Things went a notch up between them after the annual office party held by Carter Enterprise. It was a cocktail party. It was Saturday night, and Justin had an inevitable client meeting at his office. He didn't get his suit to the office due to last-minute work, so he asked Fiona if she could get it for him because they would be terribly late if she didn't, and she agreed with no qualms.
Fiona entered just as Justin was finishing up his work on his laptop. He was completely enthralled. In her black sleeveless dress that came just above her knees, she looked stunning. She paired it with black stilettos. As usual, she had minimal make-up, but, unlike other times, she wore red lipstick. It only made her face look more radiant.
"You look amazing." Justin couldn't help but voice his thoughts.
"Thank You." She told him, blushing. Justin couldn't take his gaze away from her.
"Thanks for dropping this by." Justin thanked her, taking the bag from her, which had his suit in it from Fiona.
But Fiona waved it off. "Don't worry about it. I just hope I got everything right."
"I am sure you did. Give me a few moments, and I will get ready. Make yourself comfortable here." Justin went to the bathroom, which was attached to his cabin.
Justin took roughly twenty minutes to get ready. Apart from fumbling with his tie, he was practically dressed. His tie was tight. Fiona was comfortably seated on the couch, heels off her feet, going through her phone when he came outside the restroom.
When Fiona felt Justin's presence, she got up from her seat. He looked too good to be true. "You cleaned up nice."
"Not as much as you," Justin remarked while attempting to loosen his tie.
"You okay?" She asked him when she saw him aggressively adjusting his tie.
"I think I might have tied it a little tighter than I like." He said.
"Let me help you with it." She volunteered and did the job for him. Without realizing it, Justin had kept both his hands on either side of her waist while she was helping him.
He desperately wished for time to stop and to have her this close to him forever. Fiona gently patted both of his shoulders, bringing him out of his daze.
"All done!"
Justin couldn't resist kissing her on the right cheek. "Thanks!"
Fiona blushed as her hands slid to that cheek. "It's okay." She said nervously.
She slowly went towards the couch and wore her heels. While standing, she lost her balance and was about to fall, but Justin caught her by clutching her arm and waist.
"Careful." He told her.
"Sorry. Heels are a pain." She commented.
"Then why torture yourself?" He asked. He never understood the agony that girls go through for high heels.
"First and foremost, it makes you look good. Second, this pair is perfect for this dress. Third, it makes me look tall, and last, you are tall." Fiona made him count for all the logical reasons.
"Ah! So you wanted to match me. Don't worry, sweetheart. Even without heels, we match perfectly." Justin winked.
What he didn't realize was that he used the sweetheart, which didn't go unnoticed by Fiona. When Justin realized the word he had used, he closed his eyes, trying to find words to say to her.
"We should leave now, or else we will be late," Fiona told him.
The blush was very much visible on her cheeks, and it was not from the rouge that she had applied to her face.
"That we should." Justin extended his arm for Fiona to loop, which she did with a huge smile on her face.
The venue was downstairs in the massive ballroom of the building where their office was, so it only took them five minutes. Emily and James were immediately on their side as soon as they entered the room.
"Fiona, you look beautiful." James complimented her and gave her a firm embrace. Justin wanted to pull his best friend apart. He really hated how James could easily connect with Fiona on a personal level.
"You look good too, James," Fiona said back.
"Nice clean-up, duck face." Emily complimented her boss in her own unique style.
"Aww, Fluffy. You look good, too, for being a potential assault master." He nudged her shoulder.
"Thanks, and don't call me Fluffy," Emily said, glaring at him.
"Fluffy suits you. Plus, simple thanks won't do." Her brow furrowed in response to Justin's remark.
He hugged her in response.
"Jeez, Justin. I had no idea you were so fond of me. Fine, I will consider you to be on my friend list." Emily joked.
"Every guy's dream." Justin rolled his eyes.
Their bonding session was broken when some called them "Café-girl."
When Fiona realized who it was, she exclaimed, "Oliver!"
When it came to Justin, he had forgotten that Oliver was coming, let alone that he had a crush on his wife the last time they met.
"You look good." He hugged her.
"You too, Oliver," Fiona said.
Oliver man-hugged his good friends Justin and James after Fiona.
In between greeting and meeting everyone, Fiona and Justin were at the opposite end of the room. He did, however, periodically check in on her to see whether she was okay. He noticed Fiona talking animatedly with Oliver as he was talking with James. Instantly, Justin had a frown on his face.
