetheHighLinewascompleted.
Sheboughtitforastealandnowitisworthover doublewhatshepaid.Andherviewisunbelievable.
Wechangedintoourcomfies,grabbedsomePinot Noir,andtoastedoutonthebalcony.
“Cheers,ladies!“saidEva.
“Thegirlsarebackintown,”saidCharlie“Watch outNewYorkCity!“
AsCharlieandIwerewaitingforEvatofinishgettingready, westartedchattingaboutMatt.
“So,whathappenedwithMatt?”
“Ihavenoidea,”saidCharlie.“Oneminutehewasvisitingme inMountainTownandtalkingaboutmeetinghisfriendsand family.ThenIdon’thearfromhim.“
“What??Whatdoyoumeanyouhaven’theardfromhim?”I asked.
“Imeannothing.Nada.Totallyghosted.”
“IamsosorryCharlie.Thatisreallyshitty.Andcompletely unexpected!Icouldswearthathewasintoyou.Whywouldhe flyintoseeyouandthendisappear?Itmakesnosense.”
“Idon’tknow.Guysmakenosense.Itisreallydepressing.I justneedtohaveagoodtimeandforgetabouthimthis weekend.“
“Ok.Wewilldoourbesttodistractyou.Ihavenodoubtyou willbesaying“Mattwho?”bythisSunday.“Isaidwitha smile.
IthoughtaboutCharlie’ssituationasIwalkeddown tothecoffeeshop.Iwillneverunderstandhow someonecanjuststoptalkingtosomeonewithoutany explanation.Imeansaysomething!CouldMatthave reallybeenthatmuchofacoward?Ifeellikethereis moretothestoryhere.
AsIwasdeepinthought,IsawmyfriendAbby walkingtowardsme.Shelookedamazing,asusual!
Alwaysperfectlyputtogether,Abbyisafashion trendsetter,stylist,andproducer.Shedirectsphoto shootsforabrandoutofSaltLakeCityandjustso happenedtobeinNewYorkCityscoutingout locations.
AbbyandIhavebothrisenfromtheashesofour formermarriages.Wehavelaughed,cried,and bondedoversharedexperienceswithexes,datinglife, andwork.Sheiscurrentlyinarelationshipwitha greatguyandIcouldn’tbehappierforher.Iam thrilledthatshewasabletocarveoutsometimefrom herbusyscheduletohangoutwiththegirlsandme.
Wearegoingtohaveablast!
IfilledAbbyinonHotJoshaswedidsomewindowshopping. Thingshavebeengoingalmosttoowell,soofcourseIassume thatitisonlyamatteroftimebeforeitallblowsup.Abbytoldme tostaypositiveandhavehope.JoshhasbeengreatandIhaveno reasontodoubthisintentions.Butbothofusunderstandthe underlyingneedtobepreparedfortheworst.Thislackoftrust comesfromthetraumaofexperiencingyourworldfalloutfrom underyou.Morethanonce.
WestoppedatReiss,whereCharlieandEvawereshopping.We hadalldecidedtobuynewoutfitsfortheeveningandEvaand Charliewereshowingofftheirselections.
WeputtogethersomefantasticlooksfromReissand lookedprettydamnhotifImaysaysomyself!Charlie inaromanticfloralprinteddresswithsassykneehighboots,Abbyinagorgeouspurplepiecewith billowingsleeves,Evainaform-fittingmetallicgold sheath,andIchoseablackjumpsuitwithahighcowl neckandopenback.
Weweresingleandreadytomingle!Well,notAbby, butshealwaysenjoyedobservingthemayhem.
WegrabbeddinnerintheBoweryandthenhopped intothishiddengemofanIrishpub.Charliesidled rightuptothebarandstartedflirtingwithSheamus thebartender,whowasadeadringerforayoung
ColinFarrell.IsatnexttoCharlieatthebarwhileEva andAbbyweretalkingtoaguywhoclaimedtobea musicproducer.ThiscaughtEva’sattentionbecause shehasalwayswantedtobeasinger.Eventhough shecan’tholdanotetosaveherlife,shehasmade multipleattemptstorealizethisdream.Including recordingasongtothetuneofthousandsofdollars.
Shehasyettosharethisrecordingwithus,since deepdownsheknowsthatshewillnotbethenext Beyonce.Butdatingamusicproducercouldatleast getherintothatworld.
Asthenightprogressed,Charliekeptorderingshotsto findexcusestotalktoSheamus.It'ssurprisingtoseea girlwhocansurfaneight-footwaveandskidown doubleblackdiamondsbecomegun-shywhenitcomes totalkingtoboysshelikes.Charliekeptpassingshots tome,whichIpromptlygaveawaytowhoeverwas sittingnexttome.Someonehadtobeincontrolofthe situation,anditwasn'tgoingtobeCharlie!Ithinkthe wholeMattsituationwasbotheringhermorethanshe waswillingtoadmit.Sheneededanighttojustletgo anditwasmyresponsibilitytobeasupportiveand protectivefriend.
Therecordproducerrecommendedaclubaroundthe corner,soweallmovedontothenextstopinour adventure.MuchtothedismayofCharlie,whodidnot wanttoleaveSheamus.
IranintoafriendfromF.I.T.and AbbyandEvaorderedsomedrinks fromthebar.Suddenly,Irealized thatCharliewasmissing.Ohno!I wasdistractedandfailedtokeepan eyeonher.IaskedAbbyandEva whentheylastsawher.Evarecalled hergoingtothebathroomandwent tolookforher.
EvasentoutanS.O.S.textfromthebathroom.She hadfoundCharlie,anditwasn’tpretty.Timetogo! Buthowwerewegoingtogetheroutofthere?
Evastartedbarkingordersatpeople.You-holdher hairback.You–getthebouncer.You–geteveryone outofhere.
Don’tbefooledbyEva’stinystature.Shecanbea badasswhensheneedstobe.
Thebouncercameintothebathroomandthrew Charlierightoverhisshoulder.Weallfollowedhim outsidelikealineofantsbehindourfallenqueen.
EvahailedacabandthebouncergentlyputCharlie intothebackseat.Therestofusgotinandheaded backtoEva’splace.
Abbywenttoherhoteltogetafewhoursofsleepbefore anearlyflight.Evaorderedpizzaandthesmellofit shookCharlieoutofherstupor.
“Shehasrisen!“saidEva.
“Whathappened?”askedCharlie“ThelastthingthatI rememberwasalmostkissingSheamus”
“Well,therewereafewmoremomentsbeforetheend oftheevening,”Isaid.Tryingtobediplomatic.
“Girl,youbititinthebathroomoftheclubandthe bouncerhadyouoverhisshoulderwithyourassoutfor alltosee.”saidEva.Nosugar-coatingfromEva.
“Wewenttoaclub?OhmyGod,”saidCharlie“Shamus onMe!“
Webothlaughedandsaid“ShamusonYouisright!But atleastyouforgotaboutMatt.”
“Mattwho?”repliedCharlie.
Missionaccomplished!Itwasneveradullmomentwith thesegirls.AndIwouldn’thaveitanyotherway.
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