A Certain Romance

Chapter One - Snap Out Of It

Olivia looked at her reflection in her brown, wood framed, floor length mirror and sighed to herself as she took in a shaky breath. She had on a white lace, thin strapped Saint Laurent dress that fit her perfectly; it ended just above her knee and fit like a glove. Her mocha skin was glowing radiantly and her black silky hair was loosely curled into soft waves.

"It's going to be ok, you can do this." She forcefully told herself as she gave her reflection a reassuring smile.

"Olivia are you ready to leave?" she heard a deep voice call from behind their bedroom door. Olivia looked at her reflection in the mirror one last time before turning round in her white Jimmy Choo five-inch heels and walking across the dark wood floor of their bedroom and then opened the bedroom door.

"I'm ready Eddy." She greeted her husband of five years and gave him a radiant smile.

"You look stunning Liv, let's go." Edison Davis replied smiling back at her as he took in his wife's appearance, whilst smoothing down his black Tom Ford suit jacket. They both walked hand in hand down the stairs of their five bedroom house, which was in an exclusive neighbourhood in Washington DC.

As soon as Olivia walked into the ballroom of the St. Regis Hotel on her husband's arm she felt on edge. She had felt like this ever since Edison had shown her the invitation to the Grant Family's Annual Ball. The invitation was addressed to Edison Davis and included an invitation for a plus one. She knew that he would be there and she hadn't seen or spoken to him in just over five years.

She looked over to her right and saw her husband talking to a business partner from his law firm, she thought his name was Gary or maybe it was Timothy she couldn't remember and to be honest she didn't really care. Seeing that her husband was occupied she took a flute of champagne from the waiter that was stood to her right. She took a sip and looked round the room, observing what was going on. The who's who of Washington was there, Politicians, Senators, Lawyers, Business Owners, high profile sports stars, celebrities and so on. In total there must have been over 500 people there including the main attraction itself; the political dynasty which is the Grant Family.

"You ready to be introduced to the Grant Family?" Edison asked Olivia as he walked over to where she was stood.
Olivia gave him a funny look as she tightened her grip on her champagne flute. "I didn't know you know the Grant Family?" She felt her heart start to race in her chest. She knew he would be here, it was his Family's party after all but she didn't think she would have to speak to him.

"Well I only know Fitzgerald Grant, or Fitz Grant as he likes to be called." Olivia felt her hands become clammy and her heart was now hammering in her chest at a thundering rate. How did she not know that her husband knew him? "He's a bit of a pretentious bastard but we've been handling a case for him with the firm. How else did you think we got invited?" Edison asked his wife whilst giving her a funny look and raised his eyebrow at her slightly.
"I-I just thought you got an invitation through the firm." Olivia stuttered slightly and gave her husband a small smile.

"The Grant family did invite some people through the firm, but Fitz personally invited me himself." Edison shrugged not understanding the big deal his wife was making of the situation. Olivia swallowed, her throat had gone dry. It felt weird hearing her husband say his name. She gulped down the remains of her champagne and handed her empty glass back to the waiter she had previously taken it from. Edison took her hand in his and began to lead her over to the other side of the ballroom in the hotel. They weaved through tables which some people were sat on, Olivia looked in the direction they were walking in she hadn't seen him yet. She was glad she hadn't, otherwise she didn't know how she would have reacted. Her heart rate was beating erratically, she had never been this nervous in her 33 years of life.

"Olivia? Olivia Pope is that you?" she heard the shrill sound of a very familiar voice squeal from behind her as she and Edison stepped into a more private room at the back of the ballroom, where the Grant Family and important guests seemed to have congregated to. Olivia breathed deeply before turning round and placing a cheery smile on her face. So it begins.

"It's actually Olivia Davis now." Olivia corrected smiling over at Edison and squeezing his hand tightly.

"Wow, congratulations is in order then." The woman said seemingly overly pleased, she was wearing a royal blue dress and a pearl necklace, her brown hair was up in a complicated up-do with curls that framed her face. She pulled Olivia into a tight hug.

"We've been married for just over five years." Edison stated, curious to find out who the woman was who was now hugging his wife.

