[78]
“Aren’t you busy?” asked Giselle as she ate the mushroom soup that Andrew had just brought. warmed for a moment on the micromave provided by the hotel. The room Giselle was staying in was well-appointed. Andrew shouldn’t have been surprised by who was occupying the room and how Justin, the SEO boss, treated his models, especially Giselle.
“I can take care of it quickly,” Andrew put down the cup of hot tea that Giselle had intended to enjoy in her room. But Andrew managed to force Giselle to come out to enjoy the dish he brought. Although he couldn’t bear to look at Giselle’s pale face but… alone in a room? Ugh! According to Andrew, it’s far from what’s going through his head.
“You said your boss was annoying.” Giselle was still looking at Andrew with a suspicious look. But her hands continued to feed on the warm soup that tasted quite acceptable to her tongue and… made her stomach comfortable. Was it because she was hungry or was this soup delicious? I don’t know. Giselle didn’t want to care.
“That’s right.” Andrew held out the tissue box. He wanted to get rid of the remaining soup at the corner of Giselle’s lips but he suppressed that urge. He didn’t want her to feel uncomfortable having Andrew around. “Be careful eating, the soup is still a little hot, right?”
Giselle sneered. “You said, enjoy it while it’s warm. And now?” She took the tissue Andrew handed her. “You’ve changed your tune so quickly.”
Andrew could only sigh softly, still smiling and not wanting to say anything that would make Giselle bare her fangs. Women and monthly guests are two things that are inseparable but can make the people around them feel like they’re under a lot of pressure. Not to mention that their moods change so quickly that they don’t even realize it, whether it’s soaring or plummeting but making the surroundings uncomfortable. So it is better to respond with more patient actions.
“I asked for an afternoon pass and my boss approved it.” Andrew chose to enjoy the coffee that was in front of him. His heart felt so happy that what he brought, Giselle enjoyed without a trace. Plus, Brina had withdrawn from Giselle’s room. The reason was that she had some impromptu work to do. At first, Giselle refused to be left alone with Andrew and the man also did not want to make Giselle uncomfortable with his presence.
“You guys,” Brina stared at the two fiercely. “Don’t you want to talk about the time that passed? All this time? Especially you, Andrew. Don’t you have a lot to explain to Giselle? I’m giving you guys as much privacy as possible. And incidentally, Giselle isn’t feeling well and I won’t let her out. Talk to you at any of the cafes around the hotel.”
The two of them finally gave up. Which left Brina to leave them looking awkward.
“I was quite surprised to hear your story about working. An Andrew Kingston taking orders from someone else?” Giselle put down her spoon. She had finished eating the dish Andrew had brought. “It was delicious, thank you. I liked it.”
“If you want to eat soup like this again, tell me. I’ll prepare it.”
Giselle’s brow furrowed. “You… made it?”
“I think these two years have turned me into quite a frugal person. I rarely enjoy a meal at a fancy restaurant anymore. You know, I support myself with a lot of work. Not with my, well… I don’t think I need to go on and on about it, do I?”
Giselle’s eyes looked at Andrew with a twinkle of disbelief.
“It’s not just soup like before, but some dishes I’ve mastered as well. Once I can prepare fish with a spice-based flush seasoning, I’m already a classy chef.” Andrew laughed, thinking it would divert Giselle’s gaze from his. But alas, it was a mere hope. “Something… wrong?”
Giselle smiled broadly. “I believe you can master the kitchen, though I can’t trust the part where… hey, are you the one who cooked all this? An Andrew?”
“You underestimate me, Miss,” Andrew spluttered.
“I’m not underestimating you, Andrew. It’s just that I can’t believe you’d actually do such a crazy thing. Let go of everything you’ve ever held in your hands.”
“Is that selfish?” asked Andrew as he looked closely at Giselle.
The one being stared at did not expect to be noticed so intensely. The man’s eyeballs were black, once filled with dominance although sometimes Giselle could see the tenderness they possessed. But now, the dominance was far less. instead, there was a warmth and loving attitude that radiated so much that Giselle didn’t want to tear herself away from the way Andrew was looking at her.
“Others may see that I am helpless without my father’s name. Others may see that I can’t work for anything other than the place where I live.” Andrew swirled his coffee slowly. He cut his gaze not because he wanted to. But he felt that enjoying Giselle’s beautiful face for too long could make him forget himself.
Forgot who he was.
Which is nothing compared to Giselle who shines too brightly.
“But you seem to like your new life, don’t you?” asked Giselle cautiously.
“Even though I had to work overtime on the few days before the end of the month, exhausted because I had so many reports to check and really, I realized the importance of an assistant during work. I’m really grateful to Nindy for always helping me in the office.”
Giselle laughed at Andrew’s words. “I guess you’re right. The busier we get, the more helpful an assistant can be.”
“Unfortunately, I can’t get an assistant that easily.” Giselle’s laughter rubbed off on Andrew. He prepared to tidy up the dirty dishes in front of him. “Better already?”
“Um… I guess,” Giselle still maintained her smile. “Just leave it there, there’ll be a room attendant to tidy it up later, right? You’ve already gone to the trouble of making me food, don’t make me feel even more burdened by you seeming to patiently serve me.”
“I’m not complaining about that. Just relax.” Andrew chuckled. “I’m glad you can count on me.”
“I just said my stomach hurt when you called. I didn’t ask you to make me this or that, let alone keep me company until you had to sacrifice your working hours,” Giselle said with a chuckle. Her eyes no longer looked at Andrew’s back who was wandering around in the living room of the hotel where she was temporarily staying.
“I know,” Andrew said. “Hot chocolate? I bought some ready-to-brew instant powdered chocolate, but I tried it first. I think it tastes good. You must like it.”
“You may.”
Left to his own devices once again, Andrew took possession of the area where Giselle usually prepared a drink for herself.
“Well, enjoy.”RêAd lat𝙚St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only
“Thank you.” The aroma of chocolate wafted from her glass, wafting seductively. She wasn’t sure if it tasted the same as the chocolate she had enjoyed at some of her favorite cafes. But for Andrew’s efforts, she was sure it tasted much better.
“I’ll call Brina to accompany you. I think she’s in the cafeteria in the lobby. she wouldn’t go far leaving you alone, would she?” Andrew got ready. Picking up the coat that he hung near the exit.
“You… went back to the office?” asked Giselle with her hands squeezing each other. She was a bit indecisive but…
“Yes. As I said, I have a noon pass.”
“Have you taken any time off this year?”
Andrew’s brow furrowed deeply. “Leave? For what?”
“Maybe… on vacation?” Giselle cursed her incoherent remark. But what could she do? She wouldn’t have spoken as bluntly as she wanted to if Andrew had been with her today. Complete with stories about her two years without her having to make them up herself.
Although Andrew gave an outline, Giselle’s curiosity was still high.
Andrew’s smile tugged slightly. his intention to take the coat, he abandoned it. He sat back down to face Giselle, who didn’t want to look at him anymore. “What do you really want? With me on leave? On vacation?”
“No. No. I can’t possibly take a vacation with you. I’m busy here, you know.” Giselle shook off her hand immediately. “I’m sick today anyway, right?”
“Alright. Then it doesn’t matter if I stay, right? I have a lot of work to finish today.”
Giselle bit the corner of her lip and nodded slowly. “Thank you for worrying about me.”
“You’re welcome.” Andrew smiled widely. “I’m going.”
Before Andrew could open the door to his room, Giselle got up from her seat. “Andrew,” she called immediately.
“Yes?”
“Could…” her hands twisted around each other. “Accompany me today? You still have a lot of explaining to do and I want you to say it without beating around the bush.”