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Post by Amber Jacobs on Aug 15, 2015 0:50:20 GMT
"I knew it," Amber's assistant Cassidy practically sing-songed as she held up a few different outfits for the blonde to wear.
"You're not actually helping when you say that, you know that?" Amber insisted as she quickly tapped out emails on her computer in her office. It was probably a complete abuse of power that, for the second time in less than a week, several of the employees at Glamour were working hard to make sure she looked her best. One of them was fixing her hair with a flat iron while the other was touching up her make up between emails that she was sending out. Cassidy was running back and forth with dresses from the closet along with matching shoes and accessories.
"None of those are really, right Cassidy."
"I don't know why you're acting so nervous about what clothes to wear with a guy who's seen you without any clothes on. It's just dinner."
Amber sighed and looked at Cassidy, who she knew had a point. The young, sometimes too-outspoken, brunette that she'd brought with her from California to continue working as her assistant had a valid point. And maybe a while ago, Amber thought that she was all done with firsts. Her first kisses, first drinks, first time having sex- even her first time with Brandon himself had all happened years ago. Her first job, her first heartache, her first marriage had also come and gone. But this was her first date with Brandon, and she wasn't going to lie to herself and convince herself that it wasn't special because it was. It was the date she'd been waiting to be asked on for quite some time.
"Brandon and I have never been on a date in any sort of official capacity. In the course of over ten years, we never actually have gone out and had dinner as a date," she emphasized and that was all she had to say, because almost as if a lightbulb flashed over her head, Cassidy nodded and ran out of her office only to return with a dress. It was simple, elegant and almost sweet in the way it was cut while also designed to show off just enough skin, which she was sure Brandon would appreciate. Firing off one last email, she shut down her computer and grinned. "Perfect."
And then, an embarrassingly long time later considering it was dinner with someone she'd known her entire life, she made her way out of her office building and smiled broadly when she saw Brandon waiting for her. She did, however cringe when Cassidy came rushing out of the building, taking off in the direction of the subway station but flashed Amber a thumbs up and called out something over her shoulder that almost definitely included the words 'get lucky.'
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Post by Brandon Finn on Aug 15, 2015 1:21:54 GMT
He had made the change from one suit to another, swapping out his business attire for a something slightly more comfortable. He had ditched the tie and had instead left the tip two buttons of his shirt undone.
Brandon had smirked to himself when he realized he knew exactly how to make this the stereotypical date he has promised her.
He was a going a little above and beyond what he might have some for any other date, but he felt that she had deserved more than the others. Nor just because she had put up with him for a lot longer than anyone else has, but because he wanted this to be special for her.
The car pulled up outside of her building just moments before he was set to meet her. He stepped outside of the car and leaned against it as he waited, a rose in hand for her.
He saw her exit the building, as beautiful as always, and grinned at her. Pushing himself off from the car, he walked over to greet her, handing the flower to her. "Amber, you look beautiful."
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Post by Amber Jacobs on Aug 15, 2015 1:32:05 GMT
When her eyes first settled on him, she had to take a moment to breathe and she thought it was funny. After all, Cassidy had been correct. Amber had spent hours - sometimes even days at a time with Brandon. He knew her best and knew her at her very worst. But this was a bit different and she thought that maybe it was even a chance to start fresh. So she drank in the sight of him for a moment, leaning against the car with that smirk on his face that had always made her heart beat quicken.
Amber bit her lip as he approached, taking the flower and looking at it for a moment before she beamed up at him. "Thank you," she replied to his compliment. "You look very handsome yourself, and this is very sweet," she gestured to the rose, sniffing it lightly before leaning up on her toes to press her lips to his cheek. She let him walk her back towards the car and when he pulled the door open, she slid inside and waited for him to join her. "Where are we going?" she asked curiously, her hand finding his so that she could intertwine their fingers. She would have been more than content in the Penthouse, lounging on the couch in one of his shirts watching a bad movie on television and eating take out with him, but she was lying if she tried to say that she hadn't been hoping for this date for a very long time.