"What's with the clown face, Justin?" Emily walked towards him and James.
"Nothing." He murmured.
"Justin is just jealous of Oliver." James teased,
"No, I am not," Justin stated irritably.
"Just like pigs fly. Justin, you are also jealous of James." Emily told him with a smug look.
"Me? Why?" James asked, clearly surprised.
"Because you can easily manage to talk to Fiona, unlike him. You know, paying compliments, hugging, and there is no awkwardness. In fact, I can say that Justin is envious of every single person in this room who is easily talking with Fi." Emily explained.
"Well, I don't know about you, but currently, you are not in the top sections of my friend list." Justin narrowed his eyes at Emily.
"Instead of giving me this look, why don't you go, take the lead, and dance with Fiona," Emily suggested when she saw Oliver and Fiona dancing in the middle of the room amongst other couples.
"That I will." Justin stride casually with a cool head towards his wife.
"Do you mind if I cut in?" Justin asked Oliver and Fiona with a smile. Despite his jealousy, he knew Oliver was a good person, and he wouldn't try to break up their relationship.
"Naah! She is all yours." Oliver took a step back, and Justin took his rightful place.
Fiona softly rested her hands on Justin's shoulder while he relaxed his hands on her waist. They were moving to the beat of slow music.
"Oliver likes you." Justin made a polite remark.
"He is a great guy," Fiona added.
"That he is," Justin told her, his lips pursed tight. Fiona wished she could laugh.
"Jealousy isn't a pretty color on you. It is refreshing and all, but still." Fiona told him with a smile, but Justin remained silent. "No response? Justin, I was joking."
"It's not a lie, though. I mean, I am a little envious." Justin admitted it.
"What? Why?" Fiona asked, her gaze fixed on him. Even with heels, she had to look up.
"Isn't it obvious?" Justin responded with a question.
"Justin." Fiona let out a sigh. She drew her face closer to him and kissed his cheeks lightly.
"Well, if that's how you are going to answer my jealousy, I might consider permanently wearing that cape." Justin pointed out while Fiona was rubbing her thumb on his cheek to remove the little crimson spot.
Her flush was enough to elicit a response from him.
Their interaction didn't go unnoticed by James and Emily, who were standing and observing their friend.
"I am so glad that things are coming around for them," Emily spoke the thoughts out aloud.
"Me too, Miley." This caused her to stare at him with wide eyes.
"What?" James asked her in confusion when he saw the look on her face.
"No... Noth... Nothing." Emily dismissed it with an uneasy smile.
"You okay?" James asked her in concern.
"Yes. I am perfectly fine. To be honest, I feel happy. Looking at Justin and Fiona, makes me want to believe in the impossible." Emily shifted the conversation's focus but inadvertently dived into dangerous territory.
"It is not impossible, Em. What Justin and Fiona have is rare, but it is not impossible. You have to just open that window for you." James tried to give her hope.
However, Emily was disappointed when he addressed her as Em and not Miley. She never thought a day would come when she would be liked to get addressed as Miley by anyone, let alone James.
"Love is not for me, James," Emily told him. However, James didn't believe that one bit.
Emily is one-of-a-kind and special in her own way. She just needs to see it, or rather have someone alongside her to show her that she is an extraordinary woman, and any guy would be lucky to have her.
"That is not for you to decide. Come on! We are dancing." James took her hand and brought her to the dance floor.
"Right now, I could easily punch you for dragging me here?" While swaying with James, Emily said. Her hands were on his shoulders, and his were on her waist.
"But you won't. My face is too pretty for you to punch." James drew her in a little closer.
He was well aware that he was testing the waters, but he couldn't help but make her flustered.
"Whatever!"
"Aww! Emily. Is it possible that I am growing on you? Don't worry. Just like I am pretty, you are also beautiful." James teased her, but he spoke the truth.
Emily felt something unrecognizable at James' words. 'Stupid monkey, gorilla face, James. Always making me flustered.'
She pressed her right foot against James's left foot to hide her reaction and suppress her emotions.
"Oww!" He exclaimed.
"Do I still look beautiful to you?" Emily said sarcastically to him.
"Jeez! Just because I think you are beautiful, you cannot kill my foot."
"Urg, James. Stop calling me that."
"What? Why?" James wanted to know the root cause of her insecurities.
Emily told him, "Just keep dancing."
Even though James couldn't dig much deeper, he tugged her in closer to send the message that he is not going to let go of her easily.
The rest of the night, they were dancing alongside Justin and Fiona.