In The Cut Read Online Free PDF Page A

to make a couple calls.”
    “Thank you, once again, Mr. Seeger,” Glenn said.
    “My pleasure. Anything for the future icon of fashion.” With a nod, Mr. Seeger headed toward the front of the jet.
    “Seems like he has a lot riding on you, Mr. ‘Future icon of fashion’,” Saint said.
    “A lot of people do, that’s why I have to hit it off big with these guys tonight. So, what should we be expecting?” Glenn asked Saint in a stressed tone.
    “The same thing you see at all these functions. Eccentric men with deep pockets and exotic women wrapped around their necks like scarfs. You’re new to the game, so they’re going to try and dazzle you with a little glitter and a lot of bullshit.” Saint looked over at Grace and Olivia. “Excuse my choice of words, but I got to call it what it is.”
    “Keep it real, nigga,” Grace said.
    Olivia swatted her on the shoulder. “What did I tell you about using the N word?”
    Saint continued. “The most important thing to remember, Glenn is… don’t sell yourself short. You are a damn good fashion designer, and you got a dime piece on your side.” Grace blushed. “They’re going to love your creativity, I can guarantee you that.”
    “And how do you know so much about these guys Mr. Accountant?” Olivia asked, leaning over the table toward him.
    “In my line of work, I meet all kinds of people. Some I can’t stand the sight of and others… I can’t stop looking at. So, remember what I said, Glenn and—”
    Olivia blinked. Oh, you’re good. I didn’t even see that one coming. Some I can’t stand the sight of and others… I can’t stop looking at. She grabbed her bottled water out of the cup holder and took a few swallows to extinguish the heat of the blush spreading across her face. He was different. He wasn’t the shallow type she was accustomed to dealing with. If they weren’t flashing their jewels, they were patting the knot of money in their front pocket. Olivia didn’t consider herself rich, but she was well off. Her wealth was her gift and her curse. She was blessed to be able to take care of her brothers and those who worked for her, but the one thing that money couldn’t buy her was the ability to look into the hearts of the men who wanted to get with her. Did they want her money or did they just want a quick lay? Either way, she had no true way of knowing, and the line of defense that her brothers provided between her and the male population did keep out a lot of creeps, but it also kept out a lot of good men. From what she could sense, Clayton was smooth, but he wasn’t game-tight. Cocky, but not arrogant.
    “So, how did you two guys meet?” Grace asked. “He’s a fashion designer and you’re an accountant. You two are from two different worlds so to speak.”
    “It’s a long story,” Saint said, hoping she’d get the hint.
    “Well, can you tell it in five hours?”
    Saint looked at Olivia and he could tell she was just as curious. When he looked over at Glenn, he had the let’s-see-if-you-can-tell-the-truth grin on his face.
    “Well… we met in Paris.” Saint gave Glenn the yeah-I-told-the-truth look.
    “Paris?” Grace said surprised.
    “Yeah. Glenn was studying fashion design under the tutelage of a Rumanian tailor named Petrescu. I was Petrescu’s… number man at the time. About three months down the line, Glenn’s parents found out that he had dropped out of college to pursue his fashion dreams. They immediately cancelled his credit cards and stopped putting money in his bank account. When Petrescu offered to take an alternative form of payment, Glenn punched him in the face, packed his things and behold, the future ‘icon of fashion’ was knocking on my door at ten o’clock at night. He promised that if I let him stay the night, he would be out of my life in the morning. That was five years ago.”
    “Wow, and now y’all are the best of friends.”
    “Actually, Glenn is my only friend.”
    “Aw, poor baby,”