8 Chapter 7

Ryan's P.O.V

The next two weeks were in a blur. Everything was going fine. The hotel was going to be completed soon and I was having an idea of celebrating the opening of the hotel by throwing a big party so both of our business partners and important clients could come but I had to first talk to Claire about this. Maybe tomorrow because today, Claire's father was coming to the office.

As the year was almost coming to an end there were a lot of reports and contracts that I had to go through to, that kept me and Rowan busy all the time and that explained why I was so busy in my work that I didn't realize when Claire's father came to the office until there was a knock on my door and walked in Claire and her father.

"I am really sorry, Mr. Anderson. I was just so busy and I didn't realize when you came otherwise I would've come to greet you personally." I said as I shook hands with him.

"It's alright. I understand work can be extremely hectic sometimes and please call me Asher and don't worry, your brother was there to greet me." He said. His tone was really friendly and easy-going, so I just smiled in return.

"Umm Dad, Rowan is not his brother. He is Ryan's assistant." Claire tried to correct her father but she was really wrong.

"No, he is really my brother." I corrected her.

"Yeah, that's what I have heard. Your parents adopted him when he was 9..." Asher said suggestively.

"That's just the matter of public records. He is my brother." I said straight, not really liking the word adopted.

"I am sorry, I wasn't trying to mean that way," Asher said apologetically.

"No, it's alright." I waved the topic to leave it and asked Asher to have a seat.

Claire sat as well and we talked for the next half hour about pretty much everything. He was a really smart and friendly person. We talked about our new hotel, about sports, about business and I even finally asked Claire about the opening ceremony of the hotel. She liked the idea and agreed and we decided to make arrangements for it later.

Soon after, Asher left. He had to meet his friends over a golf match and also because he thought he was taking too much of the time of a busy person like me which was true because I was busy but I would've loved some more time with Asher, listening to his some few fun stories of golf or getting some business tips.

The rest of the day went well and after getting most of the work done for today, I leaned back on my chair. Stretching my arms over my head, I yawned and closed my eyes. After some time, I opened my eyes and got up, grabbing my jacket and things I made my way towards the elevator. When the doors of the elevator closed, I looked at my watch and it was 8:30 p.m. I sighed. It had been a long and tiring day. The doors of the elevator opened and I walked out, almost everyone had already gone home. I walked out of the building, nodded at the guard who was most probably going to lock the building and went straight towards my car to go home.

I got home and after taking a warm shower, I had dinner. After coming back to my room with a cup of Ben's famous tea, I changed into sweatpants and sweatshirts and climbed onto the bed. Leaning my head to the headboard, I opened my laptop and started going through the reports of the finance department until my phone rang. Without seeing the caller Id I held my phone near my ear and said; "Hello?"

"Bro...party." I heard Rowan saying more like singing from the other end. He was drunk. I sighed loudly at his carelessness.

"Where are you?" I asked as I stopped my work.

"C'mon... I wanna celebrate my first kiss." He whined but I could imagine him smirking even if he was drunk.

"Can you drive? Or shall I come to pick you?" I asked again.

"Of course dumbo, I can drive. I am not drunk, just a little bit extra tipsy." He said on the phone.

"Then come home right this instant," I ordered.

"First promise me a party...?" I sighed. So he wanted to negotiate. I looked at my work and thought about the party. The thought seemed inviting. I could have really used some energy after the long tiring day.

"Deal but come slowly," I said.

"Knew it and already on my way." He said, hanging up instantly. I just shook my head and resumed my work.

By the time I was almost done, Rowan came home with pizza boxes, a lot of beer, and junk food, and that explained why we stayed up all night, me listening to the tale of him, from asking Alana out for the date to going club and kissing her and how she left saying she had some important work to do and how it made him feel all sad. We goofed around all night, played video games, passed comments on how Damon was the perfect candidate for Elena while annoying each other.

"Oh, God. When will you both grow up? Just tell me the date." Benjamin my butler, a British man in his late forties, who had been with us from our childhood, asked us with disappointment while looking at the mess we had created in the living room. Boxes of pizzas and beer cans were laying everywhere. Cushions were thrown on the floor, I was half lying and half sitting on the floor with my back resting against the couch with a burrito in my hand. Rowan was mirroring my positing but on the couch with his legs on the headrest.

"30th February," I answered to which both I and Rowan burst into fits of laughter. Benjamin shook his head at us like we were some 5-year-old kids who needed some scolding. And muttered; "When will they grow up? Old habits never die." and walked out of the living room.

