Ash (darkminded) wrote in _fracture_, @ 2014-01-20 14:09:00 |
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Entry tags: | ash, chapter 1, mai, the regent hotel |
Fool's Errand?
Who: Mai and Ash
Where: Wandering the hotel
When: Morning
Mai didn’t think this was the hotel they’d stopped in. Sure, it was late when they finally pulled over to find a place to crash, but hadn’t it been like a Holiday Inn or something? It definitely wasn’t a shithole, Kai had seen too many horror films and their parents watched the news too much to let them stay in really dumpy motels, but it was definitely a run of the mill hotel. That much, a sleepy eyed Mai remembered. She thought.
She’d gotten up when the alarm on her phone went off, heading straight for the bathroom, meaning to get ready, which meant doing her hair per the instructions the hair stylist had given her, then her base make up the same way and finding something comfortable to wear to the shoot, but the bathroom was different. Like fancy different. Giant claw foot tub, ornate shower curtain in gold, sink with brass handles and a giant mirror. Looking back at the room, that wasn’t much different, large four poster bed, an actual vanity with padded stool, as well as a small table and chair and dresser and closet. Mai looked around for the door that connected their two rooms, but didn’t see it and she was almost sure that had been there.
Finding it all too curious she went for her robe instead, a bright blue silky thing with flowers embroidered up one side throwing it on over the tank top and boyshorts she’d been sleeping in and heading for the door, being sure to grab her room key and the note next to it on the way. “Kai?” she called into the hallway, looking around.
Ash had been through the whole waking up in a bizarre place thing. At first he'd been sure that it was corporate espionage. Someone had kidnapped him to keep him from preventing a hostile takeover of one of his companies. But then he'd seen the note on the bureau. That didn't sound like it belonged to a kidnapping plot to him. It did, however, feel like something worse. Like he'd fallen off the wagon. He tried to remember back to what he'd done last night. Where he'd gone. Who he'd been with. He'd been at a fundraiser. His assistant had wandered away. Maybe he'd gone for the champagne. That was disappointing. He'd come so close to fully recovering.
He found his phone in his suitcase and tried to get hold of his assistant but couldn't get through. He tried his sponsor. No go. Well, he needed to figure out where he was and how to get out of here. So he took the key beside the note and left his room. He jogged down the hall not seeing anyone then went down a floor and was about to go down another flight to the second floor when he heard a voice calling for Kai. Kai was an unusual enough name that he stopped and looked. A familiar face was partway down the hall. At least, a face from his past. He lifted a brow, now curious as to how he'd end up in the same strange hotel with Mai. She'd certainly grown up since he'd last seen her.
"Uh," he said and realized he really had no idea what to say to her.
Mai turned at the voice, frowning when it wasn't Kai. She looked at him feeling like he looked familiar, which was enough to pull her robe around her. "Um, I'm...have you seen my sister? Looks like me but, shorter."
Ash thought about telling her that he knew what her sister looked like but then he decided against it, curious to see if she’d remember him at all. He walked toward her and shook his head. “No, I’m sorry. I haven’t seen her or anyone else until you. Strange place, this.”
Mai sighed a little, wrapping the robe around her again with a sigh. “Damn. I guess I can keep looking.” She glanced at him as he came closer, feeling like maybe he was a little familiar, but she wasn’t sure where. She’d seen plenty of of people. “I swear this is not where I went to sleep. I thought it was...like from this decade.”
His brows furrowed some. “Not where you went to sleep? Sounds like my story. I just tried to call out and couldn’t so I was on my way to the front desk. But I can help you look for Kai if you need me to. Was she here?” he asked, wondering if Mai had physically seen her sister since waking up. If not, chances seemed slim that she’d be here. Although… he was here. So who knew?
Mai opened her mouth to respond then frowned again. That wasn’t right. He hadn’t gone to sleep where he was now either. “I...well she was here when we checked in. We were both really tired though so maybe I don’t remember it right… I just...I need to find her. We’ve got a shoot to get to.”
Ash glanced around the hallway, at the decor which hadn't escaped his notice before but was even more glaringly strange with Mai set against it. "I hope it's not here in this place, your shoot. Unless you're doing some retro campaign. You're Mai, right? Where would you sister likely be? Did you have separate rooms?"
Mai looked at him curiously, wrapping her arms around her more. “You...do I know you?” Maybe she had a fan. That would be a cool thing, that someone recognized her from somewhere. That would mean she was doing something right. “I assume in her room. It was supposed to be next to mine.” She looked around frowning. “Who are you?” she asked instead.
He smirked slightly when she asked if she knew him. "No, probably not," he admitted because he was pretty sure they'd only ever spoken in passing when he was serving her ice cream or something of that nature. But he'd seen her. He'd watched her whenever she'd come through wherever he happened to be. "Ash. Uh, Benjamin Asher," he clarified as it was entirely possible she had heard of him professionally. He glanced to the rooms on either side of hers. He supposed he'd interrupted her before she'd had a chance to knock on them.
Mai made a face at the name because it sounded vaguely familiar, though she wasn’t quite placing it. “Ash,” she repeated, trying to spark something but not having much luck. “But you know who I am?” That should have been really weird, but if he knew who she was because of her modeling, could she be upset? That was a good thing. It meant she was making it.
