Brian was sitting on a chaise, lost in thoughts when Nick came over.
"You love Liz," Nick said. Brian was lost in his own world, gazing at Liz dreamily. "Hey, Rok, you there?" he asked, sitting next to him as he tapped him on his shoulder.
"Hmm, what? Sorry, Frack, I didn't hear you."
"You love her, don't you?"
Brian paused, looking over at Liz. "Yeah, I do," he said softly.
"I knew it! I knew you loved her! I've known it for a long time! I knew it!" Nick said going happily ballistic.
"Geez, Nick, you wanna shut up? She's right over there ya know!" Brian said, clamping his hand over Nick's mouth.
"Sorry, but," now whispering, "YOU LOVE HER!"
Brian nodded to the obvious.
"You gonna tell her that?"
"Are you kidding? She doesn't like me that way, we're just friends. That's all we'll ever be. Besides, look at her over there talking to Josh. She really likes him! And look at him, he likes her too! I don't want to get between them. They seem happy, she seems happy. That's all I care about."
"WOW, it's obvious you've been thinking about this a lot because what you just said only makes sense in your mind. I can pretty much guarantee that she would be happier with you!"
"So you mean she likes me?"
"I don't know," Nick said. He didn't really think that Liz loved Brian in the way Brian hoped at all. Nick did know that she loved him as a best friend. They pretty much never fought. Nick knew they would be happy together. Nick looked at Brian and followed his gaze.
"She's so beautiful," Brian whispered.
Since the day at the beach, Liz had become a freer person. She was not conservative anymore. Today she was wearing a dark gray two piece bathing suit that she had designed herself. Nick knew that Brian wasn't up for anymore conversation, so Nick left him to his thoughts in search for his girlfriend.
A while later...
James Spark* had brought five of his associates. Liz had been talking to them for a while and they asked to see her design sketchbook. They went nuts over her designs. The cuts of her dresses, the subtle details. "Mr. Phitham, would you mind if I ask you what you do for a living?"
"Sure you can, Lizzy! I am a partner in a rather large department store located in New York City, Saks Fifth Avenue. I am also one of the primary buyers for the company. Mr. Spark has been a great help to me over the years. Because he is in contact with many aspiring designers in his class, he can tell me who he thinks has a chance in the world, and who doesn't. About a month ago, I saw your company's name on a list of new designers. At the time, I was working with James, and he said he knew you. He showed me some of your work, and I must tell you, I was amazed at your designs. The three of you have a lot of talent. Now I understand that Liz controls the business management of your design firm?"
Liz nodded.
"Saks has started a new program. We are taking small design firms located in various parts of the country, nd bringing them to New York. We find a location for them to open their store. All we require is that they allow Saks to hold some of it's merchandise in the store and that the store also holds some of our merchandise. I have been sent down here to review Riley Elizabeth's merchandise. You girls have been selected to be one of the premier members of our programs!"
Liz, Riley and Laney couldn't speak. They had always dreamed about opening a store in New York City. "Aahhhhhhhhh," Riley shouted at the top of her lungs.
