A few months pass. The routine hasn't changed even a bit since then. The routine; Cassidy's routine. Cassidy's living hell, alone, bored, lonely. If someone would have told her in her 20s that she would be that successful and yet feel so lonely, Cassidy wouldn't have believed it. She's always been alone, feeling far away from everyone else. Her mind always focused on fashion instead of parties and guys. Her career had always been her priority, and she promised herself she would never let anyone destroy what she had built. Especially since Paris. When Sierra left, Cassidy convinced herself people would always end up disappointing her and leave, and that she could only count on herself. That was her way of living. And yet she always felt good about it. She felt good about being alone, not having someone to call after a bad day, not having someone to hang out to see a Broadway play... She always felt good about it until her divorce. Until now. The difference between now and before is that before, she always had her girls or her husband when she got home from work. Now, she is alone with the maid when the girls are not home, and that's what makes her question everything. She wonders if her whole life, she hasn't been living in a lie. She has been lying to herself from the very beginning, telling herself her career would always go first and be more important than the people around her.
But the truth is, she feels terribly alone. The routine is slowly killing her. Wake up, get ready, go to work, work, and then go home again. She has no other way to live. No other way to escape. No unexpected things happen to her. Nothing. Nothing but Samantha. Samantha is indeed unexpected. She is refreshing to Cassidy, to the whole office. Cassidy does not really know why, but somehow she sees her younger self in Samantha. Maybe it is because of her clumsy but real confidence, or the way she smiles at every awkward moments to make them better, or the way she will question everything she is interested in. Maybe it is because of the passion she is putting into her work, too. During her few months at Wardrobe, Cassidy has grown affection for the younger woman. She, somehow, wants to help her make it into the industry. That is why she has talked about her at the Givenchy party. What other people can do, Samantha can do it better.
She loves how she feels around the young woman. Her feelings of loneliness always disappear when she is near, and she doesn't have a clue why. She loves Samantha's audacity, and also boldness, and her way of taking decisions, asking questions, and looking deeper. That is the thing about her; Samantha is able to look deeper into fashion. And at the same time, she is looking deeper into Cassidy. She always knows how to cheer her up, like bringing her passion for Broadway plays into the conversation. The worst part is, Samantha doesn't even have to try. She even looks unsure when she talks to Cassidy, like she doesn't know what to do, but in the end it is always the right thing to do, the right word to say. And Cassidy hates to say it, but she enjoys the younger woman's company very much.
But the day after their little coffee talk together, Cassidy has poured herself into work again. For weeks. And Samantha has been gone too, for somedays, to visit her parents in Illinois. Cassidy doesn't bother say goodbye to her before leaving, neither she says hello again when she comes back. Maybe it is because she is afraid to miss her.
Then she comes back, and starts working again. Working on reviews, on covers, sending emails and planning shoots and meetings. Sometimes she goes in Cassidy's office, but it is always for a few minutes because Cassidy has put the cold and heartless mask on again.
Cassidy has seen her once or twice in the streets, sometimes she is alone, sometimes she sees her kissing some boy outside.
But today she is all alone, sitting in a bar. Sitting in same bar as Cassidy. Ironic, ain't it? Cassidy watches William leaving her table after a complicated conversation and then she gets up, walking towards her young assistant. Today seems like a good day to have a conversation with her, other than about work.
« Are you on your own? » The editor asks, trying to sound cool.
Samantha's chest jumps and she turns around, facing the editor. The editor analyzes her head to toe. She's wearing a leather black pants with matching boots, and then she's wearing a very colourful yellow, red, and orange top. Her blond hair are arranged in a high ponytail, and her makeup matches with the colors of her top. Cassidy loves how she manages to bring joy throughout her looks.
Samantha smiles as she sees who's greeting her.
« Yes. » She answers as she smiles genuinely, insanely happy about the editor coming to her deep inside. « Actually, I was hoping for my boyfriend to come join me but apparently he had better things to do. » She smiles awkwardly, tearing up.

Samantha and Nathan got together after their fourth date. Nathan invited her in his small apartment for dinner, and kissed her lips when she was about to leave.
« I really like you. » He said as they parted after a long kiss.
« I like you too. » She smiled as she gained her breath back.
As they started dating, they made sure to spend every weekends together. And then weekends became every weeks. Samantha almost considered moving in Nathan's apartment. They had a nice bond. Nathan was nice, caring, and genuine. He loved fashion, coffee, Broadway plays and paintings. He seemed like the perfect match for Samantha. But then with time, they got distant. Nathan had quit his job at Starbucks to start working with his brothers as a dentist, and Samantha kept spending extra hours at work. Then time passed, and their relationship based on fights, yells, slamming doors. Nathan was the first one to say stop and broke up with her yesterday.
« We don't share anything anymore. » He had said.
Though Samantha knew it was for the better, she still missed him. She asked him to meet her today to talk about a few things, but he apparently never showed up.