He nodded, deciding to give up the game because she had no idea who he was. Which was somewhat disappointing but to be expected. "Mmhm," he replied. "We grew up in the same town. I never forgot your favorite flavor of ice cream and sometimes it even got me a smile." He was teasing her a little, but only a very little.
Mai opened her mouth staring at him. Not a fan, ran through her mind, but that wasn’t the point. He was from her home. “You don’t live there still, do you?” She did, but only because she hadn’t managed to make it to New York yet. In fact, she hadn’t even managed to make it out of her parents’ house considering they’d made her move back home recently. “The ice cream…” She moved closer to him, staring at him more. “That...You?” She finally recognized him, trying to remember him as younger. One of her friends had thought he was cute, probably why they’d been there as often as they had one summer. She remembered now. Ben. It had a been a waste of her friend’s time considering he never really did more than give them ice cream. “Do you still remember?” she asked, hint of a smile in her eyes, but not showing on her face yet.
Ash shook his head. "No, I live in San Jose now. Do you? Still live there, I mean," he asked curiously. She looked like she'd managed to elevate herself quite a bit in the world if she was doing photoshoots. She'd certainly outgrown any awkwardness she might have appeared to have when she was younger. She was very attractive. "That me, yes," he said with a little chuckle. He caught her look and matched it, thinking a moment to see if he did still remember what her favorite flavor had been. "Hm... I want to say the homemade corn mush on flybread but that could have been your friend who was always with the moony eyes."
Mai sighed a little and nodded. “I do,” she said though she sounded disappointed about it. “Soon though, I’m going to move to New York.” She sounded happy about it, like it was just around the corner. She was doing more shoots, traveling to new places, getting closer and closer to that. Shaking her head she gave him a little look. “Not me. Chocolate. I told her she didn’t have a chance with you. She was determined that she could convince the cute older boy to pay attention to her.” Though looking at him now, really taking him in, her friend was right back then, he was handsome, just in an unconventional way, like many of the boys from home. They all seemed to grow into themselves.
Ash nodded, understanding that note of disappointment in her voice. "It's a great city. I have an apartment there for whenever I'm on the east coast for business." He mentally cataloged his contacts in the city too, wondering if there were some he could pass on to her. He'd be sure to get her number before they parted ways for that purpose. He flashed her a smile, amused by the girlishness of her friend. He said, "Oh, I paid attention. I guess just not the sort she was interested in." He really hadn't dated anyone during his time back home. Not until Bonnie had even gotten serious about anyone enough to make the time. He looked a bit wistful at that, missing the fact she was looking at him.
“You just have an apartment there?” Mai sounded in awe at that, amazed that she was standing in front of someone who just had that kind of thing. Was he rich? He probably was. He’d have to be right? Wow. Ice cream shop guy was rich. “What kind of attention were you paying then?” she asked. Her guard was more relaxed and it had her letting go of her grip on her robe, which revealed the tiny shorts and tank top she had on under it. The wistful look had her eyeing him closer, wondering what that was.
"Yep, though usually I sublet it." He thought of telling her about his apartment in Paris too but decided not to be too much of a braggart. He'd worked hard to get where he was in life and it was tempting to over share with someone who had known him back then purely to hear it appreciated. But he kind of didn't want to come across as having an over-inflated ego here. He chuckled lightly and rubbed his chin, looking a little sheepish. "Probably enjoying gossip and observations on people at other tables. Did a lot of eavesdropping in those days. That's how I knew your name and your sister's." His glance shifted slightly when her robe moved, somewhat grateful to know she was clothed underneath because it would have been much more awkward to have peeked at her in the nude.
Mai looked completely jealous at his place and how it just was. She wished it could be like that. That was her goal, but the business, as nice as it was to mostly just stand around and have her picture taken, was competitive. It didn’t stop her, because she wasn’t where she wanted to be yet, but it wasn’t going as quickly as she would have liked. “Oh so you’re nosy,” she said grinning. “What did you hear about me?”
He chuckled quietly, his shoulders shaking slightly as he looked down, away, and then back at her with a smile. "Yeah I guess I was very nosy back then. But then you were intriguing." He was almost amused that she had forgotten all about her sister, this strange place and circumstances, and seemed to be entirely ensconced in their conversation. Her focus was flattering. "I heard that you wanted people to call you Anne. About how annoying your sister could be. Wishing you were different. I always wondered at that because you were different. Are." He shrugged.
He had her attention now more than ever. “I still like Anne better,” she said smiling a little. “You were listening. You found...me intriguing?” That was surprising, that she’d grabbed his attention, not Kai. People seemed to like Kai more, probably because she was bubbly and chatty, but here was Ash telling her he’d noticed her. Even back then before there were pictures in magazines to notice.
Ash nodded. "Mai would be a great signature name for a model but I understand about not really caring for your name. I thought of changing mine a few times." He'd found a number of people intriguing during that period of his life. Her sister as well. He figured he ought to clarify so she didn't think he was a stalker or something. "You weren't the only one with interesting gossip and opinions. But yes, I definitely found you intriguing."
