I'm so sorry for the late post. I've just been really sick and unable to write. But that doesn't stop me from thinking of a new story I want to post.
I know this chapter may not be any good and I'm sorry for that. But in the end I hope y'all review and leave me some kind of comment. I am working on the next chapter and I usually have the next chapter ready before I even post. But since y'all had to wait a couple of weeks I at least owe it to those who's been keeping up with this story to post something.
And of course I wanted to thank each and every single one of you! I love reading your comments and hearing you reactions towards each chapter. SO THANK YOU ALL!
Disclaimer: I don't have anything to do with Pretty Little Liars
Aria ran around the Hotel for the last four hours like a crazy chicken. She needed to pull all her resources if she wanted to get the Hotel down in Rosewood ready for its opening. She pulled her hair back into a pony-tail and licked her lips, while typing a few things into the computer.
"Peyton," She called looking up from the desk and stood up, "Do you have a minute?
She looked at Aria confused, "Am I in trouble?" she asked her voice a little shaky, "I know I've been late this week-"
"It's not about that," Aria sucked in a breath and handed her a piece of paper "read this over and let me know your answer by Friday"
"What is it?" Peyton said looking down and starting to read the first few lines "Really?" Aria nodded, "What about my son?"
Sucking in another breath Aria shrugged, "I know you would do well in this position. You will be a supervisor in training and if you want I am more than willing to hold you and your son up in a room for the first three months." She compromised, "This would be a really big step from bringing home a few hundreds. You would be able to finally put down a payment for your dream house."
Peyton smiled at the thought, "I can't believe you still remember that." She stuck back her hair, "I will have to think about this. My mom, she's now living with me and I don't know if I can just pick up and leave."
Aria nodded; understanding her dilemma, "I know what you mean and although this would be an absolute change for you. Moving to a small town, I also think this would open up more doors for your son's future." She turned her head, "Think about it. I'm leaving Friday afternoon and I need your answer. It's yes or no, I couldn't help but ask."
"Thank you," Peyton nodded, "I will talk this over with my mother and I will see you later."
Aria winked, "Okay," and with that Aria sat back down in her secluded little area typing up a few more notes on tomorrows Skype conference.
LINE BREAK
Ezra had been walking around the Hotel in hunt for Aria when he finally walked up to the front counter and had just asked if they had seen her. The person who was helping him out had finally gotten a hold of Aria and was told to give Ezra a room key. He gladly accepted seeing as he was overly tired and ready for bed.
He then found himself walking towards the elevators when finally he caught glimpse of the person he wanted to see the most. Aria… She was walking towards the little bouquet and started to talk to a guy that looked to be closing up shop.
Ezra slowly walked over towards them as the guy nodded to Aria and turned around to open the doors to the shop once more. Picking up speed Ezra followed the two of them inside and was stopped, "I'm sorry sir-"And that's when Aria turned around, "Steven its fine." She licked her lips and Ezra continued to fully walk in, "He's with me."
"Okay," Steven agreed giving Aria the keys, "Please don't forget to-"
"I will" Aria smiled, "I owe you big time"
Steven smirked, "Aria, at the rate you're going you'll owe me your life." He joked, "I'm just happy I could help."
Aria nodded and looked over at Ezra before looking back at Steven, "Thanks."
Ezra watched as Steven turned on his heel and closed the door behind him before turning back towards Aria with an arched eyebrow questioning what's going on. "Well," Aria said holding up a couple of polo shirts, "I don't think green is your color."
"Come on Aria, what's going on?"
She shrugged, "You need a pair of clothes." She answered placing the green shirt back on the rack, "How about blue?"
"How about you stop what you're doing and we get the hell out of here? It's still early and we could enjoy a night out." He grabbed her hands, "Just the two of us"
Aria looked at him in disbelief before she shook her head, "I can't. I have so much more to do before I even go to bed and-"
"And if you really wanted to do it you would be. But yet you're here buying clothes for me." Ezra chuckled, "Come on. Please…." He begged pulling her out of the store, "I'll even buy you a lollipop" he smirked
"A lollipop?" Aria laughed, "Is it a big one?"
LINE BREAK
Even it being a late Wednesday night, the streets of Las Vegas were a big hit. From street performance too little Kiosk carts along the strip, Aria and Ezra stayed close together.
