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Post by Ayrn on May 21, 2011 15:28:09 GMT -5
He did not understand why it seemed to be such a large deal for the woman and her son to join him since it was not as though they had much of a choice, where would they stay for the night? When he had a large place to live he would never deny the lady and her son of a place to stay since he would worry about them for the rest of the night if they did not agree. Taelix seemed to be on his side as he forced his mother into saying yes and a small smile remained on the man’s face as things started to get a little more relaxed. While he knew that spending more time with her would be dangerous he felt like living his life on the edge for the time being since everything in his life had been so calculated with the risks in which he made being very small and usually not with the possibility to end his career, this was how he succeeded, to get where he was and yet when it came to things other than work he realized just recently that he was miserable and had been burying himself so deep into his work that there was no time to even take a breath and enjoy himself. Little did she know that he respected the woman so deeply, to have an eighteen year old son and be on her own well that was quite a feat, a lot of people in her situation would not hesitate to find someone to settle down with since it would then take some of the weight off their shoulders. But she was too strong for that and he admired that quality. He then gestured to the two bedrooms that had been reserved for the family that had only stayed there once before, during the time that Ayrn had been in hideout from Dillon she had stayed with him for a month as well but really those had been the only times that the rooms had been used, otherwise the doors were kept closed and nothing but the occasional cleaning was done for them. They were decorated with the same rich colors of the entire apartment to attempt to make it look a little more like Torino with the décor. He missed his hometown but he did realize that his life was now here in America, the values were so different there, the Italians were a loud and usually rowdy bunch so therefore he did not overly fit in but there was so much more emphasis placed on families and pride when in America it seemed as though the kids did not have much respect for their parents. Well of course with the exceptions as always. When the lady then stepped back in the direction of the kitchen a small smile fell on features as she told him that she was fine with sandwiches and eyes were rolled. I am much too hungry for just a sandwich and I insist on cooking. He uttered even though he already had all ingredients out and ready. Once again Taelix seemed to save the day when he walked into the room and told him that P had told him that he was Italian and that he loved pasta and was hungry enough to eat a water buffalo, a small chuckle was released good naturedly. Good I am glad I am not the only one that is hungry. He said before then preparing the pasta that was placed in the water that had just started to boil on the stove. The sauce was made and set into the other pot, he wished that he would have been able to make it from scratch since that was his specialty but he knew that it would take much too long and it was already nearly past dinner time. When he asked if they were thirsty she jumped at the chance being able to help out and he was about to tell her that it was not necessary since he was the host so therefore he would cater to their every need but it seemed to make her happy so he simply did not speak. When she asked where the glasses were he pointed to the cabinet behind him before then straining the pasta and placing it back in the bowl and setting it on the table with the sauce in another bowl so that they would be able to control how much sauce they wanted before accepting the glass from her with a small smile. Thanks. He then moved the plates towards the table just in time for the teenager to emerge from the room that would be his for the night. She sat in the middle announcing that the food was amazing. It’s not a problem and thank you, though I do prefer to prepare it all from scratch. The rest of the meal was quite quiet before there was a knock on the door when they were finished. He grabbed the dishes and was on his way to the sink and quickly dropped them there before coming face to face with the teenager of Ayrn and Erixic’s. Pirzi was already beaming a smile at him she had with her the dog that resided with them. Taelix told me that he was staying with you for the night and Cairo needs to go for a walk and Ayrn doesn’t want me to go alone so I wanted to see if he wanted to come with me. She asked loud enough for the rest of them to hear. When the boy agreed and was ready they passed through the door before she turned back to speak once more. I think I overheard Ayrn and Erix saying something about coming to visit, or use your hot tub. She shrugged before then being on her way. He was not too sure why the teenager felt as though she needed to warn him about the arrival of the other two adults and soon enough there was another knock on the door, the most people the apartment had seen in a long while and the couple appeared at the door. Ayrn appeared and stepped through the door. I thought it might be nice for all of us to go in the hot tub. She then stepped closer to Haley Ann passing her another bathing suit that she had brought. It’s nice to see you again and I brought a bathing suit for you. He was glad that the other two were around since he knew that Haley Ann might be a little more at ease with the man that she knew of as pack leader being there. He then stepped into his room changing into a pair of black shorts that he usually wore in the hot tub with a towel draped over his shoulders seeing that Ayrn and the other woman were together. He opened the door to the patio that lead out onto where the hot tub was on the roof. It was the perfect location since of course his apartment was not as large as the rest of the floors so his patio led out to the roof of that particular spot. The top was taken off the hot tub as a bottle of wine was brought from the fridge and glasses poured before his towel was discarded.
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Post by Lonestar on May 27, 2011 14:33:26 GMT -5
The woman hated to feel idle even in another's home so she was relieved when Damien allowed her to get the drinks after initially looking as if he were about to protest her action. He had already done so much for them and with him also cooking them dinner, she felt horrible enough being such a hindrance on his daily life that it was the least she could do to make it a little easier on him. Besides, feeling useless was never something that she enjoyed and filling the drinks gave her a purpose though it only lasted for a short while. After everything was set out, she fidgeted off to the side of the table for a short while, tugging on the fingers of her one hand with the other and otherwise looking rather bored and antsy before coming to the relief that dinner was ready. Taelix joined them from the spare bedroom where he had gone to change and she picked up his plate to hand it to him so that he could get what he wanted from the bowls that held the food. Patiently waiting her turn, the damsel sat down in her chair and made herself comfortable before dishing out the pasta and gingerly picking up the fork at the side of her plate to eat with the manners of an aristocrats daughter. While they were eating, she felt compelled to break the silence by thanking and complimenting the chef. As could be expected, he quickly dodged the praise by saying that he wished he had been able to make everything by scratch. Tapping into the reservoir of motherly looks and shot him an expression she had used occasionally on her own son when he was being ridiculous though when turning it on the adult there was a hint of a smile in the lift of her mouth. It's wonderful as is. Flashing him one last smile, she turned her attention back to the food before her and finished off what she had left. They had just finished when there was a knock at the door and although she leaned forward to get the dishes, her host got their first and quickly took what they had used to the sink. Shooting a grateful if not a little exasperated glance towards his back even though he could not see, she got her payback by moving to the sink and beginning to rise of the dishes to wash them while he answered the door. Seeing Pirzi, she smiled at her son's friend and lifted a soapy hand to wave at her briefly before returning to the task. As she listened to the younger girl’s request, she glanced up at her son and smiled at him, giving her approval in the form of a nod as he looked at her in silent questioning. Be careful. She said to the both of them as they walked out of the door, showing the concern of a mother. After stacking all the clean dishes, she picked up a towel to dry them off and had just begun when Ayrn and Erixic came knocking just as their adoptive daughter had warned that they were. Pleased to see the both of them, she greeted each with a broad smile and hugged both in turn. After the initial greeting, her alphaess spoke up and suggested that they all go to the hot tub. Instantly, the lady felt heat rise to her cheeks as the thought of the implications of being in a hot tub with her boss who she was unethically attracted to. Pushing it away, she clung to the defense that leapt into her mind and just as she was about to voice that she did not have a bathing suit, Ayrn ruined that plan by stepping up to her and passing her a extra suit that she had brought her. Offering a forced smile, she accepted it with a quietly spoken thank you. Setting the dish that she had been drying back onto the counter and leaving the towel regrettably beside it, she went into the spare bedroom that she was to use for the night and changed into the white bikini polka dotted in green a little reluctantly. Before exposing herself to the other's eyes, she moved into the bathroom to look at herself in the mirror and tugged on the fabric some, unsure if she was happy with how much skin it exposed. Normally, she wore a one piece or occasionally a two piece, but it always covered much more of her pale, sun burn prone skin than this bikini ever thought of covering. Sighing, she finally gave up and satisfied herself by grabbing a towel to wrap around herself as a cover even though she knew she would have to take it off at some point. She finished before Damien which amazed her and made her way over towards Ayrn to converse some before her host came out from his bedroom dressed in a pair of black swim trunks. Try as she might to not pay attention to his bare chest, the matron could not help how her eyes gravitated towards him to appreciate what she saw. Feeling ashamed each time she caught herself watching the muscles under his bare skin as he walked, leading the way towards the roof where the hot tub was, she would quickly rip her gaze from him and focus on the floor or the wall, wishing that any number of the things that she saw was distracting enough to keep her attention off of the half naked man that she wanted to call her own. Standing off to the side with the others as he pulled off the cover and retrieved glasses to pour them all some wine, she quietly accepted what he handed her and hesitated before quickly pulling the towel from her body to leave it by the others and hustling herself into the hot tub in hopes that she would make it under the water before any of them were really able to see how she looked in the barrowed bikini. Once in the water, she sighed and sat down on the bench, closing her eyes after taking a sip from her wine glass and allowing the heat to relax her.