“It’s what I use, even if I’d rather not be called it,” Mai said with a shrug. “What’s wrong with Asher, or Ben? Seems reasonable to me.” Nothing completely old world like hers was. “Not the only one,” she said with a nod. “So I didn’t really have your attention?” It was a tease mostly, testing him. “What about now? Do I have it now?”
Ash shrugged, not really wanting to get into the fact that he'd wanted to distance himself from his father who had abandoned him to fend for himself after the death of his mother. That was a little too heavy a topic right now. "I get ideas of grandeur periodically and want to name myself something stand-out like the Philanthropist Formerly Known As - insert random symbol here," he replied with a ghost of a smile. He picked up on the fact she was teasing and gave back a little. "Sure you did. I had to earn my tip, right?" He lifted a brow and smiled a bit more. "You do, yes, Mai Anne."
“Philanthropist with a New York apartment. You really are living the life aren’t you?” Lucky him. She was still trying to claw her way there before she got too old to model. “Oh your tip from me was just keeping my friend from waiting for you after you got off work and straight up stalking you.” She found herself drifting towards him like he was actually drawing her in with some sort of tractor beam. Like all she wanted was to be closer to him. She quirked a little smile at his melding of her names, something that would never make it in a photoshoot, and probably had only ever been captured by Kai’s camera. Something a little too real. “Lucky me then.”
He looked humbled by what she said. "I worked hard for it. Left a lot of childhood behind. Lost a lot." That had him pressing his lips together, not sure why it had escaped in the first place. Maybe it had just been far too long since anyone had really recognized that he had come from nothing and really made good. "She was cute. I would have been flattered to be stalked," he said, brightening a bit with a smirk. He liked the look she gave him, the way she seemed to move closer. "Lucky me, I think. And well, maybe lucky you. I have contacts in NYC. I was planning on getting your number to pass on to them. If you wanted me to."
“Yeah but you can work really hard at something and never get it,” Mai pointed out, feeling all too much like that was what she’d seen. Same with her sister, though she’d never say it to Kai’s face. And with Ronin, despite the urge to not say nice things to Ronin until he manned up and actually asked her sister out properly. Their stupid game of cat and mouse was weird and had been forever. “You wanted some high school girl to stalk you? I’m sure you could have done better. Probably have done better.” Mai bit at her lower lip a little, hiding another one of those real smiles, at least until her eyes perked up. “You’re joking right? You’d pass my number on? Really?” Maybe she was dreaming. “I mean, of course, but yeah, wow. Thanks.”
Ash nodded, knowing his story wasn't typical. It had been born out of necessity and it was where it was by pure chance. Finding the right people to connect with who were of the right mindset to help him further himself. Sacrificing everything for who knew what outcome. He chuckled and shook his head, looking upward in amusement for a moment. "No, oh no. I didn't say I wanted to be stalked by a high school girl. Just that it would have been flattering to be liked." He looked wistful again at her mention of having done better. He had but he didn't want to let the past pull at him. He'd already fallen off the wagon, right? He needed to get back on. He shook his head. "No, not joking. I can't promise anything and I'm not exactly in the fashion industry, but I can't imagine not helping someone from home if I could."
Mai made a face and shook her head. “You were liked, don’t worry about that. Just like I’m sure you are now.” Because, yeah, the closer she got the more handsome he was. Sharp features, like something drawn rather than natural. It made her want to touch him, but she managed to keep her hands to herself. For now at least. She caught that wistful look, this time giving him a curious one of her own, but not saying anything about it. “Well, provided it’s not you taking charity on some reservation girl, then yes. Definitely. I should have a card in my bag with my information on it.” She nodded over her shoulder, then turned, expecting him to follow.
He lifted a brow. "Oh? How was it that like me because that's news to me," he said with a quiet laugh. He ran a hand back through his hair absently. He wasn't going to guess on whether or not he was liked now. Not by the people who had been in his life until very recently when he'd apparently fallen off the grid. He tried not to respond to her curious look but his expression sort of mirrored hers, curious what she was curious about. "The only charity I do is for those who need it and I have no doubt you'll make it big. I just want to say I had a hand in it," he said, still teasing a bit. He wasn't sure that he'd have done it for anyone from back home. In fact, he was pretty sure he wouldn't have. But there was something there with her. Some spark of something he couldn't put his finger on. And her focus, her focus was a bit heady. He followed, figuring that was what was expected but kept some distance.
Mai gave him a look over her shoulder. “You know you could have any of those girls. All you had to do was ask. You had that silent mysterious thing going on. And you always seemed older. The elders would call it an old soul.” And Mai twitched a little that that was what came to mind. Crazy talk. She shook her head and focused on her suitcase instead, digging around in the mess until she found the portfolio in the bottom and with a care in it. The front was her, a shot in black and white that was mostly her eyes, done by Kai and the back had all her contact information and her booking agent. “Here you go,” she said, holding it out to him, but keeping at a distance that he’d have to come closer to her to get it. “You really think I’ll make it big or are you just trying to flatter me?”
