There are people you just meet and end up clicking on another level
It turned out the plan Lorenzo had mentioned was getting on a plane to Paris. He called the next morning to fill me in on the details. It took a miracle to hold me back from wishing hell on his head.
Thankfully we were set to leave in the afternoon and that gave me time to sneak out and find the church I was said to have gotten married at. Everything I had been told by Lorenzo all came out to be true as confirmed by the priest and said nun who was present that night.
"Are we really going to Paris?" Debby implored as the driver sent by Lorenzo offloaded our luggage from the trunk of the Jeep Wrangler.
I swerved to my right where she was practically bouncing on her feet, her attire a simple one of jean shorts and a red long-sleeved top coupled with black vans.
"Patience my child," I mumbled and grabbed the handle of my luggage as we rounded the car and began to stroll toward the main building of the airport.
She rolled her eyes at my statement and muttered something incorrigible. I wasn't able to pick out the words as my phone chose to start ringing in that moment.
My left hand dived into the pocket of the black Adidas track pants I had on below a white thin-strapped blouse, the track jacket hanging on my shoulders as my feet in comfortable Adidas slides led me forward.
I knew I came low in comparison to Debby judging by our figure and way of dress, however I didn't care as I couldn't compromise being comfortable just to look good.
"Hello wife," the voice of Lorenzo greeted through the device I had placed to my ear and I held in the urge to smile like a maniac thus the situation still seemed surreal. "Where are you?"
"We just arrived and are heading into the building now," I conversed, light breeze brushing the strands of my hair as I chose to let it flow freely on my shoulders and back.
"Good, now follow my instructions carefully," he spoke and I nodded though he couldn't see me. Debby sent me an inquisitive glimpse and I mouthed the words "follow me."
Lorenzo didn't waste a second as he directed our movements through the connection once we stepped foot into the large edifice. We moved in every direction he ordered us to and met the people he indicated us to.
About 10 minutes later we were done and being led by a man in uniform to an exit door. Above the glass barrier the words were written in blue, 'Private Hanger.'
Debby and I exchanged a glimpse of surprise as the door was opened and the man in uniform nodded as he ushered us past it. The door was closed the instant we had departed and nothing could hide the surprised expression printed on my face.
The space before us was filled with private jets. Each painted in different colors and some designs distinct from the others. My mouth gaped in an 'O' as workers were moving about, some commands being shouted and objects dragged around.
"Welcome ladies," Xander materialized in our view as he approached us in khaki pants and a white t-shirt, sunglasses pushed at the top of his head, holding his hair back.
He smiled wickedly at Debby as his vision appraised her from head to toe, an appreciative flash in his eyes that had me scoffing. I don't hate the guy trust me, it just happened that our vibes seemed to clash the moment we were in each other's presence.
"I believe we've met, Miss-" he left the sentence hanging as he stretched a palm for a shake. Debby clamped her hand to his, a blush staining her cheeks at the contact.
"Debby Viviana Hawkings," she answered and I had to bite down on my lip to prevent me from bellowing out a laugh.
Being the sharp witted girl I knew her to be, she immediately sent me a glare which I caught from the corner of my eye. I quickly gazed the other way as seeing her face happened to make my intentions futile.
"Nice to meet you Miss Hawkings," Xander blurted adding to my misery as my brown eyes clouded with tears from holding in a laugh.
I inhaled deep breathes as Debby's glare was seconds away from frying the spot on my neck it was directed at. Thankfully the surname wasn't mentioned again thus I didn't know if I had it in me to be that strong if it happened.
"Hello Rachel, did you sleep well?" Xander inquired, his words sweet, but his eyes held amusement.
"Fortunately for me, I did," I replied in the same manner, my lips stretched in a sweet smile.
"Would it kill you to reciprocate the courtesy?" Xander lifted a brow.
"I don't reciprocate courtesy I don't mean," I murmured frankly. "Except if you are a customer."
Debby kicked the back of my leg inciting me to inhale sharply as she shot daggers through her stare, just as Xander murmured something on the lines of "I can't believe how alike you two are."
"Umm, which one are we boarding?" Debby implored steering our attention away from our bickering as she pointed to the machines in our view.
"I'll take you," Xander conveyed and turned around weaving a path which we followed. "Caden was busy on a phone call and begged me to come get you two."
"Bastard couldn't even come say hello to his wife," I muttered, vision trained on my red painted toe nails seconds before Xander halted, inciting us to do same.
"Already with the name calling huh?" A thick husky voice questioned and I froze. Gradually, my gaze lifted from the concrete flooring to a pair of white Nike sneakers, hairy calves, black shorts, a vintage shirt that defined a hard chest as the light material danced with the breeze. His muscular arms folded, broad shoulders and lastly a strikingly handsome face.
I gulped and Xander snickered as he went to stand beside his bestfriend who was gaping at me with an unnamed glimpse in his eyes. Head tilted to the side, an eyebrow raised, Lorenzo smirked down at me as he watched my reaction.
