A Benefit to Remember

[JULIE BRADY]

Julie and Remy had been working on putting together this benefit for weeks. Despite the frequent innuendos and recurring references to dates that would never happen, Julie found it wasn’t so bad working with Remy Graham. She had misjudged him when she assumed he would be the typical lazy rich boy who didn’t know how to run a business. He was hardworking and sharp and he had a lot of good ideas when it came to helping this event run smoothly. Of course it was up to Julie to find ways to pinch pennies and accumulate some savings, but he did a lot of the coordinating and he was very pleasant with their clients. It was easy to ignore the sexual harassment after a while and simply appreciate the good work he was doing. That being said, Julie did not forget the way he’d insulted her friend and presumed to give her management advice. She hadn’t breathed a word of it to Sophia, knowing she would be offended, but she had told her mother. Cora Brady was good for advice and her advice was to ignore the harassment and do her job even though he was an asshole. Even that statement was conflicting for her, though, because he wasn’t really an asshole! Well, he was, but he did nice things for her like got her coffee in the morning or told her when she’d done a good job. Inevitably he would ruin with a comment about her legs or asking her for real drinks and a couple times she’d seen him in the lobby with some floozy, but initially it was nice. And the women…she couldn’t understand why they bothered her so much. There was no way it was jealousy because she didn’t want anything to do with Remy in that sense. She reasoned it must have been because they threw themselves at his feet just because of his looks and the money he exuded, which only made her annoyed with Remy too because he seemed too dumb to notice he was being used for fancy meals and other benefits. In the end she resolved not to think about it; she didn’t like being so irritated and it didn’t help her when she was trying to put together a fine benefit.

The benefit fell on New Year’s Eve so the New Year had served as the theme. The colors were black, white and gold and 2013 decorated several of the items in the room including the pastries that were served. Sophia and Chef Coussard outdid themselves with the hors d’oeuvres and other treats guests could munch on throughout the night. It was an open bar so some of the guests were getting pretty tipsy, but no one could fault them for it. As a hospital benefit, the doctors had a right to celebrate well and what better time than New Year’s to do that? They deserved the break for working so hard. The night was still relatively young but Julie was surprised at how much fun she was having. She hadn’t seen Remy yet that evening, though they had spent most of the day preparing the event together, and she had to admit that she was somewhat avoiding him. Not knowing if he had a date or not for this event, she found it would be better not to know. Julie had invited Sophia to attend, but she was spending most of her time with a relatively handsome doctor who’d asked her to dance an hour ago. It would be weird to Julie if Remy had a date and she didn’t…But why did it matter? He was her boss, she had nothing to prove to him other than in a professional sense. That wasn’t to say she wasn’t asked to dance, though. She was asked plenty, but even though some of them were very handsome, she turned them down politely with a nervous smile. This was work and she found herself making conversation with the older doctors responsible for this event, preferring to network instead of truly let go. How could she if she was trying to get these people’s respect and ensure future benefits at the Remington?

Eventually the doctors went off to dance with their wives or peruse the buffet and she was left standing alone just watching things unfold in her white and black dress[/u] which fell to just below her knees. Her hair was pinned up in a somewhat messy but elegant bun[/u] and while her make-up was still light, it was more than she normally wore. Her shoes[/u] matched her dress perfectly while also bringing a splash of color to her outfit and she had her mother to thank for letting her borrow them. Someone walking up to her caught her attention and when she turned she found Caroline Graham herself smiling in her elegant black dress. “Why, Julie! You look lovely!” Julie smiled wide and sweet, coloring a little at the compliment. “Thank you, so do you!” Caroline laughed a waved her hand a little. “Thank you for humoring an old woman.” Julie shook her head gently with her wide smile, hardly categorizing Remy’s mom as old. “Have you seen my son by chance? I would have thought he’d be hanging all over you.” Caroline gave her a mischievous look and Julie could feel herself blushing more. She had to stop doing that! She gave a small laugh and shook her head again. “No, I haven’t seen him since this afternoon, but I’m sure he’s around.” No doubt he’s found someone else to charm…

[REMY GRAHAM]

It wasn't easy for Remy to get in the swing of working at the hotel he grew up in. More often than not he wanted to hit snooze and stay in bed an extra hour, and he found it became more and more difficult to stay up to his normal three in the morning. He began sleeping in his reserved suite in order to save the commute from his condo on the other side of town which gave him about thirty extra minutes or so of sleep after missing traffic and searching for a decent parking spot. It also offered him the opportunity to relax a little sooner after work.

Lack of sleep aside, it dawned on Remy that the working life was a little dull. There was nothing exciting about crunching numbers for the budget or aiding in the planning of benefits. Well, there was the fact that his partner was extraordinarily gorgeous, but she was a wet blanket most of the time and didn't cave to his suggestions of drinks after work. It wasn't like he wanted to sleep with Julie that badly or anything, it had just become a sort of game to him now. But what Remy enjoyed more than playfully hinting at a date was shocking Julie with how little he needed her guidance. Sure, he needed to be taught a thing or two but it was evident that she had been surprised by what he did already know. Mostly Remy decided she was just under the impression that he would be sitting around and accepting a paycheck, something he would have been more than happy to do, but his mother wouldn't stand for that. She gave him this position because she thought he could handle it, Because she had groomed him for it since his youth, even if he wasn't necessarily as suited for it as others. She kept a close eye though and the threat of replacing him was always in the air. In the end he knew he would have to fuck up royally to actually get the boot, but sitting around and doing nothing wasn't an option, and Remy, oddly enough, wanted this job. He wanted the large paycheck and the ability to continue his grandfathers legacy.

The benefit Remy had been planning with Julie was finally upon them and the pair spent the better part of the last couple of days making sure every detail was fine tuned, overseeing the preparations and the setup. Everything was going off without a hitch and the party planners were doing a fine job of getting everything done accordingly. An hour before the benefit was set to start he made his way up to his suite and got himself showered, shaved and dressed. He chose a dark gray suit with a jade green tie. His hair was combed and parted to the side instead of its normal styled messy. The cuff links he wore were gold and jade. They bore a large elegant R in the center and had belonged to his grandfather. All in all he looked immaculate and made his way down to the party, alone.

Remy had put a lot of thought into whether he should bring a date or not. He knew it would be boring without one, but he also knew he had a reputation to uphold now and though his mother allowed him to bring sluts on his arm in the past (or rather hadn't been able to stop him), she would have his head on a platter if he dared bring trash into a benefit now. Besides, he didn't need a scene when his date inevitably freaked out when he asked Julie for a dance later, already assuming she would say yes. He knew this mostly because he was a tenacious, persistent little shit and would allow Julie to realize that no was simply not an option that evening.

When he entered the room the benefit was being held in he looked around, mostly to make sure everything was going as planned, but also to see where Julie and his mother were. He spotted two of the party planners running around with their ear pieces in, whispering things to make sure all went on as expected. Cocktails were being served, hor d'oeuvres were leaving the kitchen in a steady stream and all in all the guests looked pleased. Remy stayed off in the shadows, observing from the sidelines and eventually found both his mother and Julie in the crowd. He watched silently for a time, knowing he wasn't really needed to mingle yet. At some point his mother found the young woman he was working with and the pair chatted with smiles on their faces. Curiosity slowly began to get the better of him and he began to make his way closer, careful to stay out of sight so as not to interrupt their conversation. Julie was blushing and he wondered what his mother said to achieve such a reaction.

