Four Brothers and a Bride

Chapter 85: Chapter 85

It felt good to be reminded of who Olivia was when we first met and all the qualities I admired about her. The blind date with Cree awoke those memories in my head. Despite how badly the day ended, I still recall fondly the earlier bits before Cree got all crazy and pulled a gun on me.

Despite the fact that she admitted to playing out a script, I like to tell myself that her laughter and smiles that day were all real. We did have a connection. I felt the sparks and if she’s being honest, she’ll admit it too.

Elyon has been trying to get me back out in the dating scene since that fiasco but I keep turning him down.

"Come on, you can’t just back out because the last date was a shit show. You have to go on several dates to find the one." Elyon pressed every day at work.

"I don’t have time for that."

"Yes, you do. This isn’t the HQ. We have time to breathe here and you are our boss. Of course, your time is more flexible to accommodate important matters. Dating is important too. Look, Blake is available to go out with you. She’s sorted herself out. Your first date, Madeline, is still a bit pissed but I am sure my sister can convince her to give you another shot but you’ll have to aim to impress this time around, especially with Madeline. Cher has added five more girls to the list that accurately fit your description. I have seen these ladies and I can tell you that the beautiful ones have indeed been born. Please say yes and I will handle the rest."

Elyon’s pressure got worse with each passing day till I finally gave in. I had a nice time with Cree before the glint of the fake gun. Maybe I can still meet someone else and strike a connection like I did with Cree.

"Okay, her name is Amber and she works in an insurance company." Elyon fills me in while I put on my neck tie. I am feeling nervous putting myself out there again.

The date is scheduled for 7pm but I am going in two hours earlier like Cree had mentioned she did to get over the jitters and scope out the venue. Though the venue is still the same hotel bar as the last time, completely rented out again, I still want to go over and be there when my date walks in.

"No, no." I cut Elyon off. I can’t speed date. Let’s leave at one girl per date."

"Fine. I’ll reschedule your date with Lorraine." He flips his phone closed and stuffs it in his pocket just as my phone starts to ring on my desk. "Ooh, Olivia’s calling. Who’s that?" He asks, passing the phone to me.

I abandon my askew neck tie and snatch the phone from his hand. "No one."

"Woah, do you mean to tell me you have other chicks? And here I am worrying about your single status when you apparently have a woman. You’ve got to fill me in later. I’ve earned the right to know about your extracurriculars with the opposite gender."

I don’t acknowledge his dry attempt at humor and decline Olivia’s call.

"Seriously?"

"There’s nothing to talk about, Elyon. Give it a rest."

"Okay, sir. It’s laid to rest. Now, are you sure you want to go sit at the bar so early? Your date is by 7pm."

"I’m sure."

"Alright then. All the best, boss. I promise this time everything will go smoothly."

When I get to the Grand Casa hotel, I head straight to the bar. A table has been tastefully decorated just for my date and I with roses and a bucket of ice cradling a bottle of white wine.

I find it impressive. Yet somehow, I keep eyeing the stools at the bar where Cree and I had sat. That would have simpler. The bar tender welcomes me and I echo his pleasantries.

I take my seat and expel a deep breath. While I wait for my date, memories of my time here with Cree keep surfacing in my memory. I struggle to keep them at bay so I would enjoy my new date with an open mind. Amber arrives later, wearing a black and red ensemble. She looks gorgeous. Her curvy body makes my heart race.

"Amber Knightly." She says, offering a hand.

"Ashal Rollins." I reply, shaking her soft hands. "You have very beautiful hands." I add, then hate myself for the awkward observation.

"Thank you." Amber sits and crosses her legs. "This is a beautiful spread." She gestures to the table.

"Yeah. I’m glad you like it."

Our entrée arrives. We get talking. She’s a smart talker with a beautiful laugh. I genuinely find a lot of her jokes funny. Amber turns out to be more than a pretty face. We have such a wonderful time going through our second and third courses. We even share our desserts like a lovestruck teenage couple.

"That was great." I tell her, helping her put on her jacket.

"I thought so too. The media doesn’t do you any justice. You’re so much fun in person."

I hide a small blush at her compliment and steer her our of the elevator which opens up to the reception hall on the ground floor.

