Is this destiny?

~ Los Angeles, Cliffside villa ~

November 27

10:52 AM

Emma is using the treatment room for Charlie. Since Aiden\'s birthday party (10 days ago), Charlie is coming to the Cliffside villa for his treatments and he stays at least one hour after each treatment to chat with Emma.

Charlie likes to spend time with Emma here. Sarah is usually busy, and so are Sophia and Felix. The staff is practically invisible, so there is no one to interrupt his Emma-time.

His favorite spot is on the bench in front of the cage with birds and sometimes they move next to the pond with koi fish.

Emma appreciates that Charlie started coming to the Cliffside villa. It\'s more convenient since she does not need to think about the commute, and all the necessary equipment is here. Sarah made sure that one room has everything Emma needs because of Aiden\'s and her treatments.

Emma enjoys her chats with Charlie, and since their almost-argument (how she calls it) he didn\'t mention that confusing friendship nonsense.

…

Sarah was surprised when JoAnna announced her arrival. It seems that she wants to talk about something. Why else would she come on a weekday?

Sarah raised her eyebrows questionably when she saw JoAnna come with… Brian.

"Guess who I bumped into on the way here?", JoAnna said with a big grin while giving Sarah a hug.

"Hi, Brian…", Sarah greeted him and wondered how is it possible that her sister just bumped into Brian?

"What are you up to?", Sarah asked JoAnna with a whisper when Brian was out of the earshot.

JoAnna innocently blinked. "I don\'t understand your question. He was available, and I needed someone to carry boxes with IV supplies for Aiden."

"Poor Anna… no one to help you…", Sarah said sarcastically while waving to Bob1 and Bob2 who are standing idle next to the car.

JoAnna was trying hard to suppress her smile. Sarah busted her right away. "When is Charlie\'s treatment over?"

"In few minutes."

JoAnna turned to Brian. "Brian, can you help bring the boxes down? I will show you where…"

…

After the treatment ended, Emma and Charlie went to the garden, for their chat. Genie brought them freshly squeezed juice as a refreshment and cookies.

"I told you already, Charlie is her patient.", Sarah heard JoAnna advise Brian. "The treatment is over, so you can talk to her now."

Sarah watched Brian as he smoothened his hair with palms before walking toward Emma and Charlie.

"You did this on purpose.", Sarah told JoAnna as they watched Brian approach Emma.

"Of course.", JoAnna has no intention of denying it. "I\'m aware that Charlie is wishy-washy. He needs to make up his mind already. This is taking too long. When I heard from Ellie that Brian is still mentioning Emma, and that he is in Los Angeles, I\'ve got a brilliant idea. So… I gave him a call and asked if he wants a chance to talk to Emma. He didn\'t miss a beat before responding..."

…

At that time in the garden…

Emma and Charlie are chatting while looking at the birds in the massive cage in front of them.

"Emma…"

Emma stiffened at the sound of Brian\'s voice. She could recognize that voice in her sleep! Emma slowly turned toward him. When she confirmed that it\'s Brian and not her imagination, her eyes widened and she bolted up on her feet.

"Brian…", Emma said under her breath.

"Uhm… hi…", Brian smiled shyly and scratched his head, spoiling any smoothening of his unrully hair he did while walking there. Somehow, the messy hair suits him better.

"Anna asked for my help with carrying the medicine, and I heard you are here..."

At the sight of Brian\'s mesmerizing smile, Emma had to remind herself to breathe. As much as she thought that she is OK, she can\'t deny that her heart is racing when she is looking at Brian. Various images of their time at the wedding flooded her mind, and she blushed. They kissed a lot. Those full lips are made for kissing, and he knows how to use them just right. Oh, and he looks super-yummy.

"Emma?", Brian\'s voice pulled Emma from her daze.

"Can we talk?", Brian tilted his head to the right indicating that he wants a chat in private.

Emma inhaled sharply. "Sure…"

She made a step toward Brian and then realized that Charlie is right there.

"Uhm… I will be back in a minute.", Emma mumbled before walking away with Brian.

Charlie watched Emma and Brian walk… stop… and face each other. He could not hear what they were talking about, but he didn\'t miss Emma\'s reaction when she saw Brian. And she didn\'t even introduce him!

Charlie frowned while thinking, who is that guy? Why did he make Emma flustered in an instant? Why is Emma smiling so much? Did he just push a lock of Emma\'s hair behind her ear? Why is he acting so intimate with her… and she does not mind?

If Charlie paid attention to Emma during Jeff\'s and JoAnna\'s wedding, he would know who Brian is (and realize how much of a danger Brian is to him), but alas… at that time, he was busy with his uncle, mingling with people who bring value to Smithsonite corp.

Sarah and JoAnna observed the trio from the distance.

Sarah shook her head while JoAnna had a satisfying smirk on her face.

"Do you disapprove?", JoAnna asked Sarah.

"Not really. I just don\'t understand your need to meddle."