Remy grabbed a champagne flute from a server as he walked by, coming up beside the two women he worked the closest with, not having caught any of their soft conversation. "I'm not interrupting, am I?" He asked looked playfully suspicious at the two, his pale eyes meeting both of theirs. The closer he got, the more beautiful Julie seemed. Her dress fit perfectly, hugging all the right places without being revealing. She looked elegant and sexy all at the same time, and her hair added a hint of playfulness to the ensemble. "No, of course not darling." His mother leaned in pecking his cheek, her free hand sliding to his other in a gesture of greeting. "I was just telling Julie how beautiful everything looks.You two did a phenomenal job." Remy wasn't stupid enough to believe that his mother hadn't stuck her nose in their plans as often as she could, double checking everything to make sure it all went off well, but he was glad she was pleased with the results and clearly hadn't overrode many, if any of their decisions for that evening. "Thank you." He offered, giving Julie a wicked grin. "I have the finest partner in Scriptor Bay, so really you couldn't expect anything less than phenomenal." Remy himself would have liked to roll his eyes at the compliment, but for now he stayed well behaved. "And of course the greatest mentor on the west coast." He raised his glass to his mother and then drank. Now he was sure she wanted to roll her eyes. "Well thank you, Remy." She said, chuckling and clearly in a good mood. She should be, he'd seen her down two glasses of champagne already that evening and she was working on her third. "Oh, I see Dr. Forsythe, excuse me." Remy watched his mother leave for a moment and then turned back to Julie, the smirk coming back. "You clean up nicely." He teased bringing his drink to his mouth again and taking a small sip. He turned to look at the people mingling, the dance floor clear for now. "It will be nice when this is all over with." He said absentmindedly as people walked by, "But for now I suppose we should have a nice night. Can I ask you to save me a dance tonight or did you bring a jealous date." He knew she probably hadn't considering he hadn't saw a guy steadily hang around her all night. She had a few gentlemen come over and talk to her, but he knew them all to be guests there with their own dates, and not someone there with Julie. In fact he wouldn't be surprised if she had brought her friend from the kitchen with her since he knew she wasn't on the invited list but still she was there, dressed to the nines and enjoying herself. "Don't need to cause any drama tonight." He teased, playful eyes on her once more.

[JULIE BRADY]

Caroline was piling compliment upon compliment on Julie about how beautiful everything was, and even though she knew Caroline had secretly made sure everything was to her satisfaction, Julie felt very proud of her achievement. Yes, Remy had helped and she couldn’t take all of the credit, but she had been a very large part in organizing the event and it always made her feel good to satisfy Caroline Graham. Julie simply grinned and nodded and thanked the older woman for all of her compliments. It seemed they were both in high spirits as most Therians were these days. The darkness was dissipating and for the first time in months Julie hadn’t shifted the past several nights, giving her more energy than she’d had in a long time. Finally things were going back to normal and it left Julie much brighter and less irritable. As the women talked, Julie could feel a presence behind them and she turned to find a familiar handsome face…very cleaned up. She was very surprised at how sharp he looked and she actually flushed a little at his closeness. The color didn’t last long as she remembered who it was standing behind her, though she had to smile a little at the shifty eye he was giving her. “I’m not interrupting, am I?” Julie shook her head as his mouth verbally answered him. “No, of course not darling.” She kissed his cheek and Julie let her eyes roam a little so she wasn’t barging in on the moment. When they pulled away from each other Julie let her eyes come back to them with a renewed smile. “I was just telling Julie how beautiful everything looks. You two did a phenomenal job.” Again Julie gave a bashful sort of laugh, always awkward at taking compliments. “Thank you.” Remy’s wicked smile turned to Julie and she eyed him suspiciously behind her smile. “I have the finest partner in Scriptor Bay, so you really couldn’t expect anything less than phenomenal.” Julie had to fight the urge to roll her eyes at him, instead giving him a sardonic sort of smile and a tilt of her head. At least she never wanted for flattery. “And of course the greatest mentor on the west coast.” He was laying it on thick with the little toast he gave his mother, but it was mostly amusing. The waiter walked by with champagne again and this time Julie made sure to grab a glass. It would calm some of her jumpiness. “Well thank you, Remy. Oh, I see Dr. Forsythe, excuse me.” And away she went leaving Julie and Remy alone as it usually ended up.

Remy turned to look at her again and she caught his eye before turning to face him. “You clean up nicely.” She gave a pleasant smile and lifted her chin a little haughtily. “I’m always clean. I should be telling you that you clean up nicely.” And he did; not even Julie could deny how handsome he looked all clean and dressed up. Then again it was never his looks that needed much work—it was his lecherous personality. She took a sip of her champagne as Remy’s eyes moved to the dance floor and she followed his lead, watching their guests mingling. “It will be nice when this is all over with. But for now I suppose we should have a nice night. Can I ask you to save me a dance tonight or did you bring a jealous date? Don’t need to cause any drama tonight.” While she wasn’t surprised he would ask her to dance, she was surprised he was asking so soon. In a good mood and enjoying herself, she actually felt playful and she pointed in Sophia’s direction. “I did bring a jealous date. There she is flirting with a doctor.” She tilted her head to the side as if she was seriously considering the pair. “You can see how jealous she is by the way she just can’t keep away from me.” At that point Sophia actually took the doctor’s hand and went back to the dance floor to tear it up once more. With a sardonic smile she looked back at Remy. “I’ll save you a dance if you don’t mind me stepping on your toes the entire time. I’m not very coordinated.” She gave a shrug and took a sip of her champagne. When she pulled her glass from her lips, she looked at his glass and then smiled with amusement. “Apparently you’ve found a way to have that drink with me.” It was meant to be ironic, but she wondered if maybe she’d come off as flirting. That would not be acceptable after keeping him at arm’s length all these years.

“But what about your date? Will I get invited out to the parking lot if I dance with you? Because I forgot my brass knuckles at home…” she said, her voice trailing off like she was actually concerned though it was all in jest. Still, she was fairly certain Remy would have brought a date. He always had a woman on his arm for these events, at least the ones she’d been to. She was still expecting some bimbo in a hot pink dress that hugged her hips and ass and allowed her cleavage to spill forth from a dangerously low neckline to appear beside him at any moment. It would be a relief if that theoretical bimbo never appeared, though…not that she wished Remy was alone, but more that she wished this affair could always be remembered as a classy event with classy people. Had she been willing to admit it, she might acknowledge the slight pang of disappointment she felt to think that Remy had a date and she didn’t. But there was no hope of her admitting that and her lighthearted banter would cover up any thought of disappointment that he would have a date hiding in the bathroom or cruising the buffet. It was easier for her to be relaxed around Remy now that she had gotten used to being around him every day and even easier tonight with the jovial atmosphere and he restored energy. She just hoped he wouldn’t ruin it by embarrassing her too much…

[REMY GRAHAM]

When Julie pointed towards someone in the crowd for a moment Remy thought maybe she had brought a gentleman with her and in the brief moment he was infuriated. She would have mentioned that, he was sure of it! When his eyes landed on the cook she was friendly with, the one he suspected she had brought, he relaxed a little. “I did bring a jealous date. There she is flirting with a doctor. You can see how jealous she is by the way she just can’t keep away from me.” She was teasing and Remy sincerely wanted to taunt her on bringing a woman with her, but he knew it would only annoy her and he was doing his best to play nice. At least for the moment. At least until he stole a kiss at midnight and she'd already had a few drinks in her and was more capable of handling his lewd behavior.

