First You Fall

Chapter 5

Maisie had no idea what she was thinking when she woke up that morning, got dressed, stopped at Starbucks for two coffees and headed to Niall's house. After the way he'd treated her yesterday and his icy cold stare last night at the restaurant, the last thing she should have been doing was standing on his front doorstep, staring up at the solid gold door knocker and contemplating actually knocking.

It had occurred to her last night, after a short romantic interlude with Steven and a talk with Clarice, that Maisie was approaching this in all the wrong ways. Niall was resisting her because she was forcing it. She needed to work with him. Together. Make him see that she wasn't the enemy. Clarice's reminder that Maisie was always the peace keeper between her mother and her father was not exactly what Maisie wanted to hear. But she sure needed it.

Maisie had never failed a client. She had a 100% success rate record by way of crisis managing musicians, sports figures and the Hollywood Elite. And She refused to let Niall Horan was not going to be her first defeat.

She needed to step back, stop taking things so personally and remind herself that she was a professional. She was good at this.

She reached up to push on the doorbell, a deep sigh exiting her lungs before she finally pushed it. He probably wasn't even home. Especially after he'd been with Melinda last night.

She checked her watch, ignored the phone call from the same unknown number that had called her twice last night and twice this morning and looked back up at the door. She set her shoulders.

And much to her surprise, the lock unlatched and the door pulled open. Niall peeked his head out, one eye closed, the other open. It was clear he'd been asleep. His hair was disheveled yet working for him and while he'd been clean shaven yesterday afternoon he now looked like he had three days growth on his face.

He let out a deep sigh,

"Suppose this wouldn't be a nightmare considerin' I stubbed me toe on the way to the door so I know I'm awake."

Maisie frowned,

"Sorry. Are you alright?"

He nodded,

"Fine. Whatcha need?"

Maisie jiggled the coffee cup in her hand,

"Was hoping we could talk? Maybe come to an agreement?"

Niall stared up at her. He felt a slight twinge in his tummy when her bright blue eyes met his. But he was too annoyed with her at the moment to pay it any further mind. He sighed again and stepped back, pulling the door open to reveal he was in a pair of boxers and a ratty t-shirt. He gestured for her to come in,

"Please come in. You've seen it before, I trust I don't need t'give ya a tour."
Maisie stepped in, the house looked quite different with all the curtains opened to let some light in. At least it looked less like something out of a horror movie and could pass for a drama.

Niall couldn't help but give her legs the once over as she walked past. He'd never seen her wearing anything else but six inch heels. He wondered if her feet were tore up but based on the open toed numbers she had on today, he highly doubted it.

She took a few steps in and turned to look at him as he shut the door.

She reached out to hand him the coffee,

"Peace offering."

Niall met her gaze for a moment and then took the cup from her,

"Thanks." He took a sip, quirking his brows when he realized she'd gotten him a fairly decent tasting cup of coffee. He wasn't about to tell her that though. He swallowed, "An agreement about what, exactly?"