The first morning of her job was anything but normal. When she woke up the sun wasn't even up and she couldn't fall back asleep. After an hour of tossing and turning trying to go back to sleep, she was unsuccessful. So she decided to start the day early and get in the shower.
The shower was her safe space. The place she could think freely and not be interrupted. She let her mind wander to where it wanted to go. But the one place it went was his. As the water hit her skin and wrapped her up in a hug of warmth. And as the steam enclosed her into the world of her own she thought of him.
The way his ocean blue eyes looked into her hazel ones. The way his jet black hair sat on his forehead after a long day. The way that her body reacted to the way their hands touched. The way that his knuckles read king when looking at them. The way his tattoo sleeve popped out with his suit sleeves were rolled up. The way that he spoke to her brought out the curiosity in her.
But it wasn't long before Torrie was brought out of her thoughts and realized what she was thinking. She shook her head and turned off the shower. Leaving the warmth and safety of it. Letting her thoughts disappear as she leaves. She walks over to the sink and splashes herself with cold water.
The house was as silent as could be. It was almost too quiet that Torrie felt that if she were to drop a hairpin that it would wake everyone up. Despite the number of people that were over yesterday the house was silent the entire way to her office. As she sat down at her desk she let herself get sucked into another world but this time into her work.
It was hours later when she got out of her own little world and it wasn't until Niall said something that she did. "Morning." He said shaking her out and making her jump in her seat. "Good Morning," she says with a small smile without starring too long.
She did notice that even it being so early in the morning he looked wide awake. His suite was well put together and his hair was neatly gelled. She turned back to her work.
She didn't know why but she was interested in him. Something about him lingered in her mind. She shook herself out of her thoughts yet again turning back to an email chain with Katherine. She almost jumped again when he spoke because this time he was closer. "How long have you been working?" He asked and Torrie turned and noticed that he was standing in her doorway.
She looks up and her eyes match his. The nerves go through her body and she looks down at her watch. "Since about five-thirty?" She says with a question because she doesn't truly know herself. He looks at her with a shocked expression looking at her desk for a coffee cup. "Without coffee?" He asks. And she nods. She didn't know how to work the coffee downstairs and she decided that today was a day without coffee.
Niall grabs his phone and starts to text someone. "What kind of coffee do you like? I can have James pick up anything." He says and Torrie looks at him. "Oh no, it's alright." She says and looks at her computer with the email. "Really it's no big deal. If I knew I would have picked some up on the way over here." He says looking at her and she sighs. "A vanilla late please." She says and he types it into his phone sending a text.
But she doesn't hear the sound of his shoes clicking back towards his office. She looks up and notices him still standing there. "Anything I can help you with Mr. Veneti." She asks and He shakes his head. She turns to her computer. "Oh, By the way, can I have the list of investments and businesses that you own?" She asks and Niall nods turning to his office and rummaging through file cabinets.
He rummages in his office for what feels like an eternity for Torrie. Katherine is sending a repeating back to back about the amount of email about Torrie needing the lists. When he finally comes back from his office he drops a big pile of papers on her desk. She looks between the paper and him and silently sighs.
The stress piles up on her shoulders just from seeing these stacks of papers. She looks up at him and he was looking at her.
Before she or he can say anything a knock on the office door makes them divert their attention to the door. "Come in," Niall says and from around the door peeks James holding a tray of coffee. "Oh lord, you two are lifesavers," Torrie says and Niall and James awkwardly laugh.
Torrie runs up and takes the latte. Niall laughs slightly. "Told you that you needed that coffee." He says and Torrie rolls her eyes looking at him.
"Okay time for the meeting!" She says and the men and her sit at the table. "Alright, so what is first on the agenda of this meeting?" James says as they sit down.
Torrie takes a sip of her coffee and looks between the two. "Well, I got the list of Niall's investments and businesses so I will spend the next few days going through the list separating it out." She says and the men nod. "Separate them how?" James asks and Torrie looks at the pile of papers.
"I'll separate them by state then the city and then after that, I can separate them by what is making you the most money and then what is causing you financial struggle." She says and the two men nod. "Sounds like you have a long day ahead of you," James says and Torrie rolls her eyes slightly laughing.
"Thank you for the reassurance." She says and he laughs slightly. Niall and James exchange a look and James just shrugs his shoulders.
The way they look at each other as if communicating with their eyes to each other. Starting to creep out Torrie. She sits there uncomfortably. "Okay, you have fun with this mess," James says standing up. With a smile getting up leaving the two at the table.
Torrie sighs and stands up. as she goes and reaches the entrance to her office when he hears his voice.
"Thank you." He says and she turns around she looks at him. "Don't thank me yet. I haven't done anything." She says with a smile and he returns it. As she heads back to the office sitting down and beginning her work.
After twelve hours of work, Torrie finished half of her work. One thousand pages of companies that he had. One thousand. Fifteen states and ten cities per state so far. By the time she had given up for the day and was rubbing her forehead to be rid of her headache for the fifth time in a row, it was ten o'clock at night. She rubbed her eyes and looked at the mess of her office.