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Post by Ayrn on May 28, 2011 23:48:26 GMT -5
It seemed that in the case of a lot of women that motherhood seemed to ruin them, they became bitter and unable to possibly even consider their own needs anymore even when they were sure that their child would get the best of everything they were providing. It also seemed that they allowed it to take over, the pride completely lost in their own being, Haley Ann was different and this drew him to her with a force that he knew should not be present. Sure he did not know the lady before she had the child but he could imagine that it changed her for the better, considering the glowing and stunning woman that stood before him now. Of course he was attracted to her but he would never allow this to come between them since it was not proper between boss and employee but really did that matter all that much to him? He had vowed to take a more silent and more behind the scenes role of the hotel since it had become so consuming. And it was then that made him realize why he was truly so attracted to her, she was everything that Laina was not. She was mature and responsible and would not be the type to pick up and leave without so much as a phone call when he had been held powerless in three separate occasions when the other female shifter did that to him. He promised himself that no longer would a woman every consume his mind enough to have that sort of power over him, his love was reserved for his best friend, friends and work no matter how tragic that were to sound, this was the way his life had been for a long while ever since Italy, and the girl that crushed him there. Maria had been his first crush in high school and Ayrn had been the one that first secured the date with the girl and got her interested in him since Damien had been a very shy teen compared to the normally outspoken man he was now. He had also been tall and gangly not yet filled in to the toned appearance he now kept up. The girl had done nothing but play him to get the head of the football team jealous. The whole ordeal lasting no more than a couple months but forever leaving him a little wary of the other gender. Damien was not the type to get tricked a second or third time as he had with Laina. Taken a chance with the reckless shifter who he had already knew had not worked out with his best friend’s fiancé. What had he been thinking? He then pressed the thoughts from his mind as he turned back to the lady and her son as they sat at the table as the plates were handed around and the food was then dished out. When he stated that he wished he would have been able to make it himself she rolled her eyes at him telling him that it was fine the way it was. He did not comment but rather finished the meal before there was a knock on the door and he was forced to put the dishes he had been carrying down in the sink to walk to it and answer to see the teenager of the pair on the floor below with the dog at her side. Announcing that she was requesting Taelix’s presence to take the dog on a walk. Haley Ann agreed and then the two were gone but they were not left alone for long since there was almost immediately another knock on the door and the pair from downstairs were then ushered in a brief hug wrapped his arms around Ayrn and a firm handshake to Erix before the two then stated their purpose to want to go in the hot tub and a cheeky grin then crossed his face. Not going to sneak onto my roof this time? But that worked out so well last time. He then turned to look a Haley Ann who seemed to not want to go along with the idea but she was convinced when Ayrn then handed her the bathing suit before they all went their separate ways to change. He was comfortable walking out in just the black swim shorts that he was wearing with the towel shrugged around his shoulders he was about to offer the rest of them towels but they all seemed to have one as they then walked towards the patio that led out onto the roof where the hot tub was and a bottle of wine was grabbed along with glasses as it was then poured in. He noticed the way that Haley Ann did not feel comfortable in the bathing suit and moved towards the tub before then quickly letting the towel drop and hop into the water. The talk between the four of them was effortless as he then allowed his head to rest back against the plastic of the back of the hot tub and a small sigh was released. He realized that he was a little jealous of the three others here, they all had children that relied on them in their lives and the kids were a static that would never change and their love for them was unconditional. He knew that eventually in life this would be what he wanted. After what had been just over an hour Ayrn then excused herself to then say they needed to return to their room. He nodded before then getting to his feet, picking up the towel that Haley had dropped and passing it to her with a small smile and wrapping his own lightly around his waist. Steam rising from his shoulders where the water had warmed yet the towel did not cover. He changed into a regular pair of shorts that he usually wore around the house when he then made his way to his room and a white t-shirt before then stepping back out. He took a seat on the couch before looking in her direction. You know I really admire you Haley Ann. It takes a lot for a person to raise a child on their own and especially one that they can be proud of. He patted the place on the couch next to him so she should sit down to talk to him since he was not ready to go to bed. It was nice to have someone to talk to for a change as well.
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Post by Lonestar on May 31, 2011 20:03:17 GMT -5
While she took a sip from her wine glass, the damsel did her best to politely keep her eyes off of her boss, but because she was first in the tub, she watched the others as they climbed in to join her and found herself watching his muscles move beneath sleek, taunt skin as he settled into his seat. Before the others or he could notice, she ripped her gaze away and instead stared down into the red tinted liquid as she took another sip. The slow buzz effect of the alcohol spread over her body and lasted for only a few moments before the shifter in her kicked in to be rid of the haze that the depressant created. For some, the fact that shifters could not get drunk or even buzzed for very long might be a letdown, but for the lass, she was rather appreciative of it. As a teenager before her change, she had never been much of a drinker because she was not very fond of the effects it left one with and now as a fully grown shifter adult, she found that her drinking habits had hardly changed though now she had no reason to steer clear of the stuff any longer. Conversation picked up between them beautifully and as usual she found herself relaxing and smiling while in the alpha and his fiancé’s company. Of course, she would have loved to have done the same in only Damien's company, but right now that was too dangerous so she had been keeping herself on high alert around him. So far, he hadn't seemed to notice that she was a bit more tightly wound than usual, but then again he did not really know her too well so she did not expect him to catch on. Talk turned to the teenagers who were out walking the dog and she grew even more comfortable in the situation despite how ridiculous the outfit was that she had on and the presence of her little secret crush. She did notice that with the subject change, the male turned a little quiet and she felt her heart go out to him. He was the odd one out in this little group as he did not have a child whom he took care of and she felt a little sorry for him. Sure, he was still young and she would be rather amazed if he had a child over the age of three this stage in life, but the joy of caring for your kid was unlike anything she had ever experienced and she felt that it was something he was truly missing out on. This train of thought led her to wonder if he even wanted children. Some people just did not see the allure and though she would not judge them, she could not help but feel a little sorry for them. Being a parent was a major part of life and it was a part of the universal cycle. To be born, grow, have children, and watch them grow so that the process could repeat over and over was a time old rhythm that would never be halted until time ended and the world was consumed in a battle between fire and ice. She had lost track of the time that they had been in the hot tub and was rather surprised when Ayrn and Erixic announced that they would need to leave now in order to go to sleep. Rising with the rest of the group, she was the last to step out of the warm water and had her towel handed to her almost immediately. Grinning in thanks towards the man, she moved on the balls of her feet to keep the soles from touching the cold floor to the door that lead back into the building from the roof. Once inside, a small shiver ran through her as the heat from indoors worked quickly to warm her skin and blood. Giving her fellow shifters quick hugs goodbye, she nodded as Ayrn told her she could return the bathing suit to her the next day and waved to them as they disappeared out of Damien’s suite. Disappearing into the room she had staked the night's claim on, she changed into a pair of loose cotton shorts and a tank shirt before glancing outside of her door to see him sit sitting on the couch. For a moment, she hesitated, debating going back into the room in order to avoid being alone in the same room as him, but before she could make any decision, he spotted her and she had no choice but to smile at him and walk bravely into the living room. As she moved around to the center, he spoke out to her, surprising her a bit with his praising words before he patted the area on the couch beside him. As if in a trance, she sank down to a seated position and kept her eyes trained on the man beside her. Thank you, but it really isn't anything special. Taelix was easy enough to raise and I am very proud of the man he is becoming, but I don't know how much credit I can take for that. He has a good nature. Grinning, she tried to brush off the praise he gave her, a little embarrassed by it honestly.
