He looked up from his phone to see his main bodyguard, Max Stovall, looking back at him in the rear view mirror. “Yes?”
“Nothing,” Max said quietly as he looked back to the road and then back to Aidan, concern showing in his eyes.
The rest of the ride remained silent except for the sounds of Aidan tying a message into his phone and the beeping of high priority emails coming through.
Looking at his watch, he saw that he was almost an hour late for work. He sighed as he exited the car and walked into the building. His office was on the 45th floor, a private elevator stood open ready for him to enter. Once on the floor, two of the guards followed him as the other two broke off towards their private lounge to get a few hours of sleep as everyone knew that tonight would be a long night. Within his office, Aidan dismissed his personal bodyguard. He knew that he was safe in his own office. He had almost the entire floor to himself minus his secretary’s office, personal assistant's office and the wing for his guards. Topher, his personal assistant, stayed in the room, closing the door for some privacy.
“Are you ok?”
“Of course.” He answered too quickly, then glanced up at him. “Why do you ask?”
“No reason. You just seem more sullen in thought than you normally are.”
“Thanks, mate.” Aidan shook his head. “Why are you smirking?”
“Oh, no reason.”
“Spit it out, Topher. I know you're dying to. You have never been one for secrets or keeping quiet.”
“I know the photographer. I was just thinking about something funny.”
“What?” A flare of protectiveness rose up in Aidan almost choking him. “You better not know her too well... you are about to be married.”
“Gross mate, no she's my fiancée's best friend. I was smiling because she was about to beat the living shit out of you within two minutes of you walking into the room. A personal best for you, I think. I thought I would have to dive in front of you to save you. Your guards were clueless.”
“She didn't act like she knew you.”
“She was lost in her camera by the time I slipped into the room.”
“Wait. Why was she about to ‘beat’ me?”
Topher's eyebrow arched as to Ashby's seriousness and then shook his head. “That girl does not, and I mean Not, like being commanded especially when she is working. The last guy who did that she bitch slapped him so hard I'm pretty sure that hand-print bruise is permanent.” Topher laughed.
“So you are saying that I was an ass.”
“Hell yeah. You wouldn't allow her to introduce herself before the shoot. Plus, you could have given a small smile. You know I am pretty sure she was going to pull out her kid gear to bring a smile to your face.”
“The kid gear?”
“The small animal that goes on the end of lens to make a baby smile. Also a puppet and if I remember correctly a couple squeakers for noise and some songs that make kids laugh. She kept looking at her camera bag every time her hand clutched tightly to her camera. I grabbed a couple shots on my cell phone for blackmail.” Topher laughed, shaking his cell phone in his hand. “Trust me I've seen her work in so many different environments. You’re not smiling,” Topher shrugged, “I think it offended her. Though you did get brownie points for the pictures in the snow. I already know what her favorite picture is going to be.”
“You do?”
“Yep.”
“You're not going to tell me are you?”
“Nope.”
“You are annoying.”
“You owe her an apology.”
“I do not apologize.”
“You're right I'm the one who always has to apologize for you.”
Aidan looked up quickly from his laptop to stare at his assistant. “Christopher Jared Hawkins, what do you mean you apologize for me?” Aidan did not do apologies. Apologizing was a weakness and he did not want anyone to ever think him weak or that he regretted anything.
“Aidan, you are a great business man and an amazing protector of the ones you consider your family... but you are in no way a people person, any longer. You think that dictatorship and commands will work but outside of the military, they don't. People like to be treated with respect, especially at work.”
“I'm not a dictator. Being commanding makes sure that no one mistakes me for weak. How do you think that I built this empire?”
“Ok, Aidan you believe that and I'm going to go call Alyssa.”
“Alyssa, why?”
“Hell, I want to see just how right I was about Claire wanting to hurt you.” Topher laughed and Aidan couldn't help but smile at his assistant. The one person in the building that could make him show the emotions he truly had.
Claire sat in front of her laptop staring at the picture of Mr. Ashby standing in the snow. No one would know it was him but the ones that were there. She stared at the picture, lost in the memory of his eyes. The feel of his arms around her. Even memories of the dream that plagued her mind.
“You should send him that one. Maybe with one of his quotes,” Alyssa said from over her shoulder.
Claire kept looking at the screen. “Yeah,” she said absentmindedly. Her mind kept flashing back to him catching her. His deep sea green eyes staring into her hazel eyes.
“Did you see Topher this morning?”
“Topher? No, why?”
“He was at the shoot.”
“Was he?”
“Yes, and he's still laughing. He said he was about to jump in front of his boss to save him from you. Something about interrupting you, making you start instantly, and not letting you set the shots?” Alyssa asked watching her.
“Ugh, don't remind me. He was such a pompous, arrogant, commanding tyrant... we should call him Hitler.” Alyssa was about to scold her but Claire put her hand up. “I can say that now since I've met him. I hate people like that... someone born with a golden spoon in their mouth and think that they can trample over everyone else because they've got money.” Claire crossed her arms. She did not think that she said anything to offend him, hell she didn't speak at all. He would not allow it. The man was a walking contradiction; a complete mystery. Usually Claire was a good read of people and feeling safe with him was something that completely unnerved her.