She felt those ocean eyes starring at her. She looked up and sure enough, he was. "You didn't have to do that much in one day you know," Niall says looking at her over his computer. She shrugs her shoulders taking her hair out of its bun and letting it sit on her shoulders. "I know but I am hoping to be able to take the week off next week." She says and he gets out of his chair walking towards her leaning against the door frame.
"Where to?" He says and she looks down almost nervously. "It's my niece's tenth birthday next week in Georgia." She says and looks up at him. "What's in Georgia?" He says and Torrie laughs slightly. "My home town." She says and he nods. "Ah I see, Okay we will go next week then." He says and Torrie looks right back up at him. "We?" She asks and he turns to leave back to his office.
"I have businesses in Georgia you need to look at." He says entering his office. She sighs and looks back at her work getting back into her own little world. Before she knew it, It was even later in the night and there was a knock on the door. "Come in." She says. And James pops around the corner. That was also when she noticed that Niall wasn't in his office anymore.
"How are you still working?" He says sitting down at the chair in front of her desk. She stretches and yawns managing to get out. "It's how I manage to get most of my work done. Working hard and late." She says causing James to shake his head. "You are something else, Torrie." He says and Torrie laughs even though she knows it's true. "Come on call it a night, Let's go downstairs and drink something." He says and Torrie looks at him and back to the computer.
"Come on Torrie, It will still be there when you come back tomorrow." He says and Torrie rolls her eyes. "Fine, But only because I can't pass up a drink." She says and Follows James downstairs. When they get downstairs the house is silent. "Why isn't there a bunch of people here tonight." She asks and James nervously fixes his tie. "They are either at work or at home. Not everyone lives here." He laughs and so does she. "You never did tell me what you do," Torrie says and James nervously fixes his tie again.
"I am Niall's assistant. Right-hand man if you say so," He says with a small smile. As they reach the kitchen James leads Torrie to a room filled with all types of alcohol to the ceiling full. "Choose your poison." He says nodding to the room. "Whatever is your favorite except wine something strong." She says and he nods. "I will make you the most amazing Margarita you'll ever have." He says leading her into the kitchen.
As he makes the Margarita's Torrie looks around the house. "It's weird quiet." She says and he nods. "Enjoy it. It usually always has someone making some type of noise. It's never usually empty." He says and the look of worry washes over his face a disappears quickly.
When he finishes the Margaritas he directs Torrie outside. As she sits down he hands it to her. As the drink his her tongue the sting of the tequila is sharp. She lets the drink sting her throat as it goes down. James looks at her expectantly.
"So?" He asks and she looks at him. "You aren't wrong this is amazing." She says and he smiles. "I know already. Chicago Recipe." He says taking another drink. She laughs slightly shaking her head. She looks out into the yard that was light up by the fairy lights strung around the trees. She enjoyed the peace that reminded her of home.
"So, I take it by your accent you arent from New York?" He asks her. She smiles and nods her head. "Well, It's pretty clear that I'm not. But I'm from Georgia in a little town outside Atlanta. She says and he nods his head. "Do you have any siblings?" He asks and she looks over at him.
"Yeah I grew up with my oldest sister Gracey, She lives out in Los Angeles now. And then Haleigh who lives on the ranch in Georgia with my Dad, Her Husband, and their three kids." She says and he looks at her. "What about your mom?" He asks and she looks over back out to the yard. "She left when I was ten. Last time I heard she was out in Colorado?" She says and looks back at him. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to push you to tell me if that's what it feels like." He says and she shakes her head.
"You weren't it's not anything I can control besides maybe it was for the better." She says and James looks down. "I get it, I do really my dad and mom had problems for as long as I could remember. My dad had an alcohol problem and pushed my mom away until she left." He says and Torrie looks at him. "I'm sorry." She says and he shakes his head. "Don't be." He laughs slightly. She laughs as well.
"Do you have any siblings?" Torrie asks and looks at James. "Nope, The Veneti siblings are the closest I have to siblings." He says and Torrie nods her head. "Alright, no more sad stories let's get to some embarrassing stories," James says and Torrie laughs drinking her drink. And they do for a while longer the two of them laugh the night away talking about their embarrassing stories from childhood and high school.
"Seriously? That's how your first kiss went I would be so embarrassed." James dying of laughter manages out to Torrie. "Hey! It's not funny! I was twelve and I freaked out." She says laughing as well but hiding her face in her hands. And as they laugh the front door slams open causing James and Torrie to Jump up. "James!" A voice roars out through the house.
James jumps up and walks through the house Torrie following behind. As James helps whatever happening Veronica and Gabrielle run into the room. "Torrie! Can you watch Gabrielle?!" She frantically asks Torrie. "Yes of course!" She says and lends out her hand to the small child. Veronica gives Torrie an overwhelmed smile and runs after the chaos. That's when Torrie sees it.
