Troy picked up the glass of water and frown when he saw the cigarette floating in the water. He hated cigarettes, the smell was disgusting. Looking back at the king size bed where Gabriella was wrapped up in a blanket fast asleep lost in sea of pillows and sheets. Troy put the glass down and noticed the envelope from that night at the restaurant when David appeared. Troy looked back over at Gabriella who was still sleeping and picked up the envelope, opening it slowly he pulled out the photos. Shifting through them he smiled as he looked at the family photos then stopped when he came to the picture of her and David, and earlier photo, one taken maybe during her college days. She was on a merry-go-round horse, David holding her at the waist. They looked happy, she looked happy. She looked vibrant, remarkable, unanticipated, and extraordinary.
Troy frowned as he flipped the picture and saw her sitting down on what looked like a couch, her arms wrapped around her knees, smiling at the camera so innocently her hair was shorter, with blonde highlights and straight instead of curly. She was wearing just a little spaghetti strap top and her panties. She looked adorable. Troy smiled as he looked back over at the bed, she was still adorable. He put the photos back in the envelope and put it down on the table.
Walking over to the bed he looked at Gabriella as she lay there sleeping her hair tied back in a braided ponytail that looked a little messy from her sleep. "Hey," he said nudging her arm softly. Gabriella rolled over to become more comfortable. Troy rolled his eyes as he tucked his hands in his pockets and then looked around the room. She order pasta last night, and had eaten it at the coffee table. She hadn't said another word, hadn't asked another question and for the most part she decided to sit in bed and read a book in quiet.
He didn't turn in for the night until almost 2 am when he finished address his last e-mail. He slept on the couch as promised. Looking back at Gabriella he let out a sigh, and moved around the bed picking up the key card from the room and his wallet.
At the sound of the door clicking shut Gabriella eyes slowly drifted open and for a moment she thought she was safe and sound in her bed, looking at the light pink walls of her bedroom from when her father painted it last. As her eyes opened a little more she realized she was looking at the peach colored walls of the hotel room. Sitting up she looked over at the desk area where Troy was last night when she fell asleep. Looking around the room she noticed he wasn't in it. Pushing the covers away she came to the edge of the bed rested her feet on the floor. Her toes wiggling in the soft carpet, with a smile she pushed herself up and made her way to the bathroom.
She turned on the shower and looked at her refection in the mirror; she had bed hair and lines on her face from the pillows. With a sigh she picked up one of the tooth brushes and began to brush her teeth. Looking at her reflection
Gabriella stepped into the shower letting out a sigh as the water sprays hit her shoulders. Last night was an emotional rollercoaster, not only was she fighting to ignore her body's responses to Troy's advances, but her mind was fighting off the ghosts David had left behind.
She had to get a hold of herself, she had to get it together. If her mother were here she'd tell her to grow up. She'd tell her that life was about moving forward and not backwards. Isabella would reminder of the 15 pounds she gained the month after David left town. She had to find that thing inside her, that power she must have had once upon a time. Before the wedding, before Troy walked into the restaurant when she felt at rest with herself. That moment when she settled.
Her eyes flew open at that last thought. That moment when she settled? Gabriella let out another sigh as she began to scrub her skin, how did she ever get into this mess? Honesty what woman in her right mind lets her mother arranger for her to be married to some sex driven millionaire who wants to own their company. Gabriella stepped under the water again and brought her hands up to her temples, she had to get it together.
There was a knock on the bathroom door and Gabriella jumped. Did she lock the door? "I'm in here," she called out nervously.
"I know you are. It would be a little strange if the water was just running for no reason," his voice chimed as the door opened partially. "Would you like to go to breakfast with me?"
Gabriella bit her lip as she thought about it for a second, "Where are we going?"
"Why don't you just let me surprise you?" Troy said with a smirk as he kept his eyes down at the tile as to not make her uncomfortable.
Gabriella was quiet for another moment, "Because the last time I let you surprise me our meeting turned out to be a date. The time before that your business trip turned into our honeymoon to Costa Rica."
"Alright you have a point," Troy said leaning on the door frame a little, "Fine, I made plans for us to eat on the beach and then go sailing, and I'd advise some sun lotion if you have any."
Gabriella listened as he door shut and she listened for any kind noise in the bathroom, slowly she pulled the curtain back a little to check herself and when she saw the empty bathroom she let out a small sigh of disappointment followed by embarrassment.
