by R. R. Banks
“Then I can stay at my apartment,” she said with a smile. “There isn’t much of a reason for you to move here just yet unless you want to continue your life in New York.”
Nathanial looked across the table with a sense of amazement, hearing the reserved tone of Alexis’s voice come across as cautious, but willing to talk.“So, why don’t we talk about the elephant in the room,” said Alexis as she placed her fork down and stared across the table at Nathanial. “How are you moving on after your ousting?”
Nathanial took a sip from his steaming cup of coffee as he listed intently to Alexis, taking as much time as possible to figure out the words to his response. His mind wrapped around it while he carefully crafted his answer, making sure he came up with the perfect answer to not upset Alexis again. He was still scarred from her outburst at the Ivory Ring and wanted to make sure his night didn’t end abruptly from misspeaking. “Honestly, Alexis, in business, it’s always best to move on from the bad beats and immediately shift your focus to what you can control,” he said carefully. “I’m doing my best to not really think about it and focus on the things that really matter now.”
Alexis smirked. “So, you’re not thinking about it?”
“I’m trying not to,” he continued. “I’ve done very well in business while focusing on tech companies and pharmaceutical giants. Oil was always something that fascinated me, but now I’m starting to think that I should’ve left it as a thought. While business is dirty and mean spirited, it is what it is. I understand the business and I accept that I will not always be successful. However, I also accept that I will have to be just as mean and ruthless as those across the table.”
“I would be going stir crazy thinking about what happened,” said Alexis as she shook her head in disbelief, still gazing into his eyes. “Are you sure you can just shake it off?”
“Without question,” he continued. “Look, success is only measured by results. I don’t like to think about what I’m not successful at. I want to win at all costs, but when I don’t, I have to turn my attention to what I will win at.”
She nodded. “So you came back to talk to me because you thought you could win?” she asked playfully, smiling a bit in jest as he formed his words.
“Alexis, you are not a game that one can simply win or lose,” he said with a cheesy grin. “You are not some conquest. You are much more than that. You are special and important.”
“So trying to win me back wasn’t a game to you?” she said. “You didn’t view this as an opportunity for you to get a win?”
Nathanial shook his head. “Absolutely not,” he said quickly. “This was actually something I thought I would lose.”
Alexis smirked. “So, you weren’t confident that you would win me back?
“I was more confident that you would slap me across the face and spit at me as I was stunned,” he replied with a coy grin. “I was not very confident that I would be successful but I had to try, if not to win you back, to at least apologize for how I acted.”
“Did it really matter that much to you?” she asked. “Did it really matter to you that you apologized to me?”
“It did because it’s not who I am,” he continued. “I’m not that person and I wanted you to know that.”
Alexis nodded. “You’re quite remorseful,” she said. “Why are you so contrite?”
Nathanial smiled as he looked down at his plate, taking his eyes off of Alexis before shaking his head with a soft smile. He looked up at her. “Because you’re the best thing that has ever happened to me and I would move heaven and Earth to not lose you again.”
She stood up and moved to the other side of the table to sit beside him. Placing her hand on his, she leaned in and kissed him softly on the lips. “I love you,” she said with a soft gaze as she pulled back away from him. “I’m really glad you came back for me. I’m truly glad you want to make this work.”
“I don’t want to rush this,” he said as he looked into her eyes, holding his head a few inches from hers. “I want to make sure we get this right.”
“So, you were preparing to move here?” she joked. “We can make this work, Nathanial. Just promise me that you will always try your best and we will make it happen.”
“I promise,” he said. “So, do you want to head back to my hotel for the night and talk some more?”
“I think that’d be the best way to end tonight,” she said with a smile as she backed away from him. “I’ll get the check and meet you outside at the cab?”
“You don’t want to walk?”
Alexis shook her head. “Is it not very far?”
“Only place I could find that fit my standards is only a few blocks away,” he said. “We can walk it if you’re ok with it.”
“Yeah, that’d be great,” she said. “I’ll meet you outside.”
“Great, I’ll see you then,” said Nathanial as he stood up from the table and walked back to the door. She walked up to the cash register and dropped the check down to pull some cash out of her wallet. She placed a twenty-dollar bill on the register and stepped away, heading toward the door, as the waitress walked up. She walked out, greeted by the cold, crisp wind to find Nathanial standing on the sidewalk. “That was fast.”
“I didn’t wait for change,” she replied with a smile. “I was too busy wanting to get out to you.”
“Ah, can’t stand waiting to see my suite?” he asked with a smile as they started to walk down the street.
“I can’t wait to get out of these shoes,” she said as she motioned down to her wedges.
Nathanial smiled. “I thought you were a few inches taller tonight.”
“I didn’t suddenly have a growth spurt,” she said. “I have to wear stilts sometimes to give myself a few inches.”
“You know, some guys would really take that joke to a whole new level,” said Nathanial with an awkward smile.