Instead he nodded gravely. "Yes, yes I can see that now." He agreed mimicking her tone. “I’ll save you a dance if you don’t mind me stepping on your toes the entire time. I’m not very coordinated.” She sipped her champagne and he couldn't stop the haughty smile that creased his lips as he watched her for a moment and then looked back at the crowd. "It would be an honor to have my toes crushed by you." He teased back, taking a sip from his glass as she did from her own. “Apparently you’ve found a way to have that drink with me.” Was she flirting? Had she drank enough to flirt? Maybe he would be able to ring in the new year with fulfilling his long time desire to bring Julie to bed after all! The angel on his shoulder tapped him and reminded him how terribly inappropriate that would be now and he actually stopped and thought about it for a moment. They worked together and he would have to see her everyday. He couldn't fire her, that wasn't an option and he couldn't switch locations because there was only one. Maybe it was in his best interest not to sleep with her... The devil on his other shoulder kicked him square in the jaw and told him to focus on the hottie beside him and he looked down at Julie, coming to the conclusion she wouldn't put out anyway so it wasn't something worth wasting brain cells thinking about. "Well, I always get what I want in due time, Jules." He taunted playfully with a chuckle, letting her come to her own conclusions about it. In the end he knew it would turn her off, which was, sadly, what he knew he needed to do.

“But what about your date? Will I get invited out to the parking lot if I dance with you? Because I forgot my brass knuckles at home…” Her comment surprised him a little and he wondered once more if maybe she was flirting. He shook his head after a moment, his lip curled up just slightly on one side. "I'm a respectable man, Julie. I can't just bring any floozy to a function like this, not when my reputation as a businessman is on the line." He knew the comment was satirical, which was the point. He grinned lightly at her. "Besides," He said, leaning in closer as though to share a secret, "I was hoping to keep my options open for anyone interested in a kiss from me at midnight. Who knows, maybe I'll get lucky and find some beautiful, single lady whose date is flirting with all the single gentleman here." There was a smile on his smug little face before turning away towards the crowd and bringing his glass up towards his lips. "I mean, I've always had a thing for women doctors. Surely there's one here who has a closet case of a date on her arm." He took a sip, pretending as though he hadn't just spoken about Julie herself. "I'd consider you, but, well, you have a date so." He shrugged and then turned back to Julie, a challenging look in his eyes. "Shall we check on things make sure all is running smoothly?"

[JULIE BRADY]

Julie was starting to wonder about how she was coming off. She hadn’t meant to sound like she was flirting, but was she presenting herself the wrong way? From the mischievous look in Remy’s eyes and the little smile that spread on his lips, he was certainly taking it that way and it made her self-conscious. The last thing she needed was to fuel Remy’s fire to tease her. “I’m a respectable man, Julie. I can’t just bring a floozy to a function like this, not when my reputation as a businessman is on the line.” At least he recognized this fact and she had to admit now that she was relieved—he wouldn’t embarrass her, his mother or himself. She wouldn’t admit there was any other reason to be relieved… “Besides…” He leaned in closer and she watched him with wary eyes but didn’t lean away from him like she used to. That only provoked the beast in him. “I was hoping to keep my options open for anyone interested in a kiss from me at midnight. Who knows, maybe I’ll get lucky and find some beautiful, single lady whose date is flirting with all the single gentlemen here.” Now he was toying with her and even though he was wearing a smug smile she simply narrowed her eyes suspiciously, giving him a sardonic smile. She was definitely smart enough to know he was talking about her even if his next statement suggested he wasn’t. “I mean, I’ve always had a thing for women doctors. Surely there’s one here who had a closet case of a date on her arm.” She rolled her eyes and took a sip of her own champagne as he did so. “I’d consider you, but, well, you have a date so…” Why did she still blush when he said things like that?! She tried to suppress it as her brow lowered over her bright eyes in agitation, taking a drink to distract herself. Maybe she should have eaten something before she started drinking…His eyes were on her again with a challenging look and she returned it suspiciously.

“Shall we check on things, make sure all is running smoothly?” Anything to get her mind off him flirting with her. She knew his flirting meant about as much as a box of dirt on your birthday and it was just best to ignore it. That’s the way it had been for years and seeing him every day shouldn’t have changed that. With a small breath, she let her confidence come back, trying to be as tough as Teflon like she had been for years. “Yes, let’s.” She gave a small smile as she moved in the direction of her choosing, moving toward the buffet actually. On the way, her eyes roamed the crowd, and fell on a couple that made her laugh lightly before looking back to Remy. “Hey, you could kiss her at midnight.” She nodded her head in the direction of an older woman on the heavier side with her arm linked in a handsome older gentleman’s. Of course, that handsome older gentleman was quite obviously checking out the waiter carrying around glasses of champagne, a sly little smile on his face that the woman on his arm didn’t even notice. Not to mention the man was very effeminate in the way he stood with his arm bent at the elbow and his hand lying limp across his stomach. “She might not be single, but I don’t think her partner would mind at all.” The look on Remy’s face told her he wanted no part of that and it made her laugh again. It wasn’t often she laughed like that in front of Remy but the fact that his previous teasing desire for women doctors and possibly finding one with a closet case on her arm made it too good a joke not to laugh. She would have to tell her mom about this later.

“Miss Brady! Mr. Graham!” The familiar voice made Julie turn, her bright smile still on her lips as her bright blue eyes fell on Mrs. Blanche Lagnier, the older woman who was responsible for much of the planning of the event. Of course she worked in her husband’s name, Dr. Lance Lagnier, who was the chief of Sciptor Bay Memorial Hospital and not far behind his wife with a pleasant smile. Julie immediately straightened and made sure her smile stayed in place though she felt a little flustered. She was always a little nervous around Mrs. Lagnier, just like she was always a little nervous around Caroline Graham. “Mrs. Lagnier! Dr. Lagnier! It’s a pleasure to see you both! Are you enjoying yourselves?” she asked politely. Mrs. Lagnier waved her hand with a haughty sort of laugh (she was a wasp if Julie ever saw one) and she placed it on her husband’s arm. “We’re having a blast! I love the live band! I have to say that was one of my better ideas.” It had actually been Julie’s suggestion, but she let it slide and nodded in agreement with a broad smile. The old lady looked between them appreciatively and then gave an almost sly smile. “Why, don’t you two make a fine couple! I was just telling Lance yesterday what a fine couple you two would make and it seems I was right!” Julie’s face immediately turned bright pink as she started a little at the suggestion of her and Remy as an item. Dr. Lance was wearing that smug sort of smile too and he looked between the two younger people and then down at his wife. “You were right, honey.” Julie began to shake her head and she gave a nervous laugh, still very flushed. “Oh, we’re not…” Mrs. Lagnier’s face fell some and Julie knew she didn’t like to be told she was wrong or to be embarrassed. She wanted to be able to say she had secured future benefits and there was only one really way to avoid putting a smudge on the memory of tonight. With a nervous smile, she cleared her throat and looked warily at Remy before continuing. She had to play this off and she hoped he recognized that. Her smile grew a little as she looked back to Mrs. Lagnier. “We’re not really telling…anyone about…us…yet.” She forced herself to smile wider though the words stuck in her throat and left a strange taste on her tongue. Even pretending to be Remy’s date was weird…Mrs. Lagnier leaned closer with a large, smug smile and she nodded slowly. “I understand. It’s hard to date coworkers. Your secret is safe with me, darling.” Her voice was low enough so only the four of them could hear and she flushed even more as she let out a nervous laugh. She prayed to any being that would listen that Mrs. Lagnier wouldn’t say anything to anyone. Remy was going to have a damn field day with this…