"I'm so happy for you Liv. Where are my manners?" the older woman babbled laughing giddily as she released Olivia from her grip.

"I'm Mellie Grant it's a pleasure to meet you." She greeted sticking her hand out to Edison and smiling warmly at him. Edison raised his eyebrows at Olivia silently asking her how she knew Mellie Grant. Olivia just smiled tightly at him without replying.

"Edison Davis, the pleasure's mine." He smiled warmly and shook Mellie's hand gently.

"Oh my! You're the Edison Davis that Fitz won't stop talking about. Hang on a moment I'll just go and get him, stay here I think he's talking to Big Gerry at the bar." Mellie babbled excitedly before turning around and walking over to find her husband. Olivia watched Mellie as she walked to the back of the room and towards a group of men who were stood together talking and drinking. Olivia watched as Mellie approached a tall gentleman and a grey haired smaller man. It was him, without even seeing his face she knew it was him. Even after five years of not seeing him she could still recognize his tall muscular build anywhere.

"How do you know Mellie Grant?" Edison asked his wife with a slight edge to his voice.
Olivia looked at him briefly "I'll explain later." Before turning her gaze back to Mellie who was now walking back over to them, holding his hand. She felt her breath get caught in her throat, as they got closer to where her and Edison were stood. She quickly surveyed him as he confidently sauntered over with a glass of scotch in his hand. He still looked as devastatingly handsome as he did five years ago, maybe even more so if that was even possible. He was now fifty and Olivia observed his curly luscious hair looked to have slight specks of grey in it but he looked better than ever. His black Brooks Brothers tuxedo fit him perfectly; obviously tailored made. He looked incredible; he looked better than she had remembered.

Her chocolate brown eyes locked with his ocean blue ones. He was now stood directly in front of her and Edison. Olivia felt her heart racing. He gave her a small crooked smile and Olivia could feel her stomach doing somersaults. Even after five years he still had the same effect on her.

"Fitz!" Edison greeted pulling the older man into a brief hug. Fitz's eyes were still locked with Olivia's over Edison's shoulder, as neither could seem to look away from each other's gaze.

"Fitz, I'd like you to meet Olivia Davis, my wife." Edison beamed gesturing towards Olivia. Fitz looked sharply over at Edison and then towards Olivia. She saw a flash of emotions flash across his beautiful eyes, hurt, jealously, anger and something else she couldn't decipher. He quickly regained his composure before anyone apart from Olivia could see.

"Isn't it wonderful Fitz, that Edison has made an honest woman out of Olivia?" Mellie beamed at her husband with a slight edge to her voice.

"That's wonderful news Mel." Fitz smiled forcefully at his wife, wishing she wasn't enjoying the situation as much as she was.

"Congratulations Edison…. Congratulations Liv." Fitz smiled first at Edison and then at Olivia. Olivia looked at him and felt a pit forming in her stomach.

"Thanks Fitz, can I just ask am I missing something here? How do you guys know each other?" Edison asked incredibly confused and slightly embarrassed to have not known that his wife knew Mellie and Fitz Grant.

"Fitz? Olivia? Why doesn't one of you tell him?" Mellie said smiling rather smugly at the pair who were stealing occasional glances at one another when they thought the other wasn't looking. Fitz shot a look at his wife to tell her to shut up and then turned back to Edison.
"Liv, worked as an intern for me when she graduated from Georgetown and then worked her way up to becoming Head of Advertising. She was a real asset to the company." Fitz explained smiling at Edison and then looking at Olivia.

"More like slept her way up, a real asset indeed." Mellie mumbled so quietly that only Fitz could hear her, he again shot his wife a death glare.

"Why didn't you tell me this? I never knew you worked for Grant Industries?" Edison accused whilst giving Olivia a sharp look.

"I didn't see how it was relevant and anyway it wasn't for Grant Industries it was a Digital Marketing firm called FTG Enterprises that Fitz built himself." Olivia murmured looking at Edison.

"That's not the point, we will talk about this later. You have made me look stupid." Edison hissed to Olivia, before smiling tightly at Fitz and Mellie.