That was interesting to know. He hadn't even thought about it. It hadn't been a blip on his radar whether or not he was liked back then. There'd been too much on his plate. "I don't think the elders would have called it anything. My mother was disowned," he said lightly, not infusing the negativity that he felt about that into his statement. He stood in her doorway and watched her, mulling over the past and unintentionally finding himself looking at her behind a little. He accepted her portfolio, taking the liberty of browsing through it even though she'd probably intended for him to get the contact information from the back. He glanced up at her. "No, empty flattery really isn't my thing. And not with photos like these. He held out the portfolio to a photo of her that had a look of almost vulnerability captured. "Who took this?"
“Yeah well they were mostly stupid weren’t they?” Mai said flippantly. “They probably wouldn’t approve of most of what’s in that book, but face it, you’re an old soul Ash.” She smirked a little when he looked at her pictures, liking that. It was flattery in its own way. She glanced at the photo and smiled. “Kai. Almost everything in there is her, minus a few things pulled from magazines.” It wasn’t the big one, just the handy one that was easier to carry in her suitcase.
Ash was caught off guard by her answer and laughed. "Probably? I never met them. Don't think I'd want to, to be honest." He smiled to himself at some of what he saw in her book. She was right about them not approving but he did. He nodded when she said Kai had taken the photo he had been most drawn to. "I think we should find her so I can pass on her information too. She's definitely got a career here. She's captured bits of you that I'm not sure you realize are exposed," he said absently, not really talking about nudity or anything like that. There was a raw and uniquely beautiful side to Mai that her sister managed to find with her lens.
“I think I met a few once. Something for my father. Not fun. You aren’t missing much.” She smiled up at him, then leaned in to look at the pictures. It brought her dangerously close to him, but she didn’t mind. “You should. Pass her name on. She’s annoying as hell but she’s good. Except when she’s getting my freckles I’m not supposed to have… I think I took all of those out.”
Ash wasn't unaware of how close she'd gotten. More so he was curious what had her seemingly drawn in so. He turned over the book in his hand, snapped a picture with his cell phone of the contact info, and then handed it back to her. "That was one of the things I always overheard when Kai was around. What makes her so annoying?" he asked amusedly.
Mai took the book back and rolled her eyes, “She just is. She’s perfect all the time. And constantly getting on to me about how I behave.” It was annoying and frustrating to live in her sister’s shadow. Mai moved more into her room and tossed the portfolio on her bed before rooting around in her suitcase for clothes to change into.
Ash looked somewhat amused as she rolled her eyes. "Isn't that what older siblings are just supposed to do?" he asked, almost genuinely asking since he didn't have any siblings at all. "But she takes amazing photographs of you. It's a great collaboration. Your looks and her eye." He was honestly surprised she hadn't made it big already but he held his tongue there. He realized she was looking for clothes to change into then and thought about suggesting he wait outside but a part of him felt like pushing it, waiting to see what she said.
“Maybe, but that doesn’t make it any less annoying,” Mai said with a face before pulling out a shirt and a pair of jeans. “She is the best there is, but don’t tell her I said that.” She didn’t hesitate in slipping out of the robe and pulling off the tank top, despite him being in the room. She was used to changing in front of strangers, and more than once a lot of her had been on display. Plus, he could only see her back for a few moments before she pulled on the fresh shirt. Her jeans went on over the underwear she still had on, not needing to change anything there. “Annoying as she is though, I should be going to find her.”
Ash was torn about his response to that. He both wanted to laugh and, for whatever reason since he'd met her again, wanted to respond to the past in ways he had completely given up. He refused to go there now. "My lips are sealed," he promised her though if Kai really was the best he was probably going to end up wanting her to take headshots of him for things. He averted his eyes… mostly… when she started changing. He was a guy after all and the thought of a partially or completely naked woman would always affect him in some way. Even if there wasn't really anything to see. "Yes. Do you want me to help or should I run recognizance on the front desk?"
Mai was ducking to look in the vanity, fixing her hair a little more so the loose bun looked on purpose rather than the bedhead she’d had before then glanced up at him. “You can help. Might be nice to not be all alone in this slightly creepy hotel. Especially since I still don’t think this is where we checked in.”
Ash was pretty damned sure this wasn't where either of them had checked in and he was struggling with the idea of telling Mai that it was a distinct possibility that Kai wasn't here. Of course he didn't know that for sure but it seemed like a very good possibility. "Okay, put me to work," he said.
Mai shook her head, reaching for her key and then his arm. “Always so willing to work. I bet you don’t even take sick days,” she teased lightly as she led him back into the hall. “My guess is she’s probably downstairs in the lobby trying to sort this out. Sounds like her right? Being all responsible?”
Ash shot her an amused glance. “No, but I take long vacations,” he said though the truth was that he’d taken an entire sick year. He wasn’t overly familiar with Kai but he nodded just the same. “That sounds like a good bet especially if she still bulldozes to get what she wants.” Maybe bulldoze wasn’t the right word but he’d observed Kai, at least once, pretty much not budging on an issue until the other person in the argument acquiesced. His expression continued to be amused.
"I could go with a long vacation. Bet you went somewhere fancy too huh?" Mai smiled at him, a little more flirtatious this time as she moved them towards the elevator. "Stubborn and a mule and a...I dunno. What else is stubborn? Whatever it it's both, combined." Mai rolled her eyes again, but kept the smirk for Ash.