Before I could form something tangible to say, the little space between us was covered in one stride and an arm was wound round my shoulder, my eyes widening as his lips grazed mine for a millisecond. "You should learn to greet me with a kiss."
If I was struggling for something to say, after that action I acknowledged I wouldn't be able to speak for the next 5 minutes hence his hand remained on my shoulder as his fingers brushed my hair there.
"Good day Mr Peters," Debby chirped in from my side. "Can I call you Lorenzo?" She inquired. "Sorry, that's inappropriate to ask." She ranted. "You know what I'll just stick to Mr. Peters."
"Debby, breathe," I urged as I diverted my attention to her. She happened to be hyperventilating as her eyes had doubled in size and her cheeks stained pink.
"Call me Lorenzo, I won't get offended," the man who's body was pressed to mine assured my bestfriend. "What's your name?"
"Debby Viviana Hawkings," she informed and I hastily turned away from her as laughter bubbled in my throat. In a bid to contain it, I aimed to bury my head in Lorenzo's chest.
Nonetheless that action backfired as my stare caught his confused face and squinted lids as he tried to process the words. His eyes clashed with mine and that was it. We both burst out laughing, cackles leaving our lips as our best friend's gaped at us as if we had gone mad.
"Haw- Haw-" he couldn't complete the word as another fit of chuckles raked through his form. I on the other hand was finding it difficult to breathe as I'd been holding in the humor for long and so it threatened to consume me.
"I'm sorry Deb's but--" I was cut off again by cackles, my fingers grasping the material of Lorenzo's shirt as I strived to keep myself from falling over in laughter.
"Let's leave them be," I heard Xander distinctly say and from my peripheral view I saw him drag Debby toward the staircase of the jet we were standing opposite.
Lorenzo and I kept laughing even after they disappeared, our bodies steadying each other. Whenever we happened to be calming down, it took only one look at the other to break out in more fits.
^^^^^^^
"Who are they?" I implored as we descended the stairs of the jet, my hand hooked to his while his right hand held his phone which he typed away on.
"Who?" He asked in confusion, raising his head and tracing my stare to the four men waiting a distance from us in black suits, sunglasses and built like bricks. "Oh, they are my bodyguards."
I lifted a brow as we walked behind Xander and Debby after we descended. My bestfriend had a gleeful mood surrounding her as she peered at the sky and inhaled deep breathes.
"Do we need them?" I inquired trying to understand why the 4 men were here when I spotted none of them in Vegas.
"Yes babe we do," he conveyed, his attention now fully on me as he sent me a smile and tucked his phone away in the pocket of his shorts.
"Why?" I questioned stupidly and he chuckled, halting a few feet away from the door that read Arrivals. "Why did we stop?"
"I wanted to change hands," he murmured nonchalantly and my brows squinted in confusion at his words. It got explained after he unlinked our elbows and crossed my face to stand on my left.
"Oh," I let out, my face flushing as he threw a hand over my shoulder and pressed a kiss to my temple.
We started moving again after that and he nodded in greeting to the guys who each murmured in response, "welcome boss."
"You'll soon see why we need them," he blurted in response to my earlier question as we approached Debby and Xander who happened to be waiting for us.
Reaching them, the men in suits walked ahead of and spread out like some sort of barrier. Seconds after, the door was shoved by one of the bodyguards and we were greeted by flashing lights and hundreds of screams.
"I underestimate them every time," Xander murmured as we preceded into the building. The men surrounded us like a shield as we made our way through the crowd of fans who were eager to catch a glimpse of their favorite actor.
"I should get used to this," Debby spoke through the noise and sent me a wink before turning away to smile at the camera flashes and fans.
"Here, put this on," Lorenzo murmured in my ear and a baseball hat was placed on my head after my hair was shoved backwards. That action seemed to cause an uproar as the screams increased and the lights of the cameras became more intense.
"You should have told me this would happen," I uttered as I adjusted the hat and sent him a glare thus my attire was in no way picture worthy. "I look like a homeless woman."
"A beautiful homeless woman," he beamed at me and pulled the hat downward to help cover my face a bit. Questions were being shouted at us as the crowd seemed to move with us. None of us spoke a word to the fans or reporters as the bodyguards led us to the exit with Lorenzo only waving and smiling, his hand not leaving my shoulder.
A minute later we had gotten out of the door and into an awaiting Bentley. Lorenzo ushered me into the backseat before he joined me and shut the door. Two of the bodyguards came to sit at the driver and passenger side and I guessed the other two would accompany Xander and Debby.
"Well, that was draining," I exhaled the instant the car zoomed out of the airport.
"It was," he agreed and turned to peer at me, a smile gracing his lips as he intertwined his fingers with mine to my shock. "However, for the first time, it was exciting."
Freshy❤️