« You should call him. Maybe he had an impediment. » Cassidy tries to reassure her, even though she's always been bad at making people feel better. Especially when it is about relationships, she has never been a professional about it.
Samantha looks at the door of the bar.
« I wish you were right. But in fact, we broke up yesterday so it is not a big deal anymore. » She explains, chuckling to hide her pain.
Cassidy looks at her, silent. Of course the editor-in-chief of Wardrobe is not going to say "I'm sorry" or "I'm here if you need." Samantha smiles at the beat of silence that palms them both.
« I was just going to have a coffee. You want one? » The young woman asks, as if she has been talking and gossiping with Cassidy her whole life.
She never really expected she'd be asking her boss for a coffee, but the situation is a good excuse. Cassidy seems hesitant.
« Oh I don't want to ruin your Friday night. » Cassidy declines, though she likes the idea of a hot coffee with her assistant.
« You're not. I owe you. » She insists.
« A coffee? »
« A coffee and a thank you. » She nods.

They take a coffee. And then two, and more. They talk for the rest of the evening, not even seeing the hours pass. They just enjoy each other's company, each other's funny stories, and gets to know each other. Cassidy doesn't feel alone anymore during these hours. Samantha tells her about where she grew up, in « Shelby », how she got that passion for fashion. She tries to ask a few things about Cassidy's childhood, but she doesn't really get a clear response. She chooses not to bring that subject up again, respecting the woman's choice of not talking about it. They talk again, order another drink again. And they do it again, every Friday nights. They meet up at the same bar, sits down together and talk about what's up at work, who owns the best car, or they debate about the difference between an espresso and a cappuccino. Cassidy talks a few times about the fashion week events she has been to. Samantha's eyes can't stop sparkling at her words. She talks about Milan, and London, and of course, Paris. She talks about french food, like croissants, and baguettes; the french cliché. The older woman tells her about french fashion trends, and brands, like Chanel, or Yves-saint-Laurent.
« I would never want to leave Paris if I went there someday. » The young blond had said, in awe.
« You never really leave Paris. Paris stays with you forever. » The editor had answered with her quiet and calming voice.
Their meeting at the bar after work becomes usual. A new routine for both women, but this time a better one. They both find peace in one another, something that calms them down. Samantha is less anxious, she doesn't feel the New York rush smashing her anymore. Cassidy's voice and words are so calming, relieving, interesting that she could listen to her talking for hours. Cassidy doesn't feel alone anymore, not on friday nights. She was a bit reluctant at first, did not like to talk that much. She did rather listen than talk about herself. She still doesn't really talk about herself, but she opens up about her experiences, her trips, her favorite brands... And every words she pronounces seem like a piece of art judging the way Samantha looks at her when she talks. Both women have a strange connection, filled and nourished with the same passion for fashion, for Paris, for coffee... They have a strange bond that even Cassidy could not deny. She couldn't deny the fact that she had grown a lot of affection for the younger woman over the months, more than with any other assistant she has had. She doesn't know if that is worth calling a friendship, but she likes her. That's why she decides to step out of her comfort zone and show that she cares by inviting her.
« I am holding a party next week with a few friends. I wish you to come. » She quietly asks, her heart beating up inside.
She really hopes she can come. It's just a party with some important people in the business, whom Cassidy called "friends" but are actually just contacts in the industry. Samantha is the only friend she wants at the party near her.
« Next week? » Samantha asks.
Cassidy frowns.
« It's okay if you can not come... » Cassidy stutters.
« I'd be very happy to come. » Samantha cuts her, smiling softly.
Cassidy drops something about 8:30, and then says goodbye to her assistant to go back to her girls at home. She crosses a few paparazzis on the way home, whom she escapes by stepping in her car. On the road, she finds herself smiling stupidly about the younger woman. The fact that she's coming to her party makes her really happy. It has never happened before, her smiling like that for an invitation. When someone tells her they sadly can not come Cassidy is usually happy, as it is one less people to smile to during the night.
Then she finds herself thinking about the future. What if she appreciates the younger woman so much because she wants her to be her successor? Even though Cassidy is not in her 20s anymore, she is way too young to find a successor yet, and so is Samantha to be one. But she would definitely think about it in the future, about retiring from the fashion industry and giving all of her hard work to someone else. She barely sees anyone taking her place but Samantha. Deep inside, she knows she would do a good job. Although she cringes at imagining Samantha acting like Cassidy at work; cold and heartless towards her employees. Samantha heartless? Impossible. Samantha is everything except heartless. She has a big heart.