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Post by Ayrn on Jun 2, 2011 18:31:56 GMT -5
The night seemed to be a little more relaxing than he would have thought earlier in the day since they had been cooped up in the kitchen for the part of the storm that tore through the city and did a lot of damage to the hotel, he knew that there was nothing that he could do about it and that his staff was wonderful and making sure that everything was taken care of. The insurance company had been called and no one had been harmed with all the guests a little shaken but returned to their rooms it could have been a lot worse since the rest of the building other than the glass in the lobby had been unharmed. The hot tub was steaming in the air that seemed to have turned a lot colder as the sun had gone down; it was not yet summer so therefore it cooled off a lot in the night time. He was able to notice a couple times where he caught the woman’s eyes on him which caused him to smile a little, he needed to focus on keeping his eyes off of her and he caught himself a couple times turning to look in her direction even though most of her was covered in the water that ran through the jets. The pulsing water was relaxing against his back as it worked over muscles. While he did not usually drink alcohol he casually would have a drink and tonight was a night that seemed appropriate. He did enjoy the occasional glass of wine since in fact he was Italian and he had brought in all the bottles from his home country. He had always been a little jealous at how effortlessly Ayrn and his fiancé had gotten along from the very start since he worked years at getting her to open up to him and Erix had only known her a little while and yet they were just as close as her and Damien who was supposed to be her brother, legally at least. This jealousy though never really surfaced since he knew that it was only nature since they were significant others to one another and he knew that Ayrn would not be jealous if he was the same with someone else. He had once thought he would be this way with Laina but that had proved to be wrong. He felt himself flinch a little at the talk of the children feeling a little out of place and he was not too sure if he liked this and he found himself wondering if he were to do the same as Ayrn and adopt a child in need if it would work out for him. He had always been very alone in the apartment but would it really be that hard to change his lifestyle? He would have to think about it since he knew that the girl had plans to make a safe house for some of the young shifters that were in need since they went through a very hard time when they were just starting to transition. And since he was so close with all the shifters it might be something that he would be able to do to help. He knew that it was not late but they all would have a busy day tomorrow and Ayrn announced that they were going to get to bed and assured him that she would be there when the inspector was supposed to get there in the morning to make sure that the hotel was inspected and covered for the damages as well as getting the elevator back up and running and replacing the glass before the heat bill would sky rocket with the entire hotel being open in the front. The ground that lead them back to the house was frigid and he found that steps were quick as he then moved the top of the hot tub to rest over the hot liquid and then headed towards the glass sliding door and bidding the other two good bye though he was sure that he would see them both within the next day. A small smile crossed his features before he then stated that he was proud of the lady for raising her child in the manner in which she had. She shrugged it off though and soon enough there was the sound of the door opening where Taelix then walked in, Damien got back to his feet before then into the kitchen. Good night. He uttered to both of them before then walking in the direction of his room leaving the two of them to say their good nights. He changed into a pair of boxers and a loose Nike shirt before brushing his teeth and crawling into bed. He awoke the next morning long before the sun rose and was out of the door before he even had eaten. He knew that there was a lot to get started on and he was much too on the edge to even take enough of a break to eat. He dressed in dress pants and shirt with a tie knowing that he would be meeting with different people such as inspectors and other officials to talk about the hotel. The day passed so quickly with the amount of meetings he had and they worked hard so by the time that he returned to his suite the lobby was all cleaned free of all the glass and the glass had been replaced. The next day it almost seemed as if things were back to normal they wanted their best to get over what had happened so this was the first day that the fitness center was open again, this was also the day that he was going to take over the care of Jack. Erixic had come to him explaining the case and it had been during the time that he had been thinking about taking a child in and it seemed to be the perfect opportunity. He would be able to provide the teen with everything that he needed and he was confident in his abilities. The morning was spent furnishing the room in which the teen would live and making sure that all the preparations were made before then heading towards the address that he had been given. When he arrived he greeted the current guardians with a small smile and a few polite words before the boy then appeared with the bag of his stuff packed and ready looking rather frustrated, which he knew was rightful since he had been through a bunch of large moves and he would not have a clue if this was one for the last time. He led the younger male in the direction of his car before stepping into the driver seat and driving back to the hotel. He hated that Haley Ann had been on his mind since the time that they had spent when she stayed with him. He tried his best to give himself enough space to forget about the girl that was his employee. When they approached the front of the hotel he noticed that Taelix had just returned from school with Pirzi and Haley Ann would be getting off work. Would you two care to come for dinner at the small diner down the road? Me and Jack were just about to go.
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Post by Lonestar on Jun 6, 2011 23:49:22 GMT -5
Haley Ann was just starting to get comfortable on the couch and looking forward to enjoying Damien's company when her teenage son walked back through the suite's door, back from walking the dog with Pirzi and Jack, to ruin the moment for her. Refusing to let her disappointment show as her boss got up from where he was sitting immediately, she smiled in greeting to her son and nodded to him as he told her he was going to bed. Lifting up her chin, she in turn kissed him on the cheek as he approached and bent down to her level to leave a likewise endearment on her face. Remaining still on the couch, she turned her attentions to the elder man as he also dismissed himself to his bedroom for the night. Sleep well. She offered in turn with a smile, watching as they both disappeared behind their own doors to leave her sitting the in living room on her own. Chest expanded in a heavy sigh, shades closing over surfaces as she leaned back against the arm rest and took a moment for herself. It was probably for the best that Taelix had walked in when he did. She did not need to be around her crush any more than necessary because she would then be in serious danger of developing feelings for him that exceeded more than just a simple infatuation. Calling herself to get off the couch, she stood and made her way to her own room for the night, closing the door behind her before heading straight for the rather comfortable bed and falling easily to sleep once her head was resting softly on the pillow. The next morning, she woke up at her regular time and dressed quickly before walking out into the kitchen, hoping in the back of her mind to catch her boss before he left for the day. Much to her disappointment, he had gone down onto the floor earlier than usual which could only be expected with the day shaping up to busy with repairs and meetings. Returning to the room she had used, she stripped it of its sheets and did the same with Taelix's bed so that she could toss them into the wash on her way down to retrieve her car so she could go home and see what sort of damage had been done there while her son went to school. Per usual, they met up with the young Pirzi in the lobby and after telling them both to have a good day, the elder woman made her way to her car and drove to her home since the roads were now declared safe and clear. Pulling into the driveway, she was relieved and rather surprised that with her luck the only damage done had been to the backyard fence when the nearby tree had fallen over and crushed one half. Because they did not have a dog, she was not much worried about it for now and decided that she could take care of it over the weekend when she was off work. Taking the key from the ignition, she went into the house, took a shower and dressed in attire appropriate for returning to the hotel before doing a check of the house both inside and out to make sure that nothing else was harmed besides the fence. When she was reassured that she would not have to pay to replace or fix anything, the lady got back into her car and drove back to her work place. Although the fitness center was closed down for the day, she was sure an extra pair of hands would be needed to help out. Each day she returned to help out with the preparations for the repairs till the fitness center reopened and she was free to return to her job. Despite herself, every day when she walked in she searched the room for Damien and every day felt the same disappointment when she did not see him. Then, throughout the rest of her time at work though she tried to thrust herself fully into her duties so nothing else could penetrate her mind, any spare moment she had, the lass was glancing out the window, hoping to maybe catch a sight of him. In her mind, she played out how it would happen. He would be walking through the lobby and would glance her way just as she did his. Then, he would wave to her and come into the fitness center to ask her if she wanted to go out to lunch again with him sometime. Reaching that point, the mother would cut off the fantasy because she did not want to have to deal with the humiliation of knowing that she would say yes without hesitation. It was Thursday, her day to lock up, and she had nothing special planned. Most of the day had been slow at work which meant her mind was busy thinking about the man that she shouldn't want and now that she was going home, thoughts were finally clear of him. Taelix had just walked into the lobby from the parking garage and was coming to meet her where she stood locking the door to the fitness center since they had closed early that day when a familiar voice spoke from just behind her. Jumping a little in surprise, the vixen spun on her heel and looked up at him, doing her best not to stammer while she worked up a reply. Just then, her son came up to her side and offered a polite greeting to the hotel's co-owner while extending his hand to shake with the other mans, oblivious to his mother's struggle. Sure. We'd love to. Forcing a smile to come to her lips, she easily piped up with a reply that might have been one octave higher than her usual voice, but to her that was an accomplishment seeing how she suddenly lost all ability to think or speak whenever she was staring into those sepia colored eyes. Pulling her gaze away, she looked to the teenage boy who was walking up to the group now, offering a hand wave to her son in greeting, but otherwise looking rather sullen. Sadly, she realized that this was the Jack boy that Ayrn and Erixic had rescued from living off the streets and who she had learned Damien had recently become guardian of although it was still uncertain whether this arrangement would be permanent or not. Offering the boy a bright smile, she walked right up to him and hugged him without giving him time to protest the action. I'm Haley Ann, Taelix's mother. I hope you don't mind if my son and I intrude on your dinner. Damien just invited us to come along. Stepping back so he would have time to process her greeting, the lass could only smile wider as the lad regarded her in surprise and quickly told her that he did not mind at all. Well then, shall we? She asked the general group, looking first at the two teenagers before directing a soft smile towards Damien, waiting for him to make the first motion to go.
