Casual Layovers

Chapter Six

Avery watches out the window of the Town Car as she smiles to herself. She thinks about how she has only known Ryan for a week and already they have had dinner and drinks together twice, she has invited Ryan to the children's hospital to watch her take photographs of the kids, and she is currently in her very best fitted tux headed to Ryan's company New Year's Eve Ball. Maybe Jane was right. It feels nice to have someone new around to take her mind off of Julia. But then Avery's thoughts immediately shift away from Ryan and to her ex, and she wonders what the woman might be up to tonight. Or whom she might be kissing when that time comes. She closes her eyes and takes a deep breath before forcing a smile again, trying her hardest to not to ruin the moment with her ruminations of the past. As she composes herself once again, her phone chimes and she pulls it out of her pocket to check the message, which happens to be from Ryan.

R: I am in the lobby waiting for you. And I'm wearing a black dress.

Avery looks out the window again to confirm her location before she replies to Ryan telling her that she is only another minute or so away. She then puts the phone back into her pocket and waits anxiously for the driver to pull up to the front of the hotel.

Once they have arrived, she steps out of the car and thanks the driver, tipping him handsomely for his time since she does not have to pay for the fare. She walks up to revolving doors of the hotel and she is suddenly more nervous than she expects to be. Ryan did say this was a ball. I hope that I'm not overdressed.

She finally walks into the lobby of the hotel and looks around her. She sees some guests of the hotel standing in the lobby area by the front desk but does not see anyone else that is dressed as formally as she is. Nor does she see Ryan anywhere. So, she decides to walk towards the concierge podium so that she can ask for information about the party she is to attend.

"Avery?"

Avery turns around when she hears her name to see Ryan standing before her with a wide smile on her face. Ryan is wearing a long, shimmery black evening gown that hugs her perfect figure and Avery eyes follow a slit on one side of the dress that begins at about the middle of Ryan's thigh and goes all the way down to the ground. Her hair is pulled back, away from her face, and she looks breathtaking. Avery blinks a few times to clear the fog from her brain before she speaks. "Wow. You... you look great." When she attempts to take a step towards Ryan, her heel slips causing her to lose her footing, and she starts to fall forward.

Ryan rushes up to Avery and catches her before she hits the ground. "Whoa there, careful!" Ryan grabs a hold of Avery's forearms and helps her to steady herself once again. "Wouldn't want you to hurt that pretty face of yours." Ryan adds with a smile when they can see each other's faces again.

Avery chuckles as she rubs the back of her neck nervously. "Um, thanks. I'm pretty clumsy to begin with so I hardly leave home in heels, and usually not without a helmet and kneepads. But, I don't really own any safety gear that would go with this outfit so..."

Ryan laughs as she shakes her head. "You're so ridiculous."

Avery smiles. "Thank you for sending a car to come get me. It was very nice of you. Although, I really could have just called an Uber."

"It's not a problem. It was already pre-arranged by the company." Ryan says with a shrug of her shoulders. "And before I forget to tell you tonight, you look extremely sharp in that tux. I think that you will be turning many of the ladies' heads tonight."

Avery blushes. "I am walking into the party with their CEO. I highly doubt that anyone will even dare to look in our direction for too long."

Ryan smiles sadly. "You'd be surprised at the number of people at this company party that couldn't care less about my status as the CEO. But, I do intend to show you off nonetheless."