DISCLAIMER: As much as it breaks my heart to admit it, I do not own anyone or anything connected to Vince McMahon and his awesomeness. I can only claim property rights of OC.
***A/N – This is Part 1 of 3***
Claire set aside the novel she was trying to read as the doorbell rang again. Before she could stand, Monica bustled into the living room and moved to answer the summons. She straightened her apron before opening the door. Claire could hear the soft murmur of voices then Monica stepped back into the living room. She pointed to the door as she said, "For you."
Arching a brow, Claire made her way to the door. She wasn't sure who would be standing on the other side of the threshold. She wasn't expecting anyone. Her heart skipped a beat, fearing the worst. She pulled the door open and stared in surprise. Hannah stood with her back to the door. She was looking at dense green woods that surrounded the property.
"What are you doing here?" Claire asked in surprise.
Hannah whirled around at the sound of Claire's voice. She smiled and pulled Claire into a tight hug, "I thought I'd just drop in and say hello."
Claire looked at Hannah with a mix of confusion and concern. How the hell had she found them? And what the hell was she doing here? She was sure Randy would have said something if he had invited another guest. Claire stepped aside and motioned for Hannah to enter.
Hannah took two steps into the living room and stopped. Her backpack fell to the floor with a thud. Turning slowly in a circle, Hannah took in the comfortable furnishings. "Majorly awesome, Claire."
Claire quietly shut the door and moved into the living room. "I wasn't expecting you."
Hannah flashed a smile as she picked up her backpack. She set it on the coffee table before sinking into one of the leather recliners. Keeping her smile in place, Hannah said, "I didn't want you to be lonely for me."
Claire moved around the low slung coffee table and sat on the edge of the sofa. "Hannah, what's wrong?" she asked
Whoa. Talk about a major attitude adjustment. Hannah took a deep breath as she looked over at Claire. "Stephanie wants me back in Stamford."
Claire nodded. She had gotten the same e-mail. "And?" Claire asked.
Hannah ran her finger along the decorative stitching on the arm of the chair, "And what? I figured if we had to go back, we should go together. We're a package deal, remember?"
Claire leaned back into the soft leather as she quietly studied Hannah. On the outside, she looked exactly as she had before they had left the desert. Instinct told Claire that there was something deeper. "What's going on?"
Hannah forced herself to meet Claire's gaze. "Why does something have to be going on?"
Claire shook her head slowly, not buying the innocent act for a second. "I'm pretty sure you didn't decide to come all the way to St. Louis because you miss me. What's wrong?"
Shaking her head slowly, Hannah took a deep breath. She really didn't want to tell Claire the truth but she didn't see a way to hide it. "I didn't want to go back to Stamford by myself."
Claire arched a brow as she looked Hannah over. Finally, they were getting to the truth. "Did something happen?"
Hannah shrugged slightly as she dug her cellphone out of her pocket. She scrolled through the screens for a few minutes before handing the device over. Claire read the e-mail displayed on the screen:
Dear Ms. Carter,
I would like to meet with you in my offices on Friday at 2 P.M. At that time we will conduct your performance evaluation. Your portfolio will be reviewed, as well as your current assignment. Please contact me if you have any questions or concerns. I look forward to seeing you again.
Sincerely,
Stephanie McMahon-Levesque
Creative Director
Claire handed the phone back to Hannah and sighed. No wonder the poor girl didn't want to go back to Stamford by herself. She was possibly facing judge, jury and execution. Performance evals were a bitch, especially if you were still on probation. It was impossible to count how many people didn't survive the evaluations. It was a scary proposition.
Taking a deep, steadying breath, Claire said, "Come on, I'll show you to your room."
Sometime later that evening
For the tenth time in 20 minutes, Randy paused at the bottom of the stairs and looked up. If Claire didn't hurry, they would lose their dinner reservations. Madalina's Italian Restaurant would not hold their reservations one minute past 8:30. The exclusive restaurant was a popular destination for people in the know. It had taken no small amount of sweet talking to get the hostess to agree to find them a suitable table. After twenty minutes of negotiation, the woman had finally relented and added his name to the list. Shaking his head slowly, Randy resumed pacing at the foot of the stairs. He would give Claire exactly seven minutes to come downstairs or he would drag her out of the house in what ever state of undress she may be in.