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Post by Ayrn on Jun 8, 2011 20:12:12 GMT -5
He would have preferred that he did not have to leave right in the morning between either of the two that had stayed the night with him were up but he knew that his nerves would be on edge if he did not get an immediate start to the day and the destruction that the storm had left in its wake the day before. The hotel was always on his mind even if he knew that Ayrn and now Erix had common interest in it and therefore were probably already downstairs dealing with the people that had come to inspect it. He hoped that the two would make themselves at home when they woke up and not hesitate to make breakfast or do anything else that was needed as a morning routine but he knew that Haley Ann would not allow that since she was simply not the type, he should have left a note he then decided but it was too late as he rounded the corner at the bottom of the stairs and was thrust into the busy world of workers as well as outside contractors shuffling through the remains of the lobby of the hotel that had been pretty well destroyed. He was dragged off to meetings where the structural integrity was discussed and all seemed to come back with the statement that the hotel was completely fine with the exception of the glass that had been smashed in the front of the building. Something that he could have told any one of them, he knew the way that the hotel had been built, with no expenses spared for the safety of the workers and the guests alike. Every room had been checked this morning and the elevator had been cleared to be back working. His mind was set at ease by the time he returned to his room later that night and it seemd as though everything was falling back in place, the business party that was planning on coming to the hotel had been phoned and informed of what had happened and seemed skeptical of coming at first but now he had just gotten off the phone with them and was able to assure them that they would not regret their trip. It was important to him since these people were a lot of what made up his business and they had a lot of company trips that came to town and if he was able to land them it would mean that the hotel would be just that more successful. He could not wait until Donatello were to get back into the town so that he was able to talk over the offer of opening up the Italian restaurant in the hotel to be able to expand even more than they already had in the last year. This was the night that he was just settling onto his couch and turning the TV on to be little more than just background noise as he shuffled through different papers that had been left on his coffee table as there was a knock on the door that revealed Ayrn who asked him if he was still interested in taking in a teen in need and telling him about the teenage shifter that they had found in the warehouse that had been sent back from the family that was supposed to take him. She urged him to think about it for a bit to then give her the answer in the morning but he had already decided that it would be something that was good for him, after all what could the kid do to screw his life up? He could handle anything thrown his way. The next morning he informed her of his decision and was given the address of where the boy could be picked up and after a day of prep going into the bedroom that would be his he was content that he would be returning the boy to a place that was appropriate and car was then driven from the garage to the address to pick up the silent boy and return them to the hotel. Jack placed all his things in the room that was given to him before taking a shower and getting changed. He then turned to the younger male with a small smile. Are you ok with going out for dinner? The boy then nodded and they headed back down the elevator spotting the lady and her son just exiting the hotel and he scolded himself in his head when he noticed that he spooked her by walking up behind her, though Taelix looked to be in his element as he extended a hand to him which he took politely and shook.. She stated that they would love to come for dinner which pleased him. Great. It was nowhere fancy but it was walking distance from the hotel and they served homemade food. Jack who had lagged behind a bit now was approaching the rest of the group. Jack seemed to shrink back as Haley Ann then move to hug him though he was much too polite to fully pull back away from her. He seemed to be getting a little more comfortable now as he stepped alongside Damien following at towering strides then carried him in the direction of the doors of the lobby head dipped in a small greeting to the man that stood behind the counter. Evening, sir. Damien then smiled. It’s nice to see you back at work Dante. He countered before holding the door for the rest of the group. The night was warm and the sun was just starting to shrink behind the clouds in the sky to come to rest below the horizon line where it would then lay dormant until the morning and the paler and less vibrant glow of the moon would take over. The diner glowed with a neon sign looking rather pathetic in comparison to the rest of the restaurants around though Damien did not allow the appearance to phase him as he lead the way into the building and they were ushered to the table in the corner where he usually sat. When their waitress came he ordered a water with lemon and a thai chicken wrap when the time came before then relaxing back against the chair simply enjoying the company of the other three.
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Post by Lonestar on Jun 16, 2011 17:36:50 GMT -5
A soft inaudible sigh was released as the party started moving towards the door with the woman bringing up the rear because the two teenagers were busily talking to one another about this and that and she was trying her best to be too close to the hotel owner though Taelix shot her a confused look over her shoulder when he noticed that she was behind him. Smiling reassuringly at her son, she hoped she had passed whatever test he was putting in her way. He looked back towards Jack and began talking again and she relaxed instantly feeling relieved because he no longer was paying too much attention to her. Thinking back to when she had told Damien yes, the woman kicked herself for being so foolish. This would not be a fun dinner. The teenage boys would end up talking to one another the entire night as they were now leaving the two adults to sit in their awkward silence throughout the meal. As bright as day she could see it all unfolding now and nearly groaned aloud at the picture. They reached the door and she was shocked to see her son step aside, pulling his new found friend along with him, so that she would be forced to step through first. Fighting the urge to shot him a scolding look, she tucked her chin closer to her chest and moved through the doorway in front of the boys while the man held it open for them and greeted the lobby attendant with his name. Instantly, a warmth spread through her and she risked glancing up at the male to see a smile on his face as he looked at his employee. With a dreadful groan that she hid from everyone else, the lass tried to fight the feeling that she was crushing on him all over again, but in all reality she knew it was pointless to try and ignore. He was just so kind and attentive. He actually took the time to know all of his employees at the hotel though it was a rather large establishment and he asked after them to make sure they were taken care of as they should be. These were all admirable qualities one could find in any human being. Why could she not recognize and be pleased that he held such attributes? Because he was nearly a decade her younger and her boss. At this sobering thought, she forced her eyes forward though the man had returned to leading the group and now walked only a few inches ahead of her as the childern followed behind them. As they neared the diner that they would be eating at, the bright neon sign reminded her at a place she used to work that was almost idential to this one. It had great homecooked food and was a favorite of every local and of the truck drivers whose routes went though that town. Unfortunately, her experience working there had not been the greatest. The diner had been situated right next to the busiest bar in town because the owner was the same and often times people from the bar would come in during her graveyard shift after closing time next door. There had been plenty of fights for her to break up and a few inappropriate touchings of her butt though she did not want to think about that for now. That job had simply been a stepping block in her life and the town a place where she had lived without making any friends before drifting on as she always had. At least the public school had there had a good education system. Taelix had been just old enough to start school when they were there. Being brought back to the present, she stepped through the door of the establishment and smiled at the waitress in the typical peach colored diner uniform with a white apron attached at the front as she greeted them after they had taken a seat in one of the corner booths. Haley Ann sat next to her son and across from Damien on the outside and was not surprised when the two teenagers waited for her to order her water and BLT sandwhich before placing their orders. Sitting with her hands in her lap, she tried not to fiddle with the napkin she had placed there upon sitting in the seat and kept mostly to herself. Thankfully, it did not take long for their food to be cooked and she eagerly took a bite from her sandwhich, glad to finally have an excuse not to talk. As the waitress came back around to check on them, the matron quietly asked her to bring her a cup of coffee once she had a chance, but paused before finishing as she looked over at Damien to see if he would like a cup too.
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Post by Ayrn on Jun 17, 2011 23:08:32 GMT -5
He was so nervous about the fact that he had just taken on a teenager that was going to be living with him for the next at least five or more years, what if he was not good at this and turned out to be a shitty guardian, he did know that he could not think about that though because the more he worried the worse it would get. He trusted that his best friend had been right when she thought that he would be a good father figure for Jack so he started to feel a little more confident. He had only had the boy for a total of 12 hours and so far everything seemed to be going alright. He had been brought back to the hotel and given a tour around before then allowed to unpack his things in the room he had given. He seemed to settle in a little when he then changed and had a shower before then returning to the living room where Damien had been sitting and he realized then that they needed to do something for dinner and he had not even thought about it. Scolding himself mentally since he had planned to make something he then asked the boy if he would care that they went out for dinner and the boy seemed to agree reluctantly as they passed down the elevator. He was dressed a lot more casual than the times that he was usually in the hotel since he had deemed himself to be off duty. He wore a pair of jeans and a white t-shirt that was faded and looked as though it had been washed a few too many times. When they reached the bottom floor he realized it was just the time that all the shifts seemed to change at the hotel and the fitness center was just being locked up for the night an Haley Ann and her son were just walking towards the elevator when he managed to catch them and ask if they would like to join them for dinner and they agreed. The boys seemed to instantly hit it off since it appeared that they were both athletic and played the same sports. They knew that they would be going to the same school and maybe this would mean that Jack would make a friend before he even made it to the school the next day. He had debated allowing the kid to take the rest of the week off from school to allow himself to adjust but it seemed the best to allow him to get used to everything at once and the more school he missed the harder it would be to make up. While she was dreading the whole event he was thinking that this was going to be a good idea since his mind was on making this the easiest transition for Jack as possible. He opened the door for the four of them and they all stepped out into the warm evening that was characteristic of summer. The walk was not far and soon they were at the neon sign of the diner. He took a seat across from Haley Ann watching the two boys for a moment with a small smile, he did not realize how close they were under the table until his knee brushed against hers and he then sat back a little. Sorry. He uttered quietly glad that neither of the other two seemed to notice. When the waitress came their way he waited until he was the last person to order and ordered a burger. The food did not take long to come and he was glad since he was starving so he finished off the plate of food that had been placed in front of him in record time. He also ordered a cup of coffee when the waitress came back around, standing for a moment he then paid the bill when pretending to be in the washroom to ensure that it would not be even a question when they stood before he returned back to the table. Casual talk passed between them before they were all finished and stood back up to then walk back to the hotel. The waitress smiled at him as he passed by telling them to have a good night. It’s on me. He uttered before holding the door for the rest of them with a small smile. The walk did not take long before they were back to the hotel. The boys excused themselves to go off to do something, what he was not too sure of. But he was left standing in the remote part of the lobby with her. A deep inhale was taken. I have something to confess to you. He started. I know I should not even say this but I have feelings for you. And I have since the power outage. I am sorry. I just needed to get it out. To save them from the awkward chat it seemed right on schedule for the two boys to return. Palm was raised in a small wave as he turned towards her. Good night. See you tomorrow. He stated before heading off in the direction of the stairs with Jack matching his steps.
