Author's Note!
Look who's been a good reader/reviewer! Got this out on friday as promised. (: For all those of you who are looking for a little trouble, be careful what you wish for. Pay attention to this chapter. It's a foreshadow for what's to come ;) Enjoy. Please Review!
Chapter 25: Momentum
Mrs Collins met our request with a bright smile, as young as she was, it was clear that this was her calling. I should have guessed from her title and judging from her tender age, she had gotten married out of love. Not too different from me. "It's a wonderful idea!" She squealed with a sense of excitement to be taking on this new imagination I had concocted in my sleep.
"And it won't be a problem." Christian said firmly, not even a question.
Mrs Collins shook her brunette hair out, "Of course not, Mr and Mrs Grey."
Suddenly, Christian rose from his side of the seat and walked to the panel of windows, pulling out his phone and pressing it against his ear. He dived into a heated conversation, effectively blocking us both out. Again.
I sighed and Mrs Collins gave me a sympathetic smile. "We'll end here for today." She nodded at my words and began to tap away at her MacBook.
Christian and I had been on such good terms for the past month. But even though he had taken the initiative to set up all these meetings with Mrs Collins, it was not worth anything if he constantly excused himself to deal with his business. I did not want to make wedding arrangements for the both of us, I wanted us to create our perfect wedding together.
He still had his back turned to me when Mrs Collins had left the cafe. "Luke." I waved him over from his seat, he had been enjoying a Green Tea Frappacino and the sight of a beautiful brunette like Mrs Collins.
I could not help but wince on his behalf. Luke looked like the typical muscular man, strong in every inch except for his arm that was now slung in a cast. "How's the hairline fracture?"
He shrugged and grinned. "Pretty good I'd say."
Good, that would shut my inner goddess up this time. "When's it coming off?"
Luke did not even have to think. "Next week!" He sang and I could not help but smile along with him.
"Can I come with?"
Luke's smile faded and so did mine. "Um... It depends on whether you'd break it immediately after." Before I could burst into tears, his goofy grin returned and he winked at me. "Of course you can, Ana."
"NO!" Christian yelled into his phone, the customers in the cafe jumping at the sound of his voice. Then he dropped back into a low voice, words coming out of his mouth like a bullet train through Japan.
Luke saw me watching and nudged me a little. "He's been busy, huh."
Sighing, I nodded my head in the positive. "It's almost like he doesn't have time for me anymore."
"Ana, don't think of it that way. He's probably just having some work crisis that he needs to deal with for now."
"But for how long, Luke?" I said with a groan, gesticulating towards a very busy bee at the corner of the room. "It's been a month."
"We'll see, but he'll come through. You're going to be late for work if we don't leave now." Luke decided to direct my frustration onto something else.
Subconsciously, my eyes flicked to the clock above the cashier to double check. I was going to be late. Jack had not been too happy about my prolonged paid leave that had been approved by the higher ups, but had no choice but to accept me back to work. Yet, it did not mean he would do it with open arms. He had piled on the work load the moment I had sat down in my seat, barely even enough time to get settled in and drop back into momentum. It was all ridiculously tiresome to the extent that I had fallen sick, which Jack only agreed to give me a morning off today. He was expecting me in fifteen minutes.
"I'll go say good bye first." I told Luke and Taylor stood from his seat, walking off with the car keys in hand. Quietly, I walked up to Christian. Hovering around his back, I caught the words "I've no time for this" and then decided to tap his shoulder. He spun almost instantly, his face crinkled with frustration and annoyance. At the sight of me, his expression softened a little but remained fixed. He was still listening to the person on the line.
"I have to go to work." I told him.
He nodded at me and leaned in to plant a kiss on my forehead. "I'll see you after work, baby." Then, he turned back into his world of communication.
Sighing to myself, I allowed Luke to walk a defeated girl out the cafe and into the waiting car. Because I had felt so immensely guilty for breaking Luke's arm, I had offered to drive us to and fro my destinations. This way, there would be no need for another bodyguard.
"What are you thinking about, Ana?" Luke asked as he got into the car.
Turning the wheel and pressing down the paddle I sighed a little more. "About how busy Christian is."
"It's not like he ignores you sexually." My eyes bulge and I stared at Luke in utmost horror as the words left his mouth but yet, he remained calm as if he had not said anything wrong.
After a long while, I settled for a soft "True." Christian was always busy in the days but whenever we had the time, we would seize the moment to get it on with each other. It meant every where and anywhere. In elevators, in the car, in offices, every where was good enough for the beast that was Christian Grey when he craved my body. But yet, it pained me that most of our moments would be interrupted or ended with a phone call from a business associate.