As soon as she was out of the shower she quickly dried herself off and slipped back into her t-shirt and shorts tucking her underwear into her pocket. Opening the door she spotted him at his laptop clicking away at something and frowning. It was unfair how attractive he looked when he frown. It was deadly the things he could make her feel while not even looking at her. She never felt that way with David, or maybe it had just been to long since she had a man around her that her senses were just heighten. "Something wrong?" she finally asked.
Troy looked up at her over his glasses for a moment, "It's nothing, I brought you something it's on the bed," he said turning back to the laptop.
Gabriella frowned as she looked at the bed and let out a gasp when she saw the white dress. Her finger tips came over to touch the fabric it was silky and slipped through her fingers like cool liquid. It was beautiful, she could feel her inside tightening, "Troy, not that this isn't wonderful, it's just that I'm not exactly accident proof?"
Troy slipped his glasses above his head and used his hands to rub his eyes, "I don't really care if you wear or not I thought it would look nice on you if you think otherwise than just wear something else Gabriella."
Gabriella's smile dimmed as she looked back at the dress, "I love it," she said softly looking back at the dress. Looking back at him she watched as he typed something into the keyboard and then stood up from his seat brining the phone to his ear without giving her a second look as he walked out onto the balcony to take a call.
"Hello," Troy said calmly into the phone.
"Troy, you sly dog you, thought you could pull one over on me," his father's voice chimed on the other end, "You didn't tell me you already had buyers. I'm impressed."
"What?" Troy looked back to the room to see it was empty turning back so he was looking out on the horizon he felt his pulse jump.
"The restaurant, I was walking past your office when I overheard Margret talking to Mr. Figueroa," His father let out a sigh, "I'll admit his ideas are a bit out there but I willing to bet with your guidance we can make this bigger than McDonalds."
Troy ears perked as he thought about the investor from the meeting last week. Mr. Figueroa was a small man who wanted to buy the restaurant up front to turn it into a chain. What was worst was that he wanted to tear the entire building down and turn it into a smaller kitchen with a drive through and parking lot. When the man had asked him how much the restaurant was going for Troy had brushed him off by saying that he was holding off on the sale till after rehabilitation. The fact that his father was still talking made Troy stop thinking and focus on what he was saying.
"We're talking over the paperwork now, but I think we could save ourselves a lot of money if we jump ships now."
"I told you we weren't selling the restaurant," Troy said with a raised brow.
"Son, you might be in the business of owning but I am very much in the business of selling. This is a good deal it'd be foolish to pass up."
"I thought we talked about this, this was supposed to be an in and out rehabilitation, not a resale. My wife works for this restaurant everything about her family is this restaurant I just can't take that away from her."
"You already did when you brought it?" Troy's father gawked into the phone, "Look if you got a better idea I'm dying to hear it but so far this restaurant is just a quick sand pit for my companies time and money."
"I need time, what about your anniversary party?"
"I'll take her to France, Look what you need to do is to tell that pretty little wife of yours that you're going make her very rich and buy her something really nice." Suddenly the phone was muffled as he talked to someone else who was in the room. Troy recognized the voice immediately. It was Ryan.
"Dad, I have a buyer already lined up," Troy said with a frown, "Just give me two more weeks."
"What?" Jack's voice came back on the line, "Yeah, yeah, Ryan going to talk to Mr. Figueroa, you have two weeks to do something here Troy, otherwise I'm going for the bigger deal."
Troy murmured a thank you and hung up the phone his mind pushing it mental capacity to think. The phone rang again and Troy answered it without pause. "What," Troy said into the phone.
"We hired a general manger and I think she'll be an excellent addition to the restaurant," Maria said on the other line with a pleased tone.
"Great, so we have a general manger," Troy said with sigh. That wasn't going to get him anywhere buy this time tomorrow he needed to have a bigger plan. "We're closing the restaurant down early to strip it." Troy said with a sigh,
"What are you going to do about the designer?" Maria asked cautiously, "We don't even have one."
"I've already hired a new designer to meet with us later today," Troy said looking down at the beach and the water, "As of right now things are jumping on a fast track."
"How is Gabriella doing? Isabella told me about David," Maria said with solemn voice.
"Yeah you couldn't have given me a heads up about him," Troy said tucking his free hand in his pocket, "She thinks he came back for her, if you ask me I smell a rat."