He thought about the vacations he'd gone on in the past and had to admit they usually were pretty fancy. Mostly because that was what Bonnie liked and she'd done the choosing. He hadn't been on an actual vacation since she'd died and his life had capsized into bottles and pills and what not. "I suppose so," he responded though, still trying not to appear big-headed. He laughed as she described Kai's stubbornness, seeking another animal to combine with a mule. "And how do you get your way usually?" he asked.
"I thought so. Well, you'll have to let me know next time you need a travel companion." It was a tease mostly, but if he wanted to take a model on vacation to let himself look good, Mai wouldn't complain. There were worse gigs. And he was nicer than most people. "Cry. Or pout." She gave him her best puppy dog face, the one that screamed pitiful.
"A vacation companion. Hm. Interesting idea and there's a certain cachet about being seen with a model or for the model to be seen internationally with a bigwig. Could be mutually beneficial." He was still fairly amused, especially because she was cute when she was being flirtatious. Then she was giving him that look and he stuck his tongue into his cheek in an attempt not to smile but he couldn't help it. That look was so effective in its calculation that he probably would give her anything she wanted if she leveled it at him for real. "That'd do it," he admitted with a laugh.
"So you do see my point. Plus, I'm actually fun to hang out with. I can carry on a conversation. Not just a pretty face." Which sometimes Mai considered a hindrance, since it wouldn't let her go blindly into things, but in general it was nice to not be a moron. "Doesn't it? I have my ways. Especially when I know what I want."
Ash nodded. "So far that's exactly what I've seen. It's impressive really. I get all kinds of reactions from women but usually they're either cerebral and professional or downright vapid and gold digging. It's nice to meet a girl who is neither," he said because she had definitely managed to keep up her end of the conversation, not to mention having given him quite a lot of focus. She was most definitely pretty though and not in a conventional way either. To him, her face seemed change almost entirely with differing angles. A rarity as far as he could tell. He lifted a brow at her next words. "With a look like that, I'm sure you get what you want quite a bit of the time. I should hire you to negotiate deals for me," he said with a chuckle.
Mai listened to that then nodded. “So it’s good that I’m not boring and can keep up with your SAT vocabulary and pretty at the same time?” she asked, giving him a teasing smile. “See? You’d have fun with me.” And it wouldn’t be a bad thing to be friends with him, given his hints at his success. It could be bullshit, but she could always google him later. “You could, but I don’t do boring and that just sounds boring.”
Ash glanced down and chuckled, shaking his head before looking at her. "SAT vocabulary. I like you," he said, still chuckling. She was definitely fun. He could imagine standing here with her for several hours simply bantering. That didn't sound like a bad way to spend his time at all. So much better than trying to figure out how he'd ended up here without his own knowledge. "Oh, I'm sure there could be some incentive enticing enough. No?"
“I know you do,” Mai said with a little smirk, using her grip on his arm to pull her closer. It was fun, being around him. He was kind of challenging in a different way. “Are you sure?” she asked. “Because again, boring. Corporate stuff seems boring.”
Ash took a step closer to her, noting that she smelled really good. It made one corner of his mouth quirk upward slightly. He lifted a brow. "You can't imagine anything that might convince you? I mean, there's international travel, glamorous parties, hobnobbing. I can already tell you're good at hobnobbing," he said playfully.
Oh he might have her there. Mai raised an eyebrow and moved closer still. “See when you say it like that, that’s appealing, but there’s meetings aren’t there? Boring people? Or is it all you? Because...well that might be a selling point.”
Her closeness was something new. Most people didn't get that close. They observed the personal space rule of about 3 feet. Apparently Mai didn't and it had Ash curious to see what her endgame was or if she was simply drawn unconsciously to him. There was a thought. He wasn't sure what to think of that. "No, unfortunately there are meetings and boring people. But it wouldn't last long. All you'd have to do is give them that look. One and done," he said then added, "All me? That would be a selling point?"
Mai shrugged her shoulders then turned away a little, glancing at him over her shoulder. “Maybe yeah.” It would be nice to be around someone like him though she wasn’t sure why, but she was feeling that way. And Mai was one to go with how she was feeling.
Oh, if you only knew what I was like six months ago, you wouldn't be saying that, Mai, he thought. He winked at her when she looked back but didn't pursue the topic. Instead he indicated the elevator they'd never gotten into. "Should we?" he asked.
She smiled at him again then nodded, hitting the button for the elevator to make the doors open again. That wink was adorable, and it made her want more, but she kept herself in check for the moment before leaning back against the wall of the elevator.
Ash followed her into the small space and leaned against the wall beside her though not too close. He glanced over at her as the doors closed. "So the shoot you're supposed to do. What is the product? Or is it editorial?" he asked, always having found editorials to be fascinating.
She smiled brightly. “Nothing super exciting, upcoming fashion, but they’re using Kai too so double payout,” she said, and despite not saying it was really exciting she still sounded enthused about it. “Should make it into a magazine though so that’s always good.”
He nodded, seeing how that really could be good exposure for her. He was tempted to ask what magazine but he had the feeling that if it had been a major name she would have said so. Asking her about it seemed like a sure fire way to make it feel inadequate and he was highly sensitive to those sorts of things in his own life. It made him sensitive to it for others in return. "That's great. If this doesn't turn out to be some hidden camera show - you know, friends and relatives help kidnap people and have them wake up in strange places sort of thing? - mind if I come watch? I've never been on the set of a photo shoot that wasn't my own before."