For years Aria had been working in Vegas and not once did she ever enjoy the sights. Too busy working was her words to Jay or anyone else that would try to get her to go out. But unlike Aria, Ezra had always enjoyed walking those late night strips. He got to see so many different sides to people's personality and he had to admit he loved seeing those artistic talents that people are so wonderfully doing with street paint.
He stopped as someone was working on their masterpiece and let out a small smile when he recognized the scene. It was Paris. But not just Paris itself but the beauty it offered. The lights, buildings. He looked over at Aria and squeezed her hand, "What do you think?"
Aria shrugged, "It's beautiful. Are you planning on buying something?"
"No," Ezra answered and pulled her away from the smell of paint as Aria covered her nose, "I just love looking at what other people can and could do."
Aria stopped in her tracks, "Is that supposed to mean something?"
"No of course not," he defended himself, "I-I just want to know if you could ever forgive me for shutting you out? I just want no more secrets between us. I want you to be forward, just as much as I am towards you!"
Aria looked him in the eyes, "I tried to tell you about what was going on. Ezra, you never gave me the chance."
Shaking his head in agreement he squeezed her hands and held it in front of him, "I am so sorry for driving you out of here, out of my life. Aria, I never meant to do it." Ezra stopped and continued walking down the strip, "I was just so hurt and broken. Here I thought we were finally moving forward and then you just drop the whole, 'I can't marry you because I'm leaving speech'" he stopped in his tracks once again and then held her chin up so she was looking at him. But not just looking at him, he wanted her to see him. To hear him, "I will do anything to make you happy. I just want you and Lacy in my life. No more secrets and lies between us."
Aria looked down at her feet and let out a few tears. There were so many things that Ezra didn't know. But she just didn't know how to tell him; or if she even wanted to tell him. "I just want you to be happy,"
Ezra chuckled a little, "The only way I will ever be happy is to know that there is a chance for us… Together!"
With tears in her eyes Aria stood there for a few brief moments contemplating on what to do. She questioned herself in that few seconds on whether or not she could give him an honest answer. There were still so many things that clouded her mind. Jay, Lacy, her past. She wanted to be forward with him; she wanted to tell him that everything will and could get back to the way things were before their break. Dramatic break-up; but the truth is how are things going to go when Jay comes back? How are things going to play out with Lacy once she tells her only daughter that her long lost father wasn't lost after all?
With a beat of her heart Aria shook her head, "We can never get back what we had Ezra."
Closing his eyes, "Are you saying there's never a chance for us? Again?" He looked at her in disbelief, "What is holding you back?"
Shrugging her shoulders Aria moved away from the crowd and started the long walk back to the Hotel, "Aria," he grabbed her arm and turned her around to get her attention, "I thought us being friends would at least get us back together."
"Is that what you did it for?" she asked confused, "I thought you-"
"Aria, of course I want to be your friend." He shook his head cutting her off, "But I want more than that. Seeing you and Jay together killed me. I'm not going to lie about that, but I knew that if he was always there in the flesh that you would never think of me like that. So being your friend was all I had." Ezra sucked in a deep breath trying to hold back his tears, "I am so in love with you that I am willing to give you the world. So I guess this is me asking you once again. Aria, will you be my girlfriend?"
"Ezra," Aria breathed out with a smile, "Really?"
Nodding Ezra said, "Yes, I want us to give it another go." Grasping her face between the palms of his hands he gave her kiss, "I want us to be a family and I can't wait till I finally get to properly introduce myself to my daughter."
LINE BREAK
Smiling like a newlywed couple Aria and Ezra walked into the Liberty Hotel hand in hand and ready to conquer the world. Neither of them said a word to each other on the way back to the hotel. They just silently walked together side-by-side down the strip admiring the lights and the many things that Vegas had to offer.
Aria walked up to the desk and dropped off the set of Keys for the clothes shop that she had borrowed. Although they did lots of walking within that couple of hours away; Aria had also gotten Ezra a few things from the ABC store. It wasn't much just a couple of Vegas shirts and Boxer's for the night.
"Ezra?" he turned around at the sound of his name and on cue dropped Aria's hand. She looked at him questionably but thought nothing of it when he went up to the girl and gave her a hug, "I can't believe you're here!"