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Post by Brandon Finn on Aug 15, 2015 12:21:45 GMT
It was tempting to abandon the entire idea of a date and to return to his penthouse. To abandon the expectation that he was supposed to play the role of a charming suitor and to fall back into their own pattern.
But, he reminded himself, this wasn't just a date. This was truly meant to be something more - something that showed her that he changed, and that he could be the sort of person who could potentially settle down with her. Well, as settled as he could ever be.
He smiled, squeezing her hand, "I made us reservations for dinner and thought we could grab drinks afterwards."
Getting reservations at the newest restaurant from the most popular chef in the city had been easy, it just took a few instances of his assistant's shameless name dropping, but knowing what to do next had been a little more difficult.
Even now he wasn't sure whether he should remind her of all of the things they used to do in the back of town cars. Or if he should continue to play nice for now. "So tell me, how was your day?"
See? He wanted to say. He could be domestic too.
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Post by Amber Jacobs on Aug 15, 2015 13:54:17 GMT
She smiled when he explained their plans and nodded at him before she looked down at the rose in her hand and twirled then stem idly between her fingers. Amber had spent the majority of the day thinking about Brandon since leaving the Penthouse that morning. Cassidy had rushed over two cups of coffee and a change of clothes for her for the day when Brandon had gone out for his morning run. When he returned she got ready with him and the two of them had left together, trading kisses and laughter in the elevator on the way out.
She thought that it was almost easy to slip into the old routines. After all, to some degree back then, they'd been together. Spending time with Brandon consumed her the way it does when you're 18 and in love. But this was different, and she knew that he was making a concentrated effort to show her just how different it was.
"My day," she hummed thoughtfully. "It was all right, it's a little stressful adjusting to a new job at a new magazine," she admitted. "And the fashion editor doesn't like me because she thinks that I'm after her job, which is fine because ultimately I am," she laughed. "But mostly it was all right. I thought of you a lot," she added, smiling up at him. "What about you?"
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Post by Brandon Finn on Aug 15, 2015 15:09:33 GMT
His own day had followed his tried and true routine. Waking up beside a beautiful woman and attempting to slip out for his morning run before she noticed. What he wasn't used to was having her still be there when he got home. Or having her there as he showered and got dressed for the day. And while there was nothing to complain about having her there, he had to smile softly thinking of how she had teased and flirted even through brushing their teeth.
It was perfectly normal, however, to arrive to work just in time to find his father's assistant passing more paperwork off to his own assistant. He had sighed as he had crossed into his office and shut the door behind him. A lot of his work had become this - just paperwork, meetings, and client lunch or dinner appointments. It had steadily increased in familiarity as he had become closer to taking over the company. His father had always said that his job was much more about putting out fires than anything else.
"Just like any other day," he nodded. "Well, with one notable exception."
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Post by Amber Jacobs on Aug 15, 2015 16:06:30 GMT
Amber looked up at Brandon and tilted her head. "One exception?" she asked with a grin. "Hopefully the good kind," she laughed even as she scooted a bit closer to him.
In the past, being in the back of a town car with Brandon meant something entirely different than hand holding and small talk. It took some taking used to. And there was a small voice in her head that told her she should lean up to his ear and tell him to just take her to the Penthouse. But then a louder voice reminded her that things had changed and if they wanted to know what a fresh start would entail, this was where to start.
Then it occurred to her that she didn't know what an average day at the office meant for Brandon. She could imagine, but for ten years, she'd missed out on the daily comings and goings of his life. Naturally, he was getting ready to take over his father's company, that had been decided long ago. "Do you like work?" she asked curiously.
