Just Pretend

chapter 7

Samantha....

"Why is the young lady so sad?" The bartender said.

I had snuck out the room while Nicolas was asleep, I tried and tried, but couldn't fall asleep. So I just got up and came down to get myself a drink, yea I know it's too early for but who f*****g cares.

"Life is so unfair, ever since I was young, life has been a b***h towards me. I just want my mom back." I whispered out as my voice cracked.

Tears fell and heart-felt pain went soaring through my chest, "and to top it off I'm falling for this guy's so hard that it scares me to death." I confessed as I cried like a baby.

The bartender just looked at me then turned towards the old man who was seated next to me, "You'll be fine, it's up to you to either fight or give up. If you fight, then you can say that you tried, but if you just pity yourself about how life is, then you'll definitely drown." The half drunk man who was taking a sip of his beer said.

"You look like a fighter, I can see it in your eye's and for the guy you're falling for. I think you should go along the waves, it either takes to an island where paradise lies ahead, or gets you lost at sea where than you'll? end up on a shore barely breathing." He stated as his eye's looked so familiar.

I stared and stared until he smiled widely, "I'm Nicolas father." He said as I stood up in shock.

Wow, great! This wasn't how I expected to me him, s**t! Oh god, I felt so pathetic at the moment.

"I'm Ramsey Stone, you must be Samantha." He said while chuckling.

He wasn't drunk, I mean he smelled liked booze but he looked like he knew what he was saying. "I can handle my alcohol, how about we go have brunch together. I would love to know more about you." He stated as he stood up.

Same eye's, same features only he was old and Nicolas was young. Tall and handsome with his silver fox hair and amazingly physic, the old man was in shape.

"Please ignore what I said in there." I whispered while wiping my tears.

He looked at me and smiled sweetly.

"Please, don't change just cause you found out that I'm Nicolas father. I've watched you and my son the past two days and I can tell you two are really close. Your very different from his previous girlfriend I can assure you that and I love it." He said as he placed his hand around my shoulder while walking us out the bar and into the restaurant that was only a couple of feets away.

We sat at a table facing the ocean view, the sun shine beautifully while the breeze did its thing. A waiter came by, stared in shocked at Nicolas father before asking us what we would like to order.

Wirting down our order, his hands shook in fear, I watched the waiter run back quickly to get our food we had just asked for.

"So Samantha, tell me about yourself. What do you do and how did you meet my son?" He questioned.

"Why was he so scared?" I asked curiously or asked so I could get away from answering his questions.

He chuckled lowly as he took a sip of water that was in front of him, "I'm a bit critical and intimidating. They know if the food is not good or the service is bad, I will fire them on the spot without a care. Now that I have answered your question, why don't you answer mine." He spoke with full confidence as he laid back in the chair while looking intensely at me.

Taking a deep long breath, I brushed my hair away from my face. "Well, my name is Samantha Dickson, I'm twenty-five and own a small café shop in New York. My mother passed away leaving two teenage twin girls in my care, I met Nicolas accidentally you can say." I chuckled while stating the truth.

"One of my sister's was learning how to drive and hit his very nice shiny car, you can say we hit it off after that." I spoke nervously.

My stupid self thought how good Nicolas would look when he turned his father's age but snapped out of my thoughts once the waiter nervously placed our brunch meal in front of us.

He placed the plate nicely in front of Nicolas father but the poor guy accidentally spilled my coffee which was the last thing he placed on the table.

"I'm so sorry Miss, I'm so so sorry." He said as he tried to clean the table but Nicolas father just shouted, "You're fired, get out!"

"Sir, I'm sorry, please don't--"

"I won't repeat myself, " Ramsay said coldly.

I grabbed the man hand, and held him in place, "Mr. Stone, it was an accident. Please give him another chance."

A surprised expression falshed quickly before whispering, "I don't give second chances Samantha", he stated, looking at the sacred waiter. "Get out!"

But I wasn't going to give up.

"Please sir, do reconsider." I pled as my voice cracked.

He stared and stared as he was trying to figure me out, he inhaled deeply before speaking once more. "Just because I'm giving you another chance, doesn't mean I won't keep my eye on you. Go back to work." Ramsey said as he started to eat his meal.

"Thank you!" The waiter replied before he left.

I felt relieved but still on the edge of my seat.