[REMY GRAHAM]

Remy could see he had gotten through her wall of defense and it pleased him slightly, but she was quick to rebuild which made him chuckle inwardly. Julie Brady really was predictable. “Yes, let’s.” The pair took off and Remy stayed cool, walking close to his counterpart and keeping an eye on things as he was supposed to, as his mother would be watching for him to do. It was Julie who pulled him from work to taunt him, pointing out a couple. “Hey, you could kiss her at midnight.” He spied the older, heavyset women and wrinkled his nose slightly. Remy made it clear he was interested in only one type of girl; beautiful, thin, young, easy girls with not much upstairs. Hell, Julie didn't exactly fit the bill but he liked her anyway. It was good to be into a girl with some brains, made for good conversation. The man she was with was openly checking out some of the mail staff and Remy wondered if the woman simply didn't notice or simply didn't care. Maybe they were just friends and she didn't want to come alone so she brought her gay best friend. Really, gay men were like accessories to some women, no different than a purse or some dangly earrings. “She might not be single, but I don’t think her partner would mind at all.” The look he gave her was nothing short of disgust. "My charity work consists of donating change to the homeless on the streets, not dancing with formally dressed elephants." He shot at her softly just as someone called out to them, pulling his attention from the odd couple.

“Miss Brady! Mr. Graham!” Remy inwardly groaned as Mrs. Blanche Lagnier came their way. The woman was a bit of a nuisance and liked to micromanage to some degree. Luckily he didn't have to deal much with her, which was probably for the best. Still, he forced a smile as she came at them. “Mrs. Lagnier! Dr. Lagnier! It’s a pleasure to see you both! Are you enjoying yourselves?” LEave it to Julie to throw out the pleasantries. Remy stayed quiet at her side, allowing her to take the reigns because he simply did not care to. “We’re having a blast! I love the live band! I have to say that was one of my better ideas.” He cocked a brow and gave a sidelong look to Julie, knowing full well it had been her suggestion, and he smirked lightly. She was taking that news well, unlike Remy who would have set her straight had he been the one to choose the music, but he held his tongue for now because he knew it was in everyone's best interest if he did. “Why, don’t you two make a fine couple! I was just telling Lance yesterday what a fine couple you two would make and it seems I was right!” Remy couldn't stop the big, amused smile from spreading over his cheeks as he looked at the pink woman at his side. Oh, this was too good! “You were right, honey.” Julie was shaking her head but it didn't stop the soft chuckle from Remy, who had to look at the ground to hide the fact that he was fit to burst into hysterics at any moment. “Oh, we’re not…” Remy raised a brow at the girl, still more than a little amused and was about to interject when she began to fix herself. “We’re not really telling…anyone about…us…yet.” On cue Remy slid his arm around Julie's shoulder in a friendly gesture, smiling at the woman now, looking smug as though the beautiful girl at his side was quite the catch for him. “I understand. It’s hard to date coworkers. Your secret is safe with me, darling.” Remy nodded, squeezing Julie's shoulder. "We appreciate your discretion." He offered, smiling at the girl tucked into his arm before back at Mrs. Lagnier. "It's been so difficult for us to hide our love for one another over the last few months, but we wanted nothing to distract us from making this event special, so we've kept our love for one another on the back burner so that we may focus on this benefit. I'm looking forward to the day I can let the world know we have found true love within each other." He turned and looked at Julie, knowing she was probably more than a little annoyed. "Don't you agree, cupcake?" Julie's reaction was priceless, and Blanche bought it, which was most important. "Well we won't disturb you two any longer! Go enjoy yourselves. We just wanted to let you know that everything is marvelous." "Thank you." Remy said back easily as the older couple took off.

Remy immediately pulled his arm away, knowing Julie would probably try slithering out of it anyway. "Why Julie, I had no idea you had such deep feelings for me. I wish I'd known we were dating, I would have taken more offense when you denied my advances!" He teased, that devilish look on his face once more.

[JULIE BRADY]

Julie’s whole body stiffened as Remy’s arm came around her shoulders, the weight of it ten times heavier than it should have been since she was now so entirely on edge. His strangely rough yet smooth hand squeezed her shoulder and her stomach clenched. God damn it! She couldn’t throw his arm off because it would be suspect, but it was all she wanted to do. “We appreciate your discretion. It’s been so difficult for us to hide our love for one another over the last few months, but we wanted nothing to distract us from making this event special, so we’re kept our love for one another on the back burner so that we may focus on this benefit. I’m looking forward to the day I can let the world know we have found true love within each other.” While Mrs. Lagnier looked like she was going to simply melt, Julie was holding back the vomit rising in her throat. She shot him a warning look, her cheeks blazing as much as her icy blue eyes were, and there was no way he could have missed it when his eyes connected with hers. Yet the smile on his face only grew as he said, “Don’t you agree, cupcake?” Her jaw set and her brow was low over her big eyes as she glared at him, the way her cheeks puffed out slightly making her look like a petulant child. She was going to kill him! Jules was a blessing of a nickname compared to cupcake! It was obvious he was trying to keep from bursting into hysterics. He may have been one of the most handsome men she’d ever encountered, but his impish and immature personality drove her up a wall!

“Well we won’t disturb you two any longer!”[/b] She looked back at the older couple with mild surprise and then she realized it must have looked like she was completely engrossed in her supposed lover. It only made her blush more though she gave a pained smile. “Go enjoy yourselves. We just wanted to let you know everything is marvelous.”[/b] Julie could only manage to nod her head politely, words completely lost on her, but Remy gave a soft, “Thank you.” They watched the other couple walk off and just as Julie was wiggling to escape the confines of his arm, Remy was pulling it away with one of the biggest grins she’d ever seen on him. “Why Julie, I had no idea you had such deep feelings for me. I wish I’d known we were dating, I would have taken more offense when you denied my advances!” She had to be careful her grip on her glass of champagne didn’t shatter it as she blushed deep crimson and glared at him. Her fist flew into his arm discreetly, a vicious attack for her but little more than a tap for most people. “Shut up!” she hissed, sounding very much like the cat she transformed into at the full moon. “My feelings for you are strictly business related. I only said that because I’d like to bring the revenue from this party to the hotel again.” She huffed, her bright eyes on fire as her whole body bristled with embarrassment and irritation. The champagne in her hand caught her eye and she realized she was going to need a lot more to feel okay with what just happened. She kicked back the rest before approaching the buffet and handing the glass to a waiter, forcing a smile when she was handed another. Now she knew why her mother needed alcohol when dealing with sticky situations.

