We walk out, his hand on the small of my back, burning through the fabric of my jumpsuit. Waving at the cheerful audience, we greet Ellen before taking a seat. Once the crowd quietens down, Ellen starts off.
"Hey guys. How are you?"
"Good, good."
"Well, Damien, I have to say you are looking very delectable in that outfit but Alex, if I wasn't married and if you were not straight, I would totally hit on you." Everyone bursts out laughing and I find myself relaxing, and having fun. Damien too seems to be at ease, not his usual brooding businessman self. We chat with Ellen about the company and she asks me about my hotels.
"So, Damien, are we friends?"
Damien smiles,"Absolutely."
Ellen nods,"Okay, then can I get a ten million dollar diamond necklace too?"
The audience starts cheering and I blush. Damien laughs, answering casually,
"Sure, no problem."
Ellen turns to the both of us,"Now you guys say you're just friends right?" We nod and she stares at us deadpanned,
"But you're lying. You can't be just friends. I can feel the chemistry between the two of you."
I speak up,"We're not lying. We really are just friends and business partners. That's it." Damien agrees with me and Ellen just shakes her head at us, as though she's given up.
"So, Alex, did you like the diamond necklace?"
"I did, but it's not mine."
"What?" she says in shock.
I shrug,"I told Damien that I couldn't accept such an expensive gift." Ellen stares at me like I've lost my mind.
"Are you crazy woman? If someone were to say"Hey, I just bought this ten million dollar necklace for you", I would not say No."
I laugh, shrugging,"Well, i told him no." She turns to Damien,"And you gave up just like that?"
He smirks deviously,"Oh, I'm not a quitter." was all he said. Ellen raises her eyebrows at me suggestively while I just stare curiously at Damien who's grinning away.
"Anyway, Alex, how's it like working with this brooding guy over here?" I glance at Damien, smiling softly before turning back to Ellen.
"It's amazing. Ari-Damien is the best partner I could ever have. Honestly, I would have probably crashed and burned a long time ago if it weren't for him."
"Didn't you guys hate each other in the beginning?"
"We never hated each other. I guess, we're both hot-headed and stubborn plus we had a few issues to sort out, but once we got past that, we've become friends."
I refrain from telling her about our rocky past. that was something America did not need to know. She nods, turning to Damien
"And how's it like working with this beautiful lady over here?"
He smiles at me, gently squeezing my hand.
"It's great. Angel's, I mean Alex may look like a demure gorgeous lady but she's a spitfire. I mean, she's smart, witty and sarcastic. She keeps me in my place and nothing gets past her, seriously. She really brightens things up."
We share a small smile and Ellen raises an eyebrow,"Angel?" I elbow Damien in the side at his slip up and he groans, rubbing it.
"I know i'm hot but keep your hands to yourself, woman." he says playfully glaring at me. Rolling my eyes, I say dryly,"Uh-huh, keep saying that. Maybe one day,it'll come true." Everyone starts laughing and Damien has a mock wounded expression.
"You're a meanie."
Raising an eyebrow at him, I say"I thought I was a spitfire."
Everyone is in stitches of laughter and Damien turns to a chuckling Ellen,"See what I mean?"
Ellen replies,"Are you sure you two aren't dating? I mean, you call her Angel and she obviously has a nickname for you too, judging by her almost slip up just now."
We chuckle amusedly at her bewildered expression.
"She's one of my best friends. What can I say?"
Ellen smiles deviously,"You know, best friends usually turn out to be soulmates too."
I groan,"You should set up a matchmaking agency, you know, it suits you."
She bursts out laughing along with everyone else in the studio,including Damien.
"Alright people. Give it up for Alexandria Winters and Damien Black." The crowd bursts out in a round of applause and we smile, waving back. The producer then yells,"Cut!" and we switch off our mics. We chat with Ellen a bit more before heading back to our fitting rooms as she prepares for her next guest.
Walking back, Damien says"Wanna grab an early dinner?"
I turn to him and say sarcastically,"Oh that wasn't an act back there? I thought we were going back to ignoring me."
He smiles ruefully,"okay, I deserved that. I'm sorry I've been been cold to you since yesterday. So, can I make it up by taking you out for dinner?"
