Author's Note: This story is completely fictional and did not happen. All names of characters are fictional and were made up. Please do not copy and plagiarize my work.
This story was a reader's request. The celeb choice, themes and some other story choices were all from them. They have asked me not to credit them by name in the disclaimer, but I give them a huge thanks for the opportunity to write this series. Enjoy!
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London, England
Reflections cast across the glass surface of the round table. A round, empty glass sat on the left side with a few ice cubes melting away. The sound of voices in the distance could be heard, along with footsteps and faint music. For a man who had not traveled to England in the past, this trip proved to be one of beautiful sight-seeing. Elroy Walker found himself alone this evening, enjoying a lonely drink at the Artesian bar. His eyes studied the fancy architecture of the white walls and gold chandelier light fixtures hanging from the ceiling. This was all part of the experience of staying at the Langham Hotel. It was another destination he could mark off his list of places traveled to outside of home. At twenty-three years of age, he was experiencing a career that other men in his line of work were still waiting to see in their thirties.
A tech boom had started in North Carolina back during the pandemic of 2020. Roy had left college from New York with a degree in consultant management and IT tech. He skipped his apprenticeship to go back to his home state, just in time for the business boom. Crypto was surging alongside tech software. Back at the university, he befriended someone with similar aspirations about starting a company. Matthew had connections thanks to his family, who had a legacy as real estate moguls in Boston. With the right investors willing to back them up with capital, their tech company got off the ground relatively quick. All that was now two years removed, as Roy was traveling on behalf of the company's management. Their start-up was a success in Raleigh as part of the 'research triangle' in the state.
This trip was on behalf of a business summit in London. Last year, Roy traveled to Los Angeles for a similar meeting. He had checked into the Langham hotel yesterday after stepping off the plane. A taxi had been arranged for him, and the meeting was set for Tuesday afternoon, but he would have to lead on Wednesday morning. There was plenty of time to adjust to the sleep schedule after feeling jet lagged. A few drinks from the bar and taking his sleep pills yesterday had come in handy. From the start, Roy was amazed at the sights he had witnessed with his own eyes. It was different from looking at pictures of London on the internet or printed in magazines. The architectural style of the Langham building was so much more impressive to his eye than the bland postmodernist look of the luxury hotel he stayed in back in Los Angeles last year.
As he sat back in the chair, Roy looked around the room. Today had been a successful meeting, but somewhat tiresome after negotiating for three hours. He had still found himself struggling to adjust to the time zone being outside the US, but Roy felt lively today. As a token of gratitude for his success in the meeting, he was given an invite to a luxurious diner in London. Two tickets for a private dinner with a companion. This was a small gift on behalf of one businessman who had made a deal with him. The only problem for Roy was that he did not have a special someone to bring along with him. The ticket was still tucked away inside his jacket. He wore a regular black pinstriped suit with a white collar shirt underneath hidden behind the buttons. His short brown hair was recently trimmed, matching the color of his eyes and a slight five-o'clock shadow over his face.
Underneath the suit, he had a slim build, which was complementary to swimming and bicycling as a hobby. Some people preferred to hit the road in a car and leave all their troubles behind in a blurred distance. It was therapeutic for those people, in the same way Roy viewed the passing scenery and sound of gears turning as his legs rotated around the rolling wheel of his bicycle. During the summer, he spent his time unwinding at the local gym pool. There was something special about diving into the cold water and feeling the splashing waves before swimming forward. This dedication to exercise kept his body in fit enough shape to slip into the fanciest suits that cost hundreds of dollars. Roy made it a point to always look sharp and flashy wherever he went. At a place like the Langham, he easily blended in with the other guests who could afford such exquisite luxury.
His eyes wandered around the room, gazing at the other guests who were quietly enjoying their drinks. Sometimes Roy felt lonely in life. Gone were the days of chasing girls in college. Back at the office, he had a crush on one woman who worked as an assistant to his friend Matthew. Emily was a short woman with slender legs, blonde hair, and a busty chest. She often wore shirts that revealed her heavy cleavage to go with the shirt skirts that revealed her legs. The only problem when it came to flirting with her was the fact she had a wedding and engagement band across her left hand ring finger. Roy knew better than to involve himself with a married woman, so he never asked her out. As his eyes continued to glance across the room, he noticed a woman dressed in black entering the bar. She wore Vans-style sneakers that matched her black pants and shirt. Her long brunette hair was curled up in a high ponytail, and a purse was dangling from her right arm.
On first thought, Roy believed the woman to be somewhat older than him but perhaps not in her forties. She had a pretty face, but most of her body was hidden by her choice of nonrevealing clothes. He sat back in his chair, resting on the padded cushions as he glanced away from her. The last thing he wanted was to be rude and stare at her in the distance. Glancing back down at his glass, Roy was tempted to order a second drink. He sat there, gazing into the round glass and studying the melting ice cubes for a moment. When he glanced back across the room, he saw that same woman looking back at him. A playful smile ran across her pink lips as a set of deep brown eyes gazed back at his face. Something about her was almost angelic in her appearance. She tucked her purse under her right arm while clutching a glass in her left hand.
"Hi there..."
The woman spoke in a heavy British accent. The sound of her voice alone was enough to make Roy blush. She flashed her perfect white teeth while waving her right hand.
"Hello, Miss."
"Pardon me, but I couldn't help but notice you sitting here alone. Are you waiting on someone?"
Roy shook his head at her question. She smirked and invited herself to sit across from him. All he could do was sit back and watch as she crossed her legs and raised the glass to her lips for a quick sip. After the drink, she spoke again.
"From your voice, I take it you're an American."
"Yes, I am. My name's Elroy, by the way, but everyone calls me Roy. And you are?"
"I'm Lucy... Lucy Pinder."
She smiled after finishing her words. Roy could see a strong level of confidence in the way she spoke her name. It was almost as if she expected him to know her from somewhere and that the name would ring bells for him. He had never heard of her before, so he simply smiled and nodded.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Lucy. What made you want to come over here and sit with me?"
"I saw you checking me out."
With a giggle, she spoke again.
"No, really. I thought you might recognize me from somewhere. Not many people give me that look anymore like you did."
It took Roy a moment to remember something he heard about the Langham hotel. Before he made the trip, Matthew told him that he heard a rumor that celebrities used the hotel to evade paparazzi when they were in London. Maybe the name Lucy Pinder meant something here, but he had not heard of her in the past.
"I'm sorry to say I don't know your name from anywhere, but you certainly have a lovely face."
She grinned.
"Thank you. I guess you could say I find American men to be charming at times."
"Really? I take it you've had luck with who you've talked to."
"Sometimes I do. Are you on vacation here?"
He shook his head.
"No, I'm here on a business trip. Why are you here, Lucy?"
"I live across town. I'm staying until I can get a flight booked to Ibiza."
"Ibiza?"