"Forgive me for keeping you waiting Mr and Miss Dawson but I had an urgent call to take and I needed to wrap that up first," Brian explained. "It's nice seeing you again Mr Dawson and you're both welcome to my humble abode. I hope everything around is to your liking," he added, taking my father's hands for a handshake while I just stood there, taking a good look at his face.
I had seen a few pictures of him earlier on the internet and yes, he did seem very good looking in the pictures but nothing could have prepared me for how better looking he was in person. Not only was he pretty tall and well built, he also had a perfectly sculpted face that made him look like he had fallen straight out of heaven. His presence alone made me feel really small and it wasn't because of our height difference cause I'm not exactly short or anything but his aura and his cold gaze alone was enough to make me feel intimidated and inferior.
He also had a small smile playing on his lips although, even an idiot would be able to tell that his smile was pretty forced and he looked like he would rather be anywhere else but here.
"Thank you for having us Mr Huxley. You have a very lovely home by the way," my dad responded and I mentally rolled my eyes at him. Here he comes with the ass-kissing and the sucking up. I'm even surprised that he simply stopped there without going ahead to compliment the furniture and even the lighting.
"It's a pleasure meeting you Mr Huxley," I spoke up, after finally gathering the courage to speak to him first since it didn't seem like he had any intentions of speaking to me. I wasn't one to jump into conclusions but I was getting this weird feeling that Brian didn't want to talk to me and I know it sounds weird and all but it's honestly how I felt right now. It seemed like he was purposely avoiding making eye contact with me and I didn't really understand what could be his reason for doing that. Wasn't this idea of us getting married something he was aware of?
"Likewise Miss Dawson," he responded, stretching out his hands for a handshake and I took his hands in mine after a few long seconds. We shook hands very briefly before letting go of each other and I immediately felt a chill run down my spine as soon as our hands parted. All the while that we stood in front of each other, he didn't for once make eye contact with me and that did not sit well with me at all.
"Please take a seat," he said and both dad and I returned to where we were seated before he came in while Brian took a seat on the sofa that was directly opposite where I sat. "Have you been offered anything? Is there perhaps anything you'd like to eat or drink? Feel free to request anything and I'll have it brought to you immediately," he offered and honestly, I didn't like how everything felt at the moment.
I thought this meeting was supposed to be an introduction between Brian and I since we're getting married but right now, it felt more like I had accompanied my dad to a meeting with a client of his and all I could do was just sit through the meeting while my dad and his client focused on their business and completely ignored the fact that I even existed. The fact that my soon-to-be husband wasn't looking at me, much less talking to me, made me very upset and uncomfortable.
"There's no need for that Brian. What we ought to do now is get straight to why we're here. You've already met my beautiful daughter Emerald and I really think it's better that I excuse myself so that you two can get to talk privately," my dad suggested suddenly and my heart immediately dropped to my stomach.
Did he really just suggest leaving me here? All by myself? With this man that looks like he wants absolutely nothing to do with me? Just how could he even think of doing that to me? What exactly is wrong with my dad?
I turned to look at him and tried giving him a sign that I didn't like his suggestion at all and I was momentarily relieved that he had seen me but instead of staying back like I wanted him to, he simply ignored me and walked out of the living room, leaving me all by myself with this guy that looked like he was going to get up and leave any second from now.
We both just stayed silent after Dad left us and if there was another thing that I detested very much, it was these kinds of awkward and silent moments. It was one of the most uncomfortable situations in the world and I hated how suffocated I felt whenever I found myself in an awkward situation.
I cleared my throat nervously before mustering up the courage to speak up first instead of dealing with this.
"So Mr Huxley, is there anything in particular that you'd like to know about me? Like, do you have any questions before we get married?" I asked.
"Well, is there anything you'd like to tell me about yourself?" he responded with his own question and I didn't realise when I scoffed out loud. "Did I happen to say something wrong?" he asked innocently and even though I wanted nothing more than to be anywhere else but here, I decided against simply walking out and made up my mind to take the reins and carry this awkward interaction.
"Listen Mr Huxley, I came over here today because my father explained to me that you and I have to get married as some sort of business arrangement or something like that and although I still don't get what it has to do with me, I'm still willing to make an effort at the very least to talk to you but I don't think you're making any effort at all," I said to him, expressing my frustration.
"I'm aware this isn't exactly normal but can you at least look me in the eye? You've been avoiding looking at me since you walked in here and it has been very upsetting just so you know," I added, trying not to look too upset even though I was currently fuming.
He didn't say anything for a while and simply stared at me with a curious look on his face. I felt very uncomfortable under his gaze so I looked away from him and focused on everything else but him.
"It seems to me like you're the one avoiding me now, miss Dawson," he finally spoke up and something about how calm and gentle he sounded made him seem pretty dangerous and when I say dangerous, I mean, dangerously hot.
"Anyways, I apologise if I made you uncomfortable miss Dawson...," he's saying but I cut him off.
"Emerald. The name's Emerald, Brian and I don't think the formality is necessary," I said to him and he simply tilted his head slightly without giving off any expression.
"I apologise if I made you uncomfortable Emerald. It wasn't my intention to," he corrected and something about the way my name rolled off his tongue made my stomach churn, in a good way.
"I also want to apologise in advance because I know I'm supposed to have a lengthy conversation with you but something came up earlier and I really need to attend to it as soon as possible. I know you made time to come all the way here and I'm so sorry that we'll have to end our conversation so quickly," he explained and when I told you I wasn't surprised, I really wasn't.
It's not like I expected him to actually leave but I wasn't surprised that he was. I'm even doubting his excuse of having work to do because that just sounded very lame to me and I wouldn't be surprised to find out that he just wanted me out and was looking for an opportunity to send me back home simply because he didn't like me. I probably didn't look as he expected me to so he might actually be rethinking his plans of marrying me.
Truthfully, I didn't know whether to be thankful for that or to be hurt by it but I had absolutely no intentions of making whatever I felt obvious to him.
"It's not a problem Brian, I completely understand," I lied with a false smile plastered on my face. At least now, this crazy idea of me getting married will become a thing of the past so I honestly can't complain.
"To make it up to you, I'd like to invite you for dinner tomorrow night but that's only if you're interested in having dinner with me," he asked suddenly and I'm taken aback.
"You want to have dinner with me?" I asked again to make sure I wasn't hearing things.
"Yes, cause I think it'd be a good chance for us to talk more comfortably," he answered.
After a few minutes of thinking, I decided to give him a response. "I'll have to check my schedule and if I'm available, I'll let you know," I told him and he simply nodded before getting up from where he was seated.
"Leaving already?" I asked.
"Unfortunately, I have to miss Dawson. Please do get back to me on my offer and once again, I apologise for this," he responded and just like that, he walked away, leaving me all by myself.