'A virgin mojito please'

Joan was miffed at how her evening turned out, her dinner with Asher Evans had been nothing short of a disaster. 

Despite the great meal and beautiful interior of the restaurant, the night was not productive, she couldn't deny that it was mostly Asher's fault, it seemed to her that he did everything to spoil the evening. 

She also berated herself, she could have done better, she could have put in more effort, and maybe ask different questions.

"At least I can try again, that is if he calls," Joan groans as she plopped on the sofa of Francesca's living room.

"You're... home?" Francesca stutters as she steps into the living room from the bedroom hallway wearing a light pink silk chemise.

"Yes I am, I need to get something to drink," Joan shuffled towards the refrigerator in the kitchen, pulls out a can of coke, and took a swig of it.

"Why are you home early, did something happen, what went wrong?" Francesca fired at Joan, she really shouldn't be home right now.

Joan was surprised by Francesca's agitation, and tried to explain how her night went, "well if you must know, the date was a disaster-"

"Hey babe, what's the holdup?" Jackson walked out of the bedroom-shared hallway in nothing but a pair of boxers, interrupting Joan and leaving Francesca flushed with embarrassment.

"Ah shit, I'm sorry, I didn't know you were around, shit!" on sighting Joan, Jackson scampers back to Francesca's room, mortified.

Joan just burst out laughing, causing her aunt to be more abashed. "Oh I get it now," Joan said enjoying her aunt's discomfort. 

"I was out on a date, and you decided to have some fun, I have no qualms with that, the only problem is you never told me you were seeing someone."

"It's not even like that Jo, just give me a minute ok?"

Francesca went back into her room, and a couple of minutes later, she returns to the living room with Jackson dressed and ready to leave, Francesca now wore a jacket over her chemise.

"He doesn't have to leave, I can just give you guys some space," Joan felt guilty for ruining the couple's time together.

"You don't have to do that, I had to leave anyway, I'm Jackson by the way, but you can just call me Jax, so nice to finally meet you," Jackson said extending a hand towards Joan for a shake.

"Hello, I'm Joan, nice to meet you too, I'm sorry I ruined your night," Joan uttered shaking Jackson's hand

"Oh don't worry about it, I guess I'll see you around, see you later babe?"

"Of course Jax," Francesca said giving Jackson a goodbye kiss. 

"Please do not start," Francesca said when she saw the mirth in Joan's eyes.

"What? I didn't say anything, he's handsome though."

"Yes he is, and I never told you about him because it's still early stages," Francesca moved over to the sofa and sat down.

"Now if I remembered clearly, you were meeting an equally handsome man tonight, c'mon take a sit, tell me all that happened," Francesca said patting the other side of the sofa.

Joan proceeded to tell her aunt about how horrible her date had gone, Asher's handsome features, how scared she was of him finding out her motive for the dinner, and her inviting him to a coffee date.

"That went bad." 

"It was horrible, and I seriously don't think he's going to take me up on the coffee date. I know it's wrong to use him like that, but I was hoping tonight would be the first step in charming Asher to rescue father's company from Mabel and Jacob," Joan lamented taking a sip of her coke.

"Don't worry Jo we'll find another way to save Hargreaves Corporation, Asher isn't the only way, I'm sure there are some people we could meet that will help, maybe some old friends of your dad's," Francesca said comforting her niece.

"Besides you probably dodged a bullet with Asher, I wasn't comfortable matching both of you together, he's got a reputation as a lady's man," Francesca revealed.

" Look let's forget all about my miserable night, you have got to tell me about you and Jackson, how did you get yourself such a good-looking man." 

Francesca couldn't help but smile at a now excited Joan, such a contrast from the fretting young woman moments ago.

"Fine I'm gonna tell you, but first I'll also need a drink."

****

The ding from the elevator signaled Asher's arrival at his destination, it's been a couple of days since his date with Joan. 

He had not bothered calling Joan after that Friday night, he hoped that was enough to show his lack of interest.

Asher was currently on the nineteenth floor of Maven enterprise, heading towards his uncle's office. 

His uncle had raised him after his parent's death, though what Asher felt for most people was akin to indifference, he hated and was always wary of his uncle, probably because he'd witnessed first-hand Nolan's cruelty as a teenager. 

His uncle had retained an office in Maven, even though he was no longer running it. When Asher took over Maven, Nolan had miraculously made enough money to launch his own enterprise NEK Inc. which is managed by his cousin Kai, Nolan's son.

When he became Maven's CEO, he'd found proof of his uncle's misappropriation of company funds and criminal misconduct, and he was sure quite a bit of Maven's missing funds were what built NEK Inc.

"Come in," he heard his uncle's voice carry from behind the door. "Hello Ashy," his uncle said as he entered the huge office.

He hates it when his uncle gets like this, meeting him alone without all the mind games, and name-calling was grating enough on him.

It seems to Asher his uncle always found a way to exercise his control anytime they meet even in the most annoying way.