Mai was struck without words at both of those statements. “I don’t think it’s that sort of thing...though I’d probably be good on a reality tv show.” She seemed to consider that for a moment before looking back at him with a shyer smile. “You’d really want to come? I don’t think it’s all that interesting for someone who doesn’t do that sort of thing, but I don’t see why you couldn’t come.”
"That'd be the first reality show I'd watch," he said without giving much thought to how that might sound. He was glad she didn't seem to be all that worried about the situation. Maybe she was right. Maybe they would find Kai in the lobby and his reason for being here would be just a big mistake on his part. He couldn't see himself regretting it now though. "Sure. I'm curious to see someone who's actually attractive do it," he said with a self-deprecating laugh. He mostly wanted an excuse to stick around wherever she was. He was intrigued and, as he'd thought earlier, sure he could simply talk to her for hours. It was something he didn't find all that often in other people. And maybe he was going a little moth to the flame here but he didn't care.
“I’m starting to think you just like looking at me.” Though really, Mai was fine with that. It would be a nice thing for some reason or another. She wasn’t sure what it was, but it was something. “You’ve seen someone who isn’t attractive do it?” she asked raising one eyebrow at him.
"That's entirely probable," he said with a light laugh at being called out for wanting to look at her. He raised his hands palms upward as though helplessly resigned to the fact. It was still all just playful back and forth stuff but he was enjoying it. Something not so serious as recovery or business for a change. He pointed his thumb at himself. "This guy. I got added to some embarrassing magazine list and someone convinced me I owed it to my investors to show them a different side of myself. Poor investors."
She looked at him, tilting her head to the side. After a moment she drifted closer to him. “News flash for you, you’re attractive. So trust me, someone enjoyed that photoshoot.” And now she wanted to find the pictures just to see what they were like. The elevator chimed and she shrugged, taking a step back towards the opening doors, mischievous smirk on her lips.
Ash hadn't been looking for validation but it was nice to hear she found him attractive. He liked that little look she wore too as though she was up to no good or something. "I don't know about anyone enjoying it. I'm pretty clumsy when it comes down to doing, what was it she asked me for? Smoldering eyes? I know the photographer was exasperated by the time it was over." Of course that might have had something to do with the fact he'd been drinking vodka from a water bottle and become easily distracted.
Mai laughed a little and shook her head. “Smolder’s easy. I bet you get it in bed.” An assumption, but sometimes it was fun to flirt, especially out in the open of the lobby. She was looking around the place, making a face. “This is..weirdly old fashioned?”
Ash shot her a slightly incredulous expression, slightly flustered about that subject being brought up for reasons he couldn't explain. "Hm, not sure. You'll have to demonstrate some time like the puppy dog eyes," he said and suddenly realized what he'd implied. "Uh, not in bed." He felt the tips of his ears turn a bit red and he glanced around the lobby, grateful for somewhere else to look. "Very weirdly old fashioned. And very quiet." Kai didn't appear to be anywhere nearby.
She looked at him, mostly just impressed. “I can show you sometime, in general or in bed. Whichever works.” She knew full well she was teasing him pretty intensely, but at the same time, she wasn’t against the idea. If the place wasn’t weird, if she wasn’t sure she’d all but lost her sister, she would definitely be dragging him back upstairs to see if he would go with her. “Strange.”
Ash didn't look at her when she spoke next, biting the insides of his cheeks to keep from laughing nervously like a little girl. When had it started to feel embarrassing and, more importantly, why? He breathed what he hoped sounded like a noise someone unfazed would make and continued through the lobby a little bit more, trying to think more about finding her sister than finding her bed. "Understatement," he countered. There was a woman at the front desk and Ash did look to Mai once he'd seen the woman.
Mai was watching him, surprised he didn’t react. Or not outwardly. She still had her eyes on him when he looked back at her, and she caught his drift, frowning at the woma. “I guess we can ask for help?” she suggested.
Ash was a little surprised to see her looking at him when he glanced back to her. He looked momentarily nonplussed and then turned back toward the woman at the desk who was rather librarian-esque and definitely a throwback to another era. He walked to the desk and put his palms down on it, attempting to look friendly and yet firm. He'd used that stance in board meetings. "Excuse me. We're looking for her sister. They checked in together," he said. The woman gave him an appraising look and then looked around the lobby as if to ask if he saw anyone she didn't. He raised a brow.
Mai followed after him, watching the woman, and slipping her hand close to Ash’s back, grounding herself. “She looks like me but smaller,” she offered, but the woman continued to just stare for a moment before looking annoyed.
“You should have received a note, in your room, with instructions.”
Ash matched the woman's annoyance with his own. "The note. It said where her sister is? Mine just welcomed me to the hotel. I'd just like to be clear," he said to which he was given a look that said he was wasting his time. "Listen, is there a manager I can talk to?" His expression said he wasn't taking no for an answer. A practiced expression that usually got him places. Not this time apparently.
"Management is not available at this time," she informed him primly.