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Post by Lonestar on Jun 18, 2011 10:24:29 GMT -5
When sliding into the booth after her son, the woman was completely oblivious as to how close her legs were to the man across from her until knees bumped, shins brushed, and feet got tangled together briefly. The instant he pulled away, so did she, a shy look immediately taking over her features as her apology rose to her lips the same time his did. Sorry. She said in stereo with him, holding back a small chuckle that threatened to come at having spoken at the same time as him though she could not contain the broad grin that broke out over lips to shine in his direction briefly. Immediately she was more at ease with the situation, feeling herself relax as she looked across the table at him, but then the waitress came and ruined the moment for her. Looking away, she quickly picked up the menu after asking for a glass of water to look for what she would like for dinner. Seeing the BLT on the menu, her mind was instantly made up because she knew how good diner BLTs could taste and it had been so long since she had one. When the waitress came back around with their drinks and to ask for their food orders, the woman readily told her what she would like then listened halfway to the boys as they made their selections. The food came out rather quickly and therefore made the need for much conversation obsolete. Eagerly, but politely, she ate the sandwich in the thinly cut French fries that had come along with it and once she was finished asked for a cup of coffee which Damien also asked for after she had paused to see if he wanted any. To her cup once it came around, she added both cream and sugar and sat quietly enjoying her warm beverage that she was rather addicted too. Not long after they got their coffee, the elder man dismissed himself to use the restroom she assumed so not much attention was paid to his departure. By the time he returned, the boys had looped her into their debate about human knowledge about their secret. Laughing as Jack said that he thought a shifter should only tell a human their secret when absolutely necessary not simply because they wanted to, the woman's eyebrow lifted as she glanced towards Damien as he came to the table. You shouldn't have to keep your secret from everyone. Humans over the years have proved to be rather reliable in keeping who we are rather quiet. I believe you should tell whomever you want to, but be sure that you choose wisely and know the person enough to where you are able to judge their reaction and prepare for it. Giving the news can be quite a shock. In her soft motherly voice; she stated her opinion while also extending out some advice to the young shifter. If the teen thought that it was easy to keep your secret from others close to you, he had much to learn about their life and living with Damien at the hotel would be a good lesson for him. Taking another sip from her coffee, she did not expect for the boy to then ask her for a story of the worst reaction she had ever gotten from a human when telling them her secret and she swallowed too much of the liquid that it scalded her throat. Hiding the burn from them, she took some time to recover, slowly setting the cup back down to the table before turning her eyes to the lad. I don't have one. I've never had the need to tell a human what I am. My mother was like me so my father already knew as did his parents and my mother’s parents and Taelix's father is the same as me. I have never been close enough to human for them to know. Pretty quickly after, the conversation wrapped up and they stood to leave, the woman taking out her wallet in order to pay her portion of the bill, but as they moved towards the register, Damien ushered them towards the door, telling them that he had paid. Shooting him a look, the lady put her wallet back into her purse and shook her head as she walked through the door, looking up at him as she did so. You shouldn't have. Vocals informed him, wishing she had cash on her so she could at least attempt to pay him back for what he had spent money on. They walked back to the hotel where Taelix insisted that he show Jack the pool since the slightly younger bloke had yet to see it and while they took off the older pair were left standing in an empty part of the lobby by the elevators that would take Haley Ann and her son down to the garage and their car later on. For a moment, they stood rather awkwardly together, the essa avoiding his gaze to look at the carpet beneath her feet, but when she spoke, her gaze jumped upward, surprised to see a rather nervous looking man standing in front of her. Brow furrowed as she waited for him to confess what he wanted to her, curious as to what was making him act this way and what he had to tell her. Eyes widen and a mixture of shock and disbelief as he told her that he had feelings for her ever since they had been stuck together during the storm that had created the massive power outage and before she could recover enough to formulate any sort of reply, the boys returned and Taelix asked her if she was ready to go. Though she was about to hand the keys off to her son so she could continue her talk with Damien for a moment longer, the hotel co-owner was already on his way towards the stairs, waving a goodbye to them both and taking his adoptive son along with him. Lifting her hand in return, she sighed under her breath then went into the elevator to go home. Once there, they parted ways and went into their own rooms. She finished out her daily routine while thinking of nothing but the man's confession. It was like a dream come true though she knew in the back of her mind that she should not be happy that he returned her endearments. A situation like this could only get more complicated as he was her boss. The next day, she planned to go see him and get the awkwardness over with. She would tell him that nothing could happen between them and that would be the end of it. It might break her heart and bruise his pride, but it would be the best outlet for them both. Determined, she came into the hotel the next day and before going to the fitness center to start work, she headed towards the offices in the back where she was sure Damien would be as he was every morning. Stepping in, she was surprised to see that everyone else had not yet arrived though she could hear the man in the back as he busied himself at his desk with the paperwork that he often dealt with. Drawing a deep breath into her lungs, she gathered her courage and walked towards his office, stepping through the door only to freeze and crumble at the sight of him. Her previous plan was dropped instantly, her mind muddled by the crush she had developed for him that threatened to become something more. I have feelings for you too. Always have, but I've hidden them from you because you are my boss and quite a few years younger than me and I didn't want to make anything more difficult for you.
