Love At Last

CHAPTER 23

SUCCESS A’LAS

Jarod covered the distance between us and took me to a corner.

“Let me explain,” I insisted. “It’s not what you think,” I tried to explain what he saw when he shut me off rudely.

“What other explanation do you want to give me? I saw how you both were all over each other, Lily,”

“Over each other?” I was surprised as to the interpretation Jarod gave the whole scenario. “Listen,” I tried to talk to him again but he wasn’t ready to listen.

“Lilly, I thought I told you that guy wasn’t good at all. He’s not good for you, Lily. Even if you wanted a man or boyfriend, that guy? He’s a ‘no-no’, Lily.

I got enraged not just because Jarod made baseless assumptions but for the very fact that he tried to dictate what was and wasn’t right for me. “Jarod,” I called with a serious tone.

“Yeah?” he answered.

“You have no say over what is and what’s not good for me, okay?” I tried my hardest to hide my annoyance so I wouldn’t lash out on my friend.

“But…”

“Okay?”

“C’mon Lily. I care too much about you to ignore when I know the path you’re heading would ruin you,” Jarod whined. “Mr. Cayden is not good for you, Lily. He only wants to use you and dump you like Jacek’s father did,” he said, and I immediately turned to stare at him. He sure understood the stare. How dare he mention Jacek’s father in that situation?

“I’m sorry if that hurt your feelings,” he apologized but it was too late, I was completely cheesed off.

“You crossed the line completely this time, Jarod,” I glared at him.

“I’m really sorry, Lily,” he apologized.

“Take a week off. For a week, you’re relieved of your duties,” I wasn’t listening to Jarod’s plea. I had to make sure certain lines remain uncrossed. Being lax in a situation as this one wouldn’t help, I discerned.

“A week?!” Jarod exclaimed. “I’m sorry, please,” he pleaded still but all his pleas fell on deaf ears. My mind was made up. I didn’t intend to relent. “Rethink, Lily. You’d need me for the competition,” he tried to persuade me.

I walked out on him and headed inside. I didn’t give any contrary instruction to the one l’d given earlier. It was crystal clear to Jarod that I’d given him the order as his boss and not necessarily as his friend.

Jarod walked into the shop looking sad to the bewilderment of everyone – the other staffs. When they asked him what was going on, he simply told them he was taking a weak off but they were not gullible enough to believe that. They’d seen me walk in earlier, looking furious as I walked past them all – staffs and customers – and headed straight to my abode on the first floor. He packed his stuff, getting ready to leave, and came upstairs to pick some things he’d left in my house for convenient access to them daily.

When he walked into my house, he met Jacek playing with his toys on his mat. “Hey big boy,” he lifted Jacek up and they both played together.

I walked into them being all giggly and immediately ordered Jarod to pick whatever he came for and leave. I didn’t want to see his face much longer as I was afraid I’d have a change of heart. Jarod immediately kept Jacek on his mat and went ahead to pack his stuffs. Jacek didn’t understand fully, but he sensed Jarod was leaving and felt very sad. He came to me and tried to throw a fit, but I maintained my stead.

After Jarod had taken all he wanted to, he asked to see nana before he left but nana was sleeping at the time, which was very unusual. All the same, he wished me well and bade us farewell.Material © of NôvelDrama.Org.

Watching Jarod walk through my door made me feel very sad but I couldn’t go back on my word. I needed to set some things straight and the line between I and Jarod which he ought not to cross, was one of them.

A few days later, I was already in the middle of preparing my client for a third date! This time, his date was with Anna Hansley – tall, a bit skinny, blonde with hazel-green eyes. Personally, I found her physical features appealing.

As usual, I had to go to Cayden’s house to prepare him for his date. I pleaded with Cayden over and over again to take this one seriously. I told him not to mess things up this time by making ridiculous requests and he acceded. On my part, I put in extra effort to make him memorize his lines and use them properly. Throughout the entire process, I felt skeptical owing to the way the past two dates ended even before they started.

Two hours later, all three of us were present at the date venue – the same restaurant I’d set up with Clara. I hesitated a bit because of my previous encounter, but still decided to go there notwithstanding.

Cayden didn’t mess things up at the beginning. It was only the beginning, I still felt a bit scared. Further into their conversation and everything still went on smoothly, wow! They talked and laughed that at some point, I laughed alongside them. The duo seemed to be having a really amazing time together.

To my utmost surprise, the date ended beautifully and they both exchanged contacts officially and set up another date. The joy I felt knew no bound. Finally! I met my own end of the bargain and now it was his turn to meet his. Aside the monetary reward that accompanied the job, something else gave me butterflies but I could not wrap my head around what it was exactly. I decided not to bother myself unnecessarily and just savor the deep sense of satisfaction I felt.

After the date ended completely and Cayden saw her off, he approached me and said, “how about we go over there…,” he pointed the counter for drinks, “and drink,” he finished his statement, beaming.

“I don’t drink,” I turned down the offer, while swinging a glass of red wine in my hand gently.

“C’mon now,” he took the glass from my hand and kept it down. Let’s drink, okay? Alcohol. Real drinks,” he insisted.

I was too excited to say no twice so I just agreed and we moved over to the section for alcohol.