Watching the scene unfold Aria had the thought that maybe this was one of his ex-girlfriends. And then thought that maybe getting back with Ezra so soon was a mistake "So where's Wes?" Ezra asked and all questions about this girl and Ezra flew out of her mind.
"He's up in the room. I just wanted to get away from his snoring." She joked and looked over Ezra's shoulder, "Who's that?" nodding her as she looked at Aria standing there confused. "Flavour of the month?'
"Excuse me?" Aria said putting up her guard, "And what are you? Yesterday's tras-"
"This is Aria," Ezra cut her off shaking his head, "Aria this is Ellie Fitzgerald, my brother's wife."
Letting out a breath she plastered a fake smile. One that Ezra knew all too well, "I'm sorry. I am Aria Montgomery, Senior Manager of the Lady Liberty." She extended her hand, "Mrs Fitzgerald I apologize for my tone."
Smirking Ellie shook her hand, "So you're the famous Aria Montgomery. I've heard so much about you!"
Ezra smiled gracefully, "Well I think we better get going." He stood by Aria, "We're just here for a couple of days."
"I thought you were here for my signing?" Ellie asked confused, "Did you not talk to Wesley?"
Ezra shook his head "No, not since he last told me that you were doing the second launch"
"Well, that went fantastic. Everyone is in love with the special addition to the first book." Looking Aria up and down Ellie continued, "I hope you will stay and have dinner with us tomorrow night? I know Wesley would love to see you!"
Ezra shook his head, "I don't' think that's a good idea." He looked at Aria as she turned her head to talk to the receptionist "I'm really busy."
Ellie nodded her head and motion for Ezra to follow her. He took one glance at Aria before taking the four feet away, "You know your brother is going to flip when he finds out that you're back together with her."
Ezra chuckled harshly as he replied, "He has no say in which I date. So he needs to back off."
Ellie smiled, "The way you described her in the book, I would have thought she was a blonde."
Rolling his eyes he replied, "You know she's a brunette Ell, please don't cause trouble. I love her."
Ellie looked at Aria and then back at Ezra, "Is the second launch about her too? About her and her friends?"
"You better not tell her!" He argued, "The only reason I put that out there is because you've been nagging me on a second. But I never thought it would blast to the top like that."
Opening her eyes wide she shrugged, "I have a press conference here tomorrow at noon. Make sure Aria is out of the Hotel before than or we'll have major problems on our hands. She's going to explode"
The couple fell in silence as a few people asked for Ellie's autograph and Ezra stepped back allowing some room. He watched as she signed a couple of vouchers and wished that it was him. But he knew when he wrote the first book that he could never expose him and Aria the way he did Andy and Jane… Everything that he had worked for would go down the drain.
Aria returned to his side and bit her lip. She never meant to be a smart ass to anyone. She, in that moment had a hint of jealously. But knew the second it went out that she was wrong. Everyone in the Hotel knew that she was management and knew that Aria had just sent a bad example. And that didn't help when she got questioned on it by the receptionist who just so happen was in the process of training.
"Is everything okay?" Ezra asked rubbing her arm.
Aria nodded, "I acted out and that's everything I am set against." She turned her head for a moment and then looked up at Ezra, "When did your brother get married?"
Fixing his pants Ezra answered, "Actually the day you and Carol met me and Jay at the bar I had just gotten home from the wedding. It wasn't long but they were together for about five years before actually setting it in stone."
"I'm sorry but Mrs Fitzgerald actually as a signing tomorrow at two" The guard announced
Aria turned her head to see Ellie and her guard walking back up to them, "I'm sorry Ezra," she smiled, "But how about dinner tomorrow? The four of us"
"I don't think that would be a great idea. I mean Aria already as a full-"
"Actually that would be great. I mean if you don't mind talking about your book?" Aria smiled, "I would love to hear more of your point of view!"
Ellie smiled at Aria and then looked at Ezra, "Sounds Fantastic. I will see both of you at the Liberty Grille say seven?"
Ezra smiled and nodded, "Sounds fine." he Whispered scared of what might be revealed.
So I pretty much have an awkward dinner conversation happening in the next chapter (spoiler) LOL have a great Friday/weekend- depending where you are and I will try to at least get the next chapter up maybe Sunday or sometime next week...