Alexis laughed. “Yeah, but I know how many inches you can give me,” she quipped as they walked along the street, making great time reaching Nathanial’s hotel and walking in. The hotel was incredibly bright with marble arches lining the walkway in the lobby and tall chandeliers illuminating the area from the ceiling. The floors were a marble tile and sparkled from the light shining down on them, refracting as each beam glistened with the passing steps of the guests. In the center of the lobby, a large fountain propelled water several floors into the air.
They walked through the lobby quickly and made their way to the golden elevator at the end, catching it before the doors closed. They leapt in as the doors closed behind them and Nathanial reached back and pressed the highest number he could, letting Alexis know that they were headed up to the penthouse. She leaned back against the wall of the elevator as it started to ascend, feeling it move beneath her as she looked across at a smiling Nathanial. She was still struggling with the fact that he came all the way across the world to give her an apology, but he seemed remorseful and willing to see where it would go. Her emotions were running all over the gambit, but she knew this was what she wanted and she was willing to go out of her way to see it through to its conclusion. The elevator stopped at the top, opening up into a short hallway with only two doors, one directly beside the elevators and one at the very end. The door to the side was clearly labeled maintenance, that the housekeeping and other employees used that room to take care of the penthouse. At the end of the hallway was a large, white door with a golden door knob and a key card slot above it. They walked down the hallway together with Alexis following closely behind him as the hallway was slightly narrow, not allowing them to walk side by side. They reached the door and he turned to face her, reaching into his pocket pulling out a magnetic key and holding it in his hands. “Now don’t get the wrong idea, but this isn’t as luxurious as I tend to go for.”
“I’m sure it’s wonderful,” she replied with skepticism as he placed the key into the slot and turned the knob. Alexis walked into Nathanial’s suite and surve
yed the area. His clothes were still in the suitcase, which was resting on a small table at the foot of the bed. His travel bag was sitting next to the couch and appeared as if he’d only walked into the room long enough to drop off his belongings. The room, however, was something out of a fairytale. In the common area, a white couch with wooden accents sat in the center on top of a plush, oriental rug. The floors, all aged hardwood, shined majestically as the taupe walls appeared perfectly on top of them. Gracing the walls were several large paintings, all depicting various landscapes with surreal settings. Around the Oriental rug were two identical chairs with a coffee table separating them.
Attached to the common area was a small kitchen, though it looked like it was hardly ever used. This kitchen was filled with several crystal glasses and a refrigerator already stocked with champagne and wine for the evening. The countertops were made of a white quartz and shined from the chandelier that hung down from the ceiling. The floors were made of a soft, white tile that contrasted the hardwoods that were in the common area.
Inside the bedroom, the poster bed had a large canopy draped over it. While the lamps beside the bed rested on antique, white end tables and a small table to place luggage on was resting at the foot of the bed . “This place is incredible,” said Alexis as she took in the scenery, taking into account how Nathanial liked to travel in style. “Do you always stay in places that are this nice?”
“I don’t like to slum it,” he joked as he walked over to a small wet bar in the corner and poured the two of them drinks. “Fast, luxurious cars are something that I love to have, but could live without. I can’t live without great accommodations, whether they are temporary or permanent.”
“Really?”
“Do you remember my house in Dubai?” he asked. “Now think about the small beachside condo I rented in Sydney. Were either of those of an inferior quality?”
Alexis grinned. “Compared to what?”
“Just think of general housing accommodations,” said Nathanial.
“Well, most hotel rooms contain a bed and a bathroom,” joked Alexis. “If you get a wet bar or a small refrigerator you’re doing well.”
“See, to me, those things are required in order for me to have a great stay,” he said with a coy grin. “I have to have accommodations that allow me to relax. I can’t be stressing about where I’m at, if I’m to think about how I’m going to do well with my next investment.”
“That’s very brash of you,” she said as she walked over to him and grabbed the small glass off of the bar, rattling the ice around in it before taking a sip of the amber liquid. “I’d hate for you to be living with the plebeians.”
“Oh, I would too,” he replied with an awkward smile. “Not to sound to full of myself, but I’ve worked very hard to get where I’m at and thankfully, I’m in a position where I can enjoy the finer things in life.”
Alexis laughed. “I’m not denying that you are allowed to enjoy the finer things, Nathanial,” she said as she stepped away and continued to admire the room. “I’m just saying that you, perhaps, should experience life outside of the penthouse sometime. It might give you some perspective.”
Nathanial shook his head in disbelief. “What perspective would I want or need from that?”
“It might give you some insight into the humble offerings the rest of us have to work with,” she explained softly. “Not all of us are as blessed as you. Not all of us are as fortunate as you or have been given the opportunities to succeed as you have. Please don’t take this the wrong way, because I think you’re an amazing person who has made the most out of every opportunity placed in front of you, but I think that maybe it would be good for you to struggle some. It might make you really appreciate where I come from sometimes.”
“How so?” he asked with a perturbed look on his face.
“Nathanial, I think I am embarrassed to take you to my apartment because then you’ll see how I live,” she said defensively. “I’m afraid that if you see that I live like a normal person, it will turn you off and that you will immediately regret coming to the states to see me.”
