19

Rosalinda sighed, as she stood inside her newly styled diner, as it looked completely different than the one she decorated herself.

She had her hands crossed under her breast, and watched her boyfriend talk to that same interior designer that was with them the night she was dragged there to look at pictures.

She watched him sign a check and hand it to the man, then shake his hand before he left. Her eyes wondered back over to Alistair, as he headed her way with a wide grin, wrapping his arm around her waist and holding her close.

"He did such a lovely job in here! More windows, more booths, it just looks so clean and crisp!" He boasted, as the Mediterranean woman gave a small hum to his words, as he looked down at his up-tight girlfriend.

"What?" He asked, turning her to face him, as her green orbs met his hazel ones.

"It doesn't feel the same. Not...As homey." She explained, moving from his grasp and began to wonder around the place and look at it more.

"Well, the booths are just as comfortable as a couch." He began to tell her, as he followed behind her like a lost puppy.

"Yes, but...There's no love. Maybe once we open it may feel better." She tried to argue with herself, but her gut just told her it wasn't right.

The colors on the wall were a neutral gray and white and the booths were a dark oak color with maroon cushions on it. The counter up front was now a white marble counter top with the chairs to match the booths color scheme.

She took a deep breath and turned, looking up at the man that was just behind her. Alistair gave her a small smile, as she shook her head and walked around him.

"Look, I gotta take some food orders today and such before we open. Why don't you go off and try to find something to do? Like the other businesses you've bought." She called back, walking into the back office and locking the door behind her.

Alistair stood there a bit baffled by the whole ordeal. It looked great! He didn't understand why she didn't like the colors?

If she put her opinion out there more before they began to redo, than maybe it would be more around the way she liked it. But, he had remembered how he was treating her around that time, so who really would want to interact with someone when they weren't being the best. But, she still could've said something before the interior was started.

They were more friendly around that time. The man gave a small huff, sticking his hands into his pockets. Alistair head out of the diner, as it was scheduled to open again in the next week or two.

***

Alistair was sitting in his office, in the middle of a meeting with one of his associates. The door dramatically slammed open, and an angry Latina stood in front of it. Alistair sighed, and told the man they could continue this later, as the associate left, closing the door behind himself.

"No call, no text, nothing! You always show up at my door a couple days later after a fight! What the hell is wrong with you?!" She stomped over to him and hit his arm, as he took a deep breath, leaning back in his chair.

"I have better things to do right now than deal with an angry woman." He mumbled, as Raven grabbed his chin and yanked his head to turn and look her in her chestnut brown eyes.

"Like what, hm? That fucking dough girl and her diner are all finished up, I saw it on my way here! So what's more important now? Nothing! The thing that should be most important is the news of us getting married!" She hissed, leaning down close to his face, staring daggers at him. Alistair's lips curled into a small snarl, as he was getting annoyed by this woman's presence.

"Get the hell out." He said coldly, as the woman stood up straight with a sarcastic laugh.

"No! I don't have to do anything! You're my fiancé! And I'm staying!" She huffed, crossing her arms and shifting onto one of her stiletto covered feet.

"I said-!" Alistair quickly bit back his tongue when he noticed his mother and younger sister beginning to enter the room, both wearing a raised brow at the situation.

"Are we interrupting something?" His sister, Berkleigh, asked with a small smirk, and a hand resting on her hip.

"No, not at all." He cleared his throat and fixed his posture and suit.

"Yes, we were just discussing how we should bring the news of our engagement out and the soon-to-be wedding!" Raven smiled widely and took Alistair's hand, as he quickly ripped it away from her grasp.

"No, actually, I was intending on telling Raven and the family today that I was breaking off the engagement." He said, as all three women's faces turned to him in shock, but Berkleigh shot up from the chair, she previously moved to sit into, dancing around and fist pumping the air.

"Yes! Finally! He's actually dating! Not pretending to be!" She laughed and rushed over to her brother, throwing an around around his shoulders. She stuck a tongue out at Raven, as Raven's face began to turn red.

"No! You can't do that! We belong together and you know it! What about all the memories and us! Us!!!" She screamed, as Alistair's mother, Valentina, sat back in her chair, humming and smiling softly.

"Well, dear, looks like you'll just have to go find another man. Not too hard to do that with such a pretty face." She said to her, as Raven whipped around and looked at the older woman.

"But! He can't do that! He hasn't found anyone else-" She stopped mid-sentence and looked at Alistair with wide eyes, that quickly turned into slits.

"Holy fuck! You're breaking up with me for some fat girl!? What the fuck does she have that I don't?! She's fucking hideous!" She screeched loudly, as Alistair moved his sister's hand away from his body gently and grabbed Raven's wrist.

"You know, looks don't always matter, but personally, I enjoy a more full woman than a twig." He chuckled darkly, dragging her to the office door and tossing her out. She was about to turn and say something, but he simply slammed the door on her face and locked it.

Banging could be heard from the other side with screams and sobs. He called his guards up to take her out and not allow her to come back in. Valentina looked at her son with a wide smile and shimmering brown eyes at hearing the news of him dating.

"Where is she now?! What does she look like?! Can we go meet her-"

"Mom," he sighed softly, sitting down behind his desk, as his sister moved over, patting his shoulder.

"Can you blame her? Last time you brought a girl home was junior year...of high school." She snickered, as the man chuckled along side his sister and sighed.

"How about we come over for dinner tonight? I bet she'd love to meet the family and I heard Eli is home from his vacation with his wife in Bora Bora. So, she can meet all of the family." He offered, as his mother jumped up from her chair, shaking with joy.

"Oh your father is going to LOVE this! Come by at 7! I gotta go prep!" She pulled her phone out and began to call Alistair's father, Adrian, yelling across the phone at him to start prepping for a family get together, but not the reason for it.

Berkleigh moved and sat in front of her brother, as he stared at the same hazel eyes he had, but she was a blonde with waves running through her shoulder length hair, an exact replica of Valentina.

"So, what's her name?" She asked finally, cutting off their silence, as he began to give a lazy smile.

"Rosalinda Scott," he answered, loving the way her name rolled off his tongue.

"Rosalinda...I like that name. She must be as pretty as it sounds. But, I'm not gonna poke you anymore about her. I'm sure the two of you need to save some energy for tonight. So, good luck." She teased, patting the front of his desk and standing up.

She moved her hands into the pockets of her pantsuit, and began to head out. Alistair couldn't help but snicker when he noticed his baby sister wearing converse underneath the formal attire, as he knew it was just her personal touch to be more comfortable.

He watched the door close behind her figure, as he leaned back in his seat. Folding his hands together and bringing his pointer fingers up to his lips to think.

He pulled out his phone and looked for her number, as he began to call her, listening to the soft ringing behind the receiver, until her delicate voice filled the line.

"Miss me already?" She joked, as Alistair sighed and closed his eyes.

"You have no idea..."

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Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed this chapter and finally kicking Raven out...Or maybe not, who knows!

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