CHAPTER 28
"You kissed him." Adriana screamed when her sister told her what had happened with Jason.
"Technically, he kissed me." She corrected. They were both seated in the foyer munching on peanuts. She shifted a little away from her sister, who only pulled her closer for a deep hug.
"And you kissed him back."
She ignored her sister and tried not to smile. She had been telling herself the kiss meant nothing ever since it happened. They were both adults, and considering they've been together lately; emotions were bound to fly around. That must have been what spurn on the kiss. It had been awkward after that. Whatever pushed them into each other's arms separated them. He had excused himself and walked away, leaving her rooted to the spot, wondering what just happened. Since that night, she had been avoiding the man, not sure of what to make of their situation. Sure, the kiss made her long for more. True, she enjoyed it. But could it be more? Did she want it to be more? Would he?
And most importantly, what was his late wife's role in it. If she knew the man right, he loved his wife. He'll probably be somewhere now beating himself up for moving unto the next available woman shortly after her demise. What would happen now? She needed answers to those questions. If she couldn't answer them, then she sure as hell wasn't facing him. She dropped her sister off and drove back home. She had intentionally decided not to tell her about the car she had left behind. Her sister didn't even know she had been gifted a car.
What she also didn't tell Adriana was that she had rejected the gift right afterwards. It wasn't that she didn't appreciate it. She felt he kissed her because he bought her something and wanted some payment of some sort. It was silly thinking that way. But that was all she could come up with, seeing as he walked away right after. She needed an excuse to turn around that sweet feeling she felt at kissing him. Adriana suddenly had something to do. She excused herself and went inside.
Evangeline also went in to get changed into something lighter and went to sit back in the foyer. Then curled on the couch and settled to read a novel she had bought on the way. There was pretty nothing to do. Her PA seems bent on getting the award for the most hardworking secretary of the year. Since the Logan incident, she has been very careful of things she brought to her table. She was effectively managing the company well. Evangeline noted that down. She intended to give her a treat at the end of the year. But Audrey's efficiency meant she had nothing to do.
"I get to indulge in my favorites almost forgotten hobby." She chastised herself and opened the book. "Cold drinks at the foyer with a romantic book." She flipped through the first few pages and began to doze off. The book fell off her hand.
It was later that she felt someone moving her. She tried to wake up, but her eyes were so heavy she scooted closer to the person and slept off again. She noted his aftershave smelt nice. "Jason." she muttered. When she woke up later, she found herself in a strange room. This wasn't Adriana's place. Alarmed, she sat up.
"It's about time you wake up too." Jason said, walking into the room with a large food tray, "Hungry?"
"Why am I here again?" She asked, working up a fit of anger. His sexy smile only irritating her further.
He set the table and moved the table closer to her. He moved his chair towards the table too and began to eat, "Adriana called me. Said you were alone at home and I should check on you." He explained.
That annoying romantic fool! Little wonder she suddenly had something to do. She thought grudgingly. Her sister was pushing them both together now. She was beginning to regret telling her about that casual kiss. Adriana was reading more to it. "You don't have to babysit me." he replied
"I needed to see you too. You've been avoiding me. And you wouldn't take my gift."
He said it so casually she assumed that meant the kiss was nothing to him. Well, it meant nothing to her too. She ignored the avoidance part and simply told him. "I won't be bought with something as simple as a car that I can afford."
Jason laughed. His deep-throated laugh was infectious. She smirked too. "I specifically told the company to make that car." he bragged, "There's no other like it anywhere in the world."
"Boast on, Mr. Valdez." She teased.
"We aim to please." He said. "Please take the car."
His easy grin made her smile, "Okay, okay. I didn't thank you then."
"I can think of a better thank you."
She tried not to read meaning into that. Did he mean the kiss? "Don't push it."
He let it drop, "You're going with it this time. I'll see to it."
"Sure, boss."
"I'll be going to LA today. Do you want to come? Stop by your office?"
"That's good. I'll check-in. I've been bored. Lately, Audrey hardly calls now, except for really intricate issues that she can't handle. And, I'd like to see Zoe too. Thank you."
"Then let's eat and be on our way." He said, smiling at her.
It was so easy to talk to him, she noticed. He was in jeans and a shirt. The shirt was partly loosed at the cape and a few buttons down the chest. She watched him eat, noticed how his muscles flexed when he swallowed. Even without smiling, he was easily the most handsome man with blue eyes, set in a sexy way. He smiled at her. If he had caught her staring, he said nothing to that. He only asked her to eat.
The flight to LA, though, was almost 5hours. It was painfully short for Evan. They chatted back and forth. In between which she promised to go back to his place to get her car. When they landed, he excused himself and apologized that he had to hurry off to work. So he dropped her at her office.
"See you in a couple of hours?" He asked while entering his car.
"Can't we spend the night here?" She asked. It would be better than hurrying off to Miami again. She was feeling jet lag as it was. Another ride might make her sick.
"Okay? I'll see you when? Tomorrow?"
"Come to my apartment after your meeting." The moment she said it; she wished she could take it back. How did she casually say that?
"Okay." He said and closed the car door. He wound the glass.
"I'm seeing Zoe. Call me." She told him
"Sure." He replied, and the car zoomed off.
She went into her office and slum into the chair. She was so exhausted she decided a quick nap was what she needed right now. But first, she asked Audrey to get Zoe on the phone. When her friend picked, Audrey handed over the phone.