“So did mine,” Mai said making a face. “And to meet my neighbors.” Which was weird. And weirder with this woman who was of little or no help. Her hand flattened on Ash’s back in an attempt to be soothing. “So you don’t know if she’s here?” she asked finally, feeling that anxiety of losing her sister rise up. She couldn’t just lose her. Kai had been there when they checked it. Mai remembered that much.
So help him, if Mai hadn't had her hand on him he might have leaned further across the counter and squared his shoulders. The woman's careless indolence had him beginning to feel angry. But Mai's touch was soothing and he leaned back from the counter instead before walking a few steps away, needing the space. He was formulating a plan in his mind of what to do next, going back and forth between leaving and trying to find Kai first.
Mai was starting to get worried. Really worried. Though when Ash walked away, she went with him, reaching for his arm again. She couldn’t find her sister, but she could hold on to the one thing she had found. “What do we do now?” she asked, fear slipping into her voice. She was pretty sure she couldn’t handle this on her own. Where was Kai?
That woman had him on edge and fast, reminding him of the ER nurse who wouldn't let him see Bonnie after her car accident because he wasn't family. She'd died alone while he was just feet away in the waiting room because of a woman like that. Now Mai's sister was missing and he was faced with another lazy, uncaring woman. It was too much. He needed a drink. No, he needed to plan. "Let's go outside and see if we can't figure out where we are. Maybe Kai did the same thing. If not, then we go meet your neighbors. Knock on doors."
Mai nodded, since all of that sounded reasonable and she wasn’t sure why she hadn’t come up with it. The panic, she could blame it on the panic. Her eyes were on him again, rubbing at his arm a little. “You okay?”
Ash took a breath and forced his face into a more pleasant though determined expression. "I'm good," he fibbed, not wanting to get into it. It was strange what pushed his buttons about all of this. He was remembering Bonnie but he wasn't still grieving for her. He was more remembering surrounding instances that he hadn't thought about in a long time. Stranger still was the fact that Mai had brought up so much about Bonnie for him. Something about that made him realize Mai was important somehow. "Front door?" he said, calming even further as she rubbed at his arm. Not having to look at the woman behind the desk helped too. He looked around and saw what appeared to be the entryway and slowly started for it, not wanting to leave her behind.
Mai guessed that was a lie, if only because he hadn't seemed fine a moment before but she didn't call him on it. She did give him a skeptical look, but wound up following after him still.
Ash wasn't concerned if she knew he was lying. He hadn't really tried to hide it. He was more concerned with finding her sister for her, figuring this place and this situation out, getting back to reality so he could forward on her information to contacts and ask her to dinner. He reached back to her to grab her hand before opening the front door. Which was probably a good thing because as soon as he stepped out, he found himself in a hotel room very similar to the one he'd found himself in earlier when his eyes had popped open. "Uhhh," he said.
Mai was just thinking she liked the way he held her hand like that, and then suddenly they weren't outside. She felt the panic rise, scanning the room. "I thought we...what just happened?"
Ash's hold on her hand tightened. "I thought we did too. I have no idea." He looked around and realized this was the room he'd gotten up in earlier. His bag was on the bed, part of his pajamas trailing out. "Maybe we … " He shook his head because there really was no explanation. "Call your sister," he said, fishing his cell phone from his pocket and offering it out to her, not letting go of her hand.
Mai was grateful for the way he kept holding her hand because made her feel a tiny bit safer kept her from feeling the urge to cling to him. She took his phone, taking a moment to make it work before dialing her sister's number. It rang a few times and right about when the voicemail should have picked up, it kept ringing. "It's not connecting," she said, making a face. "Ash...I'm starting to get worried."
Ash was grateful she continued to let him hold her hand because it was keeping him grounded. This was probably the strangest thing that had ever happened to him and he was going to go out on a limb and say it wasn't his fault in any way. He hadn't expected the phone to go through but the fact that it hadn't and she was worried bothered him more than walking through the front door and into his hotel room. "We should go look for her then. Are there other places in a hotel she might have gone other than the front desk?"
Mai was at a loss. She didn't have the slightest idea. "I...I'm not sure. My room?" Maybe her sister had gone looking for her. Or she hoped so. She was starting too worry that Kai wasn't there at all.
He nodded. "Let's go there and we can knock on the doors next to yours in case she's in one of them." It was the only plan he could think of other than to try to find other ways to leave. Though having gone through a ground floor door and ending up on the fourth floor made it a struggle to believe it was possible.
Mai nodded, squeezing his hand. That wasn't a bad idea and it was probably the best anyone had at the moment. "Okay. Come on." Then she paused. "Is this your room?"
Ash glanced around and shrugged. "Well it's not a room I would have chosen but I guess we didn't get choices." That note by the door had been a warning but he hadn't taken it seriously enough. "You're one floor down."
"Not fancy enough?" Mai teased but her nerves meant her tone didn't quite hit the mark. "At least you're close."
Ash pointed to the ornate vanity and the frilly curtains on the window. "Not masculine enough," he shot back, giving her a slightly amused look that faltered at her next words. "Hey, it's going to be okay," he said though he had no real way of knowing that was true.
Mai found a small smile for him. "Trust me, you make up for it plenty. There's nothing not masculine about you." Her hand went out to touch his chest, but stopped short. "I know. Or I hope so."
