Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction, thus I ask that you treat it as such. All recognizable names do not belong to me. The unrecognizable names and plot however are solely mine.
Chapter 3
Mingling with corporate executives, discussing trends in the market, or just trading witty batter along with wide smiles, she could say that it'd been a great evening so far. She'd been on her feet for most of the day though and could really use a break: from the airport in the morning, to her presentation which began around noon and lasted five hours, and currently at this dinner, where all the major players in the technological industry seemed to converge. Using the excuse of needing a drink from the bar, she ended the conversation with Bill Oswald, a member of the Innovation and Technology Committee at AMD, the world's second largest producer of computer processors. Undoubtedly, she would have loved to continue discussing his company's newest innovations, but the seductive stare he kept sending her way had her feeling too uncomfortable to do anything but look over his shoulder as they conversed. His wife was by his side throughout the entire conversation, and it's either she didn't notice it or they were into that kind of thing, which thankfully, Cassidy wanted no part of.
Sights aimed on the bar at the far end of the room, she was startled when she was pulled in the opposite direction, into someone's waiting arms.
"Well, don't you just look ravishing tonight?"
"I do try my best," she replied, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear and smoothing out the invisible wrinkles on her one- sleeved green dress "and when I give it my all it's either I go hard or go home."
He let out a hearty chuckle, "That's the motto, isn't it?"
"Sir, yes sir." She said, mock saluting him. Changing the subject, she continued, "Haven't seen you around the office in a while. Where've you been?"
"You're lying! You haven't seen all this," motioning to himself, "making the rounds in Chicago? The ladies say it's kinda hard to miss the salt and pepper hair, alabaster skin and these washboard abs." He finished, hands coming to rest on his enormous beer belly.
She doubled over in laughter, "I'm sure they do."
"Most of these days I'm working from home, spending time with the family."
"That's amazing to hear. I agree, you have to slow down sometimes. It does get quite hectic in the office. So how are they, the family?"
Resting his hand on her lower back, he steered them towards the bar.
"You know, same ol', same ol'. Nothin' new to report. Oh wait, there is. Lianne and I aren't exactly on speaking terms. Little Louis lost a tooth. The hard way."
She gestured with her hands for him to continue, "Lianne brought the kids over to spend some time with the old girl and I, and Louis jumped right of the jungle gym in the backyard and landed on his face. So naturally, Annie and her mother put the blame on me."
"Jared!" she chided "You should have been watching him!"
"Not you too! I didn't tell him to jump off of anything. I had my back turned when it happened." Jared finished, exasperatedly throwing his hands in the air.
"And that right there was your first mistake. Shame on you, you should know better grandpa." Smiling, she switched gears. "So what about Robert?"
Jared's expression instantly brightened, eager to pawn his son off on the beautiful woman.
"He's doing great, my dear. Business is booming. He's at the prime of his career and I've never felt more proud."
"Wow. It's very hard to start your own business, given the unforgiving state of the economy and whatnot. I'm impressed." Cassidy added, accepting the flute of champagne from Jared.
"Is this what everyone agreed on? No drinks for me?"
She set the flute on the counter and embraced her former mentor with a blinding smile. "I'm sure we can find you some orange juice. Isn't that right, Jared?" She raised her left arm to get the bartender's attention when the newcomer quickly replaced it at her side.
"If there's one thing I don't miss, it's your poor excuse of a sense of humour." Looking over at his brother, he continued, "I sensed you two were discussing me."
Jared quickly shut him down, "No, Winfred. We were discussing Robert actually. And there he is, the man of the hour."
Cassidy quickly appraised Robert, who stood before her. His lanky build, tanned skin, dishevelled hair, black tailored suit and the blue eyes he inherited from his father all contributed to the all- American white boy vibe that seemed to continuously ooze from his pores.
"It's been too long Cassidy." Robert removed the lady's hand from his uncle's, raising it to his lips for a kiss, simultaneously levelling her with a flirtatious gaze. She politely returned the sentiment, internally cringing from her spot in Winfred's arms, who suddenly volunteered her to dance with his nephew. It was an inside joke that Cassidy was the butt of: she returned none of the romantic feelings the entrepreneur had for her, but every opportunity that presented itself she found that she was always being pushed in his direction. While she viewed him as her 'father' when in the office, there were times when Winfred, the instigator of the joke, played the role of an annoying relative that loved to watch her squirm. Cassidy reluctantly followed Robert onto the dance floor, joining the others swaying to the soft, classical music.
Cassidy sluggishly chucked the offending shoes in the far corner of Sophia's hotel room, rubbing away the aches and pains in her feet. The best friends, not having spent much time together on the trip decided on some one on one time with each other and two tubs of Häagen- Dazs. She dropped herself on the chaise by the window; the thick drapes pulled aside, the blinking lights of the city's skyline providing a nice backdrop for the hotel room.
She scrolled through her twitter feed, retweeting and quoting a couple things, and though she wouldn't admit it she did some light stalking. The things people posted about their lives on the internet never ceased to amaze her, especially the persons who should be doing everything to keep themselves away from the spotlight. Take, for example a high profile Illinois judge. Everyone and their cousin knew she was banging a hot piece of man meat for the last two years. It wasn't mainly due to carelessness on the married, fifty-something judge's part, though she did deserve to shoulder the majority of the blame as Cassie believed she shouldn't be engaging in such activities, and the fact that the neglected to properly set her lover straight from day one. Cassidy had a feeling it was Sophia who followed the guy using her account, and currently the lover boy was showing off with his recent trip to Abu Dhabi through pictures. These pictures, the young woman believed, would make everything sweeter when shit finally hit the fan.