Slowly the flush in her cheeks died away and she let her eyes come back to Remy’s reluctantly. Damn it, she couldn’t even look at him now without turning a little pink! The whole situation was so humiliating. “Let’s continue.” Her voice was firm and her face struggling to be firm as well, but it was hard for Julie to look stern. She just didn’t have the right kind of face for that. When her eyes scanned the crowd again, however, she saw Mrs. Lagnier watching them through the crowd and she felt a pit hit the bottom of her stomach. Now they had drawn attention to themselves! She had to pretend…Looking up to Remy, her sank as she consigned herself to playing along once more. Her hand slipped into his and she forced another smile as she rose her glass to Mrs. Lagnier as if she was toasting to some little confidence between them. Why couldn’t she have more of a backbone and not worry about offending the old bag? She took a sip before looking back up at Remy. He was enjoying this too much. It was weird, though. His hand felt…well it felt nice in hers. It was warm and rough but oddly smooth and it was a strong hand. She felt butterflies just barely take flight in her stomach to notice she kind of liked holding his hand.

NO. No thoughts like that were allowed! It was Remy for Christ’s sake! Her eyes tore away from his as did her hand as soon as she was certain Mrs. Lagnier wasn’t watching them. She was so confused. She wanted to grumble and be angry about this mess she’d gotten herself into, but it was a party and even if she wasn’t having fun, she had to look like she was. But she wanted to have fun…Her eyes continued to scan the crowd and when she saw Sophia scurrying her way she grinned wide. A friend was just what she needed! “Well, look who finally stopped dancing!” she teased and the beautiful woman gave a sweet smile and shrug of her shoulders. “What can I say? The man can move!” Sophia’s warm brown eyes fell on Remy and she gave a bright smile. “Good evening, Remy!” Julie glanced at him as he gave a greeting in return but she was distracted when Sophia excitedly grabbed her hands. “Okay, sooo I’m leaving with him.” No! Her one ally! She gripped her friend’s hands back. “Right now?” Sophia nodded vigorously and Julie pouted. “Aww, but it’s not even midnight!” Her friend gave her a pleading look in return. “I knooow, but he’s so cute! Plus midnight’s an hour and a half away! We might be done by then…” She gave a devilish smile and then a furtive look to Remy who was probably devouring their conversation. Julie sighed heavily and slumped her shoulders a little, her eyes as big as a puppy’s. “Fine. Have fun.” Sophia squealed and threw her arms around Julie, squeezing her willowy frame tightly. “I will! Wish me an all nighter!” Julie rolled her eyes and waved with a half smile as Sophia bounced away, waving to her and Remy over her shoulder. She was still pouting as she looked up at Remy again. “So there goes my date. Looks like you’re in the clear…” she grumbled, unhappy that the one person she could go to for relief in this whole awkward evening was abandoning her for sex. Why was she surrounded by sex fiends?

[REMY GRAHAM]

If looks could kill.. Remy had to try hard to contain his amusement as the girl turned red, glaring at him as though she would have liked to rip him apart, and had they been alone somewhere he was certain she might actually try. But fortunately for him they were right in the middle of a benefit, one that neither could afford to simply tear someone apart in either physically or verbally. Remy was more than surprised when she sent a girly throw into his shoulder, and the fact it stung a little was even more of a shock. “Shut up!” she hissed and he raised a brow at her. "My feelings for you are strictly business related. I only said that because I’d like to bring the revenue from this party to the hotel again.” She huffed and he had to bite his tongue from saying anything further to set her off. Remy didn't want Julie to make a scene. The last thing he needed was his mother scolding him for setting the girl off unnecessarily.

Remy watched as Julie downed the rest of her glass and stormed off. He wondered if he should bother following her or let her simmer in her own irritation for a while. She would want to be left alone, which only made him want to be around her more. Plus, she was getting more champagne which meant she would eventually cool off, or better lose her inability to keep her thoughts to herself. Against his better judgement he casually strolled after her as she drank her new glass of champagne. Her eyes came to him and he smirked slightly at the blush in her cheeks. She seriously needed to learn how to relax a little. “Let’s continue.” She finally said, her voice a little more even now, though still slightly irritated. He walked alongside her once more, and then Julie did something he found extraordinarily odd. Her hand slipped into his and he looked down at it curiously, the questioning look quickly moving up to her face. What was she getting at? Fighting fire with fire? He quickly picked up on what had happened as Julie lifted her glass to dear old Blanche Lagnier. He grinned and nodded to the woman looking after them with that pleased look in her eyes. Oh, Julie was going to come down on him and hard, but really it was her fault for lying to the old bag! Remy had nothing to do with that tall tale and she had no one to blame but herself. He let out a soft chuckle when her eyes met his once more and he could tell in the way she looked at him how much she would have liked to simply punch him once more. He allowed her hand to rest in his, trying not to think much of it. Remy wasn't much of a hand holder. Even when he did end up in the occasional relationship, he wasn't the type of man to take a woman's hand. Arm? Maybe. A hand on her ass or the small of her back? Much more likely. Remy liked to be in control and hand holding was juvenile, but he did it for Julie knowing she would be more comfortable with that than if he were to put his arm down around her waist, holding her close. Besides, in a strange way her delicate little hand felt nice in his; soft and petite like Julie herself.

Remy inwardly frowned at the thought. Since when did he like holding anyone's hand? He didn't, He didn't even like holding Julie's! Oh, but he did.. deep down he was enjoying it on a level other than knowing it pained her. Suddenly her eyes tore away and so did her hand and Remy was left feeling a little confused. Why had he liked that? It was a stupid gesture. No, it was the champagne.. definitely the champagne.

Remy did his best to not think of the weird thoughts that had entered his mind, and the cook running their way served as a good distraction. “Well, look who finally stopped dancing!” Julie teased and Sophia looked a little out of breath. “What can I say? The man can move!” The girls fell on him and he didn't know how to respond. “Good evening, Remy!” He nodded and offered a small "Good evening." In return before looking away so the girls could gossip, pretending as though he wasn't listening, just looking around. The girl talked openly about going home with some man she'd met and for a moment Remy judged her slutty behavior, but then realized it was nothing he wouldn't do himself. He gave no indication he was listening, but was a little glad that Julie's escape route was leaving the festivities early. That was good for him..

When Sophia finally left them Remy looked back at Julie, who looked up at him, pouting a little. Did she want him to comfort her? “So there goes my date. Looks like you’re in the clear…” His stomach actually squirmed. In the clear? What did that mean? That she was now his date? Or that her date wouldn't get jealous when they danced? Because he was already certain Sophia could care less if they danced or not. He suddenly felt mildly awkward about this situation. He couldn't fool around with Julie. Hell, Julie wasn't even his type, and it would make things weird when they worked. He liked their current arrangement where she was angry at his playful advances, always shooting them down. It was comfortable. But Julie wouldn't let him come near her with a ten foot pole, even with champagne, so he was definitely in the clear. "I can be ten times the date Sophia was." He teased with a grin, "And I wouldn't leave you for a man. Promise." He offered a wink and then pulled the champagne glass from her hand, downing the rest of it for her and setting it down. "Perhaps our view of the event will be better from the dance floor. I think we should go see." He nodded to the dance floor where a few people were out swaying to the string quartets rendition of Come Fly With Me. He offered his arm to her, raising a brow to see if she would take it or not. "We wouldn't want to disappoint Mrs. Lagnier." He teased.

