The Boss

Of course she wouldn't. As much as they vibed, had vibed, there were so many things fundamentally different about them. Cristian wondered if that was her attempt at a joke. Were they friends again or was she trying to skim over their history. He raised a brow, a small smile at the corner of her lips, "right. and you know me, i'm not going to make lunch for myself." The irony of all of her years of running from her father just to now be back to help him. "So not stealing company secrets? Busy. Just, busy." He shrugged. Tongue tucked into his cheek trying to navigate this.

If Adriana had it her way, they could be friends again. They had always been friends before dating. Friends that had romantic tension but friends all the same. "Yeah, you in the kitchen already sounds like trouble. Almost as bad as if I were in one." She needed to get out of Ramirez's. She had been there more over the last few weeks than she had been her entire life. "I don't need to steal company secrets to kick your ass or my father's. I bet."

"People definitely don't think you're nice. Workaholic, controlling, perfectionist maybe... but not nice," she grinned, giving her a playful nudge. It felt like forever since she'd messed around with Adriana in whatever way. "You're welcome. Yeah, I guess. I should look hot but it's more like respectable. I might as well be at a board meeting."

"That's fine by me. I am all those things, definitely not nice." Adriana smiled as she was nudged. She knew Emmeline wasn't saying it to be nice, but she didn't mind. "If you want someone to tell you that you look hot, then you are barking up the wrong tree. Are you saying that because the compliment came from me?" She narrowed her eyes at Emmeline.

"nah he'd go the full mile. it's the only way to teach me a lesson" he chuckled. even he knew that the only stance he would respond to was tough love. "sounds like you work with a bundle or bores. gross. i couldn't imagine not having a great time every day"

"Well, whose fault is that? You could at least pretend to not need the tough lessons." Adriana chuckled, she understood Atticus. Sometimes people had to find out for themselves. "I mean, most of them are workaholics, too. Working is their fun. Yeah, that doesn't surprise me."

Looking at Adriana, Blythe struggled to resist the urge to sigh in frustration. This woman had everything that she wanted–a father who hadn't run her inheritance into the ground–and she had chosen to walk away from it and work for his competitor. Absolute insanity! Not for the first time, Blythe considered if it would be possible for her to seduce Adriana's father; she would gladly take his company off his hands. "Thank you." She replied with a smile, "Quite honestly, I didn't expect my return to be on the same day as an event like this either, but when the stars align..." She shrugged and took a drink. "How have you been? Still clawing your way through Donovan Energy Solutions?"

Adriana was glad to see Blythe, she hated the idea of a woman being run off permanently because of a man's actions. She had not been at the wedding, but it had been a hot topic. She hoped that this was just a return to form for the other woman. "Yeah, the stars definitely seem to be lining up well." She wasn't sure how much she believed that it just happened. She hoped that Blythe had chosen this on purpose. When would be a better night? "Busy, things have calmed down after the Ball. But only a little bit, it's always fast paced at Donovan's."

"how have things been with your fathers company since the winterball. i dread to ask since my lunatic uncle is behind it all." she sighed. howard archibald's lack of reading a room and disappearing were two traits he was never good at. "please do, it would be nice to see her" after everything going on a girls night out might be what they all needed "perfect, let's do it. i'm over dress shopping now anyway and lunch is the best option. you got anywhere in mind?" she asked as they walked to the till and she paid for her dresses "personally i'm all for somewhere with a comfy chair and a drinks menu" she laughed making her way to exit the store.

"I think a bit better, I try not to get too involved. You know me, when I see a problem, I want to fix it. I can't get that involved in his work. I have enough going on at Donovan's. Family sucks, don't they?" Adriana smiled at Gabriela. She was sure it was a lot to have your uncle be a pariah on the Upper East Side. She definitely needed a girl's night. "I mostly want to drink my lunch honestly. I do not need to go back to the office, and I need it. I know a good place, no chance we will run into anyone that wants us to do something." She had paid for her dress and was ready to go. "We can take my car."

"All work and no play, Adriana. It's not good for you, you know? You spend all this time sharpening your claws, and for what? Take them back out for a spin." Robbie winked at her, always unable to help himself from playing around with Adriana. "I guess you should. No banner, no cake... You wound me."

"That's what most people say, when I finally have free time, I will figure out if that's true. And where would I be taking them for a spin, your back that lonely again?" Adriana teased Robbie, it felt natural to flirt with him. Call it a moment of weakness. "I know, I really failed at this. Definitely my bad."

He should've judged his appearance by the likelihood of if he would see her here. Would've made him sit his ass at home instead or left right after getting a drink but no, here he was determined to not come across as an idiot now that they were face to face. Cristian tucked his free hand into his pockets, shrugging easily. "So that's a yes? No, but then I don't have to think about lunch tomorrow." Sure, that worked. He took a slow glance down her figure before returning his gaze to her. "Heard you've been around the office." Yet he hadn't managed to catch even a glimpse of her.