"So what's the problem?" Luke probed.
"I just feel like when he's with me, he's not really there." I started to explain myself. "I know he loves me but he's so caught up with work that he's barely taking the time to just be with me."
Luke put a hand on my shoulder in comfort, "I'll talk to Taylor about it, but I'm pretty sure it's just the hormones talking."
I tilted my head towards him so he could see me roll my eyes. "You're always so straight forward."
"The truth will set you free, Ana." And then I made it into a parking lot and let myself out of the car.
When I came into the office, Jack was just returning from lunch. He raised an eyebrow at me but I pointed at the clock, evidence that I was two minutes early. "Ms Steele, I've got a couple of manuscripts already waiting for you on your desk."
A couple. I wonder how many that meant. Jack Hyde was a sneaky fella and my hunch was right. Waiting patiently on my desk was a tower of hard copy manuscripts, barely even a few. Reaching for my phone in frustration, I dropped Christian a BBM.
"Hyde gone nuts." I punched in and then counted the scripts manually. "15 manuscripts to be done by today."
When I was physically with Christian, it was harder to talk to him because he always had his phone in the way. But I did realize that talking to him through his phone always produced instant results. My blackberry jumped like a fish out of water.
"Hyde's a bastard. I'll deal with him. Pick you up at 6.30?"
I laughed a little at this response and smiled at the thought of having him with me once more. "Thank you, I'll see you then." I pressed send and placed my phone under my desk before Jack could catch me using it.
By the time I was half done through the thick stack of manuscripts, Jack emerged from his office looking extremely peeved. He made a bee like for my table and I thought he was about to fire me. Jack grunted, "How many have you done?"
I stared up at him. "Six and a half?"
I watched Jack get overwhelmed with shock at my speed and he nodded at me, "Thats impressive, Steele."
"Thank you." I had no idea if what kind of manners this sort of situation called for. Curiosity got the better of me. "What's wrong?"
Jack looked up tentatively at the huge blue globe that was watching the office. "It may seem that the higher up was monitoring our office today and found it displeasing that I gave you such an offensive amount of work."
Christian Grey. My inner goddess leaned back in her leather chair and cackled like a witch.
"Oh." I pretended to be shocked and follow his gaze to the globe like I had not known it had been there. "That's creepy."
Jack nodded as he lifted the remaining manuscripts off my desk. "Well, Steele, you're free to decide if you'd like to finish reading that seventh one because I'm only allowed to give you six a day."
Then a thought came to my mind. It was time to get back into the good books of my boss. "Jack, it's fine. I'll read as many manuscripts as you want me to."
Jack paused at my words, amusement and confusion playing out across his face. I cheered on myself inwardly, knowing that Jack would now begin to reexamine my diligence in the work place after my little offer. Besides, this batch of manuscripts were surprisingly of quality and my taste in books.
"That won't be necessary." Jack decided to say, then peeked at my manuscript. "Anything good?"
SCORE! Jack was in a lighter mood now. "Yes, actually. I think you'd find these two," I singled them out from my 'finish' pile," good relaxation material. Feel good sort."
Jack listened and I continued. "These three have excellent story lines. Adventure, mystery, sci-fi. Shocked me that I liked it."
He seemed to be increasingly interested. I picked off the grey manuscript from the corner of the table and lifted it in the air, "This one, however, is pure crap."
Jack's face lightened at my presentation and he laughed. "Glad to see you're doing your job." His hands grabbed hold of the manuscript in the air and tossed it into the nearby trash. "It's almost 6.30, why don't you take off for the day?"
Wow. I felt myself gaping at his suggestion. Had Jack Hyde just willingly let me leave work early? What on earth was going on? "Thank you, Jack. See you tomorrow."
He gave me a curt jerk of the head and then swiveled on his heels, directing himself towards his main office. My entire desk shook with the familiar vibration and I pulled it out as I begun to pack my bag.
It was from Christian. "Sorry for taking so long before acting on your jerk boss, I was otherwise preoccupied. Hope he took it harshly. I'm on my way. Laters, baby."
I pursed my lips as I read the text. Clearly he had not even found time out of the five hours to help me out of my little case of office abuse. I sighed, this reflected how unimportant I was in his life now. I recalled the times when I always came first and wondered if this was going to be a permanent change. It know I was acting selfish, but then again, I just wanted Christian all to myself.
