•Nia's POV
I signed Emma and I into our rooms then went to the car and grabbed all our bags and set mine on my bed. I set Emma's bags on the table in her room. As I exited part of me wanted to return to the room and just take a shower. I wasn't ready to be in a sea of people looking for a man. I sat on my bed and poured out all my bags and admired and arranged all the items I bought. I sighed and put them all back into the bags, making sure to do it in a way I'd remember where everything would be. I set the bags on the modern dresser in front of the bed, right beside the television. I looked down at a small hand mirror I purchased at an antique shop at the mall. I slid it into my purse then headed downstairs.
"Sorry I took so long I was just-" I smiled realizing Emma had already worked her charm on someone. I sat back down and asked cheerfully "Oh, and you are?"
"Oh I beg your pardon miss," he bowed his head "My name is Robin Greene, and you?"
He held out his hand for me to shake while I shook I got a glimpse of a powerful aura "I- Uhm... Nee.... I'm uh... Nia." I ripped my hand away from his uncomfortably. I couldn't help but shake my hand in the air with a pained and slightly disgusted face. Instead of asking him to leave I stood grabbing my belongings and lead Emma aside for a moment.
"Hey uhm..." I realized that she was a bit drunk but she was still coherent "I'm gonna go check out that mixer. Don't drink too much more and please be careful who you drink and spend your night with I expect to see you before you head to bed, if I'm asleep wake me okay? I love you" I gave her a hug and told her to be safe one more time before I made my way to the mixer.
Something about that guy just rubbed me the wrong way.
Was it his handshake that was cold and way too firm? Or the look he gave me when I sat down? Maybe it was the confident air he carried himself with? How was i supposed to know. I have nothing to do but trust Emma's instincts, after all I could have just imagined it, I have been drinking "Hmmm..." I stood at the door to the mixer but couldn't help but feel nervous, for Emma and myself. If I go in there everything will change and I'm not sure I'm ready to put anybody before my restaurant.
"Having second thoughts?" a tall, fair skinned man, with redish blonde hair and round hazelnut brown eyes questioned.
"Oh!" I jumped at the stealthy man's sudden approach "I uhm... sorta" I was so embarrassed.
"I have never done this and uh, I guess I'm feeling like maybe I'm not ready to do this, I want to maybe be selfish a little bit longer" I sighed then looked at his deep sympathetic eyes "I'm not ready to put anybody before what I want" I averted my gaze away from him.
"I completely understand." he smiled gently "I was recently divorced. She sent me here out of pity. She's already getting herself out there, she has a boyfriend. She said that it would be better for the kids to see that I can find someone who could value me to show that divorce doesn't always mean somebody ends up hopeless" he shook his head "She surprised me with a hotel room here so I could go to this mixer. For fathers day of course, as a gift from my boys. The kids got their hopes up, thinking that I would find love again. I don't want it, I want to be selfish too and bathe in self-pity forever but I can't refuse to make an effort to enjoy their gift to me."
"Woah" I stared at him in a bit of amusement "Thats fucked" and then, I laughed. I didn't mean to of course, but it was so funny to me. "Your just as messed up as I am" I continued to laugh.
"You really are weird" the man gave a hearty chuckle "Permission to be selfish and arrogant together then say we tried our best at this mixer when asked later?" he grinned kindly and it was incredibly handsome. I wanted to brush this off but how can I? This man has a way to win either way, if I reject to spend time with him at the mixer, I will be the reason his kids and ex wife are told about when he says he couldn't find love there. Shit. Maybe I am a bit drunk, like Emma. She convinced herself into going to the mixer with him by telling herself that she didn't want people blaming her for his inability to find love. "I suppose it is" I gave him a weak awkward smile while I reached for the door and finally entered the room with, 'selfish and arrogant' following behind me. We made name tags, then found a tall table and two tall chairs.
We sat down and claimed our seats by writing our names on the empty white board on the table top, I wrote first.
"Oh my what a marvelous name" he teased "Zinnia Avens" he stared at the green name written in cursive. "As well as excellent penmanship" he softly clapped with a mischievous smile.
"Well?" I stood there for several minutes trying to get him to sign his name on the white board below mine "Sign."
"Ehhh, how 'bout no" and shook his head sitting quite nonchalantly, "I don't wanna".
"Oh, is your hand writing poor Mr.?" I smiled looking at his name tag "Ronan Greene".
Why did that name sound familiar?
"Hmm?" I slowly wrote his name in excellent calligraphy style cursive. He looked more closely than I realized, seeing I was thinking deeply "What is it?"
"Have we met? Your name sounds so familiar" I was curious to know.
"Oh no I think I'd remember somebody as interesting as you dear" he teased and playfully waved his hand in flattery ( an "oh-you" look).
"No I-" then it hit me "Oh your name is similar to a man flirting with my 'sister' down on the first floor" I realized and smiled "Robin Greene, that was his name, I apologize for the confusion."
"Hes my brother" he said but his face seemed calm bit almost intentionally emotionless.
"Mmhm... Thats cool" she grew uncomfortable quickly with the way he looked at her "He didn't seem like my kind of person" I said it as nicely as I could. I looked him in the eye and I swear I could see a a flicker of something like pain or guilt. It wasn't a physical, or even visible thing, but more of a feeling in my chest that made my eyes see it.
"Who is he?" I felt angry and scared and I wasn't sure why, he was perfectly calm nothing should have made me aware of his fear, but I was.
"He is my little brother, we have different mothers. He recruits young ladies to work for us." he said.
"What kind of work is it?!" I asked in a panic.
"Relax its only the most soulless and heinous of work Miss Avens, its a type of realty" he laughed handing me a glass of strawberry wine.
I sighed in relief "Thank goodness, your brother just gave me a bad feeling and I was worried that he'd do something to her" I blurted out while drinking my sixth drink since we arrived at 'Saturn'.
"Are you drunk already?" he asked seriously with a look of worry.
"Pffft" I giggled "I think its all hitting me now."
I remember drinking lots of drinks, I don't remember if they were water or more booze.
I woke up leaning against a sturdy shoulder.
"Wh-oo?" A tall man with strawberry blonde hair and and brown eyes was glancing down at me with a stressed expression.
"You're uhhh-" my thought were fuzzy and but a memory popped into my head "Ronan.... why am I drunk I only remember six drinks ... I got drunk."
"Yes, you are. I couldn't keep you from drinking more after you were intoxicated because you were still coherent enough to fight me on it. We got kicked out of the Mixer because you were falling over drunk and passing out. So I brought you to the room number on the key you gave me. Here we are." he explained to her.
"I gave you my key?" I was nervous.
"Yes you didn't want to lose it" he shook his head slightly with disappointment.
"Then why am I leaning against the door on the outside of the room we have a key to?" I asked annoyed.
"You were drunk, I didn't feel comfortable going into the place you are staying and I didn't want to take you to my room because I was scared you misunderstand so..." he seemed disappointed in himself.
"Thats.... Thats very sweet thank you Ronan, would you like to come in for a coffee?" then I whispered "I might need help making it I'm a bit hungover."
"Oh, uh. I suppose since its to sober you up more and your aware enough to speak and think properly I will escort you in to your room." he rubbed the back of his neck.