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Post by Brandon Finn on Aug 15, 2015 20:18:18 GMT
It seemed like a loaded question. Like was really such a subjective word. He tolerates work. He was good at what he did - but really, when it came down to it, his job was nothing more than establishing relationships with prominent figures in the community. He sold the idea of the Finn Industries without ever selling a product or writing a single invoice. All in the hopes of forging enough of a partnership that may be mutually beneficial in the long run.
"Working or my job in particular?" He shrugged and looked out the window for a second, giving it a moment of thought. "I haven't done anything else since graduating from college, so it's really comfortable. And I'm damn good at my job, which helps."
The town car stopped in front of the restaurant and he squeezed her hand once more before untangling his hang from hers. Softly telling her to stay here, he exited the car and walked around to the other side to open the door and extend his hand to her again.
He continued to hold her hand even as they entered the restaurant and were promptly escorted to a private table. Holding out her chair or her, he took the seat across from her and smiled. Not too shabby, he thought, complementing himself on having made all of the clichéd first date moves so far. He regretted that he had never done this for her before.
"I'm sorry I never took you out like this."
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Post by Amber Jacobs on Aug 15, 2015 22:18:38 GMT
Amber nodded and listened to Brandon. Listening to him talk about work she filed it away for a later conversation. She felt like she could have lived her life a lot differently, she could have stayed in New York City and kept a busy social schedule and done well for herself. She could have made money on her name and social status alone. But part of the reason she'd gone to California was to explore and find out what she was capable of.
When he squeezed her hand she realized they'd arrived at their destination. She did her best to hide her goofy grin as he led her inside and pulled her hair out for her. She was just about to make some sort of teasing comment about how things had changed when he apologized to her and she felt a small pang in her chest.
"It's okay," she assured him. And she meant it. There had been many times in the past when she wondered why he never asked her out but took other women out, when he would often end up in her bed later that night. Or why other men took her out for the evening only for her to find her way to him at the end of the night. For a while, it had upset her. But to a degree, she understood that they'd never been ready for that step back then. "I'm glad you asked me tonight though," she added.
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Post by Brandon Finn on Aug 16, 2015 0:06:15 GMT
After having ordered them a bottle of wine, he found himself thinking of the other ways he might have needed to make up to her for his former mistakes.
At eighteen he hadn't known how to show her that he cared. He had resorted to the equivalent of pulling her pigtails. Everything he had done had been in some way a strategy to drive her closer to him. Whether it was instigating a fight so they could make up, or telling her that he loved her and refusing to call her for days.
But now at thirty, all of the games seemed unnecessarily hurtful. And not just for her. He truly cared for her, and he was convinced that he was going to do everything he could to show her this time.
"I'm glad you agreed to come with me." The server poured them both glasses of wine and he held his up to her. "Should we drink to second chances?"
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Post by Amber Jacobs on Aug 16, 2015 0:37:19 GMT
If there was a checklist somewhere of all of the necessary steps for a successful date, Amber was certain Brandon was checking off every item in a meticulous fashion. She appreciated it, possibly more than she had ever expected. Amber realized that she may have spent so many years downplaying how much she wished he would ask her out, but that she couldn't help but be a bit giddy and awestruck that they were there.
Tilting her head at him, she couldn't help her slight laugh. "Of course I said yes, Brandon," she nodded. "I've been waiting over ten years for this date, couldn't very well miss it."
Lifting her glass, she bobbed her head. "To second chances. And to us." She took a sip from her glass and couldn't help but beam at him.
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Post by Brandon Finn on Aug 16, 2015 2:36:20 GMT
He set his wine glass down with a grin. While he hadn't consciously been waiting for this date, part of him felt like this is what they had been working toward all of this time. Perhaps an even smaller part of him was just a tiny bit glad she had gone to California - because it had gotten them here.
"Has it been worth the wait?" He was fairly certain that he already knew the answer, but he didn't miss the opportunity for an ego boost.
