A Dime a Dozen

Brothers

I sat watching the party goers as they smiled, chatted, and danced. Lifting my drink to my lips, I mutter, "How much longer?"

"He should be arriving soon," Jack's voice crackles through my earpiece. "Our in-tell said the meeting would be at seven. It's almost seven."

"Why couldn't Jasmine so this?"

I hear him sigh. "Because it's her job to get close to him. You are the look out. We had to bring you along. Trust me, I also would rather not have you here."

Sighing, I set my drink down and turn my eyes back to the door. I will Braxton to show up. The sooner he did, the sooner I could leave.

"Waiting for someone?" A voice asks from my right.

My eyes flick over to the owner of the voice. His copper colored hair is neatly combed back. He wears a suit, like most of the party goers, but his jacket isn't buttoned, and he isn't wearing a tie. He smiles gently, his blue eyes locked on mine.

I can hear Jack telling me to get rid of him, not that I would need his command. The man's interest seems earnest and friendly, but I just want to leave.

"My fiancé," I tell him, looking back to the door.

The man chuckles. I slowly turn my head to look at him.

"Is something funny?" I ask, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes. The fact that of all the lies you could have told me; you chose the one that was most obviously a lie." I open my mouth to protest, but he cuts me off. "If you were waiting for your fiancé, you'd have a ring, which you don't. It's possible that you forgot to wear it but seeing as there is no suntan mark from wearing a ring, you'd have to be recently engaged, and I've never met a recently engaged woman who goes anywhere without her ring. Then again, you could be mad at him, but I doubt any man would be foolish enough to keep their angered fiancée waiting at a party such as this."

I sit still for a second before I let out my held breath and close my mouth to a smile, closing my eyes. "I suppose it's too late to go with 'boyfriend'" I say, opening my eyes to look into his.

"You could try, but I don't think I'd have to tell you I'd already know you'd be lying."

I can hear Jack telling me to get rid of the guy and refocus. I decide to ignore him. In one smooth motion, I tuck my hair behind my left ear and remove my earpiece, dropping it to the ground.

I offer the man my right hand. "Ruby."

He takes my hand and kisses it. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Ruby. I'm Caspian, but you can call me Cas."

"Cas?"

"It's what my friends call me."

"We're friends? We've only just met."

"Last I checked, friendships start when two people met and decide to get to know each other."

"Are you saying you want to get to know me?"

"I wouldn't be opposed to it."

I laugh.

"Would you like to see the garden?" Caspian suddenly asks.

"There's a garden here?"

"Yes. Most people don't know about it though because it's on the roof."

My eyes drift to the elevators which are blocked by security guards. Without thinking, I lean forward and whisper. "Something tells me its off limits to the guests, so unless you have a plan to get past the guards, I don't think that's an option."