Adriana didn't usually run from anyone, but Cristian had always been different. Even before they had dated back in school, he had been the one to bring out the unexpected. "I mean, I wouldn't. But that's just me. I get it, though. I mean, how else would you be able to afford a lunch?" She was going to try to be funny, that was her. Right? "Yeah, my father needed some help, and I connected him with Atticus and Gabriela. How has work been with everything?"

he wasn't sure why he was — actually the appeal of free wine and the chance to talk to some stars and former stars that he wouldn't have came across in any other situation had brought him here. mostly the wine. cristian lingered by snacks, taking the time to recharge and observe the room. where to go, who to avoid. he glanced over at the person next to him, moving a bit to make room for them. "damn. i mean, sorry. do you think they'll mind if i just take a whole tray from here?"

Adriana had come to the party right from work, she had been pulling double duty at Donovan's and helping out her father. She had managed to avoid Cristian during her time at the office recently. So when she rounded the corner, she was surprised to find herself nearly face-to-face. She could do this, it had been a long time since they had broken up. Why did he have to always look so perfect? "Are you that hungry?"

"i can't complain, business is good." if there was one thing the upper east side was going to do it was keep a crisis management lawyer employed "lola is always welcome to come along. she's great fun on a night out" a night out with her friends would be good. adriana, lola, ingrid, zara and anyone else who wanted to join "at this point im ready to give up and go for lunch and a wine. i did like the pastel yellow halter dress and the cream silk dress. i think i'll just buy those"

"Yeah, I have heard that. My father appreciated your work. Won't stop singing your praises." Adriana had been hearing way too much about her father's work lately, with all the drama from the winterball starting to die down. "I will tell her next time I manage to catch her attention." Adriana needed to have fun, especially after the last few months. "Yes, I think those are great ones. Now let's go buy and get some lunch. I am so hungry."

"maybe, sometimes i think he'd leave me to suffer to teach me a lesson" he chuckled. if he was a less selfish person he would've taken a moment to consider the stress and pressure atticus was always under, but he wasn't and he didn't. "why wait until lola shows up? you need permission to let your hair down?"

"Only mildly, I bet." Adriana understood how Atticus came off, but she had seen him enough throughout their lives. He knew he was a good person, especially when it came to family and friends. "She brings out my most fun self. No, but I do need to do it when I am in a room like this. People I work with every day aren't the best party friends."

"i don't even think thirty-six hours would be enough these days" it was relentless. who know crisis management had a business this booming. "if networking is our idea of a night out then we really need to have a proper night out with the girls. you can always bring lola along if you'd like" she offered "don't feel bad at all, that option looks incredible on you. i'll find something here, the one from five dresses ago was lovely, i might try that one on again"

"We just keep you so busy. Always a problem to solve around here." Adriana was sure everyone was grateful to have someone as diligent as Gabriela around. "Oh, if we bring Lola with us, it's going to be a real night out. She brings out my wild side." She nodded her head. "I think I have a good amount of stuff to buy. Now let's focus on getting you some. Thank you, by the way, no one else ever wants to shop for dresses for work stuff."

favours were far more useful bargaining chips than money. they all had money, mountains of it to be exact. if hoarding wealth was a crime half of the upper east side would be in jail. "i'll book it in my calendar" he nodded, doing just that while they were talking. "i'm not in the business of giving options" it's was no skin off his back if he didn't take the help that his daughter had gone out of her way to get "i'll see him then and i expect you to be in the room. your father doesn't get to claim credit for your work"

Adriana was sure he father wouldn't be happy, a favor was worth much more than money for most of them. Anyone could be bought. Getting a no-questions-asked favor was something any of them would be happy to have. She added it to her calendar as well. "Best way to get what you want." She understood his mindset. Atticus had a lot on his back, and he needed things to go his way. "I will be there. Thank you. This might get me a bump up in the family trust. Now the shop talk is done, can I buy you a drink as a thank you?"

"me too, that's how you know i'm desperate to get out of here when i'm willing to go there." she almost laughed but then adriana dropped the lore of the missing shoe "how the hell did you lose a shoe?" a singular shoe?? a mystery. "as long as my parents are here. so that will be for another few hours at least. run, save yourself. lose a shoe for me"

Adriana laughed, shaking her head, remembering the morning after well. "I still don't even know, I don't remember the night at all. Fun Adriana got me good that night." She nodded her head, spotting Ceren's parents talking to some of the others. "I am sorry, hopefully they will let you run free again. I am definitely not staying the whole night, even I get sick of all the business talk."

"good thing i'm not an actress then. i'd take the superhero night over this, that's how much i don't vibe with this event. it's not my scene. maybe if i was in one of the surrounding industries but it doesn't make any sense to me"

"I just hate that bar. Last time I went there, I got way too drunk and lost one of my shoes. I get that for sure. How long are you being forced to be here?"