Quote of the day: keep hustling, keep flowing and its gon be your hustle and flow.

  
     "Chloe, for the umpteenth time, I'm going on a date, not getting married," Ashley yelled at her friend who was been impossible. You can already guess, today was Friday. She had been sleeping peacefully in her room when Chloe barged in, asking her to get dressed. 

     "And for the umpteenth time, Ashley, I know!" Chloe said going through Ashley's closet to get her something to wear. "Just get this on and meet me outside." She threw a blue romper on her.

     "Chloe, do we really have to do this? Can't I just not do all this?" She muttered holding the romper in her hand.

     "Ashley, I'm not gonna say this again, you are going on your first date with Greg, you need to look extra lit. Will you stop frustrating my efforts and put on that romper." Chloe left Ashley's room.

  She wore the damn cloth which she haven't worn in a while, all because of work. She picked up her purse and phone, and went out to the sitting room to see Chloe holding a big bag.

       "Come on, we have no time," Chloe said. This really baffled Ashley.

    "No time, this is just 12 noon, my date if I heard right is for 7pm, so tell me Chloe in which part of your world do we have 'no tim.'"

     "Its 12 already, damn we only have seven hours left we need to hurry," Chloe said in a very hyper state.

     "Seven hours! What do we have to do that will take up to seven hours Madam Chloe?" She asked not moving from the spot she was. She should have known something was wrong when Chloe took the day off on behalf of the both of them from Greg.

        "First of all, we need to go to the salon to get your manicure and pedicures, and then we need to style your hair." She stood there open mouthed as Chloe listed off things on her to do list, and there was indeed a paper in her hand. "What do you say about going back to curls? I think Greg would love you in Curls."

    "No!!" She Yelled immediately Chloe said so. "I'm not going back to curls," she said shakily. She knew what going back to curls would do to her, Greg would notice her hazel eyes along with her curls and soon enough he would be able to place two and two together, to see that she was the girl from that night. She had only being wearing a mask to cover her face, but her hair and eyes had been on full display, her eyes were quite unique so he would know.

      "Okay, if you don't want it," Chloe said looking a bit shocked at her outburst. "I feel curls look better on you though, anyway we will just style your hair and then we need to get a perfect dress,  shoe, and then bag."

      "Chloe, really?"
  
    "Yes really, and when we get back home I will need to inspect your body to see if there is anything you need to shave," Chloe said with a coy smile.

       "What!! Shave?" Ashley yelled bewildered.

     "Yes shave. Who knows, you guys might go all the way," She said with a smirk.

       "Chloe, you are impossible."

      "Ohh, why don't you ask Greg if he likes it hairy or shaved you know...."

     "Chloe, if you don't stop talking right now I'm going to bury you right there!" She said trying hard to get her redden cheeks back to normal.

     "Okay," Chloe said rolling her eyes and all Ashley wanted to do was smack her head. "And after all that I need to do your make-up."

    "What! Makeup? Since when did you become a makeup artist?" Ashley said because she knew her friend couldn't do anything that has to do with makeup. That was why they always went around without makeup.

     "Duh, there is something called YouTube," Chloe said flipping her brunette hair back. Although it was normal, she knew people actually learnt makeup from YouTube, but Chloe isn't that kind of person, she was more of the 'what are the Jonas brothers up to now' type. 

     "Chloe, I don't want to look like a joker to Greg," She said with pleading eyes.

        "Oh ye of little faith, by the time I'm through with you I will have Greg eating out of the palm of your hand, not that he isn't doing so already."

      "Chloe!" She called with fury.  Chloe seemed to have gotten the message.

      "Okay, okay, now move, you can see we have a lot to do," she said practically dragging her out of the house.  She suppressed a groan and watched as Chloe locked the door and lead her to her car... Yes her car!!!

     "I thought you said you were never driving that?" She asked with a shocked look. The car was new and had been sent over by Chloe's parent earlier this week, they were trying to persuade her to come home and Chloe being so stubborn asked them to take it back, her parents also being stubborn refused, that was one good way to recognize one's gene.  So Chloe had vouched never to drive the damn thing.

     "Ashley just for today, I'm willing to let go of my anger for my parents and drive this car, we have a lot to do and limited 'time,' we can't be running late because we are trying to catch some damn bus," Chloe said with extra emphasis on the time. She was actually finding it hard not to laugh at her friend.

      "So what if I was getting married,  how crazy should I expect you to be?"

     "Ohh Ashley, come on, if it was your wedding, we would have started the preparation a year ago, now get into the car and stop frustrating me," Chloe said getting in.  She laughed at her friend and got in beside her, the girl was more hyped up than her for this date.

_______________________________

    When Ashley heard the doorbell ring, it was at exactly 7pm, as expected Greg Marshall was never late, she was more than nervous. She stared at herself in the mirror. Chloe had done more than a good job, she couldn't hide the shock on her face when she looked at herself.

     The gown they had picked was orange in colour, it was a short fitting gown that had a little slit at the knee, the gown was off the shoulder, her auburn hair cascaded around her in soft tendrils, the colour of her hair was almost matching the colour of the gown and it gave such an ethereal effect. Chloe had done her makeup in a way that highlighted her hazel eyes, the look was altogether magnificent.  She had a little heart shape earring and necklace on, she really wouldn't have been able to come up with anything better, Chloe was indeed the best.

     "So what do you think?" Chloe asked with a huge smile plastered on her features. "I don't actually need your opinion, lemme go get the door,  Greg seems to be around," Chloe said and made to leave her room. "Don't come out until I send you a text."

