Rafael, looked around the huge party hall, he hasn't been to a party in a while but he couldn't turn down this invitation which is why he was here, as always he felt out of place and wanted to be anywhere but here, a lot of people have stopped by to say hello to him, people he knew and didn't know, he didn't like that so much attention was coming his way, yet he saw it coming, it always happens every events he attend but he didn't have a choice, Lucas was a good business partner and he had to be around for the opening of his new hotel, even though they have been rivals in acquiring this particular property, and he had lost it to Lucas, he saw Lucas as a friendly competition, one of the few business men he respected that's why when Lucas had invited him, he couldn't turn him down, which is why he was here, he caught a late flight in his private jet to New York and would be leaving when the party is over, he didn't plan on staying in New York he looked around for Caleb who said he would be here but he wasn't any where, they were supposed to come to new york together but Caleb had a business here so he came in since wednesday, maybe he decided not to attend after all, Caleb and Lucas didn't have such a good history, not after Lucas dragged Caleb's family to court and won, well that was years ago and they have been civil since then, and Lucas even invited Caleb which shows they are good, so where is the damn man? Rafael looked around again, he felt lonely, everyone here had a plus one except him, he should really, really start dating again, no more waiting or he might become depressed, loneliness was bad.
"Chicken,"
He whispered under his breath, looking around again for his only friend.
"Are you looking for me?"
He heard Caleb's voice, he turned to see him walking towards him with a blonde pretty lady at his side, yeah the one who is supposed to be in love with his personal assistant, the very same idiot has another woman in his arms right now, for once he wanted to fight for Armani and give his best friend a good ass kick.
"Why would I be looking for you?"
"You know I am your only friend, anyway meet my friend, Josie, she is from Italy, we met when I went on vacation in Italy two years ago and she is here for now,"
Caleb said, Rafael smiled at the pretty lady, she smiled back at him.
"Nice to meet you, it's the first time I am meeting an Italian with a name like yours,"
"I know right? My mom is an explorer, she gave me the name, don't ask me why, even I don't know but my full name is Josephine, Allegra Esposito, but just call me Josie, I have heard so much about you and it is nice to meet you,"
She said offering her hand, he took it and dropped a polite kiss on it, he liked how she introduced herself and her wide smile too.
"It's nice to meet you too Josie,"
"Okay, introduction out of the way, let's get this party rolling,"
Caleb said in excitement both Rafael and Josie started laughing, then Josie excused herself, Rafael watched her leave, she walked with so much grace.
"You like what you see right?"
Caleb asked when she was out of hearing spot, he nodded.
"She is not just beautiful but has the brains too,"
He further revealed, Rafael could already tell with how well she spoke, her Italian accent adding so much class to her words, definitely his kind of woman.
"Okay, let's not go there, red flag, red, flag, warning sign, warning sign,"
The voice in his head alerted with its false alarm, he just ignored it.
"Okay, I have to go right now, I already said hi to Leah, who is the only one that doesn't hate me in that family,"
Caleb said looking at his watch, he thought Lucas and Caleb were cool maybe he had thought wrong.
"I thought you guys were cool, I mean you and Lucas,"
"Yeah, we are but not enough for him to invite me hers, it was Leah that called me, that's his oldest sister and I have said hi to her so I can go now, remember the stuff we talked about, I think this is the right time to start,"
"Oh, that's good to know, I will see you back in New York then,"
"Sure, man, look out for Josie for me, will you? She doesn't have a date, since I know you don't too, may I ask for you to at least have a dance with her?"
He requested.
"Sure, that's not a problem, I will call you,"
"Alright,"
Caleb said and left, Rafael looked around the place again, the hotel was huge, the auditorium could fit a whole building, he must admit, Lucas used this place well, even though he knew he would have done much better, he saw Reuben the original owner who had sold the property to Lucas, they still had a warm relationship as he liked the old man, even though he never fulfilled his promise of bringing his wife to him in California, things got rough before he even had a chance to tell her about it, his eyes landed on someone familiar.
Rafael saw her, at first he thought it might have been a mistake but when he looked again, it was her Nicole, she was still there, she was standing alone and looking so lost and out of place, his heartbeat increased, she was the one, what was she doing here in New York and how is she at Lucas's party, maybe he invited her too, she was alone, he looked around for the man he had seen her with but she wasn't with anyone, he walked towards her, she was smiling at a lady who said something to her, his heart raced as he walked closer to her, she hasn't seen him yet, what would her reaction be if she sees him, wait, maybe it wasn't her, maybe, could it be her twin Natalie? She was the party type and not Nicole, he paused and looked at her again, all indications from her body language to how she stood looking, plus his heart racing at the sight of her points out that she was the one, he started walking again but was stopped by a business associate, by the time he finished talking to the man, she left where she was, he looked around for her but she wasn't anywhere around, maybe she left or maybe he had been hallucinating again.