by Laura Sutton
Looking at his watch, he saw that he was almost an hour and a half 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 four guards followed him. The other two guards broke off towards their private lounge, in hopes of getting a few hours of sleep as everyone knew that tonight would be a long night. Within his office, Aidan dismissed his other bodyguards. He knew that he was safe in his own office. He had almost the entire floor to himself, minus his secretary’s office, his 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 keeping quiet, especially when something's on your mind.”
“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.”
“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 your life. Your guards were clueless.”
“She didn't act as if 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 the 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 the lens to make a baby smile. If I remember correctly, she also has a puppet, a couple of 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 of 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 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 businessman and an amazing protector of the ones you consider your family; but you are in no way a people person. 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 keep believing that. 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. Aidan couldn't help but smile at his assistant. He was 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, except the people who were there. She was lost in the memory of his eyes, and the feel of his arms around her. Even memories of her dream 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 thinks 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 did not speak at all. He would not allow it. The man was a walking contradiction; a complete mystery. Usually, Claire was good at reading people; but 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 of 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. Being the head of the business, he could do anything he wanted. Now that the planning meeting was over, he had a lot of drawings he needed to finish for the new designs. Though he did not show it, Aidan was excited as his company had grown to be the second-largest company in the world, after the latest adventure. His next goal was to become the largest, most reliable company. He had always wanted to be the best after being told repeatedly, he would always be trash and never amount to anything.
Aidan was drawing when ther
e 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 letterhead and the beautiful handwritten scroll on the paper. He typed the website link, she put on the page and brought up his pictures. He clicked the checkmarks 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. He was looking up, the lighting with the freshly falling snow lit his body's frame. “TOPHER!” Aidan yelled again as the man ran into the room along with his 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 always under a huge threat and he had just scared him to death. Topher had been a police officer for years, but a gunshot injury put him behind a desk. He hated seeing the cops going out without him each day, and he joined Aidan's team.
“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 serious threat.”
Max smiled as he backed out of the room and closed the door.
“What do you see?” Topher asked calmly.
“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.”
“Of 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 you let her do the shoot she wanted, 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 reference.
“She is an amazing photographer, isn't she?” Aidan said as he looked through the other snow pictures and stopped at the folder. The folder was labeled, “A Special Quote.” He clicked the picture 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 and his team had created. The picture brought a smile to his face. He would have to keep this picture for sure. There was something in it that showed 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 snowy pictures.
“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? As 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 own her own gallery, but she needs a lot more photoshoots to earn the money. Also, flowers, or chocolates. Oh, Berry Skittles.”
“Berry Skittles? As an apology?”
“Yeah, they are her favorite. Insider knowledge.” Topher smiled. “You were a pretty big ass this morning. If I were you, I'd go with the works.”
“Thanks, Christopher.”
“Anytime, bro.” He smiled as he walked out of the office, his laughter still in the air.
Chapter Three
Claire slipped on her black tank top and wiggled into her favorite pair of jeans before she walked downstairs to the bar that they lived above. Walking into the bar, she put 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 five minutes early.”
“Just wanted to see how bad I could freak you out.”
“Ugh, you're such a... jerk.” Claire laughed as she tossed a towel at him.
Alyssa ran in the front door like a hurricane, making a few customer's jerk in surprise. “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 supposed to be a big night in the bar and they were trying to get as prepared as they could.
“Russ, may I steal her for five minutes? Pleeeeaassseee?” Alyssa drug it out, giving her famous pouty 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 corner off the dance floor.” Russ acted alarmed.
“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, I swear.”
“So, what is it?”
“Oh, just wait.” At the top of the stairs, Alyssa stopped her from grabbing the doorknob. “Close your eyes.”
“Alyssa...”
“Do it.”
Claire closed her eyes. She heard the door to their apartment being nudged open. Alyssa grabbed Claire's hands, guiding her into the room. “Now open them.”
Claire's mouth dropped open at the site of the huge basket filled with goodies and the vase of roses sitting beside it on the kitchen counter. “Wow!" Claire stood there, almost speechless before she turned to Alyssa. "What the hell did Topher do and why didn't you tell me?”
“Topher? No, silly." Alyssa laughed. "Here. Read the note.” Alyssa pulled the note out of the basket and brought it over to her.
“I was told I was an ass. Accept the roses as an apology. -A”
Claire handed the note over to Alyssa. “Wow, even the note is kinda ass-ish.”
“Golden Spoon, remember? At least he got my favorite candy.” Claire pulled out a bag of berry skittles, smiling, as she went back downstair
s to work.
Hours passed as she served drinks 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 any second. 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 pulled him onto the dance floor.
“Those two are perfect for one another,” Russ said from behind her.
“Yes. They're 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. Hawkins’ phone, may I please take a message?”
“Who is this?” The voice dwindled as if he was looking at his phone to check if he had the correct number.
“Who is this?” Claire asked in a pleasant voice that she used for phone calls.
“I asked first.”
“Actually, I asked if I could take a message.”
“Aidan Ashby.”
“Ah, yes. I should have guessed. This is Claire Henderson.”
“Claire, yes. How are you? What is that dreadful noise?”
“The Bar, I'm standing outside.”
“Could you... please, put Topher on the phone?”
“Sorry. No can do. He is very drunk and on the dance floor with Alyssa. I don't have a death wish to try and stop his hideous dancing.”
“Which bar? I'll come to fetch him. He shouldn't be so intoxicated.”
“The Bar in Midtown Manhattan.”
“You sound tired.”
“Well, someone had my team and I up at the crack of dawn. Pre-dawn, to be exact.”