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Post by Ayrn on Jun 19, 2011 3:09:55 GMT -5
Dinner between the four of them seemed effortless and he was really starting to enjoy the company of the woman and her son especially now that he had the care of Jack who was the same age. The boy seemed already to open up to the other of his age and this was something that was a relief to him since he was not too sure what he would do if the boy remained as much of a recluse as he had started out to be in the morning. He did know that it would only take time though and he could not expect too much from the beginning, the next few weeks where they would both get used to what was going on and falling into a new routine was going to be completely awkward since Ayrn had been the last person that he had lived it and even that was over three years ago long before Erixic came into her life. While he did not get to see them too often just the knowledge that they were under the same roof as him and seeing her as happy as she was set him at ease. He had always thought of himself to be her protector and for her teenage years that was exactly the way it seemed to play out. To say she was sought out in high school was an understatement but the stress it would have caused her would have been overwhelming so he had found himself taking care of most of the possible men, she had even informed him that it was much appreciated since most of them had nothing on their minds but trying to get into her pants. The girl was far too classy for something like that though. The food was reliably amazing as he thought it would be and he found himself eating quickly since he must have skipped out on lunch and he was starving. When he then excused himself to go to the washroom he made sure that the bill was taken care of before returning to find that his coffee was waiting for him and he seemed to enter at a strange time where he assumed that they were talking about being shifters. Forgive me for intruding. I can only speak from one person’s perspective but to tell you the truth when Ayrn told me I already by that time had a couple suspicions but while I was surprised I was more fascinated than anything. Jealous even. He then finished his statement before his coffee was finished and the cup was placed back down on the table as they all then stood from where they had been sitting and made their way to the door when he stated that he had paid for the meal she told him that he shouldn’t have a small smirk formed on the man’s lips turning one corner slightly higher. I asked you guys out to dinner, so therefore it is my treat. He uttered with a small smile, at least it was one way that he would be able to justify it. The walk was not long and soon they were back at the hotel and Taelix then shuffled off with Jack to show him the pool of the hotel while they were then left to stand in the hallway alone. He then took a deep breath before he voiced his feelings for the woman though when Taelix then came back he was not brave enough to even look at he expression on her face, he would prefer to just run from the situation at childish as it seemed. After he told Jack good night he then settled into bed, wishing that he had looked back at her after he waved to try to judge the expression crossing her face, since he did not have a clue what she thought of his confession. He did not sleep well, he tossed and turned all night to awake in the morning early and as usual this caused him to get dressed leaving breakfast for Jack and heading down to the offices after leaving a small note telling the boy where he would be. Before he left for school Jack came down to talk to him for a moment before leaving with Pirzi and Taelix. He was so involved in the work that he was burying himself in by now in frustration a few folders had been tossed around the room, one in particular was by the door and papers strewn across the floor he was glad that none of the secretaries or others that worked in the office had bothered him. He looked up when he heard footsteps to have gaze fall on the person that his mind seemed to be locked on. The words that were spoken to him were something that came as an absolute relief as she informed him that he had feelings. Age has never been something that has deterred me. I really wish it could work out differently especially since I now have Jack. I am sorry that I have put you in this situation; you do not deserve it, especially not from me. Please forgive me; I hope we can still at least be friends. He was rather embarrassed and even though he knew he had feelings for her that only seemed to be growing he owed it to her not to act on them to make her life any harder. Sorry I have to get to a meeting. Has Ayrn asked you to come to her dress fitting yet this weekend? He waited for her response before then passing out the door to where he knew that he was going to be slightly late to his next meeting. Regret washing over him. He truly did not want this to go as it had. The whole meeting his mind was not on the task at hand and his mind kept wandering back to the lady that he had talked to this morning and he found the need to want to apologize to her, fighting with the feelings he had. He did not want to suppress them. So that was the reason he found himself at a flower shop at lunch time. Knowing he would not be back to the hotel until later he placed an order to be delivered to the fitness center, a dozen red roses. He might as well go all out. He wrote a hand written note to accompany it. I was wrong with what I said; I do not want to suppress my feelings. I do not care if they complicate things; difficult things are usually worth the effort. He then sealed the envelope with the elegant scrawl of her name on it. He did not sign it since he knew that she would know who it was from and he wanted to make sure that if someone else got a hold of it that they would not be able to determine who it was from. The rest of the afternoon passed easily until he picked Jack up from school the boy seemingly opening up more and more chatted with him about school when he asked. The two of them deciding a swim would be a nice way to pass the time before dinner as they headed down to the pool. He was caught completely by surprise as he eased his shirt off to be left in his swim shorts to stand at the edge of the pool ready to dive in but before he managed to raise his arms the younger man then shoved him from behind and chuckles left his lips before it hit the glassy undisturbed surface. A mock glare was sent his direction before he splashed the boy with a cheeky grin. Learning that Jack enjoyed swimming to keep fit as much as he did it did not take long for them to settle into a routine easing into laps in the lane that was set up off the side to the main pool area. It would be nice to have someone around all the time that he would be able to work out with. The boy was quick and seemed to be able to catch Damien with ease which did not bother the older man in the least knowing his mind was elsewhere and he was exhausted from today.
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Post by Lonestar on Jun 24, 2011 21:44:57 GMT -5
Quietly, the lady bent down to pick up the file folder that he had obviously thrown out of frustration on the floor at her feet and snapped it into the palm of her hand to straighten the papers inside as she rose, using it as an excuse to avoid eye contact. Once he started speaking however, the damsel found her eyes drawn to him and while part of her heart sank at his response because the romantic in her had wanted him to whisk her off her feet and tell her that he did not care that he was her boss or that she was older than him, he wanted to make it work, but she knew he was doing the right thing by them both in closing down any chance that might occur. Nodding, she offered a small smile as she stepped forward and held out the folder between them for him to take it. There is no situation and nothing to forgive. We are adults and I can act like one. Of course we are still friends. She assured him and stood there a little awkwardly for a moment after he had taken the folder from her hands. Mouth parted to tell him goodbye, that she needed to be off to work, when he beat her to the punch and told her he had a meeting while also asking if Ayrn had asked her to the dress fitting this weekend. Glad for the change in topic to their mutual friends' upcoming wedding, the woman was able to muster a very broad smile as she thought about the happiness of her two alphas. No, not yet, but I'm going to see her today so she might ask then. Excited vocals reply as she moved towards the door when he did so that she would not make him late to his meeting. Walking out in front of him, she tried not to be paranoid about him possibly watching her and forced her stride to remain even and relaxed. Once they were out the main doorway to the offices, she paused before heading towards the fitness center and managed a grin that she did not really feel. It was good to talk to you. I'll see you later. Enjoy your meeting. A voice that did not sound much like her spoke just before she turned on her heel and nearly dashed towards the safety of the workout center. Luckily, Erixic had just gotten there so she was not missed for very long since the duo always seemed to be the first ones there. While the man started on paper work, she stuffed her backpack with her street clothes for after work into her locker and then moved out onto the floor to set up the machines, make sure all of them were in working order, and turn on the TVs scattered around the room to ESPN channels that most of their customers seemed to like watching while working out. Once people started to flow in, she and her co-workers were kept busy assisting those who needed it and teaching their classes scattered throughout the day. She skipped her lunch break like usual in order to help one of their regulars who had gotten pregnant nearly four months ago with her exercises since the woman was starting to gain a belly, but the workout was interrupted when Erix called out her name across the center. Stopping immediately what she was doing to look up at him and see what he wanted, she saw the red roses he held into the sky for her to see and suddenly became very aware of every set of eyes upon her. Heat flamed up in her cheeks like it did when she ate something too spicy and she was too embarrassed to even correct the woman she was helping when the customer assumed that Erixic had been the one to bring Haley Ann the flowers and told her that her man was cute. Apologizing quickly under her breath, she moved swiftly across the room, avoiding everyone's eye contact including her bosses, and gingerly reached out to take the vase from him as he held it out to her. Continuing to walk past him into the lobby area of the center, she looked over all the roses first then began searching for a card. Upon finding it, she paused by the host desk to read what it said. Catching her breath because she instantly knew who had sent them though she had barely allowed herself to dare to hope that he would send these, the vixen was in a daze as she clutched the card in one hand while running her palm gently over the blossoms, marveling at how soft they were and wondering if Damien had picked them out himself. Suddenly, she became aware of a set of eyes drilling into her back and she realized her surroundings once more. Wishing for some privacy and to also hide from the fellow shifter because she was not yet sure what to tell him, she retreated into the locker room where she sat on the bench for a few minutes, holding the vase in her lap before calling herself to stand and place the flowers gingerly in her locker. He had changed his mind so quickly and she was still not certain of how she wanted this to go. For the rest of the day, she remained conflicted and confused to the point where though she planned on going to see him before she left to go home, she determined that she needed a little bit more time to think it over and therefore simply went straight home once Taelix showed up from school. He left immediately afterwards to go spend time with friends so she was left at home alone to her thoughts. She did a little cleaning and was just finishing up dinner when her teenager returned. Hey honey. Dinner's almost ready. Make sure you're clean. She said without turning around from the stove to look at him. There was a long silence afterwards although he would normally reply with some sarcastic comment so she turned around to make sure everything was okay and noticed that he was standing at the kitchen table, looking rather puzzled at the dozen red roses displayed proudly on the table. Swallowing, she instantly regretted not hiding them in her room but was glad that she had hidden the note in her sock drawer once she saw that he was looking for a card to see who it was from. "Were these given to you mom?" He asked her, his dark blue gaze that was so much like his father’s catching her in the cross hairs. Forcing herself not to flinch beneath the watchful eye, she nodded, turning back around to stir the noodles for their pasta while replying. Yes they were. Today. As if anticipating this, the boy suddenly was right beside her, his backpack leaning against the counter as he rested his hip against the cabinets. "Who gave them to you?" He asked in an almost demanding tone. Stopping what she was doing, the woman turned to face her son, glaring up at him with one hand upon her hip. A friend, but that is none of your concern young man. Honestly Taelix what is your problem? Completely perplexed by her son's attitude, she watched as he struggled with his temper which she knew could run hot within seconds at the littlest thing before he turned away and headed towards his room. "I just can't believe you'd think of dating again after what dad did to you and after every other guy has left you once they found out you had a kid. I've got to protect you mom." Stunned into silence, the matron could think of nothing to say in return before the lad disappeared behind his room. Sighing, she turned around and finished cooking their dinner with one big problem staring her in the face. Taelix did not want her to date again and would probably do everything he could to scare Damien away. Instantly, her heart sank because she wanted her son to want her to be happy and she wanted to be happy too, but not at the cost of their relationship. The food was dished out and plates set on the table by the time Tae returned to the kitchen and though they spent the first few minutes in silence, Haley eventually broke it with a sigh. The flowers are from Damien. He was just being nice. I'm not going to start dating again right now though I want you to know that I will date again at some point. Without looking up from his plate, her son nodded and she had to suppress another sigh at her failed attempt to get him to talk with her about it. The next day, she dropped Taelix off at the lobby and once he was out of sight started for Damien's office so she could talk to him, but he was not there so she was forced to start towards the center so she would not be considered and decided that she would try and find him around lunch time. Around lunch, she went into the offices again and still he was not there so she asked his secretary if she knew where he was and she told her that he had gone up to his penthouse for lunch. After thanking the woman, the shifter moved towards the elevator and took it all the way up to the floor below Damien's then used the stairs to cover the rest of the way. At the locked doorway, she used her employee card to slide the lock back and quickly stepped through the doors. Once there, she moved to his door and knocked politely, waiting out in the hallway for him to answer. It was not long before he did and she immediately launched into what she had to say, hardly giving him the chance for a greeting. I want to thank you for the flowers. They are absolutely beautiful and I can honestly say I've never gotten anything like them. About what you said on the card, I don't want to suppress my feelings either, but... Pausing, she bit her lips in order to keep herself from taking back the 'but' and telling him that she would go anywhere and do anything he wanted. It's not the difficulty that's making me hesitate. It's just not ethical for us to see each other when you’re my boss. If it doesn't work out, which will absolutely happen when you come to your senses and realize you could be dating a woman ten years my junior without a teenage son, I don't want our work relationship to be strained because of it. With Taelix off to college next year, I need this job. I know you won't fire me, you are too professional for that, but I can't say that I would be comfortable working here any longer if things went South between us. Sighing, she looked down at her hands that were tugging on her shirt tail nervously, absurdly remembering when she was in elementary school and her teacher used to scold her for the bad habit. As you said the other day, I really wish things were different. I want so bad to be happy with someone again. She stopped herself there before she could go any further on the self pity train and cleared her throat while stare shifted to meet his. Thank you again for the flowers and I'm sorry if I interrupted your lunch. I felt like I should talk to you face to face.