"David is a good boy, he would never do anything to hurt her."
"He left her didn't he?" Troy countered in a low voice.
"They ended things mutually, she wanted to stay at the restaurant and David wanted more so they decided to go their separate ways," Maria said followed by an interruption on the other line. "Hold on Troy I have another call."
Troy rolled his eyes as he was put on hold, he hated being put on hold. Looking out into clear sky he thought about the current situation. Gabriella didn't agree to the breakup she was dumped and she was telling herself she agreed to the breakup. Troy frowned as he looked down at his watch. He hated being on hold.
"Troy," Maria voice came back on the line.
"We're going into the renovations next week; I need the new staff hired and ready to go as soon as possible understood." Troy said bluntly as he tucked his hand back in his pocket.
"Rome was not built in a day," Maria said.
"We've had four months," Troy said with a raised brow as his temper shot up, "I don't know how much longer we can sit on this." When there was silence on the other end he let out a sigh and brought a hand up to his forehead. "I'm sorry, I don't mean that. I'm just a little on edge," he said making a fist and gently tapping the rail.
"I think this has been stressful on everyone," Maria said quietly.
"Are you sure you don't want the restaurant back when all this is over?" Troy said as his voice softened.
"Nothing has changed, the restaurant was my husband's dream, not mine. Gabriella already lost five years of her life trying to make it work. This was not what we had planned for our girls," she said in a low voice, "I don't know how much longer I can keep it from them, I know they won't like it."
"Hey," Troy said softly, "Everything going to be okay, we'll get through this. Let me worry about that, besides if all goes well they'll hate me more than they hate you?"
"It troubles me that you're okay with that."
There was a pause as Troy took a moment to look down at his own feet. He had no idea what he was going to do and he had no intention of letting the Montez family down. "Well no one ever really likes me anyway," Troy said with a shrug, "After a while you get use it."
"Still has to brother you to hurt the ones you love," Maria said cautiously.
"Listen," Troy said wanting the conversation to be over. "Go with Isabella to the Blooming Flowers Spa, I'll make an appointment and make sure you ladies get the full treatment on the house."
"You're a good man Troy," Maria said kindly, "I'll think about it."
Troy let out a small laugh, "Well I know where she gets her stubborn nature from," he said with a smile.
"Their father was the free spirit in the family." Maria said, he could hear the smile on her voice. One of the few smiles that would reach her eyes was when she talked about her late husband. Troy said his goodbyes and hung up the phone tapping it lightly against his brow. He had to get this right, he had to get his shit together and stop being so emotional about it. He had to remember that at the end of the day he was going to be alone anyway. Troy looked at his phone for a moment as a text went off in his hand from Margret reminding him about the meeting later tonight. The next one was a picture text of Ryan and Mr. Figueroa heading into the conference room with the caption 'what do you want me to do?'
His mind was racing with all the new information. He just needed to sit down with Chad, bring him in on this idea and figure out what he was doing. His head was beginning to pound. Wincing from the pain he turned around to head back inside only to be stopped when he watched Gabriella slide the glass door open and come outside in the white dress. It was short resting just above her knee, the fabric falling off her curves. The straps rested loosely on her shoulders the sweetheart cut was perfectly matched to her breast. The white against her skin almost made her glow and Troy had to remind himself to breath. "Wow."
"Why is it, that you can dress me better than I can dress myself?" Gabriella said with a small smile.
"I make things look good for a living," he said quietly. However, he never made anything look this good.
"Should I wear my hair up?" Gabriella said bringing her hair up in her hand combing through it to make a makeshift ponytail.
"No," he said with a small smile, "It looks better when it's hanging off your shoulders."
Gabriella lowered her hand letting her hair fall down her back, a small shiver ran up her spine and she looked away from him out into the water. "Busy morning?"
"I'd tell you all about it but there's no use in getting you upset," Troy said tucking his phone into his pocket.
"Troy," Gabriella said looking at him with somber expression.
Troy thought about what information he wanted to share and what he wanted to keep to himself. After a moment he decided to at least tell her about Maria's news. "Zeke and your mom have hired a general manger for the restaurant. I hope you'll be nice to her."
"A general manger," Gabriella mumbled quietly as she placed her hands on the railing. She kept meaning to hire one of those, this man was like a fairy godmother.