I stare at him for a few seconds before sighing,"Apology accepted. But, I want McDonalds."
He chuckles and nods,"No problem. I'll meet you out front."
Changing back into my normal outfit of jeans and a tshirt, I wash my makeup off but leave my hair as it is, since it's down in loose waves only. Grabbing my leather jacket and my bag, I head out to the front, smiling once at the cameras before getting into Damien's car.
We're eating our fries, me dipping them into my milkshake. Damien stares at me in disgust,
"That looks disgusting."
"Don't knock it till you've tried it."
"Is this something the Brits do?"
Throwing a fry at him which he ducks, grinning away, I say"Don't be so judgmental. here, try it."
I dip a fry into my milkshake before holding it out to him.
"Open up." He stares at it dubiously before leaning in and taking a bite. Chewing it slowly, he looks at me before saying,"Okay, it isn't too bad."
"Isn't too bad? It's bloody delicious."
He starts laughing and I ask him,"What?'
"I like it when you go all British in between. It's cute." I scowl at him, throwing a fry at him making him laugh even harder. Soon, I can't help it but laugh along too.
"So, when are you flying out to Dubai?" he asks me. We've finished eating and are just sitting there, chatting.
"Thursday. The opening's on Saturday night but I need to be there ahead of time."
"That's tomorrow."
I widen my eyes,"Shit, you're right. Gosh, time flies."
"It does. Do you need any help?"
"I'll be okay, thanks. You're flying out with the rest of the family on Friday right?"
"Yup."
"Cool. I'm not sure if I'll be there when you guys check in but I've already reserved rooms for you."
"Alright. Send me the bill, kayh?"
I stare at him,"Are you nuts? You're not paying a single cent,none of you are."
'Angel, this is business. You have to let me pay."
"Absolutely not. Gosh, you've gone bonkers."
He starts chuckling,"You're doing it again."
Scowling, I throw a napkin at him."Stop it. It's a part of me."
He sobers up,"I know. I never said I didn't like it." I blush at his serious gaze before grabbing my bag.
"It's late and I've got an early flight tomorrow. Shall we leave?"
He laughs at my distraction attempt,"Come on. I'll send you home."
I don't see him the next morning since I leave early for Dubai. Sending a quick text to my mother that I've reached, I head straight to the hotel and am bursting at the seams with pride at how organised and beautiful everything looks. I freshen up, and head to the one of the restaurants downstairs to meet my manager, Mike. We spend the whole day looking over paperwork and making sure everything's up and running for tomorrow. Tomorrow is the first day that the hotel officially opens to the public and all my guests for the night will be arriving. Going over the reservations and making sure everything's in order, I look at my watch and realise that it's almost 1 in the morning. God, I've been on my feet the whole day and I'm still recovering from jet lag. Heading to my room, I take a quick shower and gobble up a sandwich, too tired to eat anything. I'm about to head to bed when my phone buzzes with an incoming text.
Damien: Hey, everything okay? We're leaving now.See you in a while. XO"
Me: hey, yeah got everything sorted out finally. Great, I'm supposed to be meeting with a couple of clients tomorrow but I'll try to meet you guys when you arrive. Have a safe flight. XO"
Almost immediately, my phone rings. I smile at the caller ID.
"Hey, Arius."
"Angel, what are you doing up at this hour? It must be what, almost 1 in the morning over there."
"Well, it's actually 1.29am."
"Angel, you've got a long day ahead. You need to get some sleep."
I chuckle,"I haven't been getting proper sleep in over 2 weeks, another day will not kill me."
He sighs,"You're gonna work yourself to the grave."
"Look who's talking."
He laughs,"So, miss me?"
I scoff,"You wish. I think I need to get away from you more often. It's refreshing to not have to deal with a man child who has an ego the size of Everest."
"I know, I think I need to get away from Jay too. I mean, it's suffocating being near him."
I hear Jay yell in the background and I burst out laughing. I hear everyone else laughing too and I feel a slight ache in my chest. I miss them and it's a new feeling for me. I was not used to missing anyone other than my parents when I was in London and well, him, but it felt good to know that I wasn't so cold hearted.
I hear a short scuffle in the background and I frown. What the hell was going on in that plane? I hear Damien yell a "That's my phone, you asshole" before Jay comes on the line.