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Post by Amber Jacobs on Aug 16, 2015 3:13:56 GMT
Amber laughed softly and then looked at Brandon for a moment. "That's a silly question," she pointed out before glancing away. "You always have been," she blushed a bit at the admission. "I remember waiting to see if you were ever even going to notice me when we were younger," she nodded with a laugh. Amber recalled the way she'd observed the steady stream of girls that had rotated in and out of Brandon's life, even when they'd been younger. And she was never sure if it was a regard for their friendship or lack of interest that kept him from pursuing her, but she'd eventually determined neither was a very good reason and taken matters into her own hands. And then she'd just refused to leave - metaphorically and literally by becoming a more permanent fixture in his life and by not being gone in the morning when he woke up. Sometimes, she remembered worrying that he would get fed up and be done with her all together. What she absolutely did not want to mention is that even now, sitting across from him she was slightly worried he'd change his mind. That he would realize that being on an actual date with her was not what he'd built up in his head over the years and be done with her.
She pushed those thoughts out of her head and took another sip of wine. Placing her glass down, she leaned in a bit, resting her forearms on the table. "This really is lovely, though, Brandon. You certainly know how to make a girl feel special," she grinned.
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Post by Brandon Finn on Aug 16, 2015 14:12:44 GMT
There was a difference, he thought, between noticing a person and knowing what to do once you had. He couldn't pinpoint exactly when he had first seen her, but he did remember the first time that he realized that he didn't want her to leave.
But then she has. Whether or not he was directly responsible for her leaving - or for not making her stay - that was the kind of history that someone couldn't just let go. It was going to take some time but he was determined to get past it.
He smiled at her, "That was the point."
There was some history between them that he was glad to have though. "It's nice to know that we probably won't doing anything that will almost get us arrested tonight."
There were certain illicit activities they had taken part of before that he would always think of fondly, but some sense if adult responsibility made him glad that they weren't those people anymore. Besides, neither of them were really in any position to be getting into too much trouble with the positions they held in life. The thought made him remember the way Ambers assistant - Cassidy, he thought it was - had dashed off as he greeted Amber earlier in the evening. He vaguely wondered why he hadn't actually met her yet. Even after having delivered coffee and fresh clothes for Amber to his Penthouse.
"Now that I've taken you out, does that mean you're going to stop hiding your assistant from me?" He was assuming he was part of her life again. At least a bigger part than he had been before.
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Post by Amber Jacobs on Aug 16, 2015 14:38:19 GMT
Amber laughed into her wine glass and thought back on the less than legal activities the two of them had ever engaged in. While every memory she had with Brandon was something she wouldn't have traded in for anything, there were some instances where the two of them made errors in judgment in their youth that she wasn't sure if she should laugh or cringe at. "No, no arrests. Which is great, because I don't look good in orange at all," she quipped.
She thought back to the person that she had been before leaving New York City versus the person that she was now, she was realizing that however much she teased Brandon for any of the changes he'd made - they both had changed significantly. After all, that was what had them sitting at that table tonight.
At the mention of her assistant, Amber's eyebrow ticked up and she looked up at Brandon. "I'm not hiding Cassidy from you," she countered before taking a moment to think about her words. "Cassidy is a very sweet girl, she worked with my out in California as an intern and I liked her so much I wanted to give her a job. She even lived with me for a little while before she could afford a place of her own," Amber nodded thoughtfully. "I insisted on having her come with me to the Glamour office because she became indispensable as my assistant but also one of my very closest friends, almost like family, which is nice since my own family has ceased in speaking to me," she chuckled dryly. "But because of that, Cassidy thinks that she is the expert on and biggest cheerleader of all things related to the two of us," she admitted with a slight blush. "It was her idea that I attend the reunion and she seems to be of the opinion we're...I forgot the word she used," Amber lied. "But it's all very fantastical and I didn't want her to say something off the wall."
She bit her lip and shrugged. "You can meet her, if you'd like to. She's actually quite eager to meet you. But I'm warning you, she's very invested, and somewhat protective."
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