"You are completely different indeed, my son's taste in woman is very high-end you can say. From models to famous celebrities but no one comes close to you young lady. You remind me of someone who meant dear to my heart in my younger year's." He whispered as a hint of smile plastered on his lips.

We sat there in peace chatting away, he seemed very nice and down to earth. Maybe in the beginning he was very scary, but now I seem to be more relax in his presence.

???

We we're talking a walk outside the hotel when I noticed Bethenny walking along side Abby and Amanda while Alexander following behind them.

They entered the hotel as I pointed them out to Nicolas father, "those two girls that are walking with the couple are my sister's. I couldn't leave them behind cause I have no one to care for them. You'll meet them at the wedding tomorrow along with Bethenny and Alexander, you may know them." I said as he smiled.

"Yes I do, bank's daughter and Sego's son. Nicolas told his mother that they will be attending the wedding, as well you and your sister's. I want to tell you to not take anything personally when it comes to Nicolas mother, she can be very unique with her chose of words but over all, her heart is there and only wants what's best for her son." He stated as my nerves got to me.

"I'll keep that in mind, " I giggled.

We walked back into the hotel. Reaching the elevator, I stopped as Nicolas made his way down the stairs.

He took one good look at his father and I, something in his eye's flashed as he walked over to where we were.

It was like a face off between the two, no one greeted the other. That's until Ramsey decided to speak first, "long time my son, you have a very interesting woman. Keep her close Nicolas." He said to his son before he left.

I watched him leave out of sight then asked, "What was that? Why didn't you greet him or speak?"

He looked at me, then decide to leave without a word. I frowned while watching him leave the hotel, following after him. "Nicolas, " I shouted, but he just kept walking.

"Nicolas, " I loudly said again, this time he stopped and turned to face me.

I made my way up to him and stopped completely as I took in his sour mood. "You ok?" I questioned him.

He was lost in his thoughts but took my hand and dragged me over to the sandy beach.

He lets go of my hand and sat upon the hot sand, I waited for him to talk but he never did, I knew something was up but decided to give him time to talk on his own terms. I laid my head on his shoulder and sat next to him, enjoying the breathtaking view.

After a while he cleared his throat and spoke, "I don't have the best relationship with my father, he did something to me that I'll never forget or forgive him for, " he whispered as he stared at the ocean.

I rubbed his back while placing my chin on his shoulder, he was so handsome. My heart raced as I watched the corner of his eye's glance at me.

"It can't be that bad Nicolas." I said.

He ran his fingers through his hair while exhaling a long hurtful sigh, "I was twenty at the time, have been dating this girl I fell deeply in love with. Introduced her to my family as my fiance but father said she was a gold digger and was only after the money. I didn't believe him because I was blinded by how much I loved her. So he set out to prove me wrong, he slept with her Sam. He f*****g slept with her and he knew how much I loved her, he did it to prove me wrong, but I only ended up hating him ever since." He confessed while playing with the sand.

I was shocked, flabbergasted. I didn't know what to say or what to do but he kept talking. "I know he did it to show me her true colors but come on, sleep with the woman who your son was head over heels in love with. He could have got someone else to do the job but he volunteered. I got over it and dated left and right, model's, actresses, whatever you can think of until I found Katherine, the one who's marrying my cousin tomorrow. He warned me about her and said she was no good, I laughed in his face and told him to go have s*x with her as well, you know, as a joke, but this time he made someone else do the job for him. He got my dear cousin and teamed up with him, they both played their game and I was the one who got burned, again." He whispered as he rubbed his face harshly.

"I have a sick family Sam, very sick family. They only care about their prestige, mother doesn't care that father sleeps with other woman. She just happy to be in a marriage where lie and deceive are based on, father just care about being a rich man with money and I'm stuck in between in the middle, trying to find a purpose in this life. All my other family members are just greedy to the point I wish I was never apart of this fake family." He stated while throwing the sand away, he avoided my gaze for the longest time.

My heart broke as I watched him hold it in together, I grabbed his face as turned it towards me. "Til the end Nicolas, remember? I'm here for you, I promise." I said while caressing his face.

~~~~~

Nicolas...

I just stared at her warm eye's, she made me feel alive inside. I knew that it will all end before as it could begin.

"Yea, till the end Sam, " I said but my heart just broke.

The end will come soon and you'll leave