He was thankful Kai did not tag along with his father for whatever this is, although Asher loathes Nolan, Kai disgusts him. 

Asher has an unadulterated hatred for Kai, the both of them had always shared an animosity since they were boys, but it worsened considerably after Emily.

His uncle's office was by Asher's standards unnecessarily big. The distance from the door to his uncle's brown desk was quite a stretch, behind the table was a black office chair, with black leather chairs and a coffee table on the left side of the room.

"What's the purpose of this meeting uncle?" Asher asked as he sat down on one of the leather chairs he was disgusted at the extravagance of the room, he would appreciate ending this quickly. 

"Eh c'mon, what's wrong with wanting to see my favorite nephew," 

"I'm your only nephew, and I have a ton of things to do, so I would appreciate it if we got down to why I'm here," Asher hates all the mind games, at least when it's used against him.

"You see, I need your help with something really important," Nolan said sitting on the chair across from his nephew.

"I am planning a major takeover, but I need more cash, I was thinking you give me the money for the Aldrax deal, I heard you have some trouble with Henry Dumas over the deal anyways. We also need to sell off some of our holdings in multiple comp-"

"It's not possible," Asher said cutting off his uncle, "all your demands are not possible." 

What Nolan is asking of him is impossible, he's been working on the Aldrax deal for months, granted he'd run into some problems with the owner the past couple of weeks but it was nothing unfixable.

"What'd you mean it's not possible" Nolan was incredulous, he didn't believe his nephew would reject him right off the bat.

"Well, for starters this is your endeavor, it has nothing to do with Maven enterprise, it would be quite stupid to sell profitable assets for what could be a sham."

Asher knew his uncle wouldn't just make a social call to Maven, he always has something up his sleeves.

"C'mon Ash, Maven is a private company, it belongs to us, we're all family here, can't you just help your uncle out?"

"It can't happen, uncle, we have a stakeholder that's not family." Asher of course was referring to Jackson, his boon for situations like this.

"Look Asher what I'm trying to do here is marvelous, this is not about buying other companies' shares, or buying a start-up on a gamble. This is a big one, gigantic even and I need your help on this, I do."

Asher knew he couldn't help his uncle even if he begged him to, there were a few big companies that are at a high risk of a takeover, but none more gigantic than Hargreaves Corporation.

"I'm truly sorry uncle, that I can't be of much help."

"Oh don't bullshit me, Asher, you are not sorry, you are never sorry, I'll just find funds somewhere else," Asher watched as his uncle left in anger, he doubts this would be his last confrontation with his uncle on the topic, especially if Hargreaves Corporation is concerned.

****

Jackson Jax Brown sat at the bar of Grey's lounge, an exclusive members-only bar in Greenwich Village, he is currently nursing a glass of classic martini, Grey's lounge is one of his and Asher's favorite places in the city.

They practically owned the place, it was one of the small businesses they invested in, and it was the haven they could come and get drunk.

"Wanna ease up on the alcohol?" Asher asked taking the stool next to Jackson.

"Hey man, what took you so long?" Jackson queries with a goofy grin, he was getting tipsy.

"I thought we do not get shit-faced on weekdays," Asher said avoiding his friend's question.

"You've gotta learn to have fun champ. Very soon I'll get the info on the Hargreaves heir, then we buy her shares, you do your magic on the company and voila, we're all the richer for it, this is a celebratory drink man,"

"You might want to hold your horses, Jax, you do know business is not some magic?"

"Oh come on man, don't spoil the fun for me, besides I trust you, you just gotta trust yourself, ya know, now order a drink, the bill's on me tonight."

"A drink? sure why not, erm... give me a virgin mojito please" Asher said addressing the barman.

"You are a freaking spoilsport, you know that?" 

"Yeah whatever I don't drive when I'm drunk, and someone's still gotta drive you home."

"Oh, you worried about me now?"

"I always worry Jax," Asher is always surprised he could have this kind of conversation with Jackson, he had so few people he could converse with in such a manner.

"So what happened with your date Friday night," Jackson asked with an expectant look.

"It was horrible, I mean I specifically told you and your lady friend what I needed, and you send someone sub-par."

'zzz,' Jackson's phone buzzes before he could give his retort. 

"Is that it?" Asher asked curiously.

"Hold on, yea it is," Jackson answered scrolling through his phone.

"Oh shit, wow!" Jackson couldn't believe what he saw.

"What now," Asher mutters and moved closer to Jackson to peer at his phone over his shoulders.

"What is this, is this some kind of joke," Asher was astounded, he just couldn't believe it, his Friday date was Abraham Hargreaves's heir.

"Joan was Joan Hargreaves, she's a Hargreaves, she is perfect," Asher muttered in a monotone, his eyes almost closed, he found himself entrapped in a fantasy of Joan.

He knew right then, that Joan would be his wife, he would marry her, and she would be the greatest possession he ever had.