Waving at Jack through his clear glass window, he reciprocated my goodbye as I went on my way. Luke was busy with trying to scratch the skin barricaded by his cast. He was getting increasingly annoyed when he was unable to.
"Luke!" I sang and watched him jump in surprise as I lowered myself down beside him.
"Sneaked out?" He asked.
"Jack let me out early, actually." I said with the sweetest smile possible.
Luke was in disbelief. "As if." I raised an eyebrow and remained firm. His disbelief overcame the skepticism that had tainted his face. "Seriously?"
I nodded. "Good behavior early release."
"That's unlike him." We both watched as Taylor's van pulled up at the front.
"Um. My car is parked here." I came to realize.
Luke's lips twisted up at a corner and he folded his arms. "You're actually deciding between driving yourself home and spending some quality time with the love of your life?"
He was right. There should never be a competition between the both. "Let's go, Luke."
Luke opened the passenger door for me to climb in. Christian was seated there, his fingers dancing across the keypad in a tango. "Hey, Ana." He greeted without even looking up at me. My heart sank.
"What's up with business?" I decided to try and enter his world.
Christian sighed a little. "There's multiple cough ups in Asia, the shipments seem to be in direct violation of certain agreements."
Oh. I had not known it was this bad. "Sounds bad." I felt sorry for him, he appeared to be more haggard than usual, exhaustion staining his beautiful face.
"It'll be okay." His lips lifted up into a smile of reassurance and I drew my legs up onto the chair as I cuddled into his side. Christian's arm encircled me and brought me in tighter, relishing in the comfort he often said I brought him. "I may have to fly down to Asia for a week though."
A week?! This would be his third overseas trip within the month. It saddened me to be away from him. "When?"
"If things don't settle themselves by Wednesday, I'll be flying in on Thursday." Picking up on my unhappiness, Christian nuzzled his nose into my jaw. "I always ask you to come along."
"But I always have work." I replied, knowing our usual arguments.
"Technically, you don't have to work anymore." Christian said arrogantly, "You can consider yourself in the top ten richest women of the world."
I stuck out my tongue at him. "That's your money."
"It's yours as well, and it will be legally, when you say 'I do'." Christian pressed his lips into my skin, making my eyes roll back into my head a little.
"But until then, I'll have to keep working, just in case you decide that I'm not good enough for you and leave me for a brunette." I spouted. The many possibilities that my insecurities loved to show me before I slept.
He pulled away to stare at me, incredulous. "Where's this coming from?" I shrugged. "You know I'll never let you go, Ana."
I hoped so. Just as expected, vibration interrupted our sweet moment. However, this time, the blackberry in his right hand remained dormant. I felt around for my own and fished it out of my pocket, the caller ID read 'Ethan Kavanagh' and Christian grunted in response. Dragging myself away from Christian to the other side of the car, I pressed answer.
"Hey Ethan!" I cheered, loving our new and improved friendship.
Ethan and I had completely disregarded the awkward situations that had befallen us. It was not worth losing our friendship over and I could use all the friends I could get. Christian was still not completely confident that he had no romantic patterns on me, but I was pretty sure Ethan valued our friendship above all.
"Ana." Came his nervous and shaky voice.
The light mood that had filled me was now replaced by a dark cloud. "What's wrong?"
"Um..." Ethan dragged the syllable. "Do you think you could meet me now?"
This was serious. Ethan never asked me out on short notice, he was always the gentleman by giving me a few dates he was available and would allow me to choose and rearrange my schedule to accommodate him. Taking my silence for something else, Ethan cleared his throat. "If you're busy, it's okay." At the sound of his voice, I knew it would not be.
From the corner of my eye, I observed as Christian folded his arms in an irritated question, clearly demanding to know what was going on. I shook my head at him, which only seemed to agitate him a little more. "Of course not, where would you prefer?"
"Where would you prefer, Ana? You're such a sweetheart." To which Christian, who was listening in, only managed to catch the last word. He tensed to reach for the phone but I smacked it away.
"I'm on my way back to Escala." I began to calculate to places that were convenient for Ethan and then decided. "How about the bar across my apartment?"
Ethan and Kate were now sharing the apartment. It was not that the memories still haunted me, but a large part of me just desired to begin co-living with the love of my life. It only made sense. Besides, with how busy Christian was becoming, I was beginning to treasure the little things. For example, having him to cuddle up to in the middle of the night.
"Set. I'll walk over now." Ethan was more than willing.
