The elevator chimed Clair De Lune, because of course it did. What else did I expect when it really came down to it?
“Hello,” I said, approaching the desk.
“Sit down, he’ll be out in a moment,” the assistant said, not looking up from her typing.
The snark and efficiency in the same moment really was impressive, like watching someone juggle chainsaws on a unicycle.
“Now, Mari, that’s not very nice is it?”
“Sorry, Tobias.”
I could have fallen over. Not only did the mysterious Tobias Ford have the voice of an angel, he was also the most beautiful man I had ever seen. Even his suit and jewelry, a Celtic cross ring on his right hand and a silver chaosphere pendant hanging around his neck, tapping gently against his blue silk shirt as he walked, were the paragon of perfection.
“H-hi,” I managed, my tongue not seeming to move properly.
“Oh, hello, Addie,” he said offering a hand.
We shook as the dictates of polite society would require, his hand so soft and smooth I felt a distinctive tingle in my nether regions.
“Shall we go down and take a look at the studio?”
I nodded vigorously, not fully trusting in my mouth to do the job properly. I was determined not to make a fool of myself in front of Tobias Ford, no matter what lengths I had to go to.
I could smell him. He wasn’t wearing much cologne and it was actually quite tasteful. It was light and citrus smelling. We weren’t even that close in the elevator. Something must have happened to my senses. I was aware of everything. Whether it was from fear or arousal was a coin toss at that point.
The studio really wasn’t as scary as I thought it might be. It was actually pretty small and was mostly just a black room with some camera equipment with a chair set up in the middle. I assumed for me to record my monologues before or between the dates to be tied together to help make a narrative when the show was done filming.
“We won’t be filming tonight, of course,” Tobias said, as if reading my mind.
“We won’t?”
“Oh, goodness no! You get the night off and then tomorrow we start filming with the makeover and when that is finished, we do the first monologue and then the first date. It is a bit daunting, but we will try to make it as easy as we can.”
I could have kissed him and not just because he was being so nice to me. I would have expected him to be at least civil. I was their meal-ticket, after all. They had chosen me. I didn’t even know I had been entered. Even so, there was something about the way Tobias acted. There was a genuineness to his gentleness that made me feel safe.
“O-okay,” I said, realizing I should probably say something.
“Great, I’ll have Clementine drive you over to the hotel.”
“Clementine?”
“My driver.”
“Yeah, I know, I mean figured but wow. That is just so perfect,” I said before I could stop myself.
“Perfect?”
“Her, name being Clementine. With the drawl and everything.”
“Yes, I suppose it is,” said Tobias Ford after a long, sage-like pause.
“Do you know what happened?” I asked, wanting to slap myself immediately after the words left my mouth.
“Happened with what?” Tobias asked patiently.
“Her neck, I mean -”
“Oh, her scar. I only know the basics but suffice it to say she had a spot of bother back home and needed a job when she landed here. She is one of the best drivers I have ever seen, so it was a natural fit.”
His answer raised as many questions as it answered, but I decided to just let it lie, not wanting to push within half an hour of meeting him. Yet he did seem totally open and candid, like the sort you could ask anything without him getting offended. He wouldn’t talk about other people without their permission but about himself all was open. At least, that was the impression he gave.
He didn’t leave me. It was only three floors back down to the lobby and the out the front doors, but Mr. Ford stayed with me the entire way. Never touching me but seeming like he might at any moment. Not in a creepy way but gentle and encouraging, not that I would have minded at all either. After shanking his hand, I started getting really curious about what it would be like for him to touch me in a different sort of way.
The car was there when we got out. Clementine stood by the open back door. I couldn’t see what it was. It was just big and fancy and electric white, and polished to a mirror-shine. It was nice enough to be impressive but not so flashy as to make me feel self-conscious. Much like Tobias himself.