“Come on, he can't be that bad. Topher likes him.” Alyssa smiled as he leaned back into the cushions on the couch.
“Topher likes everyone... plus everyone loves Topher... there's just something about him. He wraps everyone around his fingers.”
“True.” Alyssa laughed as a goofy grin filled her face.
“You love him.” It wasn't a question. She could see the love that her best friend had.
“I do. You know, you and I haven't had a good night out in a while. What do you say? Let's plan a girls’ night out?”
“Our craziness may be too much for New York!”
“Never!” Alyssa laughed as she popped a couple Cheetos into her mouth, smiling.
Aidan sat in his seat as he thought about what his assistant was telling him. Was he really that commanding? That rude? Was he as bad as Topher made him sound? He wanted control but he never wanted anyone to think of him as a bully or an ass. Maybe Topher had a point. He needed people to see him as a leader, a charmer, a successful man.
Aidan sat in his chair as he stared out the huge windows at the buildings and bay outside. The site was always a calming one especially at night. A buzz on his phone alerted him that the business meeting was about to start downstairs in the conference room. He got up from the chair and started his day. The meeting went quickly and after talking to the “Brains”, as he liked to refer to them, he had a lot of great new ideas. They were finally going ahead with the next part of their business; growing worldwide. Aidan always drew all the plans for buildings, signs, and logos. He had always loved to design things and being the head of the business he was allowed to do anything he wanted. Now that the planning meeting was over, he had a lot of drawings that he needed
to get to for the new designs. Though he did not really show it, Aidan was excited as his company had grown to the second largest company in the world after the new adventure. His next goal is to become the largest, most reliable company. He had always wanted to be the best after being told that he would always be trash and never amount to anything.
Aidan was drawing when there was a soft knock on the door. “Enter,” Aidan ordered gruffly not looking up from his drawing board.
“Sir?”
“What is it, Anna?” Aidan said as he grabbed the blue marker from the holder, leaning closer to the board that held the paper.
“You received a letter from this morning's photographer; it's to approve which photographs to send to the magazine for consideration.”
“I can choose?” Aidan asked looking up to his secretary. He had never been given a choice. The pictures always looked the same to him.
“The letter says...”
“She wrote a letter?” Aidan quickly walked across the room, taking the letter and envelope from Anna's hands. “Thank you, that will be all.”
Anna turned and walked from the room with a satisfied smile. Aidan walked back to his seat as he looked over the professional letter logo head and the beautiful hand written scroll on the paper. He typed in the website she put on the page and brought up his pictures. He clicked the check marks as he went through the pictures. He stopped immediately when he saw the snow pictures. They were some of the best pictures that he had seen. “Topher!” Aidan yelled for him as he stared at the picture. His back was turned... he had been walking to the spot where Claire had told him to go to. He was looking up and the lighting with the fresh snow lit around his body's frame. “TOPHER!” Aidan yelled again as the man ran into the room along with his personal bodyguard Max. Max had his gun drawn as both men were breathing heavily, looking for threats within the large office.
“Topher, look at this.”
“Look... man do you have to yell? You could have just called me. That's what these things are for. Argh,” Topher growled in annoyance as he marched over to the screen and looked at the picture.
“So? It's a picture of you. You yelled for me to look at a picture of you? Man that's conceited, even for you.” Topher shook his head. His heart was still pounding. His boss was under a huge threat at all times and he had just scared him to death. Topher had been a police officer for years but a gun shot injury put him behind a desk on the force. He couldn't stand... so his brother found him a job.
“But... never mind.”
Topher looked at Aidan. “Max, you can leave. He's not hurt or being threatened, well except by me but I'm not a real serious threat.”
Max smiled as he backed out of the room and closed the door.
“What do you see?”
“It doesn't look like me.” Aidan almost whispered.
“Well of course it's you. You were feeling the wind on your face. That is what you look like when you're relaxed. The woman falling and you catching her, peeled a bit of your onion-like presence away.”
“You never make any sense. How did you survive on the force?”
“I was the jokester.”
“Course you were.” Aidan said still looking at the picture. “It's dark, yet light.” He said in awe as he stared at the picture. “Like she caught a glimpse of my whole life in one picture.” Aidan hid a lot of his darkness, even from his own family but this picture seemed to expose all of him.
“Bet you wish now that you let her do the shoot that she wanted to do instead of dictating everything she took.”
“Ok. You were right. She is not some hack that I had to take pictures with because she's your soon to be wife's best friend, even if I did not know that at the time.” Aidan rolled his eyes as he downloaded the picture to his desktop, along with all of the other pictures to save for his own reference.