[JULIE BRADY]

Julie didn’t know why she kept making statements that could have a double meaning. She realized after she had spoken that maybe she was inviting Remy to be her date, which certainly hadn’t been the case. There was no way he could be her date! He was her boss and the most annoying man she’d ever encountered. She had to wonder, though…was he getting less annoying? No, if anything he was getting more annoying…or was she just holding onto some outdated notion that he was shallow, lazy and conceited? Well, he was certainly shallow and conceited still, but he wasn’t really lazy. Maybe she had to reevaluate her opinion of Remy Graham more completely…She just had to let it go tonight. She was awkward and he was slick and maybe just this evening she could be okay with Remy. What was the point of being angry at a party? His familiar devious grin actually brought her some relief, comfortable that at least he wasn’t making it more awkward by being anyone other than opportunistic Remy. “I can be ten times the date Sophia was. And I wouldn’t leave you for a man. Promise.” At his wink she actually gave a smile, shaking her head as he took the champagne from her hand. “You sure about that? I’ve always wondered if your insistence on parading around loose women was a cover,” she teased, a coy smile on her lips. He didn’t seem to notice her comment as he placed the champagne glass down and turned back to her. What was he thinking?

“Perhaps our view of the event will be better from the dance floor. I think we should go see.” Immediately a stone dropped in her stomach as she looked to the dance floor. She was as uncoordinated as her mother. Ever since she’d been ditched by Bobby Duran in seventh grade at the school dance for crushing his toes she hadn’t been much for dancing. But she did like this song and Remy extended his arm to her expectantly, one heavy eyebrow raised at her. “We wouldn’t want to disappoint Mrs. Lagnier.” Julie rolled her big eyes with a smile and shook her head. “Let’s not talk about Mrs. Lagnier.” With that suggestion she hesitantly took Remy’s arm and let him guide them to the dance floor. She gulped before looking up at him. “You know, I wasn’t kidding about not being able to dance. I might actually crush your toes. I’ve done it before.” Julie was 115 pounds soaking wet—there was no way she could a full grown man’s toes. Still she was nervous to be on a dance floor where everyone could see them and how poorly she danced. Remy didn’t seem fazed at all and reassured her. She didn’t think he understood the extent of her lack of coordination, but she could give it a shot. With a couple drinks in her maybe she would be loose enough to actually not suck at this.

On the dance floor, she looked around at the other couples nervously, envious of how smoothly and gracefully they all moved. She was about to stick out like a sore thumb. Remy moved in front of her, calling her attention back to him and she blushed lightly to feel his arm move around her waist so his hand could rest on the small of her back. His other hand held hers up beside them and she wondered why it felt so odd to be so close to Remy and face to face. He didn’t look affected at all by how close they were, still smiling smugly, and she had to focus on keeping her stomach from squirming foolishly. When he moved without warning, she followed stiffly, not sure what to do exactly. Then he began giving instruction. She listened to the music and looked more at his chest than his face as he guided her around the dance floor. It was slow at first, waiting for her to stop stumbling awkwardly, but once she got the hang of it, she found it was kind of fun. The more she relaxed and followed Remy’s lead, the more fun it was. It must have been the champagne that made her forget he was the most annoying man on the planet and just let herself go. Who would notice besides him if she let herself relax for a minute? It wasn’t like he was going to tell anybody anyway. Even if he was annoying, she knew she could trust him—they’d built that trust between them over the years even though they didn’t get along all the time. She was smiling now, alternating between looking at his face and at his chest, but she didn’t notice the eyes watching them. To her surprise he spun her and she laughed when he pulled her back into him, one hand rested in his and the other resting much more comfortably on the arm holding her about the waist. “When did you learn how to dance?” she asked with a bright smile, genuinely wanting to know. Who knew dancing would allow her to let her guard down?

[REMY GRAHAM]

“Let’s not talk about Mrs. Lagnier.” He was a little surprised she offered him a smile, not really expecting it, though she did deliver on the eye roll he knew to expect from her. Remy lead her out to the dance floor and he could already tell Julie was unsure of it all, though he assumed it was because he was going to dance with her. “You know, I wasn’t kidding about not being able to dance. I might actually crush your toes. I’ve done it before.” Now it was Remy's turn to roll his eyes. "I seriously doubt that." He taunted, looking down into her rich blue eyes as he faced her, taking her hand in his, and sliding the other around to the small of her back, taking care not to let it slide to an inappropriate level. She was his colleague, after all, and though he had fun teasing her about Mrs. Lagnier's comment, he didn't want the rest of the crowd to believe the same tale, and he knew neither did Julie.

Remy looked at Julie with smug satisfaction. He had gotten her on the dance floor and she looked more than a little flustered about it. Was she really so nervous about dancing? When the beat was right he began moving them, and it caught Julie all by surprise and he had to keep himself from rolling his eyes at her. "Loosen up." He teased when he felt how stiff she was. Was she simply tense or did she have no clue? It became apprent very qiuckly that Julie was an amazing businesswoman but, as she warned, a crap dancer. How could someone so seemingly elegant and graceful be so awkward on a dance floor? He reminded himself she was a huge klutz and things started piecing together. "You're making me look bad, Brady." He teased with that same smug grin. "Alright, I'm going to step forward, bring you right foot back and then your left, but put it out to the side. Then bring your right foot over to the left. Then we're going to do the opposite; left foot forward, right up to the side, left over. Repeat. Got it?" When he was sure she understood he softly coaxed her through the moves, surprisingly patient with her during the process.

Remy talked her through a few more moves until she was doing a poor version of a waltz with him, but it was more than she had been doing before. She began to loosen up a little and he in turn found he was enjoying this little dance more than he had hoped to. Her smile was sweet, and there was a boyish part of him that wanted to tease her, but he held it in, acting more like the adult he was supposed to be than the jackass he actually was. Seeing how confident she was becoming with her moves he spun her out, and then pulled her back to him, smirking at her, but not in that impish way he normally did. She was enjoying herself and he liked to keep it that way.

“When did you learn how to dance?” she asked and he had to roll his eyes. "Have you met my mother?" He asked as if the answer was obvious. "C'mon Jules, I grew up in this place. I wasn't allowed to come to these things, but when I was kid I always wanted to. I used to hide riiight over there." He nodded his head and pointed their hands in the direction of a small alcove near the kitchen where the wait staff kept the gurneys ready to go. "I liked to watch and steal cakes when no one was looking." He threw a wink and then rolled his shoulders. "Mom taught me when I was a kid. I guess she figured one day I would be going to events like this and it would be best if I learned when I was willing to let her teach me. By the time I was old enough to attend, I wanted no part of waltzing with my mother in the living room, so that was a power play on her end since by then I already knew them all." He looked into her eyes, realizing he'd never opened up to Julie Brady before like this. It was a glimpse into the life he'd lead, something he didn't usually offer willingly. "And now you have the best teacher in Scriptor Bay." His cocky smirk came back, his weak defense mechanism. "I give free lessons in the privacy of my suite if you're interested." He inwardly wanted to kick himself for acting like such a douche.