"Emma is my friend. And she has lingering feelings toward Brian while not acknowledging her feelings toward Charlie. I\'m just helping sort things out."

Sarah gave a side-glance to JoAnna. "You call this sorting things out?"

"Yes. Emma is attracted to both of them, and each of the guys has one thing that Emma sees as an obstacle. But the biggest difference is that Brian was always straightforward. He likes her and he makes sure she knows it. Did she ever smile like that with Charlie? I\'m not saying that her feelings toward Brian are stronger, or that Brian is a better guy for Emma than Charlie... but Charlie is not the one making her smile like that. And right now, Charlie will either self-destruct or be honest with Emma."

"You think that Charlie will tell Emma that he likes her because of this?"

"I don\'t know if he will go that far, but I hope that he will realize that she is not waiting for him to grow a pair. If he doesn\'t change his behavior soon, he will lose her... If not to Brian, someone else will come and swoop her off her feet. But that is up to them. My job is done.", JoAnna proudly declared and switched to serious-mode. "I need to confirm: are you coming to Austin with us this weekend?"

Sarah confirmed. "Me and four people. Saturday morning, and we are returning on Sunday evening. You get me for two days, and we will spend the evening out."

Sarah is not comfortable leaving Aiden overnight, but Emma will stay at the Cliffside villa and all the girls will be there as well, so they can help Emma if needed. Sarah will take with her Jesse, Haru, Ade and Jamari.

JoAnna was surprised that Sarah will spend the evening out. "You have plans?"

"Yes."

Sarah wants to go to the White & Black club. Now that Aiden can\'t go, she will. And she wants to talk with Chad about recruiting more people.

Depending how the night goes, they might go to other clubs as well. Jesse, Haru, Ade and Jamari could use some practice by fighting in the cage.

Also, if she gets a chance, she will try out her hand. Sarah is still unable to perform fine motor movements that require precision and control of strength, like typing on the keyboard or holding a pen, but smacking things (and people) is not a problem because she can make a fist.

JoAnna saw that Sarah has no intention of clarifying further and didn\'t want to be nosy. She is content that Sarah is comming with them to the White Mansion.

"How come you are here?", Sarah asked JoAnna.

"I came to bring supplies. With Brian."

Sarah raised an eyebrow at JoAnna\'s weak attempt to avoid the point she was going for. "My question is about the timing. It\'s Wednesday, work hours. Don\'t you have a job now?"

JoAnna puffed her cheeks while trying to evade Sarah\'s gaze. But she can see that Sarah is not willing to let this go. "Uhm… the work is not as pleasurable as I thought it will be."

Sarah can tell that JoAnna is hiding something. "Last time I checked, you were excited about your latest DNA experiments. And White corp. medical research lab has plenty of gadgets which are not available anywhere else. What changed?"

"There is a woman who does not like me.", JoAnna mumbled.

"A woman? Is she after Jeff?" Sarah assumed it\'s a bed climber.

"No. She does not know that I\'m Mrs. White. But she is very unpleasant."

"Fire her."

JoAnna rolled her eyes. "You can\'t fire people because they are snobby. She will be back with a lawsuit."

"But you can fire people if they don\'t do their work. Don\'t tell me that you forgot how to push people\'s buttons and make them self-destruct.", Sarah said while gesturing toward Charlie.

JoAnna narrowed her eyes and pursed her lips while thinking about Sarah\'s words.

…

At that time, at Emma\'s and Brian\'s side…

"…I don\'t want to insist on anything that makes you uncomfortable…", Brian paused while gauging Emma\'s mood. "How about we do a lunch? And see how it goes? If you are not comfortable at any point, let me know. I am aware that because of my lifestyle you are reluctant to be in a relationship with me, but I really don\'t want us to be strangers."

Emma sighed while thinking that Brian is a nice guy and she is having a lot of fun with him. It\'s not his fault that he is a smoking-hot popular model who travels often for work.

"I don\'t want us to be strangers either.", Emma admitted.

Brian smiled hopefully. "So… lunch?"

Emma responded with a small smile. "Sure."

"Tomorrow?" He saw that Emma agreed and exclaimed: "Great! I will make a reservation and let you know…"

Brian leaned closer to Emma and she saw him lick his lips nervously.

"Can I?", his breath caressed her cheek.

Emma closed her eyes and gave a small nod in response.

He closed that miniscule distance between them and kissed her cheek.

Emma shuddered when she felt his lips brush against the corner of hers. She knows that he did that on purpose… and it\'s working because her whole body trembled while craving for more.

"Don\'t push your luck.", Emma said weakly when she opened her eyes.

"Sorry…", Brian whispered.

He caressed her cheek while saying: "You are the most beautiful girl I know, and I can\'t help myself."

He moved away and smiled brightly. "See you tomorrow!"

Emma was in a daze, watching Brian walk away with a spring in his step.

Another pair of eyes was glued on Brian, but not in a daze. If Charlie could shoot lasers out of his eyes, Brian would be in trouble.

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