Ash was as flattered by that as he'd been flattered when she'd said he was attractive. Right then though he felt like he needed to focus more on making sure she didn't start crying or something. I had no idea what he'd do if that happened. "Whatever happens, you're not going to be alone." That was reassuring, right?
Mai bit at her lower lip. "Good to know." Both because it was reassuring, but also, it was nice that Ash was there. She liked him. That much was dawning on her. She did like him. "It might also mean I'm going to miss my shoot..." Which couldn't be good for her career.
"I'll make some calls," he said. "Get someone to reschedule it for you or something. Or, hell, start a whole new magazine myself so you can be on the front all the time." He was trying to make her laugh he realized as he rambled.
Mai chuckled a little and shook her head. "Stop. You'll spoil me and I'll start to wonder what you want." She was smiling though, flattered he wanted to help her.
Ash smiled at her. "That right there was my only goal," he said indicating her smile with an inclination of his head. "Though I suppose, if you ever did agree to negotiate with your facial expressions for me, I might consider the magazine as repayment."
She laughed a touch again and moved closer to him. "You're charming. Which you probably know, but you are." And he was good at whisking her cares away.
Was he charming? He didn't try to be. He just tried to control the situation in any given situation. If she saw that as charming, so be it. Though it might occur to him later that perhaps Mai had a way of stirring up bits of him that he'd forgotten existed. He smiled, let her hand go, and stepped away closer to the door, not wanting to drag her with him but feeling it was time to get back to the task at hand. "Let's go find your sister, shall we?"
Mai let him go and followed after him, reaching for his hand again. "Yes let's. Then we can figure out what comes next."
Ash caught her hand and gave it a squeeze. He waited until she was beside him and opened the door to the room. He took a breath and said, "Here goes nothing."
Mai nodded then took the step forward before him. She wasn't sure if she expected it, but they didn't wind up anywhere weird, just the hallway. Looking around she frowned. "I guess it's only if you try and leave."
"That's probably a good thing. I mean, that it's only if you try to leave. I could see ending up agoraphobic if leaving a room always sent you somewhere weird," he said, hoping that voicing it didn't make it happen. He started in the direction he'd found the stairs.
"Definitely makes an argument for never leaving bed," Mai said, following him again, fine with him leading.
Ash glanced to her with a slight smile, trying to keep up the morale. "For anything less than $20,000, I can't see why you would."
"So that's all It would take to get you out of my bed?" Mai teased back, feeling like it was maybe a little much but she was too nervous to think too much past the statement. Not that she normally would anyway.
Okay, she was going to tease to that extent, he was going to go there. Especially if it kept this from feeling like a fool's errand. "If I was in your bed the only thing that could entice me out of it would be you." Though his tone wasn't as flirtatious as it could have been if he'd wanted to really sell it. He opened the door to the stairwell for them and started down in a moment that was very deja vu.
Mai's mouth fell a little open, staring at him. That sounded like he meant it. Seriously sounded like he meant it. And without even thinking about it she wanted it. Just like that. She swallowed hard, taking the steps quickly. "Any time you want. You let me know." Ignoring the she lived at home. She'd make it happen.
Ash's eyes flashed his amusement over his shoulder at her. So that was what it took to catch her off guard. He filed that away for future use as he rounded the corner to the third floor and opened the door to the hallway he'd found her in a short while ago. "As soon as we find your sister," he said, trying not to chuckle.
He needed to not talk like that or Mai just pretend this was a dream and take him to bed now. Why not right? "Okay."
Ash did chuckle as she pared her vocabulary down to one word. He stopped in front of the room he remembered was hers. "You want to go in and I'll knock on the doors?"
"I can..." Mai wasn't sure at first, still completely thrown by him. After a moment she shook her head. "I can look. You don't have to."
He'd started to move to the door to the left of hers but then he paused to look at her curiously. "If that's what you want," he said, crossing his arms. Perhaps he'd gone too far.
Had she said something wrong? Mai worried at her lower lip for a moment before moving back towards him. "She's my sister. And pretty or not, I'm not about to make you go looking for her when it's my responsibility." Not that she was good with responsibility, but she felt like if he was going to respect her she needed to at least seem like it. "But if you still want to help, I want that."
Ash had offered to help, had been helping, of course he'd meant to continue helping her. One brow flicked upward slightly when she mentioned Kai being pretty. He wondered what that had to do with him looking for her. "I uh wasn't trying to take over. If you want to take the lead, please do. I'd still like to help," he said quietly, trying not to put a foot wrong again.
Mai felt bad. She felt like she'd messed something up. Smiling a little, though she didn't feel it, but that was her job and it came easily and seemed real provided it wasn't compared to her other smiles. "Then you can still help." She hesitated for a moment then leaned in and kissed his cheek. "Thank you." Turning back to the door she took a deep breath and knocked.
Ash wasn't sure what to make of this but they'd sort of pushed out pretty quickly into some deep water a few moments ago. Maybe her teasing wasn't meant to be reciprocated. He didn't fully believe her smile but she kissed his cheek and he gave her a ghost of a smile in return. "You're welcome," he answered then stood still, watching as she knocked and waited to see what happened, taking his place in the background.