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Post by Ayrn on Jun 25, 2011 18:28:23 GMT -5
He hated that she had been there to see him when he was in one of his frustrated moods since there was no way that it was directed at her as she walked in after the file folder had been thrown at the wall to fall into a heap. He knew that when he had left the hotel in the charge of others that there was going to be things that he did not like when he returned since people tended to go about daily tasks in different ways and just the fact that they were not the same as they had been since he had owned the hotel was enough to bother him. They were all organized but it was not in his system which grated on his nerves the entire time he found he was looking through the papers in the desk which was the main reason he had been tossing everything around the room and making it look as though there was a tornado going on. When she approached he instantly stopped though and took a deep breath to calm the nerves that had been settling into his stomach before she then picked up the file and returned it to his desk and he breathed a small thank you in a polite manner in her direction before she then continued to speak and soon enough as she had then left the room he found that he was regretting the words that had passed between the two of them. He did not want to suppress his feeling simply because it was the right thing to do because deep in his heart he found that it was not the right thing to do. He would always wonder what would have happened between them if he had pursued her. One would never be able to predict and tell what would happen and this bothered him. He did not even give it the chance. So when he had finished the first meeting and he was on his way to lunch he found himself in a flower shop just down the road from where the hotel was and ordering the flowers, the red roses had been what looked the nicest and seemed the most appropriate for what he was trying to convey. The note was hand written without his name so that no one would be suspicious as he then paid for them and gave them the instructions to have them delivered since it would be too obvious for him to then walk into the fitness center with them and then he passed out the door to then go on his way to his next meeting which ended up running late and with them in the bar just down the road. The permit that he had applied for to have a fully operating restaurant connected to the hotel had been oked now they were just waiting to hear back if they could get a liquor license. This would be a huge step for the hotel since it would then mean that it would attract many more businesses that were able to have their business meetings right in the hotel and the possibility would be open to get the restaurant that moved in there to be able to cater to larger events that were held in the ball room. Everything seemed to be going in the right direction. The opening of a restaurant in the hotel would mean that he would have to put a lot more money into it from the beginning but the risk of the possibility of the restaurant to him was worth it. He had spoken with a few other hotel owners who had debated doing the same thing, some of which had gone through it and some of which had not and the ones that had said the same thing, that it was a big and expensive change but that the restaurant increased their business and made its money back within the next year. With how well the business had done for itself he felt as though he owed it to the hotel to try this out. After all the last risk, the fitness center had been something that added so much appeal to it. By the time he had made it back to the elevator it was late an all the employees were gone for the night as he then rode the elevator to his floor and barely was inside the door before he showered and went to bed. With another meeting this time with the liquor license board he was back at the hotel by lunchtime where he then made his way back to his own place to make himself some lunch before he was planning on heading down to the offices. Just as he had finished piecing together the sandwiches he then heard a knock on the door which was rather strange and usually meant something was wrong since the only ones with the keys to get to the top two floors were employees and Ayrn, Erixic, Pirzi and Jack. He had barely even opened the door before someone behind the other side launched into a speech and brow raised slightly. When she told him that she did not want to suppress her feelings either he found that he was getting hopeful though of course at the end of the sentence there was the dreaded but attached to it. He noticed that she bit her lip when saying the next part which caused his heart feel as though it sunk to the soles of his feet. Yes true. I am the owner of the hotel but I am not your boss, Erixic is. In my eyes the fitness center is his, but I do understand what you are saying. She then continued on saying that she needed the job badly with Taelix being off to college in the next year and this part he did understand. She looked terribly nervous standing there and posture was shifted slightly for a moment before he debated over what to tell her. I learnt just a couple years ago, that some risks are worth taking. When I was approached to purchase the hotel I had three days to close the deal before it was offered to someone else. Not only did I invest every cent I had in it but I also asked my best friend to do the same. After being advised by my father who was a cutthroat businessman in Italy not to take the deal, it turned out now to be the best thing I could have ever done. Feeling the small story tied into the situation he then spoke. When you change your mind, like I hope you will you know where to find me. This was as vulnerable as he allowed himself to become as his true colours were shown when he stated that he hoped she would change her mind. But until then all attempts to win her over would stop since it was not right. As soon as she had left from his door he moved back to the couch to then eat what he had made before then dumping himself into his work as he always did when he was upset. Some people when they were upset turned into useless lumps that did not leave their house though he was the extreme opposite. Over the next couple days he nearly finished planning the reception at the ballroom for Ayrn within the colour scheme he had been given as well as a business meeting that was happening before then and all the paperwork for the next month. He barely allowed himself time to breath and sleep. This morning was the weekend morning in which Ayrn had planned for trying on her wedding dresses and even though it was out of character for a man to be there he had been invited since the girl had no problem with her best friend to be there since he would have a good opinion on what Erixic would like and he wanted to be there. Today would also be the day that the bridesmaids dresses were picked out and ordered. Everyone was set to meet at the hotel so they could all go together. To make sure he did not look out of place with the gorgeous girls that would be trying on dresses he deemed it proper to dress in the black dress pants along with polished dress shoes and a navy coloured dress shirt that was tucked into his pants. He was not formal enough to wear a tie though. He was well aware that Haley Ann would be a part of this day he just hoped he would not make things awkward between them. The only one that would be missing was Pirzi since her and Jack and Taelix and the other boys girlfriend had flown down to LA for the weekend. Something that had taken a bit of convincing from Ayrn for him to allow Jack to go since the boy had just been settled into his home after being a runaway. Pirzi and Taelix had quickly become his friends though and he trusted their judgement. He told Ayrn that he would meet the group in the dress shop which was exactly what he did, sitting as the only man in the shop in the waiting room waiting for them to arrive.
