Late. I was always running late. As I slipped on my heels and grabbed my bag, I debated between walking and just driving to work today. It was a moderately faster drive than a walk but at the same time I sort of was the boss so I could be late. But at the same time, I was running extremely late.

I had 4 missed calls from Karen, 2 from Josh and 1 from Lily. They had all left messages but I was in place to listen to them right now. I had to just get there. I sighed as I dug through my purse for my keys, I hated driving. After a couple minutes and tearing my apartment apart, I still couldn’t find them. Of course not, of course I couldn’t find my keys when I needed them most. I wrapped my sweater around my shoulders and picked up an umbrella from the stand by the front door. You never knew when you’d need those in London.

I was sad to think that this was my last full week working in London before the time and I headed back to New York to start prep for fashion week. For the fourth year in a row, I had been invited back to display my new clothing line for the spring.

I was also happy about going back to New York because that’s where Pete was. Yes, most of my friends were here in London, but Pete was where my heart truly was at. It was cute when I explained to Pete that I’d be coming back to work on my spring collection for fashion week. He chuckled and asked something about ‘why are you showing spring clothes in the fall?’ I tried explaining to him about the way the industry worked, eventually giving up. Pete was super supportive regardless of it he understood my crazy world. It went the same way for me though, he’d try and explain the stock market and as much as I wanted to understand it, I just didn’t and that didn’t mean I supported him any less.

I stepped out of the front door and started my trek to the office. The sky looked promising only a few clouds scattering the sky. I was glad I had decided to wear sensible shoes, making the brisk walk a little better. I felt like I was practically running, but I needed to get there.

I was about halfway there when I heard a crackle of thunder rip through the sky. I looked up, still only scattered clouds. I’d surely make it before it started to pour. I stopped dead in my tracks and laughed. Of course it would rain when there was not a dark cloud in the sky. I rolled my eyes, opening my umbrella, falling back into my quick stride. I suddenly realized that my sensible shoes were no longer so sensible. They were sliding off the back of my foot, the harder it rained. I debated my options, continue walking uncomfortably as my shoes slide off, or take them off and walked barefoot through London.

Reluctantly, I took my shoes off, hooking them through my fingers. I held them down by my side I quickened my pace now that my feet were free, but at the same time, it was gross.

“I can’t believe I’m doing this.” I said to myself out loud, the umbrella pulled down close to my body.

About 10 minutes later, I was rounding the corner to my building when I saw the large group of paps gathered under and around the awning of the entrance. What the hell? Of course, of all days this is the day they decide to come see what’s up in life. I had to look treacherous. I was soaked from my knees down, I had no shoes on, and I could tell my hair was a mess. I could only imagine what I looked like.

As they realized I was approaching, they quickly turned the cameras onto me, flashing away.

“SPENCER OVER HERE!”
“SPENCER, HOW ARE YOU AND PETE?”
“WHY IS PETE IN NYC AND YOU’RE HERE?”
“ARE YOU CONSIDERING GETTING BACK WITH HARRY?”
“IS IT WEIRD TO WORK WITH ALL 5 MEMBERS OF ONE DIRECTION AT THE SAME TIME?”

I shrugged everything off, wondering what half of the questions even meant. It was always funny to me what the paparazzi thought they had on you. Half the time it was preposterous lies and the other half was just too hysterical to even acknowledge. I smiled a few times, nodding a couple different directions and headed into the building. I rode the elevator to our floor, shoes still in hand. I rushed in, quickly attempting to make it into my office before anyone saw what a mess I was.

“Spencer!” I heard Karen call from behind the front desk. “Spencer, there’s something…”

“Not now, Karen!” I huffed.

“But Spencer…” she tried again.

“I’ll be out in a second. Just wait.” I walked past her down the hallway.

“Dude, you look like hell.” Josh smirked as I stuck my head into his office.

“I know.” I rolled my eyes, continuing to my office.

“Wait!” he shouted.

“NOT NOW!” I shouted back.

“But…”

“NO!” I kept going.

“Morning, Miss McMichael.” Lily said, stepping into the hallway from her new makeshift office.

“Hi, how are you?” I smiled, keeping my pace.

“Good, but ummm, actually you should know that…” she started.

“Let me get situated and I’ll be in to talk, okay?” I smiled.

“Actually, you really need to know that…” I held up my hand.

“I’ll be out.” I said.

“Miss McMichael!” she shouted, catching my attention as my hand reached my door handle, my window/door shades still pulled shut, just as I left them.

That was something I liked about our offices, they all had windows for doors and walls, but we all had shades to draw if we didn’t want anyone peeking into our business. I generally left mine open, except for when I left at night. That was the only time I pulled them shut, I wasn’t sure why because at that point no one was there but that’s just what I did.

“Lily, I know you’re probably excited about something or what not, but I need to get myself together before we talk.” I pushed the door as her words and my eyes revealed the same thing.

“ALLOFONEDIRECTIONISHERETOSEEYOU.” She rushed all together.

I nodded as my eyes scanned my office.

“All of One Direction is here to see me.” I said slowly, repeating Lily. I looked around at each of the guys, even Harry was here, albeit his eyes never left the floor. I walked around to my desk, putting everything in its place. Purse in my drawer, tote on the floor, and phone on my desk. I took my seat before any of them decided to speak. I looked at Louis as his voice filled the room.

“Hey love.” Louis smiled. “You look horrible, the skirt makes your ass look killer, but you still look horrible.”

I rolled my eyes at him. “So charming, aren’t you?”

“Well you have seen better days I’m assuming.” He shrugged.

“Yes, I was running late, couldn’t find my keys and then it started to rain and I had to take my heels off.” I nodded at the heels I had left on the side of my desk.