"So what do you do now Liv?" Mellie asked her with a bright smile; Olivia could detect the fakeness from a mile away.

"I started up my own Public Relations firm, It's doing really well." Olivia answered briefly; not wanting to say anymore.

"Don't be modest baby" Edison praised his wife and wrapped his arm around her, Fitz shot Edison a brief glare as he called Olivia 'baby' which didn't go unnoticed by her.

"What's your firm called?" Mellie asked politely.

"OAC" Olivia answered looking at Mellie and then briefly at Fitz.

"It's been doing so well that now Liv only has to have partial involvement of the day to day running. It's allowed her to have some well deserved time off." Edison beamed at his wife and then back at Mellie and Fitz.

"What've you been doing with your free time?" Mellie replied out of formality. She could feel Fitz getting agitated next to her, which riled her up even more.

"Not a lot." Olivia replied, not liking the attention she was receiving or the direction the conversation was about to go in. It didn't help that she could feel Fitz's curious gaze on her.

"We are trying for a baby, we want to start a family together." Edison announced excitedly. Olivia looked at Edison. She wanted to be angry at him for sharing their plans, but he was excited and he didn't know the history which his wife shared with the man he was sharing their news too.

Olivia glanced at Fitz who was now staring into his glass of scotch; he wouldn't look at her.

"Congratulations." Mellie squealed clapping her hands together, Olivia watched as Fitz looked at his wife with disgust.

"I'm not pregnant… yet." Olivia clarified to Mellie and part of her needed Fitz to know this. Even though it was no business of his if she was pregnant or not.

"Well hopefully it won't be too long." Mellie replied smiling cheerily at both Edison and Olivia and then giving Fitz a smug look.

"How are Jerry, Karen and Teddy?" Olivia asked to both Mellie and Fitz wanting to shift the conversation away from her. She watched as Fitz's face lit up at the mention of his children. "They are great, Jerry's about to start college, Kar is in her junior year of high school and Teddy is just about to start kindergarten." Fitz beamed proudly.

"Wow, I can't believe how old they are now. Where's Jerry going to college?" Olivia asked feeling strangely emotional as she heard Fitz talking about his three children; who years ago she was quite close to.

"Harvard." Both Mellie and Fitz said at the same time and then laughed.

"Takes after his parents then." Olivia quipped smiling at them both.

"Sure does…. He's breaking girl's hearts everywhere he goes." Fitz laughed lightly causing Edison to laugh.

"Takes after his father then I guess?" Edison asked wiggling his eyebrows at Fitz in a joking manner.

"You don't even want to know what I was like at his age." Fitz smirked, remembering how he was when he was eighteen.

"Fitz!" Mellie hissed swatting her husbands arm as she rolled her eyes at his comment.

"I can imagine." Edison laughed.

Olivia scoffed to herself at his comment before her she locked eyes with Fitz before swiftly looking away.

"You've had such a good turn out this evening." Edison nodded around the room to shift the conversation into a different direction.

"Yeah, Big Gerry is pleased." Fitz mumbled rolling his eyes clearly not the biggest fan of his Father.

"Would you like to meet Big Gerry?" Mellie asked Edison sweetly.

"Of course, lead the way." Edison replied before giving Olivia one last look as he walked of with Mellie.

Olivia watched as Edison and Mellie walked away before looking over towards Fitz who was now stood a mere foot away from her, his taller frame towering over her.

"Hi Livvy." Fitz whispered giving her his famous crooked grin before hungrily taking in her beautiful features with his eyes, as he slowly looked her up and down. She blushed hearing him call her by her nickname that was reserved for only him to use. She could feel her body heating up as his eyes drank her in.

"Don't Hi Livvy me and then look at me like that." She replied with a shaky breath as their eyes latched onto each other's as if they were the only people in the room.

Fitz smirked at her and chuckled slightly "Good to see some things haven't changed."

Olivia raised her eyebrows at him in confusion.

"You're still as feisty as ever and you know how sexy I find that." He smirked looking at her hungrily with lust flashing across his hypnotic eyes.

Olivia rolled her eyes at him "You're still as shameless and inappropriate as I remember."

