Is this destiny?

~ Los Angeles, Moon Hill Garden restaurant ~

"Miss, how many times I need to repeat that we don\'t disclose information about people who are inside our private rooms? If anyone wants you to join them, they would let us know in advance. Or you can call them now and ask someone to come and get you… Our establishment is built on a promise of providing undisturbed dining experience, and we are not going to ruin our reputation just because you are pushing few hundred dollars in my hand.", frustrated host pushed money back into Madison\'s hand.

Madison sneered at the man. "What is the big deal? Just tell me if party for Jeffrey White is here!"

"Miss, even if CEO White is here, I will not confirm that."

Madison got excited (and noisier). "Ha! So, he is here! How else would you know that I\'m talking about CEO White?"

Restaurant host rolled his eyes and exhaled in frustration. "Everyone in Los Angeles knows who CEO White is. And we are proud to say that he comes to our establishment occasionally… But that does not mean that he is here at this moment. Please leave before I call authorities."

"You…", Madison\'s rant was interrupted by her phone. "This is not over!" She glared at the host and took a step back to answer the call.

"Where are you?", Kyra\'s voice came from Madison\'s phone.

"Downtown Los Angeles."

"Shopping?"

"No, I\'m trying to get close to Aiden." Madison had no intention of hiding this from Kyra. After all, Kyra already knows why Madison came to Los Angeles.

Kyra snickered. "Downtown Los Angeles? By now, he is on a boat sailing the Pacific."

"What? No… They are having a lunch event downtown Los Angeles.", Madison said matter-of-factly.

Kyra rolled her eyes. She knows that there is no point in telling Madison that she is wrong. She will not believe her unless she realizes it herself (somehow), so Kyra needs to provide some hints. "You are confident. Did you find him?"

"No, host is saying that he can\'t tell me." There is also a thing that Madison caused a scene in the other restaurant and left just in time before police arrived, but Kyra does not need to know that small detail.

"That means you are not certain… from where did you hear that they are having a lunch event?"

"A woman…" Madison realized that she does not know JoAnna\'s name. "…owner of the resort where the wedding is. Did you arrive?"

"Yes, I just settled in my room."

Madison hesitated before asking: "Where did you hear that Aiden is on a boat?"

Kyra is happy to hear that Madison started doubting that she will find Aiden at a lunch downtown Los Angeles and decided to share what she knows. "I have my sources… For the bachelor\'s party they are first going on a boat and then to a gentlemen\'s club… Even if he is there, which he is not, you can\'t meet with him. Come back, and we will plan next step together. Do you want me to wait for you so that we have lunch together?"

Madison realized that Kyra is right. Even if Aiden is in one of the back rooms, she can\'t get inside. And what if Kyra is right and Aiden is not there at all? "Don\'t wait for me. Go ahead and eat. With this traffic it will take me almost two hours to get back to the resort."

"OK. Call me when you reach here." Kyra ended the call.

Kyra wanted to ask more questions, but she will wait for Madison to get back. She wondered: how it is possible that Madison got such a false information? From the owner of the resort? She needs to find out who the owner is.

Madison stared at her phone, unsure what to think. Did that owner woman trick her into coming all the way to downtown Los Angeles? Why would she do that? Aiden is not here at all? Why did she spend almost an eternity in that office? Was that part of the plan as well?

Madison decided to go and hail a cab. She will think about this during the ride back to the resort… if she is not confident in her conclusions, she can always ask Kyra for inputs. Kyra is the smart one, and Madison hates that.

…

Back to our girls…

The paintball event didn\'t last long. Just over one hour. They had fun and other than few bruises, there were no major injuries.

After that, girls headed to a penthouse nearby downtown Los Angeles.

"Ellie, this is amazing!", Millie and Sharon exclaimed in unison.

Penthouse is on the 44th floor and has a large terrace with a swimming pool! Inside everything is luxurious, and catered food as well as generous amount of drinks is provided.

Jill and Sharon squealed from excitement when they saw a karaoke machine.

This place is great for girls to spend the afternoon.

"We are here until eight!", Ellie announced when everyone finished exploring the penthouse and they settled in the living area. "Except for a small gift-giving event at five o\'clock, it\'s free activities. If you want to try the swimming pool, I have swimsuits ready… at the risk of bragging, I want to tell you that they are my personal designs, and you get to keep them if you wish. At eight we are heading to the hottest club in Los Angeles!"

The girls cheered.

"What gift-giving?", JoAnna nudged Ellie.

 "There is a reason why I call this a \'lingerie shower party\'." Ellie winked playfully.

JoAnna\'s face lit up. "Are you saying I will get some lingerie?"

"Yup. Everyone here prepared at least one super-sexy number for you to spice up your honeymoon."

"Thank you, bestie!", JoAnna hugged Ellie while giggling in excitement.

\'Ah! Jeff will have fun tearing those to pieces…\', JoAnna didn\'t want to say this aloud.

It didn\'t take long for girls to start up the karaoke machine, and they didn\'t lack volunteers who would sing their hearts out while others cheered happily.

Ellie was sipping her drink when Millie and Sharon sat next to her on the sofa.

"Hey, we were wondering… what is the status between you and the best man?", Millie asked.

"Jasper? There is no status between us.", Ellie cautiously responded. She is not familiar with the slang, but she guessed that these two came to see if there is anything going on between her and Jasper.

"Are you sure? Last night you two were inseparable almost the whole evening… and then this morning nothing. Did you have a fight?", Sharon\'s follow up questions confirmed Ellie\'s suspicion.

"No, nothing like that. We were just talking. There is nothing between us.", Ellie clarified.

"Oh… then… you don\'t mind if we get close to him?", Millie reluctantly asked while trying to read Ellie\'s expression.

Ellie smiled. "There is nothing for me to mind. He is a grown up man. Feel free to do what you want."

"Great!", Sharon exclaimed. "Thanks for clarifying. He is hot, and we just wanted to make sure we don\'t step on your toes if we make a move."

"Are you sure that is OK?", Jill asked Ellie when Sharon and Millie left.

Ellie understood that Jill heard their conversation. "There is nothing for me to be or not to be OK with. Nothing happened, and I have no right to claim him one way or another."

"But… you do like him. Right?"

Ellie\'s eyes widened in surprise for a moment which made Jill giggle and explain: "I just noticed your discomfort while you talked to Millie and Sharon now, nothing more."

Ellie understood and relaxed a bit. "Me liking him or not will not change the reality that he is a player.. And I will not allow myself to get hurt on purpose."