[JULIE BRADY]

Okay, so Julie had asked a silly question, but she did giggle a little when Remy rolled his eyes at it. “Have you met my mother?” He had a good point… “C’mon Jules, I grew up in this place. I wasn’t allowed to come to these things, but when I was a kid I always wanted to. I used to hide riiight over there.” Julie’s eyes followed where he motioned their hands to, seeing the alcove near the kitchen. She could imagine a small version of Remy hiding in that corner, watching the couples dancing, and it brought a warm smile to her face. Had she ever felt warm towards Remy before? “I liked to watch and steal cakes when no one was looking.” She grinned wide at his wink, actually quite interested in this story. “Mom taught me when I was a kid. I guess she figured one day I would be going to events like this and it would be best if I learned when I was willing to let her teach me. By the time I was old enough to attend, I want no part of waltzing with my mother in the living room, so that was a power play on her end since by then I already knew them all.” Picturing Remy and Caroline dancing together in a living room gave her an amused grin. It was strange. She knew the two of them were close, but she’d never imagined how they got to be so. Perhaps the dancing lessons were their way of seeing each other. It was also amusing to know that he’d wanted to learn to dance. She’d been part of Miss Debbie’s Twirlers when she was little, but she’d never had much grace since then. Their eyes met and she realized this was a private glimpse into Remy’s life that he hadn’t shared before. In fact…he’d never really shared anything with her before; nothing like this anyway…She found she liked this new information and it changed her perception of him just slightly.

“And now you have the best teacher in Scriptor Bay.” Remy’s usual cocky smirk came back but this time it only made Julie shake her head in amusement, not her usual irritation. “I give free lessons in the privacy of my suite if you’re interested.” Normally the statement would make her sigh in exasperation and realize Remy was nothing more than a dirty lecher looking for a way into her panties. This time, though, it was different. The comment only made her roll her eyes and give an amused smile. “I call shenanigans. I know those lessons wouldn’t be free.” The price of course was out of the question, but she could tease just as well as he could. Sex wasn’t supposed to be something a boss and his employee joked about, yet here they were doing just what they weren’t supposed to. It was normal for them, or at least for Remy. She was usually the sensible one, but she was having fun and she hadn’t really meant it to be flirtatious. It was just a quip, a smart response to amuse him and maybe make him give another of those genuine smiles that he’d let show tonight. Her playful response earned her another spin and she laughed softly before he pulled her back into him. They continued dancing through the rest of the song, which happened to be a medley of Frank Sinatra songs. Remy tried to get a little fancier in their dancing, goofing around, but every time had only ended up in tripping Julie up but making them laugh. It was more fun than she’d expected to have dancing with him. Strange that someone who totally irritated her most days ended up giving her the most fun so far this evening. Even stranger was that Remy was actually capable of being charming.

The song ended and they pulled apart, Julie’s eyes looking around again. She found several pairs of eyes watching them, some who knew they had worked together on this benefit and others she didn’t know. There were no dirty looks or anything like that and there weren’t even that many people looking, but it made Julie flush before she looked back up at Remy. “Was I that awkward?” she asked quietly, feeling self-conscious. She didn’t think she had been but maybe she was wrong…Remy was the only one who could say for sure.

[REMY GRAHAM]

“I call shenanigans." She rolled her eyes and then smiled and Remy was a little surprised he didn't get a shove and a storm away from her. "I know those lessons wouldn’t be free.” Wait. What had just happened? Was Julie making sexual jokes with him? This was a first! He grinned and shrugged nonchalantly. "Hey, I've been known to offer charity now and then." He teased with a wink, not really saying if he would expect a favor returned or not from his lessons. The point was to get her in his suite.. No! Remy had to stop himself from thinking about it. The awkwardness! The lashing from his mother, both verbally and physically! She would maim him, and then probably fire him for fucking Jules. No, they were playing around. Julie wasn't thinking about it at all, just teasing him... but even the teasing turned him on a little. Maybe it was the champagne.

He gave her a smile, not really faltering in his demeanor as being suave and debonair. He gave her another spin and then pulled her back into him playful. He added a few steps to the mix, getting fancy and messing Julie up who was more amused by his antics than annoyed, and he even let a few genuine little chuckles leave, his smile as genuine as the sound coming from his mouth. It was often he had fun with someone like this, with them enjoying themselves as much as he and not at his expense. They were just friends, though. Always had been. Well, not real friends.. not really..

The song ended and he let go of Julie, who took a step back and then looked around as if to see who was watching them. Who was she looking for? She blushed and he looked around himself wondering what brought on that reaction. “Was I that awkward?” He pursed his lips and rocked his head from side to side and then nodded. "Yeah." He told her and then grinned wide. "You were fine, Jules. Who cares what anyone thinks, anyway? You think any of these arrogant cocks think I'm capable of running this hotel? I'm not the best CEO that ever existed, but I'm learning. And so are you. Besides, you're not stepping on their toes, you're stepping on mine, now quit whining and dance with me again." The music was already starting and Remy grabbed Julie once more, smirking. "You know you want to." He teased, moving her along, "Now focus.. and enjoy yourself because we have over an hour till that damn ball drops, and another hour of damage control, so have fun while you can."

[JULIE BRADY]

Julie watched as Remy rocked his head from side to side and nodded. “Yeah.” At first she began to blush deeper and a small pout came to her face. If she was that awkward, why did he let her keep going?! She’d gotten too caught up in the moment…but then a big grin came across his face and she knew he’d been messing with her. “You were fine, Jules. Who cares what anyone thinks, anyway? You think any of these arrogant cocks think I’m capable of running this hotel? I’m not the best CEO that ever existed, but I’m learning. And so are you.” She suddenly felt bad—she’d doubted him too and verbalized it…had she hurt his feelings? Here he was trying to build her up and most of the time she was shutting him down. “Besides, you’re not stepping on their toes, you’re stepping on mine, now quit whining and dance with me again.” He grabbed her again, pulling her close and surprising away the small smile that had appeared on her lips. Once again her hand rested on his arm and her other hand was in his. “You know you want to.” She smiled more broadly and shook her head at his cockiness, fighting the blush creeping up her neck. Even though it was a cocky and arrogant statement typical for him, she found he was right this time—she did want to dance with him again. “Now focus…and enjoy yourself because we have over an hour till that damn ball drops, and another hour of damage control, so have fun while you can.” He was right, about the dancing and the people around them. She was going to have fun and ignore all the others.

They danced through the whole next song, a peppy, jazzy rendition of Can’t Buy Me Love by the Beatles and she let Remy show her a few extra steps that looked a little fancier. As promised, she stepped on his toes a few times, but she got the hang of it after a couple tries and Remy ignored her apologies every time her shoe came down on his. He actually was a decent teacher and surprisingly he was being quite charming right now. She knew he wasn’t really a bad guy, but he was showing his true colors as they danced…with a few sexual jokes thrown in. Julie laughed them off, ignoring them for the time being so she could actually have some fun. And she was having fun—more fun than she could have anticipated with Remy or even for the evening. But when the end of the song came she was reminded of what he’d said earlier about people doubting him. Her opinion was beginning to change. Well, it had been changing for weeks, but she was seeing a different side of him this evening and it was reminding her of that change. The band began to play Moondance and they slowed the tempo a little. Julie felt it might be a good time to say what she had to, but she felt a little hesitant about it.

“I’m sorry.” It was the first thing she could think of to say but it seemed a little out of place for the moment she hesitated before continuing. “You said before that the people here doubt you being able to run the hotel. You know I doubted you too. But…well, I don’t anymore. You’ve proved me wrong since you came back. You’re actually a pretty good businessman. So…I’m sorry.” She gave a nervous smile, but she held his gaze as she spoke so he would know she meant it. “But I’m still not going up to your suite.” Her smile broadened at her disclaimer, trying to lighten the slightly awkward mood she felt for having been a little sentimental. She didn’t normally do that around Remy, but tonight hadn’t been normal at all. Remy was proving good company and she was actually having fun dancing, so why not go out on a limb and let Remy know that she saw what a good job he was doing? Slowly but surely she was starting to believe in him as the next owner of the hotel even if no one else saw what she did.