"Hey, Al. You're on speaker."
I then speak to everyone on the flight, my parents, Jack, Kaley, Jay,Belle, Casey and his dad,James. I was speaking to them for about half an hour and I was really sleepy. Stifling a yawn, I continue listening to Casey but Damien must be near the phone since he says
"Alright. That's enough. You'll see her tomorrow. Let the poor girl get some rest."
I protest, albeit slightly weakly since I really am exhausted but everyone wishes me good night and hands the phone back to Damien. He puts me off speaker and says,
"Sorry about that. I know you're tired."
"No worries. It was nice talking to them. I feel a bit guilty actually not spending time with them lately."
"Hey, don't beat yourself up. You're busy, besides you can spend time with them after the party."
It was true, we were all having a little vacation in Dubai and then to Iran, Oman and Jordan. It was a much needed break and bonding opportunity.
I yawn again and Damien chuckles.
"Goodnight, angel."
Sleepily, I answer him,"Goodnight, Arius."
I wait for him to hang up but he doesn't. I just listen to his silent breathing on the other line. Finally succumbing to the clutches of sleep, I mumble,
"Damien?"
"Yeah?" he whispers back.
"I may miss you just a little, like really really little."
I hear his warm chuckle reverberate through the phone line.
"I miss you too angel, I miss you too."
With those last words in my head, I fall asleep, a small smile on my face.
I wake up to the blaring of my phone alarm. Sleepily rubbing all remnants of sleep from my eyes, I slowly get off the bed and head to the window. Staring out at the bustling streets below me with the ocean behind, I smile thinking about last night's conversation. It all comes back to me, including the part where I told Damien that I missed him. Slapping my forehead, I scold myself. Stupid stupid girl. What happened to keeping your distance? Uggh... how on earth was i going to face him later. Shaking my head, I head into the shower, getting ready for the long day ahead of me. Once I'm dressed, I head downstairs to grab a quick bite. Spotting a granola bar, I quickly munch on it, heading into the office to meet up with Mark. Sighing, I think to myself. this is going to be a bloody long day.
5 hours later, I walk out of the meeting room, rubbing my eyes wearily. I walk out to the lobby, since the guests would be checking in right about now. I chat with a few of my guests when Mark calls me, showing me an issue with one of the reservations. I'm sorting out the issue deep in concentration when I feel tingles course through my veins. Ignoring it, I focus on ironing this issue out, working with Mark and one of the staff, biting on my bottom lip. After a few clicks and reshuffles here and there, we manage to iron the issue out and I smile in relief. Again, I feel tingles and a pair of eyes on me. Looking up, I scan around the huge lobby till I meet a pair of smoldering intense brown eyes. A slight gasp escapes me at the sight of Damien, clad casually in jeans, a button up and his jacket, looking like he did not just get of a 12 hour flight, leaning casually against the pillar. He stares at me, unwaveringly and I find myself walking towards him. Soon, I 'm right in front of him, within contact distance.
"Hey." I say slightly breathlessly.
"hey"he says back in a low tone. Snapping myself out of the trance like state, I smile at him.
"How was your flight?"
He groans,"Remind me never to fly with the whole family ever again."
I laugh,"That bad."
He nods,"I've never wanted peace so badly in my life."
I smirk at him,"Then, I guess it's a good thing I've booked you a room for yourself."
He lights up with relief,"Thank god."
I laugh,"Where's everyone else?"
He points towards to one of the dozen check-in counters, and I turn spotting my dad, Jack, Casey, Jay and James. The girls are in the exclusive gift shop, looking at things.
We walk towards them
"This place is beautiful, Angel. Hell, beautiful is an understatement. It's genius."
"Thanks."
After greeting everyone, I show them to their rooms. I put them all in rooms next to each other since that's what they wanted. Damien's room was right next to mine and he gasped as he entered his room. Smiling at his expression, I feel a slight weight lifting off my chest, almost as if I wanted his approval. Mentally chiding myself, I turn to him,
"You like?"
"Like? Hell, I'm going to come to Dubai every week just to stay here. You have just redefined luxury ."
I laugh at his reaction, like a little kid in a candy store. Just then, my phone rings and I sigh. Time to get back to work.