"You used to love it when I was inappropriate." He said hungrily in his manly baritone voice and wiggled his eyebrows at her. Olivia got lost in his gaze. How could he do this? How could he turn her on by just looking at her the way he was? How did he still have the same effect on her even after not seeing him for five years. Even after all the pain, heartbreak and destruction he; they both caused.

"Yes used too, past tense Fitz." Olivia whispered looking at him as she tried to stay strong and keep her walls up around him.

Fitz rolled his eyes before looking at her with a tight smile on his handsome face "You went through with it then." Olivia looked up at him with confusion in her big brown eyes.

"The wedding." Fitz spat out in a quiet hiss, Olivia looked at him his eyes had gone dark and his jaw was clenched. Her hands were clammy; she didn't want to have this conversation.

"I don't want to talk about it." Olivia whispered not looking at him as she glanced around the room to check if they were drawing any attention to themselves; nobody was paying any attention to the pair.

Fitz ignored her and carried on "After that phone call, you calling me on your wedding day…."

Olivia looked at him sharply cutting him off mid sentence "I said I don't want to talk about it."

"Starting a family together that's a big step." Fitz stated looking at her, Olivia looked at him he looked hurt; which he had no right to be.

"I don't want to talk about it, any of it." Olivia hissed at him.

Fitz laughed bitterly as he looked at her "That's the thing though isn't it Olivia, you never want to confront anything. You always run when you're scared."

Olivia recoiled as she heard him call her by her full name, she had to get out of there before she let her emotions show. She didn't want him to see how much having this conversation with him was hurting her.

"Fuck you Fitz!" She stammered before trying to turn away from him as she quickly glanced to the entrance back into the main area of the ballroom. Wanting to, needing to get away from him.

Fitz grabbed her forearm gently stopping her from walking away from him, he pulled her back to him and quietly whispered in her ear "I didn't know it was him who you were going to marry, I wouldn't have hired his firm to work for me, if I knew he was married to you." Olivia could feel the electricity of his touch on her arm, which caused her hands to shake. That magnetic pull that always managed to bring them to one another, that sizzling chemistry which never managed to fade was still present; it was as strong as ever.

Olivia slowly spun around and gave him a sharp piercing stare "Don't say that, Edison is a great man and he is a fantastic lawyer."

"He is a great lawyer, he's one of the best fucking lawyer's in DC Liv. But he get's to call you his wife, so no I wouldn't of hired him or his firm if I had known that. I'm sorry if you don't like or agree with what I am saying; but it's the truth." Fitz replied staring back at her intensely. Olivia's heart was racing once more; she was annoyed that he was still after so much time able to have a profound effect on her mind and body.

"How did you not know that I went through with it? How did you not know that I married Edison?" Olivia asked not addressing his previous comment and tried to ignore her body and her senses, which were going into overdrive at being in such close proximity to him. She got a slight whiff of his cologne, he smelled good, he smelled manly; he smelled familiar.

"I didn't look into it, I didn't want to know." Fitz admitted as he looked away from Olivia and brought the glass tumbler he was holding in his left hand to his lips and took a quick gulp of the amber liquid. Olivia could detect the anger in his voice as she watched him take a drink of his glass of scotch.

"I thought you would have." She replied as she continued to watch him. He took the glass away from his lips and turned back to her "Well I didn't." Olivia felt the tears start to burn at the back of her eyes; this was so much harder than she imagined. It was still so painful to be in his presence and it annoyed her that she was still as effected and attracted to him as before.

Fitz gave his now empty glass to a waiter who was passing by and then he looked back at Olivia "Have a lovely evening Livvy, you look fucking sensational. You always do." He smirked giving her his half crooked smile as he let his eyes roam over her body unashamedly, before turning round and sauntering off in the same direction that Edison and Mellie went just minutes before him.

Olivia watched his retreating form "Fuck him." She muttered to herself. She was angry at him, angry at how fucking arrogant he was, angry at what he said, angry at how fucking attractive he was but more so she was angry with herself. Angry that he still had a hold over her, angry at her mind and body's reaction to him. But most of all she was angry that she was still effected in every possible way by him. Him; Fitzgerald Grant. Snap out of it she urged herself.