"So now he's an asshole?" I giggled.
"I never said he wasn't."
NICK
Saturday morning arrived rather too quickly for Nick. He had spent all week making final arrangements with Zia for the party. He had worked on coordinating the rest of his plans to get Sara to come to the party even though some of the plans were cancelled - like the dozen roses he had wanted to send her but canceled when he realized that could make her overly cautious.
That morning as he gazed at his property from his bedroom window, it looked so different. It had looked like a golf course, and now it looked like a wedding reception site. Between the chairs, tents, flowers, and all the staff wandering around adding the final touches, it looked like someone was about to get married. But that's how it always seemed with these parties. All the hustling and bustling was worth it, though, to preserve their preservation. He saw Zia, dressed in a short dress, holding a clipboard and shouting instructions to the crew. He smiled. Zia always had things under control.
He hated having to dress up and tolerate old men and their catty wives for hours on end. But there was something about today that made him feel differently. Sara Nolles. She had never called to cancel her invitation. She had confirmed that she would ride in the limo sent to pick her up, which was good. She was going to be there.
He tried to remember her as she was in the cafe – beautiful and feisty. Now he was going to be within reach of her in a few hours. She was going to be in his home where he had privacy. Maybe she would let him near her. He had sensed at their first meeting that she was overly cautious, so he knew wooing her was going to be an uphill battle.
He took a shower, dressed in white linen pants and shirt and went outside to join Zia. Several of his staff greeted him as he passed them.
"Hey, Zia," he called, kissing his sister on both cheeks.
"What is this I hear about the limo picking some girl up for the party?"
Nick looked at her, wondering how to handle her. If he blew her off and she discovered Sara at the party, she could cause a scene. "Do you need the limo?"
"No, I have my own," she smirked. “You’re evading my question.”
"Why are you so concerned with what I'm doing with my limo?"
"Because you've never sent the limo to pick up a girl. Is she the one that's got you all flustered? The one I said to fuck and get over?”
Nick looked around and noticed some of his staff looking at them. They pretended to be working, but he knew they were listening. He didn't want rumors spreading about Sara before she even met him as Nick Saunders. And Zia using words like fuck, even though it didn’t bother him, sort of undermined Sara, and he desperately wanted to protect her reputation.
"Zia, people are paying attention," Nick said as he pulled her to the side.
"She's the one that's got you flustered, isn't she?"
"I like her," Nick finally admitted to his sister, his lip curled. “But she’s none of your business.”
"You don't sound too pleased. If you like her, you should look happier," Zia said, looking him up and down. “Besides, any girl that comes into your life is my business. And you should know that.”
"I’m not angry. Sometimes you can be so self-absorbed. You think everything is about you." Nick sighed, exasperated.
“It’s not all about me?” Zia said, laughing. “I’ve been delusional.”
“Z, you’re a piece of work. One day you’re going to really put your foot in your mouth.”
"But you’ll be around the corner to save my butt if that were to ever happen.”
"I can't do it forever, you know," Nick said. “Save your butt.”
"Whatever. So, who is she? Wait, don't tell me. She's that Sara somebody on our guest list, isn't she?"
Nick nodded. There was no point denying what his sister would find out in a couple of hours. What did it matter at that point anyway? Sara was coming and that's all that mattered.
"Have I met her?" Zia asked, more relaxed now.
"No."
"Where did you meet her?"
"It's a long story," Nick said.
"Well, lucky for you, I have time to listen to my brother tell me about the love of his life."
"It’s not like that. She doesn't even know me, at least not the way you think."
Zia looked at Nick. "Okay, Nick Saunders, you better start talking. You’re sending a limo to get some girl you don’t know. Start talking.”