"I gotta go. I'l see you later at the ball."
He nods, "Yeah, I'll walk you down."
I almost nod before remembering that I should be avoiding him.
"Uhh, no. I'll probably be down early so you should head on first."
He stares at me with furrowed eyebrows, opening his mouth to retort but I shoot him a quick smile before heading out of his room. Taking a deep breath in the elevator, I compose myself and paste a smile on my face, ready to tackle the issue at hand.
It's almost 6.30 and the gala starts at 7.30 and since I am the owner, I can't be late. Dashing into the shower, I quickly bathe and wash my hair. Running out of the bathroom, I wrap myself in a robe and quickly blow dry my hair, allowing it to flow down in big loose waves, giving me a soft yet sexy look. I apply my makeup, making my eyes shimmery and keeping my lips nude.
I smile at my reflection in the mirror and grab my dress out of the garment holder. I chose this dress at the last minute,as usual but I loved it. I admit, it was a little grander that what I would normally choose but hey, this is Dubai.
It's a shimmery gold dress, with a thigh high slit and bare back. I grab a clutch and pair my outfit with a pair of stilettos. Making sure I look okay, I head down to the ballroom cursing when I realise it's almost 7.30 already. As soon as I enter the ballroom, cameras start flashing but I'm too busy trying to locate Mike. I spot him and rush over to him, since I have to be stage in approximately, two minutes. He appears frantic but his face turns to relief when he spots me. Steering me towards the stage, he asks,
"Why haven't been you answering your phone?"
I glance at him in confusion which soon turns to an apologetic expression.
"Sorry, my phone is still on silent."
He rolls his eyes at me but I can tell he's not mad. The emcee announces my name and that's my cue to get on stage. I take a deep breath and square my shoulders, pasting my public face on. I'm about to head on the stairs when Mike calls me.
"Alex."
"Yeah?"
He gives me a fatherly smile and says,"You got this. You look beautiful by the way."
I smile gratefully at him, laughing when he winks and walking up on that stage. The lights are blinding and I can barely see till the end of the huge room. Smiling, I thank the emcee and take a deep breath before beginning my speech.
"Good evening ladies and gentlemen. I'm Alexandria Winters and welcome to BW Dubai."
Waiting for the applause to die down, I pause before continuing,
"A year ago, I was approached by His Royal Highness King Salman to construct a hotel here in Dubai. Truth was, I had been considering it for a while so when HRH suggested it, it was a no-brainer. But, this is the land of luxury and I wanted to create something different. I sat down with my team of amazing architects and engineers and voila, this is the result of all those grueling hours of brainstorming. I would like to thank them, along with the ever wonderful Michael Weatherly, my manager and all the staff who have worked so hard to make this crazy brainchild of mine possible. I would also like to thank my family for supporting me throughout this whole experience."They wave at me from their spot near the front and I smile back.
"Well, I'm not going to hold you back from partying. Cheers!" Raising my glass of champagne in a toast, the room raises their glass along with me, cheering and clapping. I step down and mingle with the crowd, thanking them for coming and all that shiz. Finally, I was able to get to my family who was conversing with some of their friends. Jay was the first one to spot me and immediately envelopes me in a hug.
"I'm so proud of you, baby sis. You've created a legacy."
"Thank you, big bro. I take it you like your room."
He wiggles his eyebrows at me,"Oh, yes. The bed especially is huge, perfect for me and Belle." I roll my eyes at his innuendo while Belle playfully swats him in the arm. She hugs me tightly,
"You are really something else, Al. This is amazing."
"Thanks, Belle. It's such a relief that everything's going well."
I chat with my parents and Jack and Kaley for a while but I can't stop looking for Damien. Wait, why was I looking for him? Seriously Alex. Dad hugs me, whispering in my ear,
"I'm so proud of you baby girl. You are the strongest person I know and I know he would be very proud of you today."
My eyes tear a little and I close my eyes, fighting back tears. Dad gives me a kiss on my cheek,smiling at me.
"Someone's waiting for you." he says looking over my shoulder. I turn around and find Damien standing there, two champagne flutes in hand. He hands me one, tingles running through my hand when his fingers graze mine.
