What Are The Odds

Daisy's phone lit up just then with a text from Ugo.

"My power went out.

Where are you?"

"Ahhh, yes, I just got alerted to that." Daisy told Brett as she held her phone up before she texted Ugo back.

"I guess it's the whole hotel,

I’m stuck in the elevator with

some dude that is providing

me with adequate company."

"At least that means they were telling the truth," Brett said, interrupting her. "The good news is, they have generators, so the elevators should start moving shortly."

"And you know this, how?"

"Oh!" He stepped away from the telephone. "They told me," he added.

Daisy slid down to the floor, placing her purse and paper bag gently beside her, careful not to break the champagne bottle. Since she already informed Ugo about it, she knew how much tragedy it would bring if it ended up broken. Ugo would report her to anybody worth reporting to, including Daisy's parents.

Her black heels used to be relatively comfortable for at least an hour or two before the discomfort and pressure starts hitting in, but unfortunately she had started feeling the pain already, making her wonder what caused it all.

Brett shrugged off his suit jacket, giving her a glimpse of his broad chest. She swallowed hard and turned her face to the opposite side.

"Are we going to act like we don't know each other more than superficially, Daiz?"

"Don't." She warned waving her hand in front of him, a definite warning for him to stop.

Brett nodded, understanding what she meant but not in the least ready to give up, just yet.

"But we can at least chat, while waiting for the elevator. For old times sake." He pushed a bit more.

Daisy shrugged. Obviously in need of things to talk about since she was claustrophobic, even though she denies it every now and then.

"So, are you a guest here, where are you coming from?" She asked him so she wouldn’t stare.

"Just relocated to Fairview a couple of months ago. And you?" He sat down next to her.

Daisy's head banged and swelled beyond comprehension. What the hell was he doing at Fairview? He had no business relocating here. This was her safe place, where she had built her whole life. She had lots of families and loved ones here and now he moved across cities to come settle here? At Fairview of all places! What are the odds?

"Oh, I live here, in Fairview I mean, not in the hotel." She chuckled awkwardly. "I’m just in the hotel visiting someone."

He glanced at her phone, her shoes, and back up at her. "A pretty special someone, with those shoes on, and all of that smiling you were doing when you didn’t even notice someone else was in the elevator with you."

"A very special someone," she said, and his grin got wider. "Wait, no, not that kind of special someone. My friend."

Yeah, this was how she usually acted around hot guys. Scared to make eye contact, and then they end up not noticing her at all.

"Ahhhh." He laughed. "Okay, yes, I did think it was that kind of special someone. Do you two have a hot night in the city planned?"

She crossed her legs and adjusted the slit of her black dress so she didn’t accidentally flash her underwear at Brett on top of everything else.

"Sort of. We’re celebrating. She just became a partner at her law firm." Daisy smiled down at her paper bag full of treats before looking back up at him. She didn't realize how much she was now warming up to him, someone she had sworn she would strangle if she set eyes on him, ever again. Life! He looked far better than he used to. Five years ago, she used to say there was nobody as good looking as Brett Lexington in the whole world. And now, she could swear on it.

Not even a good slice of dark chocolate could possibly compete with him. He narrowed his eyes on her. Light grey eyes, with a really dark rim around them. His eyes were so pretty that she looked away again.

"Okay, I’m happy for your friend, but what is in that bag, I've caught you staring at it so many times. From the moment you stepped into the elevator."

She laughed. "Just champagne and a few snacks. The plan is to drink champagne in her hotel room and then go out to party.... Well, that was the initial plan, but we’ll see how long we’re stuck in this elevator."

She caught him typing something in his phone before putting it away. Brett scooted closer to her and looked in the bag. Surprising even herself, Daisy pushed it toward him, so he could see better in the dim light. She was never the one to let people poke around in her bag, but here she was in such a weird situation with her ex.

"Well, we have something to sustain us if they decide to leave us here for hours. Thank God it's Champagne, we won't need a corkscrew to open it, and then we’ve got.... Oh, look at that, chocolates and crackers, the perfect stuck-in -an-elevator snack."

Daisy leaned back against the brass paneled wall of the elevator. "Have you been stuck in an elevator before?" She asked, curious about how calm he appeared.

"No, just keeping you entertained. I know you're claustrophobic. I remember." He tapped her gently on the arm, reassuringly. "Is it working?"

"Yes," she nodded. "Thank you so much. But you can't talk me into sharing Ugo's you-made-partner snacks with you, you know."

He stretched his legs out along the floor and took a slow gaze at her. "I was afraid you'd say that. Well, I can only hope we’ll be here so long that you’ll take pity on me."

She smiled and slipped her shoes halfway off, just enough to relieve the pressure on her toes. "No offense, Brett, but my goal is not to be stuck in this elevator with you all night. So, why did you choose to relocate to Fairview? What's in this town that made you fly across cities to settle here?" She asked, changing the topic immediately.

He made a face. "Business."

She made a face back at him. "Don’t say it like it is a prison sentence. Tell me more."

He slumped against the wall. "One of the arms of my company is working on a collaboration with the Mayor's office on securing adequate housing and skills acquisition for the less privileged. Mostly kids from impoverished families and orphanages." He replied.

"That's amazing. But, couldn't you just assign the project to someone else and have them report to you with updates on the project?"

He shook his head. "The project is quite personal to me. I wanted to see it through. Besides, I didn't fly across cities to come here. I've been living at Bronx before now..

"What? That's......so.."

"Close?"

"Yes." She nodded. "I thought you were living at Noxenburg."

"Oh, I see you listen to the news. Have you been keeping tabs on me?" He smiled, that very smile that touches his eyes and ends up melting people's hearts.

"Of course not." She said shuffling through her purse for her phone. When she found it, she started scrolling through it, just to distract herself from looking up at him.

"Daiz." She heard him call her in the silkiest voice ever. "You know the ugly things you hear about me in the news are not always true. Those are made up stories by bloggers and low budget journalists just for the traffic and funds."

"How is that even any business of mine?" She shot at him.

"I know you enough to know that those things may bother you. Just like now, you seem angry and worked up. Daiz..... I'm...."

"Stop giving yourself too much accolades, I'm not angry. Your life is none of my fucking business. So, how and why would I be worked up because of you."

He tried grabbing her hand and she knocked him off. "I'm sorry, I messed up. I know this now. I'm sorry for hurting you."

"Hahaha!" She laughed dryly and turned to him sharply. "You know this, now? N.o.w? Are you being serious right now? It took you what? one, two, three, four, five." She counted her fingers. "Five years to realize that you messed up? Nah, you're a clown please."

"Daiz......" He murmured her name, tenderly and reached for her hand without interruptions.

"What Brett....... What do you want from me?" She sobered up and asked with an unsteady voice. "I just....I just need you to leave me alone. I don't know why you decided to show your face right now. But I need you to leave me the fuck alone! Is that so hard for you to do?"

He shook his head. "You know it is.”