No More Waiting, She Chooses Love

He massaged my left foot, then moved on to my right, unbothered by the people bustling around us.

Even the young girls passing by couldn't hide their envy, whispering about finally seeing a handsome man doting on his girlfriend in real life.

I must admit it made my heart flutter, melting away any remnants of last night's annoyance with each gentle kneading of my feet.

"You're so lucky, girl!" Deborah mouthed from a short distance away.

If I continued to dwell on what happened the previous night after Conrad had been so sweet, I'd come off as petty, as if I wanted to make a big deal. "What do you want for lunch?" Conrad asked.

"Anything," I replied, not feeling particularly hungry, though my mood had improved.

"Let's go for some barbecue. The restaurant has the amazing grilled foie gras," Conrad suggested, leading me to the car.

As I reached for my seatbelt, he leaned closer, his fresh, soapy scent catching me off guard and taking my breath away.

Sensing my reaction, he smiled, fastened the seatbelt for me, and gave a peck on my cheek as he straightened up. "Felicia, seeing you blush takes me back to when you were a kid."

I was speechless. That brief kiss had completely lifted my spirits. It was ridiculous Conrad could sway me with the slightest of his affections. Thinking of Haley, I asked, "How's Haley doing now?"

"She's out of the hospital," Conrad replied.

I didn't know what to say next, and Conrad noticed my silence. "Why so quiet?"

"I don't know what to say," I admitted honestly.

But his words, 'too familiar,' echoed in my mind. Yes, Conrad and I were so familiar with each other that it felt like we'd got nothing more to say.

At the restaurant, the waiter led us

a table by the window, already

adorned with white roses, my favorite, Conrad had reserved it in advance. The grilled fish, foie gras, and my favorite dessert arrived, showing how much thought he had put into this meal.

I snapped a photo and posted it online, showing off the delicious food, the beautiful flowers, and Conrad's elegant hands.

My coworkers liked the post quickly,Copyright Nôv/el/Dra/ma.Org.

while Deborah sent an emoji with a huff, jokingly complaining about.not being included. Conrad had told Deborah to sort out her meatand expense it.

Fanny saw the post, too. She didn't like it but sent me a private message instead. [Looks like he's trying to make amends, and from what I

I

heard from the night nurse, he was right by the bedside. Nothing happened.]

"Put down your phone and eat," Conrad said as he sliced the foie gras and placed it on my plate.

A familiar figure caught my eye just as I was about to take a bite.

Haley also spotted me and approached with a smile. "Ms. Hudson."

Then, turning to Conrad, she added, "Rad, you are here, too?"

It sounded almost as if it was wrong for my fiancé to be there without her.

"What a coincidence, Ms. Perez. How come you're here?" I asked directly.

"I visited Aiden's grave and passed by. The smell of the foie gras was just too tempting," Haley said, her voice soft and gentle.

"Are you here alone?" Conrad inquired.

"Yes, so if you don't mind, may I join you?" Haley asked, placing her coat on the chair next to Conrad.