"I'm also pulling some strings to get Chad to come down for at least a month or two to help you with a new menu," Troy turned to look out into the water as well.
"Do you think he'll do it?" Gabriella said turning slightly to face Troy.
Troy raised a brow as he looked at her questioningly, "You're not angry about changing the menu?"
Gabriella smirked as she looked up at him, "Told you, you didn't have all the answers," she said with accomplished expression.
In that moment it was exactly that expression that made Troy want nothing more than to kiss her teasingly annoying lips before they could say something else. Minding his manners he smiled as he looked back down at the beach, he could smell her perfume, almost taste the lotion in his mouth. She smelled sweet, like a freshly slice mango.
"What kept you up so late? Were you working on the restaurant?"
"No, I was working with another client," he said lifting hand to the back of his neck and rubbing slightly.
"Don't lie to me," Gabriella warned pointing at him, "You do that neck thing when you lie."
Caught red handed Troy raised his brow and looked back at Gabriella who was expecting an answer. "I was working on the design for the restaurant," he said with a wince, "I was researching floor design, I had someone get me the blue prints from the city. It's been a time consuming process."
"Why not just ask me?" Gabriella looked up at him with confusion.
"Because you," he said with his own expression of accomplishment, "don't like me."
Gabriella was quiet as she looked down at his hands while they rested over the railing, "I don't like your ego, but I do like you," she corrected him.
Troy looked up at her as she stood there next to him in what seemed to be there first long conversation that didn't include yelling or malicious name throwing, not even one of those looks of disappointment she reserved especially for him. "I've never dated anyone romantically for longer than a week or so," he said looking at Gabriella, "My knowledge about women aside from a sexual nature isn't exactly fully developed."
Gabriella looked down at her dress then back up at him, "the gifts are nice," she offered.
"I have no doubt about what I like," he said confidently, "usually what I like always looks striking, but then, to have my interest there has to be something about you that strikes me." Troy smiled, "Maybe a congratulatory groping is in order."
"That right there," she said pointing at him, "When you say things like that, you sound like an ass."
"Well I'm not about to lie about my taste in women."
"You don't have to lie, you could just not sound like an ass," Gabriella said tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, "I mean honestly, I have no idea how you're so successful when half the things out of your mouth make me want to slap you."
"I don't include business and pleasure, I understand how to keep them separate," Troy said with a smirk.
"Then what am I to you exactly?" Gabriella frowned.
"Pleasure," Troy said with a raised brow and amusement dancing in his eyes, "Your restaurant is business. That was the deal, you get the restaurant, and I get you."
Gabriella rolled her eyes as she leaned on the railing and looked down at the people walking beneath them and disappearing into the hotel. "That deal is between you and my mother. This marriage is not real," she said looking up back up at him, "nothing about this is normal, and I feel like I'm losing my mind because you keep playing these mind games."
"I think your just accepting limits in your life," Troy said eyeing her carefully, "This is the first time in your life you've been presented with a choice and now you can't make up your mind."
"Don't be ridiculous," Gabriella said rolling her eyes as she let out a huff.
"Do I look like I have a sense of humor?" Troy said in a stern voice.
Gabriella frown deepened, "Why do you talk to me like that, like I'm some child?"
"Because sometimes you act like one," Troy said a little defensive.
Gabriella turned to face him with a frown on her face as she looked at him with distaste, "My mother might be fooled that you're a good man Troy, but I know exactly who you are and while you might have some very good qualities you have much to learn about being a good man." Turning away from him she moved to head back inside.
Troy's hand caught her arm and he pulled her towards him so they were close, "I am a good man," he said in a warning tone, "But I'm getting really tired of being the asshole, whenever you get scared."
Gabriella pulled her arm away from him, "You have no idea what I'm afraid of," she said making her way inside anticipating him to follow. When he didn't, she hid inside the bathroom and pressed her forehead against the closed door as she took a moment to catch her breath. This was crazy, this was unbelievable, but how could all this be happening to her? She could feel herself beginning to have feelings, urges and wants when it came to Troy Bolton. She wanted to make him happy, she wanted to have his attention, it actually bothered her that he could be so dismissive one moment and drove her crazy that he could flip a switch at any moment and zero in on her with all the intensity of a hunter finding his prey. Turning around she pressed herself against the door keeping her weight against as if at any moment he would come charging in.