"Can I see you again?" Amber asks with a huge smile. I look atop her head to the far end where the receptionist watches with disdain as the security escorts a lady out of the premises. I recognize the strut. Cree. She’s yelling expletives at the management as she leaves on her own steam.

"Ashal?" Amber calls me.

is. I’ll let you know but thank you for a wonderful evening."

and leaves. Two minutes later, the driver I instructed to drop her off calls to tell me that Amber refused the ride in the limo and thrashed the flowers I

I learn that Cree has been coming over and asking about job vacancies in the establishment since our blind date happened. After she watched someone get hired with the aid of nepotism,

model to hide her identity since she is banned from coming back to the hotel except as a guest. She was discovered while trying to bribe one of the guards to help her and was kicked out

anywhere. My driver informs me that she got into a cab and left. I return to the receptionist and ask to speak with the hotel manager. She gladly puts a call through

for the hospitable thought, Mr. Rupert but this won’t

you say so,

someone for my sake. It’s a young woman who is in need of a job as a waitress here, particularly at the bar on the

gives me a benign smile. "A recommendation from you, Mr. Rollins, is weighty around here. I’ll

time we met. I just want to help her out. My accountant will be in touch with you. I

laughter ensues. "Thank you so much, Mr. Rollins. I’ll personally

Cree is contacted and hired the next

***

the bar weeks ago, I have avoided drinking there. My other dates with the women Elyon picked for me doesn’t pan out well because of my fixation with Cree.

time?" He asks me as I prepare to go on yet another date with a stranger just to convince myself that I

not. Can we just get this over and done with?" I snap impatiently at

First, I got stuck with Olivia by Asher’s doing. Despite falling for her, she never reciprocated my feelings genuinely. The second woman

has Demi’s heart and Mila’s too. Ashley has Nicola and now Demi too

I wait for my date who is running very late. I check my wrist watch. It’s been over an hour. Indifferent, I down the rest of my bourbon and wipe my lips. Oh well, I guess that

have got to be kidding

up to find Maddie staring daggers at me. What the hell is she doing here? Oh fuck. I forgot to

you going to tell me

dress. Did she really come out here to seduce her date in such a skimpy outfit? When she notices my eyes accidentally lingering on her cleavage, she snaps two fingers in

expect any less from the

"And you? What precedes you, Maddie? Angst? Frustration over your family’s condition?" I let my eyes rake

"Mr. Ashal?"

to deny it. I am the only one who calls her Maddie. My brothers always

table and crosses her arms. "How could you

were my blind date. What the hell are you even thinking going on a blind date with strangers? Are you that desperate to throw yourself at any man that will have you? What right do you have

remember she’s

worst! If you’re tired of her, LET HER GO." Tears shimmer in her eyes as her voice wavers. "Divorce and send her back to us. My family is not the same without Liv. Please..."

guilt at her words and brush past her to make my way out of the bar. Long after I am back in my car, I wait till Maddie

"Get in."

down the busy road while I follow her closely

that. There are bad people everywhere and with what you have on, they’ll

gets into the back seat. We say

***

getting me this job. I was really shocked to get their email." Cree says while we share her break together. I couldn’t hold back anymore. I had to see her, meet her and

you went through the last time. I am sorry about my brothers and

care about that right now. If my brothers find out about this, I’ll justify my action as a pretense

"Are you still acting?"

no need to jeopardize it by juggling an acting career that’s yet to take off." She sips her drink and

by my business portfolio or bank account or even my family name. It’s refreshing to be around someone who is their real, goofy self for once. I like them with what society will call flaws because

really passionate about acting. I have a few friends in the film industry. I could put in

top tier but twenty grand is way too much to pay a rookie waitress with no real experience working in a place like this.

stare into her beautiful eyes while

I can. Is

you senseless in my head right now, I’ll just say thank you out loud to preserve my job." She had meant it on a light note but my breath

I am totally kissing

her shift hours later. I drop her off at her new apartment which I also got her before heading

burst into my room first thing in the

my blinds and bright light washes in. I was just enjoying another kiss with Cree in my dream. Ashley yanks my blanket off my body while Asher tosses his iPad next to me on

all stand around my bed,

when one is asked to read a new article. What else

Grand Casa hotel after her shift. She has been tagged my

of text grab my attention. Billion-Err goes on to tag it as adultery and hammers heavily about my rumored marriage to a woman named

Maddie!