“She really is a good photographer isn't she?” Aidan said as he looked through the other snow pictures and stopped at the same special picture of his back to her. He saw a picture labeled, “A Special Quote.” He clicked the picture as it opened up and he saw his quote and slogan, “From Freedom comes Elegance. -Ashby” He had made the quote when they launched their new electronics that he had designed and his team created. The picture brought a smile to his face. He would have to keep this picture for sure. There was something in it showing a side of him that he hid from everyone. It was even more revealing than the one of his back, looking up to the sky. She had gotten under his skin and it showed in the pictures in the snow.
“How should I apologize?”
Topher stared at him like he had asked him to jump out of the building stark naked and on fire. A feather could have knocked him over in his shock.
“What? Like you said, I don't apologize... well except to family but that's different.” Aidan shook his head. He could not believe that he was even thinking about apologizing.
“Well there are a few different ways. One, you could use one of her pictures on the main website and credit her. She is dying to get her own gallery one day but she needs a lot more photoshoots to earn money. Also flowers, chocolates, or even better, Berry Skittles.”
“Berry Skittles? As an apology?”
“Yeah, they are her favorite. Insider knowledge.” Topher smiled. “Better yet... you were a pretty big ass this morning. If I were you, I'd go with all the above.”
“Thanks, Christopher.”
“Anytime bro.” He smiled as he walked out of the office, his laughter still in the air.
CHAPTER THREE
Claire threw on her black tank top and wiggled her way into her favorite pair of jeans before she walked downstairs to the bar that they lived above, putting on an apron, pulling her hair into a ponytail.
“Glad you could make it.” Russ smiled as she walked around the counter.
“What?” She looked at her watch quickly. “I'm 5 minutes early.”
“Just wanted to see how bad I could freak you out.”
“Ugh, you're such a... brat.” Claire laughed as she tossed a towel at him.
Alyssa ran in the front door like a hurricane... “Did you see it?”
“Hello Alyssa.”
“Hey Russ.” Alyssa smiled before she slapped her hand onto the counter looking at Claire. “Have. You. Seen. It?”
“Alyssa, I swear sometimes I think I need a translator to understand you... what is it that I'm meant to have seen? Obviously I haven't seen it if I have no clue what you are talking about.” Claire asked as she put down the glass that she was drying. Tonight was suppose to be a big night in the bar. “Russ, may I steal her for five minutes? Pleeeeaassseee?” Alyssa drug it out, giving her famous pouting lip.
“How could I say no to that face? You coming tonight?”
“I am, and Topher will be here too.”
“Oh no... maybe I should close down the dance floor.”
“Ha ha Russ. He'll behave.” Alyssa made a face and grabbed Claire's arm.
Once in the hall, walking back up the stairs she looked to Alyssa, “What is so important that you have to pull me from work? You know I need the money.”
“You know that Russ won't dock your pay and it's only five minutes, swear.”
“So what is it?”
“Oh just wait.” At the top of the stairs Alyssa stopped her from grabbing the door knob. “Close your eyes.”
“Alyssa...”
“Do it.”
Claire closed her eyes. She heard the door to their apartment be nudged open. Alyssa grabbed Claire's hands as she guided her into the room. “Now open them.”
Claire's mouth dropped open at the site of the huge basket filled with goodies and roses that sat on the kitchen counter. “Wow. What the hell did Topher do and why didn't you tell me?”
“Topher? No, silly... Here, read the note.” Alyssa grabbed the note out of the basket and brought it over to her.
“Was told I was an ass. Accept the roses as an apology. -A”
Claire hand
ed the note over to Alyssa. “Wow, even the note is kinda ass-ish.”
“Golden Spoon. At least he got my favorite.” Claire pulled out a bag of berry skittles, pouring a few into their hands.
Claire just smiled as she grabbed one of the bags of skittles and went back down the stairs to work.
Hours passed as she served drink and snack items to people in the bar. She was working on only a couple hours of sleep over the past few days and she felt as if she would drop in a moment. She looked at her watch and groaned inwardly. She still had another four hours to go but seeing her friend and Topher whispering and laughing with their group of friends brought a smile to Claire's face. She brought them another round of drinks as the night swirled around her.
Topher stumbled up to the bar, slurring, dropping his phone onto the bar. “Another round Claire!”
“Don't you think you've had enough.”
“Never.” He laughed as Alyssa grabbed him away and pulled him onto the dance floor.
“Those two are perfect for one another.” Russ said from behind her.
“Yes. They are a good match.” Claire said absentmindedly.
The phone on the table buzzed constantly, “You should answer that.” Russ nodded towards the phone.
“And say what?”
“Take a message? Just make the noise stop.” Russ scrunched up his nose. She knew he hated the sound of vibrations and cellphone noises ruining the music.
Claire grabbed the phone and moved to go out to the back of the bar to the small alley. “Mr Watkins’ phone, may I please take a message?”
“Who is this?” The voice dwindled as if he was looking at his phone, as if to check if he had the correct number.
“Who is this?” Claire asked in a pleasant voice that she used for phone calls.
Through the Lens (Through Series Book 1) Page 2