"Thanks."
"No problem. You l-are you crying?" He says worriedly and I avert my gaze.
"I'm fine. You were saying?"
"Angel, what's wrong?'
"Nothing, Dad and I were just having an emo moment. That's all." He scans my eyes, checking if I'm lying before pulling me into a hug.
"You look like a Greek goddess."he says looking down at me. I blush, looking into my glass.
"Thanks. You look good too."
"Thank you."
We chat for a few minutes before Casey comes over. He hugs me tightly, almost lifting me off my feet. I grin happily at his excitement.
"Ally, I'm so happy for you. This is amazing."
"Thank you. I'm glad you could come." Casey had his own company as well and he was a busy man so it meant a lot for my close friend to able to make time for me. Unfortunately, Marcus couldn't make it but he sent me a bouquet this morning and I spoke to him a few hours ago.
I'm chatting with Casey when I realise that Damien has disappeared. I feel guilty since we were talking when Casey swooped in but I spot him chatting with a group of gentlemen along with my dad and Jack so I leave him alone.
"Hey, I know you gotta make your rounds but can we meet up for drinks later? We haven't spent time in ages." Casey asks hopefully. I nod, agreeing with him. Sure, we met each other often at HQ but that was work.
"How about I meet you at the bar at midnight?"
"Cool. See you then."
I give him a hug when he whispers in my ear,"By the way, you look really good." I thank him and turn around to mingle with my guests.
I'm on my way to the bar to grab a glass of water when I bump into the one person I was not expecting.
"Hello, Alex."
"Dana. What are you doing here?"
"I was invited. well technically my dad was invited but he couldn't make it so he sent me instead."
I'm sure he did, I mentally say.
"Well, enjoy yourself."
I make a move to walk away but she steps in front of me. I look at her and sigh angrily,"What the hell do you want?"
She takes a step closer, sneering.
"You know what I want, or rather who I want."
"I already told you, he's all yours. Now, step out of my way."
She stays put,"he bought you a 10 million dollar necklace and I saw the way you two danced at the gala. In fact, I'm positive you were the one who told him to tell me off."
Raising an eyebrow at her, I say "I don't tell Damien how to spend his money. Two, I can dance with who I want when I want. Third, I'm flattered that you think I spend time thinking about you cuz honestly, you can rot in hell for all I care. Now, move out of my way."
She glares at me but moves aside. Walking past her, I grab a bottle of water from the bar, leaning against it.
"What did she say?"
I turn to find Damien leaning beside me.
"What did who say?"
He gives me a flat look,"Don't play dumb with me, angel. What did Dana say?"
"Nothing you should worry about."
"Angel, te"
I cut him off irritatedly,"Look Damien, I can handle her just fine. I can fight my own battles." With that, I walk away out of the room, in need of some fresh air.
Walking outside, I take a deep breath, enjoying the slight sting of the chill on my bare arms. Guilt seeps through me when I realise how bitchy I acted just now. Damien was just trying to help and I snapped at him like a brat. I was exhausted and my run-in with Dana made things worse but that was no excuse to snap at him. Sighing, I walk back inside, eager to apologise. I'm about to enter the ballroom when I notice movement in my peripheral vision. I turn to the side and almost wish I hadn't. Dana is in between the wall and a guy, her hands entangled in his hair. He has his hands roaming all over her body and they're seconds away from ripping each other's clothes off. But that's not what sends a pang through my chest. It's the fact that the guy is none other than Damien. Dana opens her eyes and sees me. A smug look fills her eyes and I turn away, not wanting to watch further. I walk back inside the ballroom, pasting a fake smile on to cover up my hurt. I wasn't mad that Damien was kissing a girl, okay so maybe it hurt a little but it was the fact that the girl was Dana. Was he lying this whole time when he said he couldn't stand her? Was it all just an act? Were they secretly screwing each other and laughing about how gullible I was? Anger fills me and I mentally count to ten to prevent from punching something. i was angry at Damien for being such a jerk but I was angrier at myself for being so stupid.
You're not worth it. How many times do I need to tell you that? the voice in my head says and I take a deep breath to hold the tears back. Squaring my shoulders, I turn my attention to the couple in front of me. Screw Damien Black.