    She rolled her eyes at Chloe but nonetheless smiled, she picked up the silver clutch Chloe had prepared and wore the silver heels, she sat down awaiting Chloe's text.

   She soon heard a bing from her phone, she brought it out of the clutch and saw a text from Chloe.

     You can come out, and walk sexily okay, he has to take you all in slowly hmm.

    Ashley wanted to roll her eyes but she suppressed it, she couldn't afford having her eyes fall off from too much rolling. She stood up and walked out of her room slowly, not because of Chloe, but she really wasn't a fast walker, when she got to the sitting room she saw Greg siting down and immediately he noticed her he stood up. She found herself swooning at his look, her heart started beating faster in her chest.

  He was in a tuxedo, expected right? But the design was so nice, the top part of the suit was black, while the lower part was wine in colour, the inner shirt was black and the pants itself was wine, forget the whole colour combo, the cut of the tuxedo was just too nice and perfect, and his hair was slicked back giving her a perfect view of his face, his eyes should we really go over this, we all know by now that his eyes are just plainly gorgeous.

    "So what do you have to say about my handwork?" Chloe asked with a smile, pointing at her, and looking at Greg. Ashley looked at Greg's face only to meet with a blank space, he stood looking at her with his mouth agape, by now she was beginning to fret that she looked scary. "I can see you look starstruck, I will leave you too lovers and go watch my Avengers," Chloe said with a knowing smile. She turned on her heels leaving her alone with Greg who was still not talking.

   She shifted on her foot, she was beginning to fear what Greg might think, he was still not saying anything, he was staring at her with his mouth open, he looked really funny, she coughed loudly to get his attention which worked. "So? " She asked

     "You look..." he stared at her again this time with so much admiration and amazement. "Heavenly... Gorgeous... I just, damn you look so Ashley."  She wanted to laugh at that,  but she didn't because, she was still trying hard to steady her erratic heart.

     "So Ashley?"

   "Yeah, Ashley, Ashley's beauty is so ethereal," he said with a smile that got her melting.

      "You look like my favorite dish," she said with a sarcastic tone. She saw his face scrunch up immediately.

   "Consommé?" He asked with a weird tone. She bursted out laughing, he really hated that dish and she loved it so much. "Now that you have had your fill of laughter can we leave now,  Ashley Wells?"

    "Oh yes, we can," she said. She watched him open the door for her, walking out she handed her keys to him, which he used in locking the door. When she turned to face the road, she pleasantly shocked with the car standing in her front, she would be riding a damn Ferrari.

      She tried hard to hold a squeal in as Greg opened the passenger seat for her, she got in and instead of closing the door the gentle manly Greg Marshall helped her to fix her seatbelt in place. She breath in his cologne as he did so and couldn't hide the embarrassing flush that crept up her cheeks when he looked up and caught her sniffing him. He chuckled lightly and closed the door.
      
    He came around to his, and started the engine of the car not before giving her a cute smile. She looked out the window at the scenery, ever since she moved here two years ago she hadn't really thought much of her surroundings, she had been too busy running away from life itself, but now as she stared out the car window she admired the beautiful scenes that enfolded before her eyes.

    She wondered where Greg would take her for their first date, she had been really curious, but when she had asked him he had told her to mind her business, something you should expect a Greg Marshall to say. She felt his hands brush over hers slightly jerking her whole being to life, she stiffened, she didn't bother look at him thinking it was a mistake, but soon again she felt his warm hand on hers and he held her hands, entangling her fingers with his.

    She turned to him to see him raise her hand up and placed a kiss on it, she blushed furiously at the sweet gesture, he gave her his sweet smile that she was beginning to get used to and dropped her hand still wrapped in his on his laps.

    Soon Greg pulled into a restaurant, she gasped when she saw the name staring back at her 'the elites,' this was like the biggest restaurant anyone can ever find in New York, and it was very expensive. She looked around the parking area and saw that everywhere was a little empty safe for Greg's car and one other car. It was quite unusual because as expensive as this place was, it was always booked high.

     "And we are here," Greg said with a smile.

     "Greg I think they are closed," She said but Greg just laughed at her.

   "No they are not."

  "Then why is it so empty here?"

    "That is because I booked the whole restaurant," he said so casually while she was trying to catch her breath.

     "The whole place?" She asked with bewilderment.

    "Yes, we need our privacy and moreover I don't want any other man staring at you dressed this way," he said with a smirk.

    "Really?"

  "Yes, and now Mi amor, we need to..." He was cut shut by the loud ringing of a phone, turns out it was his phone, he brought it out of his pocket."one minute Ashley," he said answering the call. "Hello," he said and soon enough his face went white with fear, he gripped the steering tightly, this got her scared, she wanted to know what happened. When he dropped his phone he looked at her with fear concern, guilt and so much more.

      "Who was it Greg?" she asked calmly.

     "It was the hospital," he said in a gravelly voice. "Nora she... She tried to take her life again."

   Ashley couldn't stop the gasp that escaped her mouth, she looked at Greg's face, he looked really sad and helpless, then he looked at her with guilt filling his green eyes. "You have to go right."

     "Yes, Davis has gone for a family gathering today, so there is no one..."

     "Go, Greg, you have to," She said quietly. She knew he felt bad having to leave their date, but Nora was hurt and he had to be there. "We can always have our date any other time."

   "Oh, Ashley," he said pulling her into a hug.

   Chapter twenty six.
Mary Aden.