Nathanial stood in shock. “Excuse me?” he asked. “You’re embarrassed to take me to your place?”
“I think so,” she said softly. “I really think that if you saw how I lived that you would become disenchanted with me.”
He shook his head. “Then why don’t we head there now?” he asked as he took a sip from his glass. “Why don’t we head to your apartment and let me see how you live. Hell, we can even stay the night there.”
“Now you’re just patronizing me.”
“No, I’m giving you the opportunity to see that I am truly devoted to you, Alexis, the brilliant woman who I stumbled upon in a coffee room in Dubai, not whatever insecure girl that I seem to have found.”
Alexis stood still, looking into his eyes as he held his drink. “You really want to go to my place, even after arriving here?”
“Would it help make you feel a bit more secure about what we have and what we are still trying to build?”
She looked down at the ground, still holding onto her drink but allowing her thoughts to become clearer. A small smile crept across her face, starting from the corner of her mouth as she looked up at him and stared into his blue eyes. “Ok,” she said softly. “I think that would make me feel better about everything.”
“And why is that?” asked Nathanial.
“Because I want you to fall in love with me,” she said confidently. “I don’t want you to fall in love with a façade that you think is me.”
He smirked, turning around and placing his glass on the wet bar before turning back to face her again. “Fine then,” he said. “Alexis, I would love to spend the night with you at your apartment.”
“Good,” she said with a smile as she turned up her glass and allowed the amber liquid to flow down the back of her throat. “I look forward to showing you everything.”
“And I look forward to seeing it.”
Chapter 9
Hannah walked into Russell’s apartment and looked around at the neatness that surrounded her. The floor plan was identical to her apartment, which was located a few floors below them, though she didn’t feel as comfortable in his apartment as she would have normally in hers. It was noticeably cleaner, and things definitely looked to be put in certain places, with a home for everything. His peninsula, which separated his kitchen and living room, was well decorated with several bottles of alcohol and glasses, making it appear like more of a wet bar and less like an extension of his countertops. The walls were all decorated with pictures from back home, Wales. On the far wall, he had images of the Welsh countryside, showing pictures of beautiful rivers and rolling hills, as well as one particular photograph of a small village nestled next to an even smaller stream. “What’s that?” asked Hannah as she looked at it closely.
“That is the village of Monmouth, in Wales,” he explained as he walked up to it. “My grandparents were originally from there and this picture was taken back in the fifties when they first got married and a few years before the birth of my mother. We would always travel to Monmouth whenever we had an opportunity, because to my mother, family was everything. Me moving to the United States because of my career choice was difficult for her to take at first, but once she saw how much money I was making and how I was able to renovate my grandparents old home, she accepted it.”
“You renovated it?” asked Hannah.
“Yes!” exclaimed Russell as he walked over to his laptop and opened it up. “My grandparents are fantastic and are still around, thankfully. I make it a point to talk to them at least once a week over the internet, which fortunately, they were able to figure out.”
Hannah laughed. “So, you’re telling me they’re not the stereotypical elderly couple who can barely work a computer?”
“No, far from it,” replied Russell with a genuine smile. “They are incredible and even in their old age, have embraced
technology.”
“But you updated their home?”
“Yes, I sure did,” he continued. “A couple of years ago, for Christmas, I bought them a one month trip along the Mediterranean Sea on a fantastic cruise ship. My grandparents’ home was in terrible shape, but the foundation was still in good repair and the walls were still intact. Their furniture was old and dated and their entire home was in desperate need of a bit more than a face lift. So, once they left, I met my father there and a local contractor and we went to work on renovating it. We had already come up with a plan of what we thought they would have wanted and made sure to keep my mother involved with it. In one month, the entire inside of the house looked different. The outside, however, was also needing some work, but we chose to wait and have it done after they got back.”
Hannah nodded. “So, they wouldn’t see it coming?”
“Exactly,” he said. “Growing up, my grandparents took pride in surprising me with gifts and experiences. I think it is really what they lived for, so, once I had the opportunity to return the favor, I had to take it. I met my grandmother and grandfather at the airport in Cardiff and drove them home myself. We pulled up in the driveway and they didn’t expect a thing. They walked up the pathway to their home, talking to me about the Greek countryside and the ports of France. My grandfather would not stop talking about Monaco and Turin, but once my grandmother turned the doorknob and opened the door up to see what happened, he didn’t speak of his vacation anymore.”
He pulled up the pictures of the home that he had on his laptop and pointed at the screen. “They walked into their living room, just as they always did. However, this time was far different. Before, the walls were covered in a floral wall paper that my grandfather put up during the seventies. Now, it was a fawn colored sheetrock. The floors, which were covered in a drab, old, dirty carpet, were now hardwoods I had imported from the United States. Their furniture was gone; thankfully too. It was all old with a floral pattern that matched the walls. Now, it was a dark leather that went well with the walls and floors. My grandfather was speechless and my grandmother was reduced to tears, and we hadn’t even made it to the kitchen yet.”