"I'll see you in a bit, Ethan." I sang a little, trying to brighten up the atmosphere. We both hung up.
Leaning forward, I pressed into the back of Luke's seat. "Taylor, could you take me to my apartment please?"
"Yes, Ms Steele." Came his response and he turned the car around.
Christian pulled me into him, drawing me into his arms. "What's going on, Ana? What does Kavanagh want?"
"Just a friend in need, Mr Grey." I told him firmly. "Nothing to be worried about."
"I'll worry when it comes to Ethan. He's the only other man who has shared your lips with me." Christian's jealousy gave his tone an edge.
My fifty. Always underestimating me. "He's not." I said bluntly.
"Of course he did. You told me yourself." Christian did not like to be wrong.
But I liked to be right. "He's not the only other man who has shared my lips, Grey." I thought I was about to set off the time bomb once more.
He was furious. "WHAT?!"
"I had two boyfriends in high school." I told him, unashamed. Yes, I could have boyfriends too.
Christian seemed confused for a moment, then turned angry. "Who are they?!"
A little smug, I gave him a grin. "No one of consequence."
"ANA..." His voice was rough, his hands rigid around my waist.
"Christian..." I copied the furrow of his eyebrows. Then threw my arms around him, embracing him tightly. "I was in my early teens, I don't even know where they are anymore."
Christian's body remained rigid as he thought my words through. Then his arms came around me to reciprocate the hug. "Anastasia, you are mine."
"Of course."
We remained there for a while before he had to break the peace. "What was that about?"
I sighed. "I honestly don't know. But he doesn't sound to good."
Christian scoffed as the car pulled up at the bar. "A man can play all kind of tricks to get the girl. Look at how Barney Stinson gets his booty call."
Of course. A How I Met Your Mother reference. I had forced Christian to watch his first episode ever. After which, he had finished the other seasons at his own will. He shared my taste in Barney Stinson, but yet, he disagreed with the Salvatore brothers. He had labelled the series 'a foolish love story' , to which I told him that Klaus was hot.
"I'll meet you back at home." I told Christian as I patiently waited for Luke to open my door.
"No way." Christian blanched. "I can do my work from the car."
"I know." I muttered under my breath as I swung my feet out of the car.
"What was that?" Christian questioned.
Turning around, I blasted him with an angelic smile and shook my head. "Nothing, sir." And proceeded to slam the door in his face.
Luke let out a low whistle at my bravery and I smiled at him. Ethan was leaning against the entrance of the bar, he smiled as wide as Christian upon my approach. The last time I had been at this bar... I pushed the thought out of my mind.
"Mr Kavanagh." I greeted him, preparing myself on my tiptoes to receive his embrace.
"Ana, thank you so much for coming." Ethan's warm chest pressed up against mine and we held each other for a bit.
I decided it was time to return the phrase we had constantly been throwing back and forth since we knew each other. "What are friends for?"
The SUV's horn blared loudly and we jumped apart. Ethan turned to stare at the car. "Didn't know you were bringing Christian." He waved to the black tinted windows out of hospitality, but I knew Christian would have a different set of fingers up and down.
"Let's go in. Didn't you have something important to share?" I urged him in and Luke opened the door for the both of us.
The bar was empty as usual and Luke made his way to the barstool. Oddly enough, Ethan and I took the same seats we had taken on the night we had been here. "Would you like anything to drink?"
I thought for a while. "Some milk will do, actually."
Ethan chuckled and shook his head at me in disbelief. "We come to a bar and you order milk." Then he strolled towards the bartender with my order.
My blackberry buzzed and I rolled my eyes. Christian's text read : "I. Am. Watching. You. Five minutes and we're out."
Before Ethan could return, I typed back a reply. "Stalker tendencies acting up again? Maybe you should double your appointments with Flynn. No, five minutes and YOU'RE out. I have a friend in need. "
My blackberry buzzed once more as Ethan placed the drink on the small table. "Flynn actually thinks my stalking of you is doing me good. That better not be Bacardi that you just ordered. Friends. Right."
Ignoring the annoying man, I slipped the phone under my thigh and beamed at Ethan. "So. What's the problem?"
Ethan stuck out his tongue at me. "You sound like a shrink."
I had spent so much time with Flynn working through my issues with Christian that indeed, I would not be surprised if he was rubbing off on me. "Answer the question, Kavanagh." I pointed an accusatory finger at him then proceeded to drinking my milk.
Ethan sighed and put both his hands up in surrender. "I'm going to ask Mia to be my girlfriend."