"Hey, bestie. Want to come over to my office?" She asked, "Please get me some fruits and something to snack on." She gave her PA the office phone and told her not to let anyone into her office except Zoe.
"Okay. You can leave now."
Audrey quietly closed the door and went about doing her work. It wasn't up to 30-minutes later that Zoe arrived. She was looking stunning in her white crop top and palazzo. She complimented her boss' friend and ushered her into the office. "Boss, she's here." She informed her sleeping boss.
"Leave us. I'll wake her up." Zoe said, closing the door as she walked in. Audrey nodded and took her to leave.
"Babe?" she called, lightly tapping her friend. When Evan sat up, she exclaimed. "Oh my God! You're so big already."
Evangeline stood up instantly and ran to her powder room which was behind her chair. She checked herself out, wondering if she looked fat. Not seeing anything, she turned to see her friend smiling wickedly. "You pranked me!" She observed, walking back to the office.
"You're barely three weeks gone. How can you believe that." she teased.
Settling down, she started to go through the fruit pack; Zoe came with, "Thank you for getting grapes. I've been craving it." She popped some into her mouth. "So, how are you? Anything I've missed?"
Zoe shook her head. "Nothing interesting about me." Then remembering her latest quest, she said, "Remember the cooking classes I told you about?"
"Yes. You finally registered?" Her friend had always been interested in cooking classes. She was the one who introduced her to a variety of dishes and how to savor them. Each restaurant they went to together, she sampled their dishes and compared which chef bested which. Eventually, she had started to pick interest in how the food was made. She would even ask the chef, if available, to tell her the secret ingredient.
Mary had once teased her to start her restaurant since she was the only one who doesn't work among them. She had laughed and said she preferred spending money to earning. As the only daughter of a multi-billionaire, she lived in luxury and had access to good cars, money and almost everything. She lacked nothing and wouldn't lack any even if she doesn't work till she dies. And Zoe didn't mind not working. She found every way to be busy. It was always from one party and clubbing to another. When she wasn't partying, she would be in yoga class. That or she could be at the spa, giving her body a good treat. She was always busy in an irritating way.
"With you starting a new life without me." Zoe teased Evan, who gave her a naughty look, "I think I'll need that job now. I'll attend classes and hope to be good at it. If I am not bored out of my hairs, I'll start my restaurant."
"Wow... I'm happy to hear that." She hugged her. Then remembering her opening sentence, she pulled away. "But you know I'm not leaving LA, right? I'll be back in a couple of months."
"Still, I want to do this. But would you still come here?"
"Why not?"
"I mean with your pregnancy and all. I can picture the comments in the tabloid. Rich business tycoon pregnant for who?"
"And hiding it will be any better?" Evan asked.
Her face lit up in the realization that hiding the pregnancy would be bad press. Anybody could see it and exploit it. "I get it. It would be bad. I can imagine someone in the odds with you sending pictures to the press with juicy lies to back it up."
"Don't imagine it. Picture Mary and you'd get a clearer view." Evan said and laughed.
"She isn't going to do that." Zoe countered.
"I wouldn't bet on it."
They munched on the fruits. "Then again, I don't care what the press says. I'm just here for my business. No comments."
"That's a simple truth. How's Valdez, by the way?" When her friend's face lit up, she asked, "Did something happen?"
Evan shook her head, feigning ignorance. "What can happen?"
"You have this look." Her friend's face instantly went blank. "Okay, so how is he?"
"Jason is okay. He dropped me here, and he's picking me up later. Did I tell you he bought me a Rovers? He had it made just for me."
"Wow? That's something. Where is it?" When she replied it was in Miami, she asked, don't you have pictures?"
The two scooted closer while she showed her the brown Land Rovers. It was exquisite. The maroon color, a favorite. Zoe made her promise to let her drive the car around for a day. Evangeline laughed and promised she'd let her if she released her favorites ride too.
A sports car she had been given two months ago as a birthday present by her parents. "Deal." Zoe said without giving it any thought. Since she was given the car, nobody other than herself had stepped in the car. She treated the car specially.
"I can't believe he customized it for just you. Wow, did I sense something brewing?"
Well, this was as well a good time to say it, she thought but discarded the idea almost immediately. Suddenly, Evan voiced out, "And we kissed." She couldn't resist not telling her friend that.
Dropping the phone, she exclaimed, "What. Something is brewing after all."
"Oh, it was just a chaste kiss. Nothing serious." She said and blushed prettily.
"Nothing serious yet it's making you blush. You've caught the bug." She pulled her friend closer, "Oh, poor Logan."
Evangeline pulled away, "Why Logan? Did he put you up to anything again?"
"No." Zoe raised her hands in mock surrender when Evan wanted to mock punch her, she rushed to tell her. "He's planning another proposal. I ran into him yesterday. You should refuse any invitation from him. It's a surprise proposal, and it looks like he's going to get you corned and force you into accepting him."
Evan laughed so hard her eyes watered, "Corner me? Seriously! Like I could ever be."
"Not even if your mom agrees?"
"Especially if my mom agrees." Evan declared. "Wait, does mother know?"
"I think he's planning on inviting her over. She might be in on it."
Evangeline shook her head. Her mother must be too busy with the Noah incident and the theft case the company was having. Still, she wouldn't put it past her, especially since she didn't accept the surrogacy idea. Anyone who stands against that became her friend. Her enemy's friend, huh...
"I wish he would give up on this already. I don't see us getting back together this way."