[REMY GRAHAM]

Remy enjoyed himself as he taught Julie a few more moves, moving along to the band as they played an old Beatles song. He was patient even as she smashed his toes with her heals a few times, as promised. The girl really wasn't much of a dancer, which Remy found odd considering how graceful she appeared. Then she would walk and all thoughts of grace slipped out the window. Still, she apologized after each mishap with her feet, but Remy simply ignored it, expecting her to do it again anyway. Besides, he was being a pain by making underhanded sexual comments in return, so really the steps on his feet were deserved.

The next song was slower and Remy thought for sure Julie would pull away, but when she stayed put he decided he would do the same. The fancy moves were ignored for slower, closer ones and Remy took the moment to look around and see now if anyone was watching them. “I’m sorry.” He looked back at Jules, a little confused. Had she stepped on his foot again? Had he become so accustomed he didn't even feel it anymore? “You said before that the people here doubt you being able to run the hotel. You know I doubted you too. But…well, I don’t anymore." That wasn't what he expected to hear. He'd always known Julie thought little of him and his ability to run the hotel. Hell, the only person who had any faith in him at all was his mother, and even she was skeptical at times. "You’ve proved me wrong since you came back. You’re actually a pretty good businessman. So…I’m sorry.” Her smile was a little nervous, but his look was passive. He had no idea what to say to that. A sexual comment seemed more inappropriate than ever, but her kindness made him almost uneasy. He wasn't used to having things like that said to him, especially from Julie Brady. He ran a list of things to say through his mind, but nothing came up. Thankfully she spoke instead. “But I’m still not going up to your suite.” The comment eased the moment and he offered a small smile in return to hers.

Remy was at a loss. Normally he was quick to come up with something to say, but not today, not now. He swallowed hard and looked away for a second and then back to Julie, letting the words slip through his lips before he'd really thought them out. "I appreciate your apology." He told her, since he did. "It's not necessary, though. I wouldn't expect you or anyone else to take my seriously, especially considering how I've treated you in the past." He didn't want this to turn mushy, but at the same time he didn't want her to think her comment had meant nothing to him either. "That being said, I think you should reconsider coming upstairs with me." His grin was an impish one, letting her know he was, in fact, teasing her. "Mull it over and get back to me." He said with a wink.

The song ended and Remy knew if he stayed there dancing with her, he would genuinely want her to come upstairs later. He pulled away and stood a little straighter. "Thank you for indulging me, but I think my feet need to recover." He teased, looking around and catching his mothers stern eye. He remained impassive as he turned back to Julie. "I should check on a few things. You worked hard, go enjoy yourself and I'll meet up with you a little later." He told her, knowing the longer he stayed around her, the more he'd want to. If he walked away now he could clear his head, get back in the game and not think about Julie Brady the way he currently was. With a sheepish smile he backed off and left her on the dance floor, moving to go towards the kitchen. There was probably something that needed his attention more than the gorgeous blue eyed woman who was captivating him with her two left feet.

[JULIE BRADY]

Julie thought maybe she’d been too awkward in saying the kind things on her mind to a man she was normally scolding. Remy’s eyes darted away from hers and her face flushed more. Just when they were getting along, too… “I appreciate your apology. It’s not necessary, though. I wouldn’t expect you or anyone else to take me seriously, especially considering how I’ve treated you in the past.” Well, maybe he wouldn’t expect it, but that didn’t mean he didn’t deserve it. He’d been an ass for as long as she had known him, but he’d been different since he came back to the hotel. Well, not really different…maybe she just had a better chance to observe the real Remy. That’s what made him seem different—the fact that this unfamiliar side of him was revealing itself more, especially tonight. “That being said, I think you should reconsider coming upstairs with me.” And just like that the familiar impish side of Remy was back. She grinned at his joke, rolling her eyes. “Mull it over and get back to me.” At his wink she let out a soft laugh before shaking her head. “Nothing needs to be mulled—the answer is no.” Instead of her usually stern voice, though, Julie said the words in a light-hearted and playful tone.

When the song ended she half expected Remy to keep her close and continue teaching her to dance, yet to her mild disappointment he let her go. Why was she disappointed? She wasn’t any good at it anyway…But she was having fun. There was no denying she’d enjoyed dancing with Remy. “Thank you for indulging me, but I think my feet need to recover.” Julie pouted gently, her eyebrows low over her brilliant blue eyes. “Not nice…” she scolded softly as she watched him scan the crowd again. Someone caught his eye but before she could look to see who it was, his eyes were on hers again. “I should check on a few things. You worked hard, go enjoy yourself and I’ll meet up with you a little later.” She couldn’t help but wonder if there was another pretty young woman who had struck his fancy in the crowd. Remy wouldn’t even care if the woman was with someone else if she was pretty enough. A small frown fixed on her face, not sure how she felt about him skipping off the dance floor to find some other girl to woo…someone not nearly as difficult as Julie. She forced a smile though and nodded softly, glancing down to her feet. “Yeah, I should check some things too,” she lied. But when her eyes chanced to come back to his face, there was a strange smile that greeted her. It was strange because it looked almost shy, far from the normal arrogant smirk he wore. Even stranger, she felt herself drawn to him with that smile and it actually made her stomach squirm. She’d never described Remy as cute before, but that smile made him seem almost boyish. Thankfully he turned away and she was able to gather her wits and hurry off the dance floor.

What was wrong with her? Had she really had that much champagne? No, she hadn’t…so what was it? She and Remy had actually had fun and he’d opened up to her a little and she felt…comfortable being so close to him. He’d made her stomach squirm…she couldn’t remember feeling that way about him since the first month she’d worked in the hotel. Or was it her? Maybe it was just the fact that he had been so different since they got out on the dance floor. She felt flustered and confused and she didn’t like it—not when it was Remy behind it all. It was high time she remembered who he was, damn it! He was an opportunistic playboy with a thing for airheaded bimbos, something she most certainly wasn’t. She couldn’t let a momentary lapse in his behavior cloud her judgment. To take her mind off her swirling thoughts, she grabbed another glass of champagne and downed it. She wandered to the buffet to see how things were working over on that end of the room and thankfully she got pulled into a conversation with one of the techs about how they would handle the music and the TV screen showing the countdown at midnight. It helped relax her again with a little assistance from another glass of champagne. She meandered through the wallflowers and chatted with a few familiar faces and introduced herself to new ones. As midnight rolled near she was feeling more back to normal and pretty relaxed with the champagne in her system. She wasn’t wasted, but she was buzzed for sure.

The waiters walked around and made sure everyone had a fresh glass of champagne for midnight. Julie would be sure to commend them on a wonderful job when the night was over. People were talking excitedly as midnight drew nearer, only a few minutes to go until the countdown began. She was just beginning to wonder where Remy had gone off to when she caught sight of him approaching her. This time she was determined not to fall under his charm as usual, though she would still be friendly. A smile came to her lips as she watched him get closer. “The prodigal partner returns just in time to ring in the new year.” Her smile grew a little almost glad she could toast someone other than her mother as the new year began.