“Yes, already undressing for us. We like that.” Zayn wiggled his eyebrows.

“Fuck you.” I laughed. “What are you guys doing here anyway?! You were the last people I expected to open my door too. Especially all five of you.”

“Well, I um, sort of have a favor that I wanted to ask you.” Liam smiled.

“Okay?” I was confused, what favor could he need that involved all five of them and me. And then it hit me. “What? No. No. I don’t have time, Li.”

“I don’t want anyone else to make our tuxedos for the wedding. Please, I’ll do anything, pay anything, to have you make them.”

“I don’t need your money, Liam.” I rolled my eyes. “But I’m leaving for NYC next week to work on my new collection. And what about the other guys in the party?”

“They weren’t available to come today, but they’d be willing to come wherever you needed them to be. I thought maybe if at least the five of us could get in here, you’d be able to get our measurements or something.”

“Liam, there is nine of you.” I placed my head into my hands. “That is a lot of work.”

“Spencer, please.” He pleaded with his eyes.

“Hang on.” I got up, leaving the guys in my room, calling all my design team together in the conference room. As the last of them piled in, I sighed.

“Okay guys, so Liam Payne wants us to make his tux’s for his wedding. There’s nine groomsmen and then Liam. So we’d need to make 10 perfect tuxes along with keep up for fashion week. And this isn’t something that we can come up with a prototype of and then ship out to have duplicated, like we normally do. So we’d all have to work overtime to keep up with the tuxes and the collection. Now Liam’s wedding isn’t until the summer next year, but with fashion week coming up, we’d need to stay proactive and not let the tux situation fall to the back burner. Is this something that everyone would be okay with? Most of the production would probably be happening in NYC so we’d be spending a little more time than normal in that office, and we’d probably have to end up finishing them here next year. Nine tuxedos here people, that’s not an overnight job. So is everyone okay with that?” I looked around the room.

“Yeah, I’m cool with it.” Josh said.

“I could keep you guys on schedule.” Karen smiled.

The rest of the team agreed as Lily stayed silent in the corner. “Lily. Would you mind stepping up to the plate to actually work on these with the team? I know your internship is just supposed to be about learning and what not, but we could really use you.”

“Um, yeah, yes, yes that would be the coolest.” She smiled, happily.

“Okay great, we’ll need all the hands we can get.” I smiled. “Josh, Lily, could you guys come help me take some measurements?”

“Yeah.” They agreed.

“Everyone else, thank you so much for agreeing, I know this is going to mean the world to Liam and his party. Alright, everyone’s free to go.” I smiled, looking around the room.

I sighed once everyone had left, except for Josh and Lily. “We’re in over our heads.”

“I know.” Josh said. “But you’re the incredible Spencer McMichael, who made a million dollar Grammy dress for Rihanna in your first six months of landing a job. If anyone can do this, it’s you.”

I smiled over at my best friend and best employee. “Thanks Josh, I love you.”

“Love you more.” He smiled.

“And Lily.” She nodded. “I’m excited to have you aboard this project.”

“Thanks for giving me the opportunity.” She smiled.

“Now let’s go get some numbers.” I stood up, heading back into my office. “Okay Payne, you’re lucky I love you.”

“Thank you so so so so so much.” He got up to hug me. “You don’t know how thankful I am to have you as a friend and my designer.”

“Don’t mention it.” I chuckled. “Now let’s get these measurements.”

“We’re missing one.” Josh looked at them. “There was five of you and now there is four.”

“Where did he go?” I looked at the guys.

“Zara called him, crying or bitching or something.” Louis said.

“Being a cunt is what Lou means.” Niall said, Lily’s eyes going wide. “So typical.”

“I hate her.” I laughed. “She’s honestly the worst human being.”

“Don’t we know it.” Zayn laughed. “By the way, Lily, this is Liam, the groom and our lovely bandmate and this little fellow here is good old Niall, also bandmate.”

“It’s nice to meet you guys.” She smiled, timidly.

“It’s my pleasure.” Liam smiled, shaking her hand.

“Hey, good to meet you.” Niall winked at her from his chair.

“Oh my god.” I shook my head.

“Anyways, Harry said he’d come back before you left to get his numbers.” Liam said.

“If you don’t already know them.” Louis said with a smirk.

“I don’t, asshole.” I chuckled. “Lovely, just what I wanted to hear. But whatever, let’s get this over with.”

I watched as Niall made his way over to Lily, casually flirting with her the entire time. I listened as Liam and Josh talked about the wedding and what he had in mind for the tuxes, Josh jotting everything he said down. I measured Zayn’s inseam as he lit a joint, Louis going to open the window.

“You’ll set the fire alarm off.” I rolled my eyes.

“No we won’t.” Louis smirked.

“And how do you know that?” I eyed him.

“We smoked one while we waited for you.” Zayn smirked.

“We used your fan to blow the smoke out the window.” Louis added for good measure.

“I hate you guys.” I rolled my eyes, writing down the numbers I collected for Zayn.

“My inseams so long because I have a huge dick.” Zayn chuckled.

“Liam,” I shouted over to him. “You’re lucky I love you.” I reminded him.

“I’m sorry for them, but you should know by now no one controls them.” He laughed, shaking his head.

“You’re lucky I love you.” I repeated.

And I was right, he was lucky I loved him, but at the same time, I was lucky he and the rest of the guys all loved me back. I had a wicked group of friends, even if they did what they wanted. I was honestly honored that Liam had asked me to make the tuxes for the wedding. He had so many prominent designer friends that he could have asked anyone, but he came to me. I smiled at the thought of that. And then I remembered that Harry was going to come in for his measurements, alone. Lovely, Liam was truly lucky that I loved him.

Notes

hey guys!

little bit of a filler but it's important.

enjoy and let me know what you think

xx