HAPPY | ✔

07.0 AT FIRST SIGHT

🎶NOT A BAD THING -Justin Timberlake🎶

"Don't act like it's a bad thing to fall in love with me. You might look around to find your dreams come true with me."

"Hello good morning, calling for a Miss Joyce Marshall."

My eyes were bleary and barely open at half mast. My back made an impressive series of popping sounds when I extended an arm above my head and stretched until my fingers grazed the headboard.

"This is she," I tried, before clearing my throat with a cough when my voice came out hoarse and gruff like a middle aged man. "Joyce speaking," I attempted again.

"Hello Joyce, I'm Natalie, Natalie Shepherd. I am Mr Maranzano's assistant."

That had me sitting up, the sheets pooling at my waist. The electric blue digits on the nightstand informed me that it was only half past eight. Odette was still face down in bed, a line of drool leaking onto the sheets from her parted lips. I opened the window and stepped out onto the fire-escape as not to wake her.

"He is off to a breakfast meeting this morning and has asked me to inform you of the details regarding this evening's trip."

Just by the sound of her voice, I knew this Natalie woman was effortlessly pretty. She had a voice like a Disney princess, bright and chirpy, like a peal of bells.

"I'm listening."

"A car will be sent for you at twelve-"

"Twelve? Isn't that a bit early?" I interrupted with a yawn I hoped she did not notice.

"Well, it is roughly a five hour flight."

"Oh," I muttered, rubbing my eyes tiredly.

"Yes. If things go as scheduled you should arrive in Las Vegas by five. That should offer enough time for you all to have the maximum experience before your flight back to the Big Apple at nine.

When she laid it all out logically it made sense, even to my lagging sleep saturated brain.

"Oh-okay."

"So please be punctual. Your driver will call when he's outside and Daniel will meet you on the tarmac."

"Alright."

"That's it. You can call me at this number at anytime if you have any questions or concerns," I hummed, muttering an agreement, "Have fun!"

Natalie hung up with a knowing chuckle and a "ta-ta" that gave me the impression that  she was privy to a great deal of info surrounding Daniel and I's relationship. And by the lack of hostility and/or malice in her tone, I gathered that she approved. That was enough to get me smiling.

I pinched myself on the thigh and yelped when the area stung and blushed pink. Vegas, I still couldn't believe it.

●●●

The driver was a young African American in his early twenties that went by Brandon. He was tall and cute in a boyish type of way. And though he was friendly, he wasn't overly chatty. I liked him instantly.

The drive was shorter than I expected. When we finally came to a stop, Brandon hopped out first and came around to open the door to the silver Mercedes gallantly and offered Odette his hand as if she were a princess. He gave her a wink and smiled at me when I slid out after her.

She giggled like she'd been tipsy on too much champagne and batted her eyelashes like something had gotten caught in her eye. She was in love.

I would of laughed but I was too busy staring. I shouldn't have been surprised, I knew he was loaded. I mean, the man had an apartment the size of Times Square and could wipe his äss with Benjamin Franklin's face after he took a shït on his diamond encrusted throne, but still.

We were on a private airstrip just outside the city. In front of me was the most excessive, flamboyant show of wealth I had ever been privy to witness with my own eyes.

For a jet, the aircraft was quite large, entirely black with subtle touches of silver. Though it was exuberant it was elegant, speaking to impeccable taste and an exquisite sense of style. In large bold letters, HIS was stamped on the side.

HIS- as in his and hers. Like the towels?  Or the sinks? It was a dumb thought but my brain grasped it with both hands and ran with it.

By the time I heard the tell- tale hum of a vehicle racing towards us, I had concluded that he had another one of these babies labeled HERS chilling in a hanger somewhere.

Maybe it wasn't even another jet. Maybe it was a hundred foot yacht.

A white Aston Martin Vantage came careening up the tarmac before swerving hazardously and coming to a halt beside the Merc.

Daniel shot out of the car barely a second after it came to a halt, looking like a million bucks.

"Am I late? Were you waiting long?"

He was in a black long-sleeved Ralph Lauren dress shirt and dark jeans. A Rolex was on his wrist and the shoes on his feet were undoubtedly genuine Italian leather.

His shirt was wrinkled, with the sleeves pulled up to his elbows. And his hair looked like he has just concluded mind-blowing, bone-breaking, hair-pulling sex. He looked tired and stressed, but a million bucks all the same.

"Breathe D, we just got here." Brandon assured from behind me.

"Oh thank God."

He rushed over, grasping both my cheeks in his palms.

With a relieved sigh, he took a moment to just look at me. He took his sweet time staring, double- checking each feature twice to see to see if anything had changed.

"Are you counting my eyelashes?" I joked with warm cheeks and an even warmer heart.

He laughed and the sound had me clenching my thighs. So beautiful. All the tension melted away from his features and when the final echoes of his amusement had drifted with the wind, all that was left was joy.

"Where is she?"

"Right here."

I stepped aside and Odette was standing by Brandon, so close she was almost glued to his legs.

Daniel went to her, and knelt right there, before her on the pavement. And he smiled, that sweet spectacular smile, that stole breaths and hearts.

"Hello sweetheart. I've been dying to meet you."

He extended his large palm for her to take with her tiny one. For the second time today, I watched my baby girl fall in love, and wondered curiously if I was doing the same.

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