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Post by Lonestar on Jun 28, 2011 1:44:05 GMT -5
Quietly, she listened to what he had to say in return, knowing that he deserved to be at least heard and wondering in the back of her mind if he would try to contract anything that she said in order to try and convince her to consider dating him. Bowing her head, she nodded, accepting the correction that Erixic not Damien was her true boss since she worked in the fitness center and as one of the three owners of the hotel, he did not have anyone above him though he acted and often commented that Damien was his boss, but she supposed that was because he did not like the spot light of leadership. Sure he was a wonderful alpha and handled the responsibilities exceedingly well, but getting him to accept the position had been rather tough until he had realized that there was no other who could take the job on at the current point in time. Gaze lifted to meet the man's as the subject shifted and she found herself listening to the story of how the bloke came to own the hotel. Though it was a tale that particularly interested her due to its content, she found that she did not pay attention to the actual occurrences, but instead focused upon the lesson that he seemed to be hinting at for her to understand. Unable to comment, she simply nodded while retaining the silence even as he told her that he hoped she changed her mind and would come find him before she awkwardly left the situation, listening for the door to shut to his rooms behind her which it did the moment she moved to the elevator. After pushing the lobby button, she moved to relax against the railing and let out a heavy sigh, her head drooping on her neck as she stared down at the floor. Really all she was doing was making excuses. A relationship between them would be possible now that each of them knew that the other had feelings for them, but she tried to convince herself that it should not be attempted for reasons that she continued to pile up in her brain. Though she knew this was a defense mechanism, she tried not to admit to herself that she was afraid of dating again: afraid of being hurt and loosing yet another figure that she had come to depend on in her life. Pushing that thought from her mind, she thought back over what he had said, unable to get the story out of her head though she desperately needed to before reaching the lobby again so that no one would suspect anything. Regardless of the safeguards she had imposed before coming up to meet him, the woman found that when in front of him and faced with the reality of it all, it was hard to tell him no. Even then after he had uttered his little spill she had been so very tempted to take back all that had been said and take him up on any offer that was laid upon the table. Her ability to refrain from doing so stirred both a sense of pride and resentment. The ding of the elevator told her that it had reached her floor and before she could step out, she caught Ayrn stepping in. Instantly, her mind was taken off the hotel's co-owner whom she had just left and instead she focused completely on the upcoming wedding. Receiving the invitation to the dressing that weekend, she happily told the alphaess that she would be there and then managed to keep her mind focused on that event throughout the rest of the week so that work went rather quickly. All the women met up in the hotel's lobby and then piled into Ayrn's car so that they could go to the shop, most of them chatty including her since they had all met at one point or another. Bricaza was in happy spirits as always, relaying her dismay at not yet having the time to plan her own wedding to the vampire Dario while Julian looked simply overjoyed to be there among the group and was spreading the merriment. So distracted was she by the other women that Haley Ann did not even think about Damien coming along for the dress shopping until they had walked through the front door of the shop and the bride to be moved to greet her best friend with a hug. Instantly feeling the butterflies flutter in her stomach at the mere sight of him, the shifter's carefree smile wavered a little as the dread accompanied by nervousness ate at her inner core. Only allowing herself a short time to let the shock sink in, Haley Ann quickly gathered her courage and greeted him with the type of hugs that friends managed to have without any complications as the others were introduced to him. As a group, the bridesmaids and the man were led to a waiting area while the bride was taken into the back dressing room where she could change into the dresses before coming out to reveal them to her guests. The anticipation and excitement of the moment had her forgetting the nervousness at being around the man that she still entertained strong feelings for and the moment that the hotel's woman co-owner walked out in the first gown, the shifter woman found herself squealing in delight and clasping her hands over her mouth. Ayrn came and went with a few more dresses before making her selection and then it was the bridesmaids turn. Migrating to the other side of the store, the women all moved about making the choices of their favorites and then showed them all to Ayrn to see if she would approve. Of the ones chosen, the girls all got their sizes and then disappeared into the dressing room stalls in order to see how they would all look in the dresses. Unfortunately, the first required a zipper to be done up the back so once she got the dress on pretty well, Haley Ann stuck her head out of the door way and then called quietly for each woman, dismayed that they were too busy helping one another and getting Ayrn to assist as well in order to help her. Eyes turned slowly to Damien, her stomach flipping at the thought of asking him to help her, but who else did she have to turn to? Whistling lowly in order to get his attention, she motioned him over to her dressing room and then turned around to have her back facing him, her one arm holding up the front of her dress while the other gathered up her thick auburn locks and pulled them over her shoulder. I'd hate to ask it of you, but the other women are busy. Can you zip me up? Vocals asked quietly, the woman speaking over her shoulder at him because she could not dare to do it while facing him and looking him dead in the face. All around her, the atmosphere was tense as she waited for his reply, glancing over her shoulder to see his expression out of the corner of her eye out of curiosity to see his reaction.
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Post by Ayrn on Jun 29, 2011 12:27:06 GMT -5
He had been a little surprised when Ayrn had asked him if he would be there for the fitting of the dress, and he was quite honoured as well since he knew it was not something that a lot of men were present at the time of the picking of the dress. He was her best friend and even though he knew it was going to be awkward being in the store he did not care and was willing to go through it with her knowing that with how close everything was getting she was going to be getting a little nervous. When the morning rolled around her plan to make the day a little more special was put into action as he headed with his car down to the mall to pick out a present that would be contributed to the bridal party from himself. The girls all deserved something that would match everyone. What Ayrn did not know was that his parents were flying in later today to see the bride to be and meet her fiancé. Ayrn had talked with them since she had been engaged but they seemed to be too busy to come but tonight was going to be a surprise. He did not want her to be completely surprised though she he planned to tell her after the dress fitting. He picked out what he had come to the mall for before then eating a quick lunch since when women were involved you never knew how long something was going to take. He did not want to be sitting there and waiting to get out and be able to eat, he knew that his full attention needed to be on his best friend. When he arrived he was early and the person at the front desk asked him what was in the bag that he brought and he showed her with a bright smile causing her to break out in a grin and look just as excited as he had been. Soon enough he spotted Ayrns car pulling up the curb and with her the rest of the girls got out and headed their way to the door where he wrapped the bride to be in a large hug. It was true that he was sure that he had never seen her as happy as she looked right now and it was a sight that made him happy even though his love life right now was less than nonexistent. His eyes instantly landed on Haley Ann and he managed a small smile even with what had passed between the two of them. When it came time to make introductions he received a light hug from her which left him craving for more from the girl though he did not allow this to show since she had told him that they needed to leave whatever feelings they had for one another behind and he would not be the type to push someone when they had strictly told him that nothing could become of it. Hand was offered to each of the people that he had not met, while he had not met them he still felt as though he knew them since he and Ayrn had talked about almost every one of them. He knew that Julian was the wife of Erixic’s best friend and that Bricaza was Dario’s fiancé, the only vampire that he knew well. Luckily there were large comfy chairs that looked to be lazy boys in the room that the dresses were presented to them from. He settled in the leather chair with an arm resting on the arm of the chair and a small smile present on lips at all times though he remained silent allowing the girls to talk about what they thought of each dress, Ayrn seemed to glow and he really thought that it did not matter what she wore to the wedding that she was going to beam and that was all that mattered but they all seemed to agree on the last dress that she presented and it stood out from the rest. Before the girls were headed back to the changerooms to try the bridesmaid dresses that had been picked from the color scheme and he stood. I have a present for all the bridesmaids. He pulled out a bag that had been sitting at his feet and handed out the small boxes to all of them with matching necklaces, sure they were not real diamonds or anything but they were small crystals that would look stunning with any dress that Ayrn chose and they would look stunning in the pictures since they would all then be matching. After saying that he then took his seat back in the comfy chair resting his head back against the back of the chair to then hear a whistle trying to get his attention and attention then snapped back to one of the change rooms where he was being called to. He was very surprised to see that it was Haley Ann. Brow raised slightly as he then appeared. She asked him if he would be able to zip her up and he nodded swallowing a lump that formed in the back of his throat. Of course I can. He answered before she then turned away from him and he tried his best to turn his eyes from the bare skin of her back as gently he eased the zipper upwards. Once it reached the top he paused for a brief moment before he then stepped back from her. You look stunning Haley Ann. He told her before then heading back towards the couch not wanting to make her more uncomfortable than he already had. He could not get the moment off his mind was he then sat back down on the couch with a small sigh. Knowing that it would plague him for the rest of the day. When they were finished he had not even paid much attention to the dress that had been chosen for the bridesmaids as he then made his way to his best friends side. Our parents are flying in this afternoon, they want to congratulate you Ayrn. Sorry I did not tell you earlier they did not give me much warning. They want to go to dinner and told me to ask you to invite whoever you want. She nodded before then turning back to the rest of the bridal party. Anyone who is interested we will be going to dinner tonight and everyone is welcome, 7 PM at Galini. Shortly after he told the rest of everyone good bye before making his way back to his car to prepare for dinner that night. Secretly he really hoped that Haley Ann would be coming though he was not too sure if that was something she would allow herself to do, but it was for Ayrn so maybe she would show up.
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