Randy stopped his pacing long enough to once again look at the grandfather clock. His gaze flicked to the top of the stairs just in time to see Claire appear. She paused a moment at the first stair, allowing Randy a long moment to look at her. She was dressed in red sleeveless dress. The deep v neckline of the bodice drew his attention to the deep valley of her cleavage. The hem of the draped skirt skimmed her knees, leaving her long legs bare. Claire slowly descended the stairs, one hand resting on the polished wood railing. She smiled at him as she stepped from the last stair and stood there. She could feel Randy's eyes moving over her. The heat in his gaze was all the approval she needed. He more than approved of her choice of attire.
However, she couldn't resist asking, "Well, what do you think?"
Randy moved toward her, his stride graceful and quick. "I think we better forget about going to dinner."
Claire laughed softly and tucked a curl behind her ear, "Nice try, Randy."
Forcing himself to take a deep, calming breath, Randy offered his arm to Claire. She tucked her hand into the crook of his arm and let him lead her out to the car. He helped Claire into the passenger seat before sliding behind the wheel. He waited a moment as Claire fastened her seat belt before reaching into the back seat. Claire gasped in surprise as Randy pulled a dozen long stemmed red roses from the darkness and handed them to her. She smiled as she turned the bouquet around. Spotting the small, white, creamy card tucked into the dark green leaves, Claire glanced at Randy.
"What's this?" She asked.
Randy smiled as he leaned over and pulled the card from the flowers. He handed the envelope to her and said, "You won't know unless you open it."
Claire silently arched a brow in question. She slid a nail under the edge and quickly opened it. Holding the card up to the light she read out loud, "Tonight is only the beginning." Turning slightly in her seat, she looked at Randy. "What does that mean?"
Randy smiled as he slid the key into the ignition. His blue eyes flicked over to her as he put the car in reverse, "It means you're going to have to be a good girl and wait."
Claire laughed, "Really? That's what it means?"
Randy nodded as he smoothly turned onto the highway. He was quiet on the drive into St. Louis. He reached over and turned on the radio. He scanned the stations until he found what he was looking for. The soft, soulful sounds of Ella Fitzgerald drifted in the semi-darkened interior. Nearly thirty minutes later, Randy pulled up to the entrance of Madalina's. In less than a minute, a smartly dressed valet appeared at the car. He quickly opened Claire's door and held out a hand to her. He held onto her long enough to assist her over to the stone walkway. Claire tried to wait patiently as Randy handed the keys to another valet. Taking her hand, Randy escorted her into the dark brick building.
Claire stared at the darkened interior of the restaurant. It wasn't what she was expecting when Randy said they were going out for Italian. Small square tables were grouped around a bar that stood in the middle of the floor. Blue and white checked table cloths covered all of the tables. The tall, auburn-haired hostess smiled as they approached. She motioned for a short, slightly round man to take her place. She led them through the restaurant and out a set of french doors to the patio. Claire looked around in wonder as the hostess stopped at the table in the center. She stepped aside and let Randy pull out Claire's chair.. Once Randy had taken his seat, she bowed slightly and left.
Claire continued looking around with wonder. The patio was bordered by a waist high hedge that provided a screen of privacy. A shorter flower box was over flowing with a variety of blooms. The soft scent added to the ambiance of the evening. Along the metal scroll work of ceiling hung hundreds of tiny white lights. The overall effect was very similar to what Claire imagined Italy would be like. Maybe one day she and Randy would be able to find out for themselves.
A young, dark hair waiter appeared. He quickly poured two glasses of white wine then stepped back into the shadows. Randy slowly picked up his glass and waited for Claire to do the same.
"Here's to us. I hope tonight proves to be as magical as I think it will."
***A/N --- Please review! And check back soon for Part 2. You won't believe what happens next!***