We partied until the clock struck 3 of the morning and fell asleep in the living room in our idiotic positions. It was a mistake to stay awake this late on weekdays and that's why it would be a miracle if we get up early for the office.

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I was feeling very high like I was flying in the sky but that feeling was just for a moment until something very hard touched my butt and I hit my head on the table.

"What the hell!" I screamed in pain as I rubbed my head. I looked behind and realized that my dimwit brother just threw me from the couch. And instead of waking up and helping me, he was sleeping soundly.

"Rowan," I shouted to wake him up.

"Let me sleep, you duffer." He murmured in his sleep as he threw a cushion at me and shifted his head to the other side.

"Rowan wake up!" I shouted again, shaking him.

"I said go to hell." He yelled at me in his sleep and covered his ears.

'He is sleeping and I should do something to wake him up. He shouldn't have thrown me from the couch.' I thought to myself.

I ran to the kitchen and pulled out a large bucket of ice cubes from the refrigerator and added a little water in it, ignoring Ben who was doing I don't know what in hell, and went back to Rowan followed by rather curious Benjamin.

"Rowan I am telling you one last time to wake up or you gonna regret it," I warned him but no response.

I sighed loudly, "So regret it is then." I murmured as I tossed the whole bucket of ice cubes at him. He sat up immediately, startled. He was fully wet and when he realized what had happened to him, his face was red.

"This seater is still new and you have gotten it all wet." Ben ran around, throwing Rowan off the couch, starting a fuss over the couch being all wet but my eyes were fixated on the red-looking Rowan who was still processing the prank.

"You did not do this." He gritted out in anger.

"Oh, but I did" I smirked at him.

"Then you should run for your life," He said already coming after me and I started to run. He ran after me to catch me as I was laughing loudly, running around the living room. Benjamin shook his head and muttering some words under his breath he walked away to the kitchen probably to find a way to dry the couch.

We ran around the table and soon he caught me and threw a punch on my stomach playfully. We fought like kids, shouting and whining, and played on the floor laughing like crazy until his eyes landed on something and his eyes widened. Following his gaze, I saw he was looking at the clock, and when I saw the time my eyes bulged out of my sockets because it was already 11:30 and we cursed loudly.

"SHIT." and ran to get ready in our rooms. "No cursing in my presence. First, you get the couch all wet and now you curse." Benjamin warned as he yelled from downstairs but we just laughed at this, trying to get ready as fast as possible and reach the office.

By the time we got to the office, it was already 5 minutes to 12. We hurried to our offices and engaged ourselves in work. It had only been 15 minutes since I came that Claire knocked and walked into my office. She was wearing pastel pants with a white button-down shirt, which had a flower print and a necktie design on it.

"I thought you would take a day off," She said coming towards me. She was holding a red file in her hand.

"No. I just worked till late at night so just went to sleep late." I lied, rather too smoothly. She nodded and slid the file on the table towards me. I looked at it and then back at her, questioning her with raised eyebrows.

"Some decoration samples for the opening ceremony. It's Tuesday today and the work is almost done. I am thinking to held the party next Saturday. Alana and I have already seen the samples. We like them but if you have any particular preference, please let me know." Claire said.

I looked at her, amazed and wondering that how can someone's voice sound this smooth and calming. Her voice always felt like a spell, transferring everyone into the soothing world.

I opened the file. There were different samples of different things like chairs, glasses, flowers, lightning, sitting arrangement and all. "Which one do you think is best?" I asked going through them.

She pointed to the ones she liked. "I like these ones."

I put them all aside and closing the file, I gave her the pictures she pointed out, "me too... and Saturday is fine with me and Rowan coz it's a day off. You just have to tell. you can discuss the designs with Rowan if you want." I smiled. She looked at me with those big eyes of hers, making me stare deep in them.

She looked like she was deep in thought, maybe because of my comment. I flinched my nose and mouth as I added; "I know. I am too good to be real. Always kind and humble with others. Always trying to make time for everything."

She seemed to come out of her trance because she shook her head at me with a small smile and an eye roll; "You are so full of yourself Hernandez, but don't worry, Rowan was kind enough to lend a hand in helping with arrangements. He has already selected the same designs. The invitation will be sent to you soon. Until then," she grabbed her file and stood up straight. "I shall take my leave. Have gotten a lot of things to do." She said and left.

I sighed with a strangely huge smile on my face. The rest of the day went by quickly, and as usual, Rowan left early, and I was left alone. It was already late, and I was exhausted, so I decided to call it a day and grabbed my things to leave.

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