I gaped for a brief moment. Ethan remained still, letting me soak up the news. Suddenly, I pounced on him, squealing in excitement and shaking him. "IM SO HAPPY FOR YOU!"
Ethan and Mia had started hanging out with each other ever since the dinner at the Grey's house. I should have guessed Mia was interested in Ethan when she invited him to join us. Ethan always had a little crush on the cute and bouncy Grey girl and I secretly knew they would be so happy together. Ethan laughed and helped me back down to my seat. The sound of the door opening distracted us and we watched as Christian and Taylor entered the premises.
I grimaced. "No, Christian. Ethan has yet to ask me to marry him." Christian's eyes narrowed as Ethan waved. "Show yourself to the bar."
Taylor was the mediator today, assuring Christian that I was just being overly friendly towards Ethan and led him over to Luke. He set his eyes on me from the distance, but I tried to block him out. Ethan still had on a mask of confusion and worry. "So what's the problem?"
"She's a Grey, Ana." He blustered, frustrated from the thought alone. I knew exactly what he meant. "It's fine for you to marry up, but for Mia to date down?" He shook his head at his own social status and financial status, knowing full well he would never be able to compete.
That was sadly how I felt all the time. "I get what you mean. It's like you're not even good enough." He nodded sadly. "Well, Mia's not like that, Ethan. I think she'll love you for who you are."
"You think so?" Ethan cracked a grin. "We'd end up like you and Grey?"
"Probably." I said with ease. "If you play your cards right. You have to locate your strengths and let her see them, let her fall for who you are."
"Thanks, Ana."
Talking this all out with Ethan, I felt a sense of joy and satisfaction. It had not been too long ago when I was in his situation, happy and overwhelmed by the idea of love and he who came with it. Those were the happier days when Christian was so dedicated and devoted to me, now it was as if I was about to marry Grey Enterprises Holdings Inc.
"Hey, what's up on your side?" Ethan asked gently, picking up on the negative vibe I had radiated.
I shook my head and sighed. I didn't even want to talk about it. I did not want anybody to know that my fiancé was putting work before me and that I was finding it increasingly difficult to have a good conversation with him.
"You can tell me anything, sweetheart." Ethan's blue eyes sprung with encouragement as he beckoned me on.
I judged the distance between us and Christian and decided he would never be able to eavesdrop. "It's just been so long since I've had a quality conversation like this."
Ethan seemed shocked. "What? How about Grey?"
Pursing my lips, I resisted blabbering out everything. "He's been so busy lately, it's like I'm talking to a robot. He talks to me but some times it's like he's never there."
Ethan hesitated replying. Then as if to prove me wrong, he twisted in his seat to catch sight of Christian on his phone, just that his glowering grey eyes never left Ethan. "Okay. I see what you mean."
"Yes. I could most probably make out with you now and he'd just beat you up with that phone to his ear." I groaned.
Ethan winced. "Can't decide if that's meant to be insulting."
I giggled. "It's not, it's use of hyperbole."
Ethan cherubic smile returned, he reached forward to clasp my hands into his. "Your laugh is the rainbow after the storm, Ana. No matter where you find yourself, hold on to the memories that make that sound and fight on."
A surge of warmth spread through my system; reassurance, happiness, security, love, filled me to the brim. Ethan was right. This was something that would pass, it was just a little hitch in our beautiful road to happily ever after. Soon, Christian would be entirely mine once more.
"Ana," Ethan waited for me to refocus on him. "If the bastard ever lets you slip through his fingers, he'd be dead sorry."
I squeezed my eyes shut in embarrassment as the blood gushed to my cheeks. A hand came onto my shoulder and tugged the bond between and I apart. Of course, Christian Grey had his limits on touching. Closing shut his phone, he slipped it into his back pocket and thundered down on Ethan. "Good. Bye. Kavanagh." He emphasized greatly as I got to my feet.
"See you soon, Ethan." Then I winked at him. "Good luck."
Ethan turned bashful for a moment then nodded at me with the flutter of his fingers. He was going to make a girl really happy today. Ushering me out of the bar and into the car, Christian raised his eyebrows. "So what was that about, Steele?"
"You'll find out very soon." I teased, deciding that I would fold my thighs over his.
"Anastasia..." His voice was a grumble.
Waiting for Luke and Taylor to get into the car, I tapped them both on their blades. "Everyone. Ethan is going to ask Mia to be his girlfriend."
Everyone except for Christian was surprised.