Blood, Lots and lots of blood. And three men dragging someone through the house. That's when the ocean eyes meet hers. It was Niall. Before she could do anything she looks back down and sees the little girl next to her watching the scene. She takes the young girl out of the room and sits her down. "Is he going to be okay?" She asks and Torrie looks at her. "Yes, he just has a boo-boo," Torrie says and thinks in her head that a boo-boo is an understatement. The young girl looks up at Torrie and laughs. "Your voice is funny." She says and Torrie laughs. "It's because I'm from Georgia." She says.
She sits on the couch next to the small girl and looks at her. "So what do you want to do?" She asks and the young girl thinks about it for a little while. "Princesses?" She asks and Torrie laughs standing up. "Lead the way!" She says and Gabrielle leads her upstairs. As they get upstairs and enter a room full of all sorts of toys Gabrielle digs through a chest.
Torrie takes a seat next to the girl on the floor. As the girl turns around and places a plastic tiara on her head. And then takes it off her head putting it on her own. The fluffy purple tiara sitting on her brown hair gorgeously. "This one is my favorite." She says and Torrie lets out a laugh. "Alright, I will let you have it." She says and the girl smile rummaging the chest for another tiara. She soon pulls out a blue tiara handing it to Torrie she smiles and puts it on.
The young girl looks up at her in awe. "You are a pretty princess." She says and Torrie smiles. "Well, You are the prettiest." She says booping the nose making her giggle. After a good minute of being bossed around by a toddler on how to play princesses. Torrie was starting to get tired. She heard the young girl's stomach growl. "Are you hungry?" Torrie asks and the Young girl nods. "Alright, let's go get something to eat." She says and starts heading downstairs to the young girl next to her. But as they start walking Gabrielle grabs her hand and Torrie holds it slightly smiling to herself.
As they walk into the kitchen Gabrielle goes to a smaller table and sits down. As Torrie opens the fridge she is in shock. The fully stocked fridge was like a little grocery store. "Alright what would you like?" Torrie asks and Gabrielle thinks about it and looks at her. "Mmmh. Yogurt!" She says and Torrie searches the fridge for yogurt. "Lemon or Strawberry?" She asks and the girl immediately answers. "Lemon!" She says and Torrie laughs grabbing two.
Looking around the kitchen she realizes she doesn't know where the spoons are. "Gabrielle do you know where the spoons are?" She asks laughing slightly. The young girl walks over and opens a drawer taking out a spoon. "In here silly." She says causing them both to laugh.
As they eat their late-night snacks Torrie listens to Gabrielle's absurd stories about dragons and fairies and princesses and her mom being apart of them. She thought to herself how such a tiny human has this wide imagination of life. As they finish up they both sit on the couch. "What now?" Torrie asks and Gabrielle looks around. Getting up and grabbing a book from a basket next to the fireplace she hands it to her.
"Do you want me to read to you?" She asks and the young girl nods.
Torrie softly pats the spot next to her. "Alright storytime." She says and Gabrielle stands up and looks at the book. The book was just like hearing her imagination something about a cupcake managing to be friends with the unicorn or something. Halfway through the young girl closed her eyes. But Torrie somehow being invested in the book kept reading. She ended up falling asleep as well.
Maybe it was the boring child story or the most comfortable couch ever or the warm fire in front of her but she fell asleep. A little later in the night, she woke up to Veronica and Niall watching the two laughings. "Oh hey sorry, we didn't mean to wake you," Veronica says with a slight smile. Torrie yawns. She looks down and notices a Gabrielle snuggled up against her.
"Thank you for watching her," Veronica says sitting across from them. Niall still watching from above. "Of course anytime," Torrie says smiling at Veronica. "I hope she wasn't too much trouble." She says and Torrie shakes her head. "Not at all." She says and Veronica gets up. "Alright well it's late and we need to make it home.
Thank you again, Torrie." She says with a smile before picking up the young girl and walking out of the house.
Leaving the two of them alone in the living room. "Hey," He says "Hey." She says and stands up. She realizes that he doesn't even look hurt. He looks like he just got out of a shower and is cleaned up with new clothes and everything. "You doing okay?" She asks and he looks up. "Yeah, I'm fine just had an accident." He says looking away from her. "Sorry, you had to see that." He says and she shakes her head. "It's alright." She says and it goes back to silence. She laughs breaking the silence.
"What?" He asks and she looks at him. "It's just it's been two days and you were just bleeding on the floor and I spent the last couple hours bonding with your niece." She says and he looks at her and laughs. "I mean I guess the job could have come with a warning of some type," he says causing the two to laugh together. Niall looks at her funny. "What?" She asks and he laughs. "You have a princess Tiara on your head." He says and Torrie takes it off.
"Thanks." She says and he nods. "I should probably get some sleep its been a long day," Torrie says and she heads out to the stairs Niall behind her. "Goodnight Mr. Veneti." She says and he looks at her. "Niall," He says and she looks at him a shot of nerves coming up. "Goodnight Niall." She says and he nods walking to the front door. "Goodnight Torrie." He says and she smiles as she watches him leave.