Oddly Similar (Complete)

Chapter - XV

Taking the plans from my hand, Matt started moving towards the door and out while I turned to dad who gave a cautious smile and a thumbs-up mouthing 'you've got this' which made me smile broadly for the first time since yesterday night.

Trust is a truly strong potion. It gives you wings and the strength which you yourself may not believe you have.

Turning towards the door with new-found confidence I stopped after a few steps and turned to wave dad goodbye.

Oh come on!! You've stayed at construction sites for weeks without having a word with Dad...

This is just a site trip which may last a couple of hours tops...

Why am I acting like a 4-yr old going to school for the first-time?

Maybe because am scared of the guy am going with and I have never backed out of anything in my life...

Long breath.

I had dressed sensibly in black tights, a red checkered shirt, knee-high boots with red sapphire ear-studs and hair tied high up in a ponytail.

If I wasn't so clammed up and worried I would've drooled all over Mr. Moneybags who was similarly sensibly dressed in dark blue jeans, a crisp white shirt with the top button open giving a view of his tanned chest, black boots and black aviators. He'd folded the sleeves up till his forearms giving a view of his sinewy muscles. They weren't what one gets from gymming, those were earned with hard labor.

Why do we get invites to buffets when we are the least hungry?!

His black Mercedes stood proudly in our driveway. Like a true gentleman he moved to open the door for me skillfully holding the plans in his other hand as if he'd been a professional valet all his life. Giving a small smile he closed the door and placed the plans in the back. Moving quickly he came to the driver's seat while I was buckling in the safety belt. Our hands brushed as he brought in his seat belt at the same time to buckle in.

He momentarily looked up from the task into the empty space between us.

I hoped with all fervor my sharp intake of breath wasn't loud enough for him to hear. Because the moment it happened it was all electric. All of a sudden his spacious car wasn't big enough for both of us.

I was tingling all over. 

Again.

I pressed the button to open up the window. His chocolate eyes looked straight at me as if verifying something. "You okay, Rose?"

I nodded trying my best to look as calm as possible.

"Cause if you're not feeling up for the trip we can go some other day?"

"I'll call Ryan up and have it arranged for a later date."

His eyes had the most genuine light as if he had all the patience in the world for this trip. It made my breath hitch. His chocolate eyes were reading me and waiting as if it meant the world to him.

I personally could not wait for this trip to be done and dusted. Since last night I was feeling as if he were a spell pulling me under his influence and I wanted to run away from him as soon as possible.

I nodded a confident yes and said, "I have been looking forward to seeing Regalia since almost a year Matt. Nothing can stop me from going on this trip." The last statement brought a smile to his lips which didn't reach his eyes as if the shutters were up again. Giving a polite smile he said, "That I don't doubt."

Pulling out from our driveway Matt drove with the utmost ease and control as if he owned the roads and was sure of every car that was driving in the proximity of his car. 

"Mind if I play some music?" he enquired looking at me, I smiled a no and soon the car was filled with the softest tunes of the ocean waves accompanied by instrumentals from violin. It was the calmest melody I'd heard in quite some time. The highs and lows aimed to drag all stress away from your mind. 

"It's lovely. Who's it by? And where can I get it?" I turned to him with am sure the most inquisitive eyes.

Smiling a broad smile he said, "You can get it from me. It's a compilation by our maestro at our Opera House back in Italy."

He really is rich. Even his music is personal.

"Thank you." 

"But I haven't shared the music yet with you and you are thanking me already?" he asked looking at me with questioning eyes as if I were a five year old.

"Something tells me you are a man of your words and I'll surely get whatever you promise to deliver."

"Which brings me to the one question that's niggling at the back of my mind."

"Oh by all means please ask!!" he answered like some medieval knight interrupting me. 

"Why are you handling this project Matt? Am sure you employ an army fit for this job." My question brought his attention to me away from the road and he looked straight at me for what seemed almost a minute before he answered, "And let anyone else enjoy this ride and your company?"

I laughed to diffuse the tension in the air and said, "Very smooth, Mr. Flinthart but seriously isn't your company working on a project more profitable than Regalia? One which could do better with your presence." 

He answered instantly, "My construction segment of the company is handling 4 projects right now which involve 20 times the investment Regalia needs and 2 other projects that we are in negotiations for which will involve investments worth all 4 rolled into one. My army of staff is handling them and am leading negotiations for all of them. Every project we handle gets equal attention. As I said before us venturing into Boston is important for me as I wish to stay close to my family and friends. But I understand and respect your curiosity."

"No project we handle is small for me Rose. One never knows what fruits they may yield in the upcoming future."

"For instance we may collaborate more with Helena Developers, heck if I like how it's being run I maybe tempted into buying it."

That statement felt like a slap. So he's here to expand and eliminate competition.

And you thought he's here to play picnic with you.

I had to will all my restrain together to prevent myself from saying anything I might end up regretting sooner than later.

"Whatever gave you the impression we want to sell?!"

"Nothing! That's the deal. It's such a well-known, flourishing firm. No one in their right mind would want to sell it." 

"As I said I wanted to partner so as to know better before considering anything."

You've been saying different things every single time we met since the past two days. First you wanted the project all for yourself then you wished to partner and now you are considering buying us.

I wanted to slap the living daylights out of him now. 

What the hell does he think of himself?!

I wanted to scream not everything is for sale and not everything has a price tag like maybe in your world. 

"Like you said Matt, no one in their right mind would want to sell Helena Inc and I can assure you Dad and I plan to keep the company in the family." I responded with the calmest expression. 

I deserve two scoops of Belgian dark chocolate ice-cream for this. For not blowing up in Moneybags' face. 

He looked at me as if staring at a challenge and smiled, "If you say so."

Author's note: Can men be as confusing and cryptic as Matt? I personally have come across some such people.

I got my first follow which has lasted couple of hours. Lol!

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