Looking at Sophia's suitcase at the bedside had her thinking of her own suitcase and her interaction with the guy at the airport. She checked her Twitter notifications and found her most recent follower.
The guy in the picture she recognized, but the name and handle were very unfamiliar.
Seth Rollins ( WWERollins)
The WWE World Heavyweight Champion
After seeing his biography and first few pictures, she drew two conclusions: one, he had some sort of alter ego, and two, he was a fitness enthusiast. At least they had one thing in common. Cassidy loved to get in a good workout at the gym and believed that a healthy body gave way to a healthy mind and soul. Deciding not to prolong the inevitable, she checked her direct messages. Disappointed, she put the phone aside, not seeing any messages from Colby.
"I guess he's just busy," she surmised, running her hands through her thick tresses.
A fresh- faced Sophie emerged from the bathroom wrapped in a fluffy white robe, complements of the hotel.
"Who you talkin' to? Robert? Hey Robert!"
"I'm not talkin to anyone, least of all him."
"I'd say otherwise, judging from how comfy you looked in his arms earlier."
"Girl please. When you showed up you literally saved me from the guy. He has no idea how to engage in simple conversation."
"Maybe not verbally. He does look like a wild thing in the bedroom though." Sophia wagged her eyebrows at her friend.
Expressing her disgust, Cassidy grabbed her toiletries and speedily entered the bathroom before Sophie could hurl more suggestive comments about Robert her way.
Resisting the urge to spit out the insipid tea she purchased along with breakfast, Cassidy set the brown cup on the table in the departure lounge, perching her sunglasses on her crown. Enjoying every sip of her coffee however was Sophie, who commented on her friend's appearance.
"You look like you didn't get too much sleep last night."
"Thanks Sherlock. Your bed buddy ever tell you that you sleep like you fightin' in war or somethin'?"
Sophia immediately felt bad, casting her eyes on the table "Sorry."
"Nah, it's ok. You're my main, so I'd never trade you for countless hours of sleep." Cassie had to blink a few times as she stared at the ring on the woman's left hand, the sunlight streaming in from the airport windows bounced off the multifaceted diamond, causing temporary blindness. "So how's the wedding planning?"
Taking great interest in her nails she replied, "I haven't started yet."
"So what are you waiting for? Are you not sure? You do want this, right?"
"Don't get me wrong, I do, " Sophie smiled at her use of the famous phrase, "but I just don't have as much off time as I'd like to get the ball rolling. I barely spend enough time with Jackson as it is, and I'm always travelling— speaking of, how did it go at the airport yesterday?"
"Great!" Cassie brightened, remembering her encounter with the guy yesterday.
"Uh – oh," she thought as she saw the expression on Sophie's face change from timid and defensive to intensely curious.
"Is that so? Tell me more." Sophia drawled.
"We met at the airport, switched bags and left." Sophia called bullshit before Cassidy properly finished the statement. Luckily, the announcing of the flight's arrival saved Cassidy from having to go into further detail on what actually transpired the previous day.
After the conclusion of the SmackDown taping, Colby Lopez walked around the backstage area, feeling physically brutalized: Roman Reigns' spear had the ability to turn any opponent inside out, which was exactly what happened a few minutes prior. Limping his way to his locker room Colby was stopped by many colleagues congratulating him on another stellar performance, although he lost. He and Luke Harper had put themselves through the ringer tonight against Joe and Jon, and nothing sounded better than being able to take a shower, unwind and catch up on some sleep before the next show.
Stripping out of his skin- tight spandex ring gear and stepping into the shower, Colby stood under the intense spray of hot water from the shower head, watching the water criss- cross over his defined pectoral muscles. Finished with the shower, he dressed and messily packed his bags, eager to depart from the arena. A knock sounded on the door. Joe stuck his head through the crack in the frame, eyes closed.
"Hey man, you decent?"
"Why don't you see for yourself? I know you dying to get a piece o' this." The champion answered, referring to himself.
"Don't flatter yourself, Galina keeps me very satisfied." Joe entered the room. "Just came to check up on you. I know that spear had to hurt, considering you're already feeble and all."
"I think that hat you got on is a bit too tight. Need me to remind you how I got that bad boy?" Colby retorted, pointing to his championship belt resting on his other bag.
Joe chuckled, slapping his friend on the shoulder, "Nah man, I'm good. See you later."
The Samoan left after Colby bid him goodbye, leaving the man to refocus his attention on his suitcase. Looking at the bag, thoughts of Cassie immediately surfaced.
"Man, I gotta send her a DM or somethin'." Reaching for his phone, the door opened again. Jamie Noble being the intruder this time.
"Hey Seth you ready? Cause we just about to head out now."
"Yeah I'm done here. Let's go."
On his way to the back door of the arena he bumped fists with Randy Orton and the Big Show, and bade his lingering co-workers good night, all thoughts of the brown- haired beauty he met at the airport temporarily forgotten.
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